The Developing World’s Tragic Engagement with Microcredit
The microcredit model has tragically failed. Governments now need to establish community-based financial institutions that can promote sustainable pro-poor development.
New Media and Latin American Violent Movements
Social media have enabled Latin American violent movements to share their stories, whether this be the nobility of their causes or the extravagance of their lifestyles.
How to End Mexico’s Drug War
Mexico cannot afford to address its drug war with failed strategies. There is no alternative to state building. But this is a long term challenge which requires resources and high levels of political will.
Review – Mexican Cartel Essays and Notes
Bunker’s anthology deftly illustrates the diverse economic interests of Mexico’s cartels, and the role these groups continue to play in destabilizing the societies and governments of infiltrated nation-states.
Review – Criminal Insurgencies in Mexico
Robert J. Bunker’s wide ranging edited collection provides valuable insight into the activities of Mexican drug cartels and gangs – though the analysis is short on policy prescriptions.
Gang and TCO Activity in Mexico: Should the U.S. Be Concerned?
Dangerous Mexican gangs have successfully elevated themselves to the global security stage. Yet, nothing of Mexico was mentioned in the recent U.S. presidential election. Should American’s be more concerned?
An Election Short on Hope: Mexico 2012
Mexico’s recent Presidential election returned the PRI back to power twelve years after the party was ousted. Numerous problems continue to plague the country. This election won’t change that.
AMERICA’S NEXT WAR
The American public is tired of war. Soon there will be no US forces in Iraq and the scheduled drawdown of troops in Afghanistan is being accelerated. In both cases American field commanders objected to the withdrawals, hoping to preserve tenuously held gains in those conflicts by retaining on site American combat capabilities.
The Securitisation of Swine Flu?
With the emergence of swine flu in April 2009, international actors have quickly scrambled to develop and implement health measures in an attempt to minimise or eliminate the possibility of a full-blow pandemic. In particular, during these early stages states and the World Health Organization (WHO) appear to have begun the process of engaging swine flu with political priority. This raises two interrelated points: is swine flu being securitised and if so, why?
Swine flu calls into question the meaning of global health security
The current swine flu outbreak takes place amidst ongoing international efforts to establish a system of global health security. While considerable progress towards this goal has been made, serious unresolved problems mean that the concept and practice of global health security is likely to face severe challenges.
