Mechanisms Through which Involuntary Minorities are Socially, Economically and Politically Excluded
In order to discuss the mechanisms through which involuntary minorities are socially, economically and politically excluded primarily I am going to define the meaning of the term ‘involuntary minority’. Following this, a brief identification of the main direct and indirect mechanisms clarifies the direction of the discussion. To examine the mechanisms used I have selected three examples of involuntary minorities to focus on; Palestinians in Israel, black Americans in the U.S. and refugees/asylum seekers in Britain.
Air-Minded Considerations for Joint Counterinsurgency Doctrine
An effort is now under way to draft a joint COIN doctrine informed by an air-minded perspective to reflect the range, speed, and capabilities of aerospace forces.
Are the Effects of War Gendered?
In order to decipher whether or not the effects of war are gendered it is of foremost importance to consider what is meant by the term ‘gender’. Therefore, primarily, I will briefly define this term followed by a consideration of what one means by ‘war’. Here I discuss feminist theories regarding war with particular reference to the work of Kelly. Furthermore, I will then move on to look at the effects of war with an analysis of the effects during war, the effects during the peace-making process and, finally, the post-war impacts. Each of the aforementioned will be discussed in turn, drawing on specific examples to highlight my arguments further. Ultimately, I conclude with the argument that the effects of war are often gendered, especially when one considers war from a feminist perspective.
Carol Adams: The Interlinking Sexual Oppression of Women and Non-Human Animals
The main body of the essay focuses on Palestinians in Israel since 1948 as a key example of an indigenous involuntary minority. I take a historical approach here so as to render the utilization of exclusionary mechanisms over a long time period. Black Americans who were brought to the U.S. as slaves (Ogbu, 1998:166) and refugees/asylum seekers in Britain are then drawn upon in turn as examples to depict the mechanisms through which migrant involuntary minorities are socially, politically and economically excluded. The focal point of the latter part of the essay will be based on the media as a key modern mechanism of exclusion, particularly for migrant involuntary minorities, concluding with the argument that the growth and force of the media will only strengthen the exclusion of involuntary minorities, meanwhile enforcing the effects of the other mechanisms discussed.
Qatar: Emergence of a Regional Power with International Reach
The highly visible role played by Qatar in spearheading the destruction of the Gaddafi regime in Libya has focused world attention onto this tiny Persian Gulf emirate.
Ma Victory Signals (Cautious) Continuity in Taiwan
Taiwan’s incumbent Nationalist Party (KMT) president, Mr. Ma Ing-jeou, emerged from the January 14 polls victorious with 51.6% of the popular vote in a peaceful, competitive election. But what does it mean?
The Benefits and Disadvantages of Post-positivism in International Theory
Rather than discussing their respective strengths and weaknesses, it is best for IR to consider the complementary strengths of post-positivism and positivism together.
Gender Parity in the UK’s Legislative Bodies: A Desirable Goal?
I have tried recruiting my female friends and family into politics. I tell them we are looking for people like them: mums; business women; community workers; teachers. They all look at me with horror.
A New Constitution for Turkey Without Democracy
Turkey may be heading for yet another constitutional change, but not for a societally-based and well-deliberated democratic constitution writing. Meanwhile, deliberations continue under a façade of the moderate Islamists as the vanguards of anti-military democratic politics in Turkey.
International Development: Bringing the State Back In
NGOs have often been lauded for their efforts in international development. It was long assumed that aid money given to an NGO would be more efficient, more accountable democratically to local civil organizations, and more likely to reach the intended people and not a foreign bank account. As many states democratized, the NGOs assisting them became increasingly dependent on funding from neoliberal donors. Critics, such as Zaidi, Petras, and Kamat, have begun to argue that the NGOs themselves have become unaccountable and undemocratic. They propose bringing the state back into the development process. Yet would this solution be truly effective in light of the massive debts, dependence, and global structural imbalances faced by many developing states?
