Nation States: Stronger in Europe than Elsewhere?
Europe has imposed its intrinsic identity and revolutionary social and political values and models worldwide, transforming many of them in global standards, shaping the lives of billions of people. It is within the European geographical space that a large number of the world’s greatest empires have developed and some of humanities most valuable technological, spiritual, cultural, economic or political advancements have been achieved.
Was Communism Truly Politically Stagnant in the 1970s?
Communism in the 1970s was stagnant both as an ideology and as a form of government. This work will outline several factors which made the system stagnant. It is important to bear in mind that there was some progress at the policy level, but the analysis will show this did not translate into real progress because of problems ingrained in the system.
The Division of Palestine in 1947: Personal Policy or Strategic Interest?
The decision by the United Nations to partition Palestine in 1947 was a major watershed in Middle Eastern history. Not only did it lead to the creation of the state of Israel, a Zionist aim since the eighteenth century, but it set in stone a conflict which still to this day remains unresolved.Although the decision aimed to appease both Jews and Arabs, who laid differing ideological claims to the same territory and, as James L. Ilsley stated, was the ‘best of four unattractive and difficult alternatives,’ it failed.
How Does the Process of State Formation in Most Developing Countries Differ from the Process Experienced in Europe and with what Consequences for their Developmental Potential?
The process of state formation seen in the past century in developing countries has diverged dramatically from the process experienced in Europe unsurprisingly as a result of different historical conditions. While the early European state building model will likely not repeat itself, it remains useful to compare state-making processes and experiences of survival to gain insights into contemporary state building and development.
Discourse Ethics and Third-Party Mediation
Using Habermasian theory as a guideline for mediation practice in the field of conflict resolution enriches the work of the peace builder and can dismantle the criticism that mediation is a tool of Western imperialism.
Is Competition in U.S. Elections Desirable?
The First-Past-The-Post electoral system and voter polarization in the US mean that competition in the congressional and presidential elections is generally undesirable.
How Sub-Saharan Africa Can Become a Stable Economic Region
Colonial systems must be outgrown in favor of global ones, and governments must work for the betterment of the state and its citizens, not for power and wealth which has permeated the region since independence.
China and Japan’s Responses to the West in the 19th Century
Japan and China reacted differently to pressure from the West in the 19th century: Japan opened trade with the West and modernized successfully, neither of which China did.
Deepening Socio-Economic Relations Across Taiwan Straits
While socio-economic relations encourage a peaceful era in the short to medium term, political realism severely constrains the development of these relations the in the long term.
‘Bedouin’ Hospitality in the Neo-Global City of Dubai
Has hospitality in the Middle East, especially in Dubai, been changed as a result of the construction of new cities, or has it merely shifted to accommodate a new type of guest?
