Essays

Was Communism Truly Politically Stagnant in the 1970s?

Vera Michlin • Sep 14 2008 • Essays

Communism in the 1970s was stagnant both as an ideology and as a form of government. This work will outline several factors which made the system stagnant. It is important to bear in mind that there was some progress at the policy level, but the analysis will show this did not translate into real progress because of problems ingrained in the system.

European Security & Defense as a Model for East Asia & Africa

Victoria Lennox • Sep 9 2008 • Essays

The European security regime cannot serve as a model for East Asia, as this region is conditioned by markedly different institutional, political, economic, and cultural factors that are manifest in strong preferences for informal, incremental and bilateral frameworks based upon the principles of non-interference, consensus-building, power-balancing and bandwagoning. Nevertheless, the OSCE pillar of the European security regime may be a more appropriate model for Africa.

After the Surge: Political Mobilisation and Statebuilding in Iraq since 2007

Matt Malone • Sep 5 2008 • Essays

Analysing the record of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq since 2003 has often been an exercise in reconciling seemingly contradictory interpretations and dynamics. The key point on which such interpretations implicitly or explicitly diverge is on the role of the state in Iraqi history, particularly its strength and weakness in the exercise of political authority.

A Comparative Review of the Opportunities, Agendas and Performances of Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-1991) and Vladimir Putin (1999-)

Justa Hopma • Sep 3 2008 • Essays

The aim of this piece is not to provide a conclusive assessment, but to consider different aspects of Gorbachev and Putin’s leadership. In examining leader-type and surveying conditions, light is shed upon the significance of these individuals and upon the different purposes of leadership during their premierships.

Canada-US Cross Border Regions: Engines of Integration at an Impasse – The Case of Cascadia

Victoria Lennox • Sep 2 2008 • Essays

Informed by the global governance perspective, this essay explores the internal, interrelational and ideational dimensions and forces shaping the Cascadia cross-border region (CBR) to provide useful insights into the nature, implications and future prospects of Canada-United States (US) CBRs.

How does a Regional Perspective Affect the Analysis of Democratization and Economic Reform in Putin’s Second Term?

Vera Michlin • Sep 2 2008 • Essays

This work will assess whether the regional perspective has anything new to offer for the understanding of democratisation and economic reform in the Russian Federation.

How are Indigenous Political Groups Challenging Ideas of Citizenship and Practices of Democracy in Latin America? Will They Deepen or Destabilise Democracy?

Joelle Matrak • Aug 29 2008 • Essays

This essay argues that as well as deepening citizenship by undermining clientilism, indigenous movements open the debate about reforming democracy and expanding the liberal notion of citizenship by confronting liberal democracy with the challenge of pluralism.

Does Russia take Internal Challenges to its Security Seriously Enough? The Case of Economic Instability

Justa Hopma • Aug 27 2008 • Essays

This essay focusses on the Russian energy sector and the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). These issues reflect Russia’s struggle with liberalization, necessary for increasing revenues and sustaining economic growth. The analysis demonstrates that Russia takes its internal security seriously in word and deed but challenges to economic stability remain.

Cooperative and Antagonistic NGO-State Relations

Victoria Lennox • Aug 20 2008 • Essays

This essay asserts that although NGO participation appears to remain a privilege mediated and granted by states, NGO engagement, ‘self association’, and ‘political will formation’ is central in revealing how power must now be understood in the global order – that is to say that political power “operates through rather than on civil society”.

Is there ‘a responsibility to protect?’ Discuss with Reference to Darfur

James Worley • Aug 2 2008 • Essays

In December 2001 the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty released a report titled “The Responsibility to Protect”. This essay examines whether, in light of this document, states and organisations now have a responsibility to protect the people of Darfur.

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