Category Topical

Civil Society, Europe

Culture in Flux: The Role of Culture in Strengthening Georgia’s National Identity

November 7, 2024

Rustaveli Avenue, Tibilisi, is where Georgia’s culture and politics converge, lined by institutions including the National Museum and the Georgian Parliament. This May, the slogan “Yes to Europe, No to Russian Law” resounded through the avenue as Georgians protested the…

Europe, Policy & Politics

Is Georgia’s Dream of a Future Alignment with the West still a Possibility?

November 6, 2024

There are signs of yet another crisis the EU has to deal with after the parliamentary election in Georgia on 27 October. The pro-Russian party Georgian Dream has allegedly won 54% of the vote. This puts an end to hopes…

Asia Pacific, Security & Conflict

From Balochistan to Beyond: How Iran emerged as a Senior Partner to Pakistan

November 6, 2024

As news of Iran centers on the Gaza conflict’s spillover, and news regarding Pakistan revolves around its ongoing strikes against TTP militants on their Afghan border, the tit-for-tat strikes on January 16, 2024, and brief tension between Iran & Pakistan…

Energy & Environment, North America, South America

The Pitfalls of All-the-above Environmental Policy: Analyzing the Role of Right-Wing and Left-Wing Populism in Recent Brazil and U.S. Politics

October 30, 2024

Climate change is one of the most defining issues of our century. Changes in overall human behavior are necessary for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. These changes should come from everyone, including individuals, corporations, and governments. Politicians are leading…

Asia Pacific, Policy & Politics

Geopolitics and Revolution: The Superpower Nexus Behind Hasina’s Rule and the Future of Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy

October 24, 2024

On August 5, 2024, Bangladesh experienced a pivotal moment in its political history. After 16 years of authoritarian rule, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country following a student-led revolution[1]. Her departure marked the end of a regime that had…

Asia Pacific, Security & Conflict

The Dual-Use Nature of Space Launch Vehicles and Ballistic Missiles and the Complexities

October 17, 2024

Space Launch Vehicles (SLVs) are gaining prominence, even among developing states, as a means of exerting greater influence and leverage in space. These technologies not only add to a state’s technological prowess, contributing to its power and prestige, but also…

Civil Society, Governance & Law, North America

To Defeat Populism, Bring Back the Fireside Chats

October 11, 2024

The world is facing a new generation of challenges that are of a different kind, degree, and dimension than those of the past. Many are borderless, including some that present existential risks to humanity. Many are interrelated, multiplying and magnifying…

Asia Pacific, International Development

Rethinking Urban Employment Guarantees in India

September 27, 2024

As India becomes more urbanized, there will be significantly higher demand for public services and welfare support in urban areas. There is a need to extend income and consumption support schemes, similar to the flagship rural employment scheme (MNREGA), into…

Africa, Civil Society, Security & Conflict

Assessing Twenty-Five Years of Democracy in Nigeria

September 3, 2024

Twenty-five years ago, the Federal Republic of Nigeria transitioned from military rule to a democratic system. During a colorful event in Abuja attended by leaders worldwide on May 29, 1999, the military transferred power to Olusegun Obasanjo, the democratically elected…

Europe, Policy & Politics, Security & Conflict

The Insecurities of Putin’s Russia

June 6, 2024

Professor Jef Huysmans at Queen Mary University of London describes insecurity as a politically and socially constructed phenomenon, and argues that insecurities arise from institutional and political reactions to a threat. In his interpretation, “a threat functions as an event…

Civil Society, Middle East, Photo Essays

Freefalling Afghanistan: A Pictorial Journey Through Two-and-a-Half Years of Taliban Rule

April 28, 2024

February 2020 Doha Accord holds the secret of the Taliban’s freedom and rule in Afghanistan. This picture was taken when the Taliban fighters were cruising through Kabul’s streets, triumphing over the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and celebrating…

Asia Pacific, Policy & Politics

China’s Strategic Ambiguity on Taiwan

April 21, 2024

In recent years, Beijing has escalated its bellicosity towards Taipei—not least when it launched a large-scale military blockade and imposed various economic sanctions after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island in 2022. This trend of heightened Chinese…