A Comparison between the Indian Navy and the Japanese Navy
Both Japan and India are major regional maritime powers in the Asia-Pacific region. Both of their navies are growing in potency and have the ambition to dominate the region, and to become “blue-water” navies which can operate in the high seas. The continued rise of China in naval power introduces a further element into the analysis.
Review – Mao’s Great Famine
In 1957 Chairman Mao Zedong launched a programme of rapid industrialisation with the ostensible aim of overtaking British steel production within 15 years. Over the following four years millions died in the greatest famine in history. Using recently opened archival material, Frank Dikötter has exposed the scale of this disaster in greater detail than any writer before and illustrates Mao’s central role in the suffering and devastation.
An analysis of David Cameron’s visit to Moscow
David Cameron’s mid-September visit to Moscow had three objectives: to revive the practice of top level contacts; to boost trade and investment; and to put down some markers about values. Choosing either greater central control or more liberal development has its risks. It is in the interests of Britain to work with Russia towards the second.
Archival research in the age of Wikileaks
In an age when IR is governed by theoretical and political science approaches, the validity of engaging with historical and diplomatic archives is more relevant than ever.
A Discussion of the Dilemmas Posed by Dershowitz as to Whether the ‘ticking bomb’ Terrorist Should be Tortured
This essay will discuss Dershowitz’s arguments as to why the so-called ‘ticking bomb terrorist’ should be tortured, and seek to counter them, concluding that it is too dangerous to legalise the use of torture, even in extreme circumstances.
British Counterinsurgency in the post-Cold War World
The ‘British approach’ for conducting counterinsurgency (COIN) operations can act as guidance for how to achieve the best results. This approach has been honed through Britain’s unique experience of empire policing and conduct in several small wars spanning over 150 years. However, it is now coming under criticism for its apparent lack of utility in the post-Cold War world.
Gender Equality in Australia
Historically, Australia’s social structure contributed to significant differences in opportunity and outcome between the genders, resulting in prejudice and discrimination against more women than men over time. Whilst there are far fewer examples of overt gender-based discrimination in Australia, the progress towards true substantive gender equality has clearly stalled.
Kathmandu: City of Peace, Economies of Scale and Cultural Diversity
While Nepal has some social tensions across and within religions, it is maintains robustly secular principles of governance combined with strong principles of religious freedom.
Opinion – The US-China Tech Hegemony Contest: A Threat to the Neoliberal World Order
US-China rivalry is rooted in divergent political and economic ideologies, giving rise to a persisting struggle playing out on a global scale.
Opinion – The Best Attribute of the Nobel Peace Prize Is Its Power to Provoke
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the ritual is to invite humanity to reflect on the vicissitudes of war and peace, even if our models to understand this vexing phenomenon are often wrong.
