Berlusconi turns off the light
Kant defined enlightenment as the proliferation and cultivation of critique and reason as the vehicles to intellectual, cultural and political evolution: an ethos based not on any one body of knowledge but upon a constant critical interrogation of the present and of ourselves. Dissent, contradiction, argumentation and debate are key to the betterment of society through democracy. If this is true, Berlusconi has turned off the light.
Tunisia: Was it a revolution?
With the cascading events in Tunisia, there has been much debate about whether or not this represents a real revolution. The question is clearly important. Much of the debate seems to focus on whether or not Tunisia will move out of an autocratic system of government and into a liberal democracy. But whatever the eventual political outcome, Tunisians have already experienced a real revolution.
The Inaugural Address: Trump’s Nationalist Turn
Trump’s inaugural address unambiguously reiterated his earlier statements on foreign policy to end what mainstream US politics regards as American leadership in the world.
The Dictator is Dead, God Save the Dictator!
Following many other Middle Eastern and North African leaders Ben Ali sustained his power through repression, fear, and censorship. His downfall through popular protests stunned the world. However, there is still no guarantee for a new chapter in Tunisian politics.
The new interventionist state
Discussions on the role of the state have always involved a search for appropriate metaphors. “The taming of the Leviathan,” “the state in retreat,” and even worse, the “slim state” – between fitness and anorexia – are but a handful of examples. The most popular metaphor at present seems to be “the return of the lost Leviathan.” But this metaphor is misleading. The state is not returning from foreign exile.
Roger Waters’ The Wall and the ‘ISIS Crisis’
Seeing Waters’ depiction of how war has made him a broken man gave me hope that a more sensible debate is being had amongst citizens over the march to war with ISIS.
The South China Seas: a Manageable Dispute
Reaching a pragmatic solution to the problem of the contested territories of the South China Sea requires complex diplomatic efforts on the side of all parties involved.
Who Has a Right to Representation?
Should the Maori be entitled to a reserved number of seats in the New Zealand parliament? Such an arrangement goes to the heart of the debate over representation.
On Chickens and Eggs: A Response to Joseph Nye
Academics need to make their arguments accessible and governments need to acknowledge their relevance in determining how to proceed when conceptualizing policy. Until administrations become concerned with changing the level of discourse rather than simply out maneuvering their foes on the political chessboard, any changes in the practices of academic research will fall short of re-enfranchising academics into meaningful advisory roles
The New Wave of Social Engineering in Iran
The social engineering venture of the Islamic Republic has been a systematic attempt of the ruling machinery to reshape the socio-cultural infrastructure of the Iranian society in accordance with the ideological mandate of the state. In a recent attempt to stifle the internal opposition, the Islamic Republic has called for more “Islamisation” of the educational system and has in particular targeted universities for further “de-westernisation”
