Conceptualising and Assessing the State of Democracy in the World Today
Schumpeter’s minimalist standard is the most useful in any examination of democracy, as demonstrated by the Polity project, because of its simplicity and global reach.
The Quiet Collapse of the Soviet Union
Certain factors accelerated the fall of the Soviet Union and caused it to rot from the inside, even though the Soviet leaders’ biggest fear was from the outside.
The African Union: Organization of African Unity 2.0 or Regional Renaissance?
While the AU has done much to remedy the weaknesses of the OAU, there remains a long path to successful integration, peace and security, and tangible economic benefits.
The WTO Has Failed as a Multilateral Agency in Promoting International Trade
Institutionally dominated by the powerful interests of Western elites, the WTO can never achieve real, substantial change or progress for developing nations.
Western Human Rights in a Diverse World: Cultural Suppression or Relativism?
Cultural relativism should not be an excuse to avoid the difficulties of enforcing an individualistic human rights system in communities believing in collective rights.
Ethnic Reintegration in Post-Conflict Development Strategies
Encouraging apolitical activities focused around the common concerns of communities holds great potential to foster reconciliation in post-atrocity contexts.
Consolidating New Forms of Citizenship in Turkey
A religion-based, Ottomanistic definition of Turkish identity not only challenges the Kemalist roots of the state but also contributes to a postmodernisation of them.
Yemen’s Water Scarcity as a Threat to National Security
Within the past couple decades, the discourse surrounding water scarcity in Yemen has shifted; this scarcity is now seen as a contributing threat to national security.
Is Nuclear Technology the Answer to Asia’s Energy Future?
Asia’s energy future depends on increasing energy efficiency, reducing fossil fuel imports, and increasing the role of renewable and nuclear energies.
Contemporary Petitioning and Chinese Internet Censorship
Current Chinese Internet censorship efforts resemble a petitioning (complaint) system Chinese leaders have employed in various forms since the Zhou dynasty.
