Sexual Assault Silences in War Memorialisation: The Lesson of Vivian Bullwinkel
The display of Bullwinkel’s dress is a symbol of the gap between wartime experiences and their commemorative representations.
The Stopping Power of Water: An Outdated Concept?
The oceans do not pose nearly as large of an obstacle to a regional hegemon attempting to venture further outwards as they have in the past.
Could the United States Have Won in Vietnam?
Victory in Vietnam required support from the indigenous population: this the US failed to understand, and instead separated its military strategy from the political reality.
Expanding UN Peacekeeping Operations Since 1990
The egoistic passions and self-interests of states, in terms of military, economic and diplomatic power, marked the increasing number of UN peacekeeping operations after 1990.
The Proliferation of Conventional Weapons: A Post-Cold War Problem
The banning of antipersonnel mines by the Ottawa Treaty in 1997 was a huge achievement in the attempts to reduce the amount of future damage caused by these devices.
What do you find more Convincing when Explaining the Outbreak of Intra-state Wars: Greed or Grievance?
Understanding the causes of such human devastation is arguably the most important question facing contemporary peace research. Can the desire for self-enrichment by corrupt government elites or rebel leaders be solely responsible? Are we to believe the rhetoric of the latter who claim they represent the interests of oppressed populations? In short, what is the most convincing explanation for the outbreak of intra-state wars?
South Korea Is Not In Democratic Backslide (Yet)
Democratic backslide involves both the degradation of social development and democratic institutions. South Korea is experiencing the former, but not the latter.
The Cause of Positivism’s Dominance
This essay will critically analyse the notion that there is a fundamental difference between the tasks of ‘explaining’ (comprehending ‘causes’) and ‘understanding’ (comprehending ‘reasons’). First, the essay will examine the emergence of the sharp division, which has come to be accepted as existent between ‘explaining’ (which is advocated by positivists) and ‘understanding’ (which is advocated by post-positivists). Second, one important consequence of the division will be demonstrated by showing how the intellectual battles between positivists and post-positivists, as well as the occasional attempts at reconciliation between them, have been instrumental in positivism’s dominance. Finally, the work of Milja Kurki will be drawn upon to argue that the concept of causation should be broadened, thereby exposing the interrelated nature of ‘explaining’ and ‘understanding’ without reducing one to the other. This will allow for positivism’s dominance to be effectively challenged.
The Intensification of US Efforts to Build an Atomic Bomb
The mushroom cloud has retrospectively obscured the context in which American leaders took the decision to build and use the atomic bomb. The principle rationale behind the intensification of the Manhattan Project in the first half of 1945 was the desire of the US bureaucracy to end the war in the Pacific before the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland in November 1945.
Private Military Companies and Sacrifice: Reshaping State Sovereignty
The use of private military companies by states fundamentally alters a crucial tenant of sovereign power during war with regard to national sacrifice.
