The Breakdown of Societal Order in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The civil war in the DRC is a major problem. Historical and sociological approaches help explain the persistence and character of the on-going violence.
World Risk Society and the Response to Terrorism
This paper will analyse how the concepts in Ulrich Beck’s Risk Society are influencing the War on Terror. Moreover, it will examine their practical enforcement, the way in which they pose serious threats to the international law system and how this contributes to the shaping a new domestic order in those states where they have being applied.
Mearsheimer’s Realism and the Rise of China
John Mearsheimer attempts to reduce the factors influencing the development of the US-China relationship, which are inestimable, to fit the limited parameters of his theory.
Disciplining the Discpline: International Relations as a Mature Science
Ever since the so called ‘interparadigm debate’ in the 1970s and 1980s, the discipline of International Relations is perceived to be characterised by a series of paradigms. Even though a range of post-positivist theories have sprung up in recent years, leading some scholars to proclaim the post-positivist era, positivism is likely to remain the dominant paradigm in the discipline.
Are Failing and Failed States a Post-Cold War Phenomenon?
As security threats have altered from regional instability caused by ‘rogue states’, to overarching security concerns which can come from non-state actors and state-actors alike, actors in the international arena have been urged to shift their attention towards the causes of these menaces; dysfunctional societies.
Treaties and the Federal Balance in an Era of Globalization
All states are currently facing the challenges and opportunities of globalization. As countries become more integrated, it behoves them to coordinate laws and policies. Consequently, the boundary between domestic and foreign policy is weakening.This paper employs an institutional focus to explain why globalization has different impacts on federations.
What is at Stake in the Third Debate and Why does it Matter for International Theory?
The ‘postpositivist’ challenge to the ‘empiricist-positivist’ orthodoxy is often considered to be international theory’s ‘Third Great Debate’. This essay investigates whether a new consensus might provide an unproblematic ‘resolution’ to the debate, or if it might (re)create practices which do violence to those silenced.
The Challenge of AIDS in African Society
African societies are already suffering from poverty, inequality and weak social cohesion. Since its emergence, HIV/AIDS has added a multifaceted layer of new dimensions to the former. It impacts on the economy, education and the food security of the household, creating a paradigm in which poverty is a challenge in stopping the HIV/AIDS epidemic and HIV/AIDS is a challenge in stopping poverty.
Does Secularism Eliminate Extremism?
Secularism as an ideology can contain religion and allow the bifurcation of the state and the religious institution. However, it cannot battle religious extremism.
Free Trade in the Asia Pacific: A View From New Zealand
The Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is a good case study for the Government of New Zealand’s view on bilateral and regional free trade agreements.
