Trends in Muslim Political Thought: Redefining Islam in the Socio-Political Context
Since the second half of the 20th century, Islam has been reasserted as a socio-political force across the Muslim world. The past few decades have seen Islamist parties win elections in a number of Muslim countries, including Algeria, Palestine, and Turkey, and form the strongest opposition to Western-aligned ruling regimes in a host of others.
The Christian Right and US Foreign Policy today
Religion is a significant voice in international relations and its increased prominence is due in no small measure, for western audiences at least, to the influence of the Christian Right in US domestic politics and international affairs. The resounding Democratic election victories in 2008 might suggest that the movement has reached its nadir and is no longer worthy of consideration, but thie movement is highly resilient.
Chinese Information and Cyber Warfare
More and more frequently, accusations emerge from industrialized and developing countries, pointing towards China (the PLA, “Beijing”, the “government”, or its hackers), accusing it of being the source of major cyber attacks. What are the main characteristics of the Chinese approach to Information and Cyber Warfare?
A Sign of the Times
Formerly, the European Court of Human Rights was seldom concerned with religion. The Court polices the European Convention on Human Rights in the countries of the Council of Europe and Article 9 of the ECHR protects freedom of religion, but religious matters had rarely disturbed the Court. However, over the last twenty years, this has changed dramatically. Cases concerning religion, argued under Article 9 and other Convention rights, are now commonplace.
Lessons from the Vatican to Protect All Children
The global revelations about the inadequate response by the Catholic hierarchy to sexual abuse of children by clergy is a wake-up call for everyone. When the largest church in the world harbors child predators as the hierarchy has, it is a strong signal that children are at risk in all circumstances. They are.
Religion and International Affairs: From Neglect to Over-Emphasis
Religion, in the past, had influenced the behavior of international actors without determining it, although its role often went unnoticed. This situation, notwithstanding the new found fascination with the impact of religion on international affairs, has not changed. Religion is neither the source of conflicts and disputes nor a panacea for global problems.
Walking Corpses
Hannah Arendt’s name has emerged at the forefront of contemporary writing on the possibility of cosmopolitan political forms. The central political issue, for Arendt, was one of appropriate foundation, that is, ‘the setting of a new beginning’ and of ‘lawgiving’. One could read Arendt’s entire theory of politics as an effort to work out the possibility of non-violent, non-imperial, non-ideological political founding.
Guerrilla Diplomacy for the 21st Century: Rethinking International Relations in a World of Insecurity
Diplomacy can help make the world a better place, but it has failed to adapt to the imperatives of world order management in the 21st century. It has been sidelined, under-resourced and marginalized by governments almost everywhere. If this is to change, grand strategy will have to be reconsidered.
Channeling “Nixon Goes to China” in the Middle East
In order to avoid losing ground in a geopolitically pivotal region of the world, the US must be bold. Today, Iran and the increasingly confident Shia of the Middle East are playing a central role in shaping what the region will look like a generation from now. The US must be able to adapt to the shifting sands and not cling rigidly to yesteryear’s policy prescriptions.
Science Diplomacy at the heart of international relations
Science should ideally provide the basis of non-ideological environments for the participation and free exchange of ideas. However, science has been, and will continue to be, used for political gain with the express aim of furthering a particular ideology and proving its superiority. Despite the negatives, science diplomacy has been effective for many years and led to coalition building and conflict resolution.
