“Hopenhagen” to “Nopenhagen”? The Role of Public Expectation at the Copenhagen Summit.
It can be said that the expectations at COP15 were not so high that they were unattainable. However, domestic pressures in key countries, procedural difficulties, insufficient pre-cooking and the “ClimateGate” scandal certainly played a role in why a comprehensive agreement was not reached.
Colonialism, Lebanon and the Middle East
Many of the recent uprisings in the Middle East have been in reaction to political systems and traditions which can be traced back to the colonial period. This is very much the case with the protests against Confessionalism in Lebanon. Although colonial rule has ended, its legacy continues in contemporary Middle Eastern politics.
Are We Doomed by the Legacy of the Enlightenment?
The Enlightenment refers to when man started utilizing logic to make discoveries, such as natural laws in the political, scientific, and social realms. The legacy of the Enlightenment is that things have changed for the better, but in recent times it seems as though the world is headed for tougher struggles.
Putting the Democratic Peace Theory to the Test
Although democratic peace has gained various statistical and theoretical support, it can not escape from criticism. The theory should not be used as an excuse for adopting a foreign policy of forcibly conducting democratization, as the chances of success for this kind of action are highly questionable, as demonstrated in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Conquering Nature: the implications of assigning monetary values to global commons
The atmosphere, forests and other forms of ‘natural capital’ come under the concept of the commons and increasingly these are being ‘managed’, through enclosure, carbon markets and other economic methods. This stance is, in many ways, at fault for the ecological issues faced today.
Disempowered “Heroes”: Political Agency of Foreign Domestic Workers in East and Southeast Asia
Migrants have come to fill an essential role in the global economy, yet at the same time states are problematizing immigration as a challenge to its security, sovereignty, economy, and social fabric. States with high levels of outward migration celebrate their emigrants as new heroes for the profits they send to their home state.
Protecting Civilians in Conflict: Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
The principle of distinction and discrimination of combatants and non-combatants is the cornerstone of international humanitarian law. Humanitarian and human rights law build on two very distinct perspectives of protection of civilians during armed conflicts; and therefore, present two independent legal regimes, which were not necessarily designed to coexist.
Is it futile to attempt to prevent torture using international law?
Although breaches to the torture ban could suggest the uselessness of international human rights law when national interests and politics are involved, it has an undeniable role in the development of legal condemnation against torture
China: 21st Century “Superpower”?
The global financial crisis is one of the most severe that modern history has seen, providing China with opportunities as well as challenges. This crisis and its aftermath have accelerated China’s political, economic and social rise. China’s power in the international financial system is growing, however it shouldn’t be overestimated.
What role does the AIDS pandemic play in accounting for poverty in sub-Saharan Africa?
This paper will highlight the significance of the AIDS pandemic in South Saharan Africa and assess the linkages between HIV/AIDS and poverty, both at a macro and micro level. It will argue that the dynamics of the epidemic are a cause as well as a symptom of poverty and underdevelopment in the region.
