Africanising the BRICS Agenda: Indications from Durban
Hoping to mould Africa and the south as the new geopolitical centre, South Africa has attempted to sell the next BRICS Summit as an African summit.
Pope Pius XII, the Holocaust, and the Identity Question in the Catholic Church
It is important to understand the larger issues implicit within the controversy caused by Pius XII’s failure to condemn the Holocaust, such as the ongoing search for identity in the Church.
Waltz, Wight and Our Study of World Politics
Waltz and Wight addressed important questions, both for scholars, practitioners and society at large. While not entirely successful in solving them, their works continue to inspire our thinking today.
On the Democratic and Demographic Transitions
Research on the determinants of democracy has overlooked the role of demographic factors. Yet, no other variable is more closely related to a country’s democratic status than its median age.
The Game of Thrones and Popular Understandings of International Relations
The joy of Game of Thrones is that George R.R. Martin’s world is complex enough that people can read into it what they want. There are plenty of opportunities to apply IR theory to it.
Understanding US Foreign Policy: It’s All About the Pinto Beans!
Are USAID’s beans the culturally neutral beans of the world? Do they ‘do no harm’? Or, are they grown in excessive numbers by US farmers?
It’s Time for a New Strategy for a New Nuclear Reality
The United States must begin to accept that a new nuclear reality is emerging and, with it, new challenges and opportunities necessitating a policy shift away from targeted discouragement.
Does a New National Security Team Mean a New Foreign Policy?
We should look to the White House for signs of a new foreign policy, not elsewhere. The new cohort in the administration simply reflect Obama’s own preferences.
The Power Politics Game
Games allow professors to show students that knowledge does not only have to come from a lecturer, but can also be experienced. Through games, students appreciate the complexities of international politics.
Climate Change: The Lessons from History
Considering the stalemate in climate negotiations it is not likely that the global community can make a joint decision to step forward. Someone has to take the first step – showing the example.
