Migrant Cosmopolitanism
Republican cosmopolitanism is only part of cosmopolitanism—the most reactionary part. The true agents and movers of cosmopolitan history and politics have always been, and continue to be, migrants.
On Mediation Efficacy: Clarifying the Current Controversy
Biased/manipulative mediators are more efficient in generating agreements but are less effective in producing peace; conversely, neutral/facilitative mediators are less efficient but more effective.
Towards a More Crowded Heavens?
National space programs are tools states leverage for a variety of purposes, not expressions of an apolitical human urge to explore. Like nuclear weapons, crewed spaceflight programs remain widely perceived as a signifier of great power status.
Escalation Gambit: North Korea’s Perilous Play for Security and Prosperity
The hostile posturing of the North Korean leadership is decipherable if located within the context of its symbiotic national security and economic development goals.
IR Theory and the DPRK
Looking at interpretations of current events through an IR theory lens, it is astonishing at how often claims have been made that war is likely, and that we have no way of understanding what North Korea might do.
Invisible Legions: The Pope and International Relations
The election of Pope Francis is obviously significant for millions of Roman Catholics all over the world, but its importance for international relations is not immediately apparent.
The Crisis Erupts
Influenced by the plot of a Tom Clancy novel, the POL 210 simulation this week focuses on a resource hungry China which invades the Russian East in search of minerals and natural resources to feed its growing economy.
Chinese Soft Power 2.0: The Politics of Fashion
Chinese soft power must be understood in light of China’s domestic politics as much as its international standing. The case of Peng Liuyan – better known as China’s First Lady – shows that this remains as true as ever.
Democratisation and Development in Tanzania: Complimentary or Contradictory Forces?
Democratisation has a relatively weak track record. The Tanzanian case shows that even bottom-up development struggles against internal conflicts and interests.
Opportunity and Peril in the North Korean Standoff
Most pundits have determined that Kim Jong Un has consolidated power and is now about to, irrationally, strike out against South Korea and her allies. But, what if this assumption is an error?
