Green Line in Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990.

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In this essay, the author attempts to assess whether war assists in constructing or deconstructing state and nation building. An example of constructive war and deconstructive war is given by assessing Afghanistan and Vietnam and the role of the three causal mechanisms‘Capital, Coercion, and Nation building’ . The author concludes by examining Syria and Lebanon as case studies to see if the causal mechanisms could also be extended to explain state and nation formation in the Middle East.

By Abd Al-Aziz Abu Al-Huda, 29th May, 2012

Throughout history, war has often been portrayed and remembered for its capability as a destructive force. Yet looking at the beginning of many states in early modern Europe, we tend to find war as the means by which independence was acquired. Such observations, analysed by Charles Tilly and Brian Taylor and Roxana Botea, has then led to the interpretation that war can also be a constructive force, particularly in aiding the formation of states or nations. The opposite is equally accurate, for war historically has also proven to create conditions for the demise of many states. We can then understand and assume that war is a highly ambiguous instrument requiring specific settings and conditions to promote state and nation formation or lead to state destruction.

Are Advances in Technology the Only Force for Tackling Climate Change?

By jmhamilt

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Climate Change, Energy, Energy, Essays, global governance, International Politics

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This essay puts forward the argument that without several revolutionary ‘black swan’ innovations, technological advances will need to be supported by strategic planning and a restructured energy market to tackle climate change. The current market ‘lock in’ of high-carbon energies and high cost of low-carbon technologies mean that the potential for new technologies to gain widespread adoption are highly restricted.

by Jack Hamilton, 24th March, 2012

‘Environmentalists are fiddling while Rome burns’. This is the claim of Vinod Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures, a venture-capital firm that is currently investing over $1 billion into low-carbon technologies in the hope that a ‘black swan’ innovation will be a key to tackling climate change. In Khosla’s estimations the green technologies of electric cars, wind turbines and smart grids will not be enough and rather there needs to be a ‘1000%’ change if the whole world is to enjoy the energy-rich lifestyle of the Western world. Until the green technologies are available at a price which is affordable in the developing world, ‘everything is a toy’[i]. Others maintain that existing technology will be sufficient if market factors facilitate its widespread adoption. Joseph Romm, the editor of Climate Progress, argues that the way to tackle climate change is through the ‘accelerated deployment of existing technologies’ in order to move down the cost curve more rapidly than a breakthrough[ii]. These two opposing views set up two fundamental questions: are advances in technology alone able to tackle climate change and if this technology exists why has it not been adopted?

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Guantanamo: Can Intelligence Agencies be Democratic?

By InPEC Contributor

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Afghanistan, Articles, Counter-terrorism, Europe, India

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In this article the author questions whether the methods being used to combat domestic terrorism are in fact contrary to the values they seek to protect. Using the case studies of the US and Pakistan, Camille Maubert looks at the discrepancy between democratic ideals and the often scandalous actions of intelligence agencies.

By Camille Maubert, May 15th, 2012

The superiority of democracy as a political system has become paradigmatic. In effect, it is known to be the best way for a state to simultaneously assert authority on its citizens and protect their basic rights from excessive uses of power. Yet, intelligence agencies are democracies’ Achilles’ heel. Scandals – from Watergate to Abu Graib – penetrated the layers of secrecy and exposed the discrepancies between democratic ideals and intelligence activities.

Disarmament is more practical than we are conditioned to think

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Disarmament, International Politics, Nuclear Weapons, Terrorism

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In this article, the authors build on a recent piece appeared on Open Democracy titled ‘Restarting Disarmament’. Disarmament, the authors claim, is more practical than we are often conditioned to believe.

By Dan Plesch and David Franco, 14th May, 2012

In a recent article on the progress of the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament talks now under way in Vienna, Rebecca Johnson notes that the newly formed coalition of pro-humanitarian states has the potential to become a game changer. Of all that has happened thus far in Vienna the most exciting news is the statement ↑ by a coalition of 16 non nuclear weapons states, including Switzerland and Norway – an ally of the nuclear weapons states, that nuclear weapons and programmes have catastrophic humanitarian consequences and that they should be abolished.

This initiative is the first involving western states to apply to nuclear weapons the thinking that has moved humanitarian disarmament on land mines, cluster munitions and the arms trade. President Obama’s ↑ cry for nuclear disarmament in Prague in 2009 may have had more effect than skeptics and critics believe. But more needs to be done as disarmament has long suffered from some kind of lethargic paralysis. Paraphrasing Richard Moyes and Thomas Nash, if disarmament were like an old PC it would need to be restarted. Indeed, restarting disarmament is a must, and not only at the nuclear level. The consequences would be immense, including a boost to democratic development as highlighted by Andrew Lichterman ↑ .

The Unhappiness Factory of Kashmir

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, Civil Society, Culture, Governance, India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Protests, Reconciliation

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A Kashmiri boy with the Dal Lake (Srinagar) in the backdrop. Photo (c) Siddharth Singh

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In an April 2012 issue of Open Magazine, the editor Manu Joseph wrote a provocatively titled essay, “Sorry, Kashmir is Happy”. Unsurprisingly, this article became the subject of heated discussion. In this InPEC article, the author – Sualeh Keen, a Kashmiri writer, poet and cultural critic – brings some perspective to this issue.

By Sualeh Keen, 7th May 2012

Trauma in Kashmir is like a heritage building—the elite fight to preserve it. ‘Don’t forget,’ is their predominant message, ‘Don’t forget to be traumatised.’ They want the wound of Kashmir to endure because the wound is what indicts India for the many atrocities of its military. This might be a long period of calm, but if the wound vanishes, where is the justice? India simply gets away with all those rapes, murders and disappearances? So nothing disgusts them more than these words: ‘Normalcy returns to Kashmir’; ‘Peace returns to the Valley’; ‘Kashmiris want to move on’.

When Manu Joseph wrote these words in the Open Magazine article ‘Sorry, Kashmir Is Happy’, it was but expected that ‘they’ would get disgusted and outraged. ‘They’ are the intellectual writers and online activists that constitute the second generation of Kashmiri Muslim separatists, the first generation being the Pakistan-trained mujahideen who fought with AK-47s, grenades, rockets, and bombs against ‘Hindu India’ in search of Azadi (literally, ‘freedom’). While originally Azadi meant the valley’s accession to Pakistan, after the Pakistan-sponsored armed uprising in the early 90’s failed and with the onset of internal turmoil in Pakistan, the meaning of Azadi has shifted from accession to Pakistan to independence from both India and Pakistan. This demand is largely confined to the Kashmiri Muslim community of the Kashmir valley, while finding little or no support in the Jammu and Ladakh regions of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) State. Even in the valley, opinions are divided in favour of independence, accession to Pakistan, greater autonomy or self-rule within the Indian union, and political status quo.

Should the ‘new wars’ be seen as a continuation of economics by other means?

By jmhamilt

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Clausewitz, Essays, Greed Thesis, International Politics, Intervention, New Wars, Political Economy, Security Studies, Terrorism

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In this essay the author attacks the idea that modern conflicts are more driven by economic motivations than those in the past. Romantic ideals of gentlemanly European conflicts have masked the harsh realities of war. Even in the most egregious cases of greed and ‘warlording’, the political motivations can never be fully amputated from the criminal behaviour.

If modern conflict is to be understood the language of ‘new wars’ must be avoided. In the case of the Lomé Peace Agreement, the concept of economic determinism was taken to the extreme and led to the subsequent collapse of the peace. Future peacemakers must keep this simple message in mind: money is not the only form of power.

By Jack Hamilton, 4th May, 2012

In 2007 the Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers described the links between economics and politics in conflict regions as ‘something out of Dickens: you talk to international relations experts and it’s the worst of times. Then you talk to potential investors and it’s one of the best of all times’ . This idea that modern warfare has evolved into a new era in which economic motivations have overtaken political ambitions has become popularised in the post-Cold War era. The notion has led Carl von Clausewitz’s aphorism to be rephrased to claim that ‘war has increasingly become the continuation of economics by other means’ . This substitution of ‘politics’ in favour of ‘economics’ poses the question: have economic incentives created a situation in which there is now more to war than winning?

Non-Proliferation: Are we heading in the right direction?

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Disarmament, Global disarmament, India, International Politics, Iran, Iran-West Negotiations, Israel, Nuclear programme, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Security, United States

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In this article, the author reports from the first session of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee conference being held in Vienna, Austria. The international community, including Iran and the US, have gathered at the IAEA headquarters to discuss next steps while non-participants Israel, India and Pakistan follow the progress of the conference from the comforts of distance.

By David J. Franco, 2nd May, 2012

Ignored by the mainstream media, the world’s nuclear weapons and energy problems are being tackled by the international community gathered in Vienna. Attended by a gallant but tiny band of NGOs the meeting witnesses states from Iran to the US engaged in the debate, while the non-participants Israel, Pakistan and India cast a shadow over the proceedings.

On Monday, Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, of the Philippines, declared open the first session of the Preparatory Committee of the 2015 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. Ambassador Cabactulan led a successful process that culminated in the 2010 NPT Action Plan agreed with the consensus of all states parties to the NPT. After his opening statement, in which he emphasized the need to build upon pass success, Ambassador Cabactulan declared elected Ambassador Peter Woolcott, of Australia, as the Chair-designate for the first session of the 2015 NPT review conference cycle.

Heyns, the Final Straw for AFSPA in India?

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, Civil Society, Counter-terrorism, Governance, India, Protests, Terrorism

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Protest against the AFSPA in New Delhi in 2011

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In this article, the author discusses the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 of India, which has been used in the North Eastern states of India, and Jammu and Kashmir where counter-insurgency operations were carried out in the past several decades. This Act has come under heavy criticism from human rights advocates.

By Rithika Nair, May 1, 2012

Christof Heyns, the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings described India as “a living document … [of] human rights jurisprudence respected worldwide.” This extolling statement preceded his review of the country after brief visits to New Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and West Bengal. His detailed report on the issue will be submitted before the United Nations Human Rights Council only in 2013.

In a press release after his visit, he expressed concern regarding unlawful killings by State actors and non-State actors, delay in prosecution and lawful impunity. He touched upon the disproportional and unnecessary use of force by the police, encounter killings, custodial deaths, the death penalty, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, communal violence, insurgencies and counter-insurgencies, violence against women, and most significantly measures of impunity and rewards instead of prosecution.

Time to reframe the debate on the Iranian nuclear programme

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, International Politics, Iran, Iran-West Negotiations, Middle East, Nuclear programme, Nuclear Weapons

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In this article, Paul Ingram argues it is time to reframe debates on the Iranian nuclear programme. If we want to solve the current impasse, we need to move from a pervasive rhetoric based on security threats and mutual accusations to a cooperative framework more apt for negotiations.

By Paul Ingram, 25th April, 2012

All too often the story around the Iranian nuclear issue is framed as our effort to contain the wild ambitions of a delinquent revolutionary state that with nuclear weapons given half a chance will threaten the stability of the world. This frame sticks for two key reasons: firstly because it plays into some of our greatest fears, and second, because there is enough of a hint of truth to it that people forget the qualifications, the underlying causes and the contrary evidence. In short, we fail in the face of complexity to understand the challenge, and the role of both sides in creating it. And in fact, many of the accusations made against Iran are mirrored in Tehran in things said about the West.

Can China’s Growing Demand for Energy be Satisfied Without Conflict?

By InPEC Contributor

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China, Climate Change, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Energy, Essays, New Wars, Security Studies, Solar

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In this essay, the author assess the threat of China’s increasing demand of energy and whether conflict is imminent. The author analyzes the cases of potential conflict, particularly in the East China Sea and the Middle East. The probability of conflict is then assessed in each of these cases in accordance with recent developments.

By Abd Al-Aziz Abu Al-Huda, 20th April, 2012

Access to energy resources is a vital ingredient to the economic and military development of any state in the international system. Yet, within the past two decades, China’s quest for energy resources has particularly generated much debate and criticism. The commonly held opinion is that China’s pursuit for energy resources is a prelude to conflict with the International community because China poses a long term threat on energy supplies. However, such observations have been criticized by scholars such as Kung-wing Au and Hongyi Harry Lai, who emphasize that China’s growing demand for energy has in fact increased its vulnerability resulting in gradual cooperation.

An Opinion about Political Islam, Morality and the Death Sentence in Kuwait

By mossalem

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Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, Articles, Middle East, Religion

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Majlis al-Umma (Parliament) in Kuwait City

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This article was originally intended to be published in the local press in Kuwait. However, in fear of the new law that proposes harsh punishment for criticising religion, the local press refused to run this article. InPEC presents to you this piece in support of the freedom of speech.

By Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, 16th April, 2012

In the small state of Kuwait a currently proposed amendment to the penal code will have the insulting of Allah, Mohamed or his companions punishable by death or life long prison sentences.

The proposed amendment has come after a spike in tension between Sunnis and Shias through various forms of media. One Kuwaiti writer, Al-Mulaifi, was recently sentenced to a seven year prison term for not venerating an Islamic holy figure enough in a newspaper column; his sentence was weak because he was talking about the Mahdi, someone who was not a companion of Mohamed but one of the distant off-spring of Fatima, Mohamad’s daughter. The Mahdi was described by Al-Mulaifi as a “Harees” (Harees is a chicken based dish consumed in the Arab – or Persian if you prefer – Gulf states) salesman in some basement in Iraq. Another individual might face a more severe sentence; he is identified as Al-Naqi and has directly insulted a companion of Mohamad, Mohamad himself and his young wife Aysha on Twitter (Al-Naqi’s trial is on-going and is speculated that, if found guilty, he will receive the death sentence).

Interview with Peter Jenkins | Iran-West Negotiations: Getting to Yes

By David J. Franco

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Coercive Diplomacy, International Politics, Interviews, Iran, Iran-West Negotiations, Israel, Nuclear Programme, Peter Jenkins, United States

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In this interview, David J. Franco and Peter Jenkins discuss on the current state of negotiations between the West and Iran ahead of the April 14 meeting in Istanbul between the P-5, Germany, the EU and Iran.

By David J. Franco, 13th April, 2012

Peter Jenkins was the UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) between 2001 and 2006. Prior to that, he held diplomatic posts in Vienna (twice), Washington, Paris, Brazil and Geneva. At present, he leads ADRg Ambassadors in the development of its relations with the UN and other important international organisations including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). For some time he has advocated a more cooperative approach towards Iran in relation to the West’s standoff over the former’s nuclear programme and ambitions. In this interview, David J. Franco asks questions to Peter Jenkins on the current state of negotiations ahead of the 14 April meeting in Istanbul between the P-5, Germany, the EU, and Iran. Will Iran and the West ever get to yes? Let us hope that they do, for the contrary may have devastating consequences for the region and the rest of the world.

Will Iran be accorded its rightful place in the world?

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, BRICS, International Politics, Iran, Israel, Nuclear programme, United States

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Will Iran be accorded its rightful place in the world?

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In an inspiring analysis, Peter Jenkins analyses the current state of affairs over Iran’s nuclear file in advance of the April 14 meeting in Istanbul between members of the international community (the P-5 + Germany and the EU) and Iran. Ambassador Jenkins warns that the scope for any process on nuclear talks with Iran to founder on distrust, misunderstanding and political in-fighting in both Tehran and Washington remains formidable. Furthermore, he sees the wider political realities surrounding the Iranian case as ‘disturbing’ and calls for a more active role from the BRICS, especially India, in helping resolve the conflict. Iran’s nuclear programme is a symbol of a geostrategic shift, he argues, and the global family has an interest in Iran’s neighbours according Iran a say in the affairs of South West Asia.

This article was first published by Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations on 10 April under the title ‘Iran: An opportunity for BRICS’.

By Peter Jenkins, 12 April, 2012
(Former UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IAEA between 2001 and 2006)

Can the American and Pakistani Positions on Islamic Militancy be Reconciled?

By InPEC Contributor

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Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Articles, India, International Politics, Pakistan, Taliban, Terrorism, United States

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Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the head of a charity organization that is widely considered to be a cover organization for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), one of the largest and most active Islamic terrorist organizations in the world, operating mainly from Pakistan. The US recently announced a US$10 million bounty for information leading to his arrest.

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In this article, the author delves into the relationship between the United States and Pakistan in context of the Islamic Militancy in the extended region of Afghanistan-Pakistan.

By Camille Maubert, 9th April, 2012

In 2001, Pakistan allied itself with the US on the grounds that it would assist in the War on Terror’s effort to tackle terrorism. At the time, the two countries’ interests seemed to coincide, as they had a common target – Al Qaeda and foreign fighters. Yet, from 2003 onwards, the expansion of the American war against the Taliban and its increased pressure on Pakistan to act against the Islamic militants who use the Afghan-Pakistani border to provide the Taliban with safe havens put the Pakistani leadership in a difficult situation. The unpreparedness of Pakistan to answer the US’s demands to repress these groups led to the current diplomatic standoff whereby there seems to be no alignment of strategic interests, let alone coordination between the US and Pakistan, and their respective policies remain fundamentally adversarial.

The Black Flag Flies in Mali

By InPEC Contributor

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Counter-terrorism, International Politics, Mali, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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In this guest post from Andrew Lebovich, the recent events in Mali are dissected from the military coup to the future of the ‘newly liberated nation of Azawad’. Instability in the region is rife and Andrew posits that without a rapid response, the situation is liable to degenerate rapidly.

by Andrew Lebovich

Less than two weeks after a group of Malian junior officers led a coup against the government of president Amadou Toumani Touré, Mali’s war in the north has fallen apart. In a three-day period that ended Monday, Tuareg rebels had seized the three major northern towns of Kidal, Gao, and Timbuktu, victories unparalleled in the past.

On Thursday, a spokesman for the Malian Tuareg rebel group the National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad (known by its French acronym the MNLA) said that the group’s fighters had arrived “at the frontier of the Azawad” – a mostly scrub and desert territory the size of France that comprises a diverse ethnic population – and declared a halt to military operations. Later the same day, the group declared the unilateral independence of the region. In a dizzying flourish of events, the war that Tuareg rebels had fought since January 17, the fourth in a series of rebellions that began in 1963, appeared at first blush to be over. Instead, the real fight over the Azawad may have just begun.

Who said Psychoanalysis is dead? Psychoanalysis, politics and culture in the twenty first century

By David J. Franco

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Carmen Gallano, Culture, Freud, Interviews, Lacan, Politics, Psychoanalysis

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In this interview, David Franco and Carmen Gallano, an experienced psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, discuss the relevance of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytical philosophy in contemporary politics and culture.

By David J. Franco, 4 April, 2012

This interview was conducted at the private practice of Ms Carmen Gallano in Madrid, Spain, in early March. Ms Gallano studied medicine and psychiatry and worked several years in hospitals and mental institutions before training in psychoanalysis at the Paris School of Jacques Lacan. She is a member of the International School of Psychoanalysis of the Forums of the Lacanian Field (EPFCL), and she has worked many years in her private practice in Madrid. Ms Gallano further combines her work with teaching and she has published extensively in Spain and abroad including two books titled “The feminine alterity” and “Desire, texts and conferences” (available only in Spanish: “La Alteridad Femenina” and “Deseo, textos y conferencias”). Photographs included in these series are courtesy of Ms Gallano.

The UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Sri Lanka’s Alleged War Crimes

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, Civil Society, Counter-terrorism, India, Military, Reconciliation, Security, South Asia, Sri Lanka, United Nations, United States

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Victory monument at Karadiyanaru junction - Sri Lanka

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In this article the author explores the resolution’s impact on Sri Lanka, and its probable implications with reference to Sri Lanka.

By Rithika Nair, 3rd April, 2012

The United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) judgment on Sri Lanka’s efforts at post-conflict reconstruction, invited an abundance of opinions and debate globally. Newspapers cried out country decisions to the US sponsored resolution with regard to their foreign policies, domestic policies and moral policies. In lending an ear to all the global justifications and rationalizations, the importance shifted away from what Sri Lanka had to say with regard to the resolution and its possible impact on the island.

Reporting from Barcelona: general strike and social chaos

By InPEC Contributor

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International politics, Photo essays, Spain's General Strike

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In this reportage the author, Alba Franco, shares photographs taken during Spain’s general strike on March 29 when thousands took to the streets in protest against the economic crisis and the decisions adopted by the recently elected government of Mr Rajoy. Though protests were essentially peaceful, Barcelona saw a significant rise in violence coming from urban groups whose rage was mostly directed at financial institutions and big commerces.

By Alba Franco, 31 March, 2012

Marriage Equality: What’s the Big Deal?

By matthiaspauwels

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Articles, Civil Society, Culture, Elections, LGBT, United States, US 2012 Presidential Elections

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In this article, the author looks at how marriage equality has become one of the most popularized social issues du jour in American national politics. By examining racial attitudes and the Obama administration’s evolving stance on the matter, LGBT activists are brimming with hope that a reelection of Obama could pave the way for a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the legalization of same-sex marriage on a federal level by 2016.

By Matthias Pauwels, 31st March, 2012

‘They’re losing California. Inch by inch, sit back and watch it go.’

If film director Gus Van Sant ever decides to follow up on his critically acclaimed Harvey Milk biopic with a Proposition 8 film adaption, ‘Losing California’ by Canadian rock band Sloan could easily wind up on the film’s soundtrack, voicing the bitter and biggest defeat gay activists in California have faced since Milk’s unabashed activism of the 1970’s.

Essay: UNiversal – The UN, OIC and LGBT Rights

By InPEC Contributor

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Essays, global governance, human rights, IGLHRC, LGBT, OIC, UDHR, UN, UN Watch, universalism

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In this essay the author, William Clowes, addresses the contradictions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation when dealing with human rights. The OIC claim to be guardians, universalists and victims simultaneously to support their own traditions in the face of universal rights. This double standard is at its most obvious when dealing with the issue of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

“When efforts are made to condemn a particular group to secondary status, nobody – not the OIC nor the Vatican – should remain unchallenged as they sing the hymns of universality and feign opposing oppression whilst they studiously gnaw away at those very principles and ignore (or excuse) the persecution carried out in the name of what they defend.”

By William Clowes, 20th March, 2012

Occupy America – As Occupy Wall Street Spreads We Ask: Who Are the 99%?

By jmhamilt

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Articles, Eurocrisis, International Politics, Occupy Wall Street, Protests, United States

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By Jack Hamilon, 12 Oct, 2011

The ‘Occupy’ movement started four weeks ago on Wall Street and more than 100 solidarity movements have since sprung up across the country as activists have taken to the streets to oppose what they perceive to be the injustices of the corporate and financial sectors.

Contrary to some media attention the protests are not solely comprised of ‘hippies in hoodies’ and ‘tattooed vandals sporting Guy Fawkes masks’. I met with nurses and military veterans, fire-fighters and lecturers, librarians and libertarians. It is not an explosion of violence as a result of disenfranchisement or a day in the park but an ongoing event which seeks to focus attention on the issues of jobs and financial reform. There are also some crazy people there who I will come back to. For now it is important to focus on the goals of the ‘Occupy’ movement and the tactics through which they seek to achieve them.

Special Economic Zones in India: The law and the experience

By Sid

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Essays, India, International Politics, Political Economy, Protest, South Asia

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In this paper, the author analyses the motivation, framework and the socio-economic impact of India’s Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act of 2005.

By Siddharth Singh, 16 Oct, 2011

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been touted to be magic pills for nations to kick-start exports, develop infrastructure, and increase employment by adhering to the principles of free markets and minimum distortions caused by effective administration and low or no taxes. Owing to the success of China and other countries, India took up the development SEZs with much enthusiasm, but the outcome has not entirely been as desired. On the one hand, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry reports impressive figures to show how SEZs have “worked” (discussed below), but on the other hand, there are cases such as that of Nandigram, West Bengal where 14 people died in March, 2007 while protesting against the establishment of a chemicals hub SEZ by an Indonesian developer.

In an attempt to understand India’s experience with SEZs, this essay will first look into the motivations of setting up SEZs. It will then assess the framework the SEZ Act of 2005, and finally, move on to scrutinise the social and economic impact of this policy.

Does It Get Better?

By matthiaspauwels

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Articles, LGBT, United States

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By Matthias Pauwels, 18 Oct, 2011

The year 1998 was not only dominated by the saga of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, but also saw the horrific hate crime murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shephard on grounds of his sexual orientation. On the night of October 6-7, Shephard got offered a ride home by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. In sharp contrast to their good Samaritan offer, McKinney and Henderson subsequently drove the car to a remote, rural area in Laramie, Wyoming. Shephard was allegedly tortured for several hours and was finally tied to a fence, leaving him to die. Still alive but in a coma, Matthew Shephard was discovered 18 hours later by a cyclist. Having experienced severe brain-stem damage, Shephard never regained consciousness and passed away on October 12, 1998.

At trail, McKinney offered various rationales to justify his actions, ranging from the gay panic defense embedded in alleged sexual advances made by Shephard to involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution alleged that both men had pretended to be gay to gain Shephard’s trust. The testimony of Chastity Pasley and Kristen Price, girlfriends of McKinney and Henderson, came as a judicial drive-by-shooting for the two, claiming that both perpetrators had plotted beforehand to rob a gay man. In 1999 McKinney and Henderson received two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.

Iranian-American Relations: Explaining the Recent Allegations against Iran

By aryaman89

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Articles, International Politics, Iran, Terrorism, United States

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US agents state that a "significant terrorist act" linked to Iran which would have included the assassination of the Saudi US ambassador Adel al-Jubeir (seen here seated with former US First Lady Laura Bush and King Abdullah) has been foiled recently.

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In this article, the author argues that the recent allegations against Iran have been largely shaped by America’s perceptions of, and prejudices against Iran which were shaped by the changes in their relations post-1979.

By Aryaman Bhatnagar, 19 Oct, 2011

The most recent American allegations against Iran accusing it of plotting the assassination of the Saudi Ambassador in Washington and the Iranian dismissal of such allegations as being baseless have once again revealed the endless cycle of blame that characterises Iranian-American relations. This latest round of allegations and subsequent denials originates from the perception that America has of Iran.

The Quds Force (QF), a special branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps has been accused by the United States of America and Saudi Arabia to have been part of the plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to Washington. However, Iran’s alleged complicity in this plot has met with strong scepticism within the diplomatic community and from foreign analysts specialising in Iran. Moreover, the lack of evidence to indict the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini or the Revolutionary Corps in this plot does not help America’s claims. Despite this, the Americans are adamant that the plot had been sanctioned by the QF or directly by Khameini himself. The Americans are calling upon the international community to strengthen sanctions against Iran and have not completely ruled out the military option as retaliation for Iran’s “flagrant violation of international law”.

Farewell to Nuclear Weapons or the Failure of Civilisation

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Disarmament, International Politics, Security, War

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In this article, the author praises Mikhail Gorbachev’s renewed call for nuclear disarmament and discusses some of the myths surrounding nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence. Drawing on psychological and psychoanalytical writings he concludes that denial is making us accomplices of the greatest atrocity known to civilisation: failure.

By David J. Franco, 20 Oct, 2011

This morning I read Mikhail Gorbachev’s renewed call for nuclear disarmament. In his article A Farewell to the Nuclear Sword of Damocles former USSR President and artifice of the Perestroika warns that ‘by failing to propose a compelling plan for nuclear disarmament, the US, Russia, and the remaining nuclear powers are promoting through inaction a future in which nuclear weapons will inevitably be used’[1]. As much as I was happy to read that Gorbachev is determined to continue the job he started as a man of power, I experienced a mixture of unhappiness and distaste upon reading the following commentary left by one of the readers:

‘The genie is out of the bottle, and cannot be put back inside.

Nuclear weapons ended WWII and kept the world from WWIII. So long as nations have these weapons, there will not be another World War. The presence of these arms has saved millions of lives. For example, they maintain the relative peace between India and Pakistan – because neither one wants to be bombed. I hope, really hope, that they will never be used, and that there will come a time when they are not needed or present.

As long as humankind insists on not living together in peace, these weapons are needed. I see little hope of changing human nature in the near term.’

What’s in a Name? Everything, if your name is Nakoshi

By Sid

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Articles, Feminism, India, South Asia

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A 'dalit', or 'oppressed' girl in rural Rajasthan, India (Photo: Siddharth Singh from www.sidi.me)

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In this article, the author explores a regressive custom in rural India, where parents give unwanted names to their children because of the prevalent sexism, misogyny and castesim.

By Siddharth Singh, 23 Oct, 2011

22nd October, 2011 is an important date for the 265 girls from the rural Indian province of Satara. This is the day they were given a new name, a new identity, and hopefully a new life of dignity.

In 2007, the health officials in this region informed the administration of a rampant practice in Satara where parents would name their girl children ‘Nakoshi’, which means ‘unwanted’, in the hope that their next child would be a boy. Consequentially, these girls would grow to live in a world where they would be stigmatised and discriminated against, more so than women already are.

On 22nd October, the administration organised a public event and renamed the girls. The girls were allowed to choose any name they wished, or select one from a list provided. The girls went ahead and chose names such as Aishwaria (meaning ‘wealth’). The Indian Express reported that these girls, for the first time in their lives, felt loved and accepted. They recounted how they were previously treated with disdain, and would often return from their schools crying because they were bullied.

Life After Gaddafi – The Future of Foreign Intervention

By jmhamilt

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Arab Spring, Articles, Gaddafi, International Politics, Intervention, Libya, Middle East, NATO, Syria

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In this article, the author assesses the precedent of Libya in foreign intervention after the death of Muammar Gaddafi. In a world in which there are now increased calls for intervention and isolationism the case of Libya is being presented as both an example of a successful intrusion and a reason to reform the UN Security Council. Military capabilities and the tensions within NATO may act as a check to the boisterous rhetoric in the wake of Gaddafi’s death but the key lesson may be the message it has sent to those who are still clinging to power.

By Jack Hamilton, 23 Oct, 2011

Today the Libyan transnational government has declared national liberation before a triumphant crowd in Benghazi, the city where the fight against Gaddafi began.

There are scenes of jubilation in Libya and NATO offices around the world. Muammar Gaddafi is dead and attentions are now turning to the future of the Maghreb state and the implications of NATO’s intervention in the broader Arab Spring. In such a celebratory atmosphere what will be the future response to rebellious populations rising up against murderous rulers?

Oil and the Arabian Peninsula: Blessing or Curse?

By matthiaspauwels

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Energy, Essays, Lybia, Middle East, Political Economy

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In this article, the author assesses the success rate of how oil-rich countries in the Arabian peninsula and beyond have tackled the challenge of increased oil revenues and how they have handled their newly established wealth. For many, oil has been a curse in disguise, with mismanagement of oil revenues, unequal distribution of wealth and the Machiavellian power of the rentier state – which in the case of Libya proved to be fatal.

By Matthias Pauwels, 26 Oct, 2011

Roughly a century ago, nobody would have imagined that a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds would become the most contested, sought-after commodity in the world. Oil-rich countries in the Middle East have been the scene of epic battlegrounds to gain control over the black gold. As a crafty tool to conduct psychological warfare, petrodiplomacy has become an important diplomatic weapon to the Arab nations against the West and, in particular, Israel. When crude oil found its way to the international market during World War II, the world became increasingly dependent on Arab oil. For over half a century, the oil industry of the world outside North America and the Soviet Union had been dominated by seven great international oil companies, exercising control over output and off-take prices. However, the tide was turning. By the 1960s-1970s control over Middle Eastern oil was rapidly passing into the hands of governments in the area and out of the hands of the heretofore dominant Western companies. International oil companies, once the beneficiaries of lucrative concessions and tax arrangements, slowly lost the control they traditionally exercised over Middle East oil production and pricing and had to accept policies determined unilaterally by the producing nations.

The Revolution is Being Televised

By InPEC Contributor

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Arab Spring, Articles, Capitalism, International Politics, Intervention, Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, Protests

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In this article, the author explores the role of the media in reporting the protests seen around the world in the past few months.

By Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, 31 Oct, 2011

We live in exceptional times. The seemingly endless reach of the media brings popular movements and struggles of all persuasions into the public domain. From protests against educations cuts and austerity measures to pro-democracy revolutions, in one way or another, they are all accessible. But in what capacity are they being presented to us? There are huge inconsistencies in the manner in which societies’ information distribution mechanisms reflect upon the mobilisation of the masses.

As Derrida sensibly wrote, “nothing exits outside a context”. As such, any specific event is ascribed meaning through its contextualisation. Much like blinkers, context frames a given reality within a discourse that permits understanding. These blinkers are (consciously or not) constructed through an amalgamation of cultural norms and values, national history and worldviews. It is thus pertinent to understand that, from sender to receiver, information will have been contextualised in accordance to the sender’s worldview that is formulated by the media. In essence, the exchange of information between official outlets – whether the media, police or politicians – and the general public is pre-framed to influence the receiver.

Durban COP-17: the end of the global climate regime?

By uorb

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Climate Change, COP-17, Essays, International Politics, Solar, Ugo Ribet

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In this article, the author explores the world of climate change diplomacy and the international efforts, or lack thereof, in fighting climate change.

By Ugo Ribet, 1 Nov, 2011

From the 28November – 9 December, the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP-17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be meeting in Durban, South Africa, for the next round of climate change talks and negotiations.

The COP were set up nearly twenty years ago as meetings which would refine, improve and extend climate protection beyond the initial principles established in the UNFCCC in 1992. They form the basis of what is now known as the state led global climate regime: “a system of principles, norms, rules, operating procedures and institutions that authors agree or accept to regulate and coordinate actions” in climate protection[i]. The idea behind the regime is that the atmosphere is a global common and the effects of climate change go beyond state borders, thus requiring collective action. It provides a global solution to a global problem.

Progress was made in the early years, especially at COP-3 where the Kyoto protocol set out emissions targets for developed countries as well as mechanisms and funds to help developing countries to participate. However, since then it has achieved very little. The regime increasingly seems unable limit the global temperature rise under 2ºC (relative to 1980-1999) as the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends to prevent the risks of abrupt or irreversible changes. Following the disappointments of COP-15 in Copenhagen and COP-16 in Cancun, the Durban meeting is already seen as a ‘last chance’ to take concrete action and support global climate change mitigation. Indeed, very little has been achieved in terms of setting effective binding targets on green house gas emissions (GHG), and more importantly no realistic agreement has been reached for post 2012 when the Kyoto protocol first commitment period runs out.

Palestine, the UN and Statehood – The relevance of the UNESCO vote

By mossalem

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Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, Articles, International Politics, Israel, Middle East, Palestine, Statehood, United Nations

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In this article, the author looks into the legal relevance and implications of the recent UNESCO vote which recognised Palestine as a full member of the United Nations agency.

By Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, 2 Nov, 2011

Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 127 have recognised a Palestinian state. When the UN cultural body (UNESCO) voted on admitting Palestine as a full member, what came as a surprise was that of the 66 states not recognising Palestine, seven (Myanmar, France, Spain, Finland, Greece, Ireland and Austria) voted yes. One Israeli academic expressed a pervasive view among those states which stand against the Palestinian bid for full UN membership. He explained “what the Palestinians really have to look for is the establishment of a Palestinian state and this is not going to be implemented by the decision of an international organization – of course not UNESCO, but (not) even the General Assembly.” Such a position expects the establishment of a Palestinian state through negotiations with Israel. There are two problems with such a stance however; it is irrelevant from an international law perspective, and politically unnecessary.

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics: Africa’s Statistical Tragedy

By jmhamilt

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Africa, Articles, Capitalism, Kenya, Nigeria, Poverty, Statistics, United Nations, World Bank, Zambia

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In this article the author assesses how flawed statistics may be exacerbating poverty in Africa

By Jack Hamilton, 3 Nov, 2011

This week the UN has declared that there are 7 billion people in the world. It is impossible to verify this statistic but the reasoning behind the declaration is clear. It raises awareness of population growth and draws attention to future development issues. But what of the more dangerous statistics that have been exacerbating poverty? In Africa especially poverty estimates have been based upon flawed data with potentially disastrous consequences. With so much being written now about African growth, the data behind it must be questioned to reveal the statistical tragedy of Africa.

ETA says it will kill no more but the Basque conflict isn’t over

By David J. Franco

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Conflict, Essays, Europe, Spain, Terrorism

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In this essay, the author analyses the last conflict in Western Europe as the Basque clandestine group ETA declared on October 20 a permanent cessation of all armed action.

By David J. Franco, 5 Nov, 2011

On October 20th the Basque group ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna – Basque Country and Freedom) declared the complete cessation of all armed action. This essay analyses the process leading up to such declaration, the questionable participation of international groups and stakeholders in the so called peace process, and the road ahead. The first section provides an overview of the historical background of the conflict. The second section continues with an account of the latest developments since ETA unilaterally broke negotiations in 2007. The closing section is a critical analysis of the conflict as it stands today.

Quo Vadis, America?

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Elections, Latin America, Nicaragua, Sandinistas

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In this article, the author analyses the recent victory of Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua’s general elections within the broader context of Latin American politics. In light of regional and domestic claims of corruption, clashes between political forces, successful and unsuccessful coups, crime and drug trafficking, and a regional split between those in the ALCA and those in favour of Chavez’s ALBA, the author concludes by raising the question: Quo Vadis, America?

By David J. Franco, 9 Nov, 2011

With 62.6% of the total votes Daniel Ortega has won Nicaragua’s general elections and his second consecutive mandate amidst claims of fraud. A former Marxist leader of the Sandinista revolution, Ortega’s political program is unique in itself. Christian solidarity, clientelism, and populist social policies are the principal features of his government (his campaign slogan was “Socialism, Christianity, and Solidarity”). Outside Nicaragua, he is a follower of Chavez’s alternative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA or ALCA in its Spanish version), the so called Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of America (BAPA or ALBA in its Spanish version), to which he adhered soon after taking power in the 2007 elections.

The State of Terrorism in Nigeria: The Rising Threat of Boko Haram

By jmhamilt

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, Counter-terrorism, Intervention, Nigeria, Terrorism

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In this article the author assesses the rising threat of the Nigerian terrorist organisation, Boko Haram. The most recent spate of bombings and executions has raised questions over the unity of the Nigerian state and the future of security on the continent. It is therefore necessary to understand why Boko Haram is increasing in popularity as their attacks become increasingly barbaric.

By Jack Hamilton, 14 Nov, 2011

Brutal attacks in Nigeria over the past week have left over 100 people dead. A single small religious group has transmogrified into a dynamic terrorist organisation capable of rapidly changing tactics and targets in a pattern of violence responsible for over 1000 deaths in northern Nigeria since 2009.

Last week the gunmen wandered around the northern town of Damaturu killing any Christian who could not recite the Islamic creed on the spot. Nigeria’s Defence Minister Bello Halliru Mohammed has stated that the security forces once again have control and that there is nothing to fear but his words have assured few.

Reviving Global Disarmament

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Civil Society, Global disarmament

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In this article, the author seeks to revive the debate around the issue of global disarmament by calling civil society to engage with the issue critically and constructively. Disarmament, he argues, ought to deal simultaneously with conventional weapons and armed forces, so called inhuman weaponry, and WMD, and be considered within the broader context of human rights, development, and climate change. The author concludes that more action-oriented debate is necessary.

By David J. Franco, 18 Nov, 2011

Under the provisions of the UN Charter the Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security while the General Assembly may, inter alia, make recommendations in matters governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments. To date the General Assembly has issued numerous resolutions calling for disarmament but despite some progress a lot remains to be done. In extreme synthesis, when looking at disarmament matters we are referring to three interrelated areas: conventional and armed forces, humanitarian, and Weapons of Mass Destruction. Contemporary examples relating to each of these areas include, respectively, the 1990 European Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces, the 1997 Convention on landmines, and the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions of 1972 and 1993.

The Drums for the World’s 4th Largest Elections Begin to Roll

By Sid

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Articles, Elections, India

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In this article, the author gives an introductory account of arguably the most important regional election in India before the 2014 national elections.

By Siddharth Singh, 20 Nov, 2011

The world’s fourth largest elections will be held early next year. With a population of close to 200 million, the state of Uttar Pradesh in India will head into an assembly election, the scale of which is larger than the national elections of all countries but the U.S., Indonesia and – of course – India.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) is a state that holds profound political importance in India. It is not only has the share of the most members of parliament, it has contributed seven of the fourteen Prime Ministers India has had (thirteen, if you don’t consider a caretaker PM as the real thing).

And yet, it is a state that is underdeveloped to the extent that it has historically been clubbed in a regional group called “BIMARU”, which is a play with the word that means “sick” in Hindi. The state does indeed have poorer than average malnutrition levels, mortality rates and other human developmental indicators. However, there has been substantial progress in other fields in the recent past, much to the dismay of the opposition.

What about Belgium?

By matthiaspauwels

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In this article, the author assesses the record-breaking government formation crisis in Belgium and addresses why a complete deadlock in government formation negotiations has a detrimental effect on Belgium’s economy and its international reputation.

By Matthias Pauwels, 22 Nov, 2011

Ten thousand thundering typhoons! Filibusters! If the insults of Belgian King Albert II strike any resemblance to those of his fellow compatriot, Tintin’s Captain Haddock, this perhaps would be the best of times to hear them in the corridors of the Royal Palace in Laken. When Belgium’s federal elections took place on Sunday 13th June 2010, no one could have imagined that the country would end up in political limbo due to a record-breaking political crisis.

As Belgium hit a crippling 526 days without a government on 21st November 2011, the man tasked with ending Belgium’s political crisis, Francophone Socialist leader Elio di Rupo, offered his resignation to King Albert II for the second time in five months on Monday night after talks collapsed over budget cuts to counter the Eurozone’s debt crisis. And after an endless string of appointing mediators, negotiators, and government formation specialists, even the palace’s inspiration to come out with a strong statement appeared rather stale when the king urged to “recall the gravity of the current situation and underlined that the defence of the general interest of all Belgians and European deadlines require a very quick resolution to the political crisis.”

Kuwait: How Money is the Answer to Everything

By mossalem

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Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, Arab Spring, Articles, Elections, Middle East

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In this article, the author discusses the recent protests in Kuwait in which hundreds of protestors stormed the Kuwaiti National Assembly demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister, Naser Al-Sabah.

By Abdulaziz Al-Mossalem, 24 Nov, 2011

More than a week ago Kuwait witnessed hundreds (and by some accounts thousands) of protestors gather outside the Kuwaiti National Assembly chanting opposition slogans. The protestors, led by opposition members of parliament, ultimately stormed the National Assembly and continued their protest there. They chanted “Erhal” which means “leave us” in Arabic. They were referring to the Kuwaiti Prime Minister, Naser Al-Sabah whose career as PM has been riddled with government resignations. Since 2006 his government has resigned six times. However with the Emir refusing to budge to the public sentiment against the PM, he has reappointed the same PM every time his government resigned – the PM is the Emir’s nephew.

Photo Essay: 6 Reasons Why Terror is Gaining Momentum in Northern Nigeria

By jmhamilt

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Economics, Nigeria, Photo essays, Political Ecomomy, Poverty, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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The state of Nigeria is facing its largest crisis in over a decade. As the ferocity and popularity of the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram rises, the very unity of the state is being challenged. This collection of photos assesses the reasons why the group is becoming increasingly attractive to the disaffected population in the north despite their gruesome tactics.

By Jack Hamilton, 14 Dec, 2011

Photo reportage: 10+1 photographs of Nicaragüa

By David J. Franco

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Culture, Nicaragüa, Photo essays

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In this photo essay, the author explores part of Nicaragüa’s beauty.

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By David J. Franco, 27 Jan, 2012

Introduction

Few places have captivated me more than Nicaragüa, the largest country in Central America, famous for its Sandinista revolution, its colonial cities Granada and León, Rubén Darío’s poetry, and the twin volcanos, Maderas and Concepción, located in that tiny island called Isla de Ometepe, in the middle of the Lake Nicaragüa. True, not all in Nicaragüa is as mystic as I’ve just portrayed. Life and drama coexist in this Central American country: politics is a corrupt matter and poverty, drugs, and crime continue to force many Nicaraguans to cross the Southern border in search for a better life in Costa Rica. Two unfortunate recent events have brought Nicaragüa back to the international stage: its 2010 military incursion into the Río San Juan, and José Ortega’s victory in the 2011 presidential elections amidst claims of fraud.

Good thing though about sharing personal experiences is that one can choose which side of the story is worth telling, and which side of the story is better left untold. In this case, I will not share with you photographs of piles of litter in the roadsides, or photographs of that place where a young lady got kidnapped one night, or photographs of the chaos reigning in border posts. Instead, I will limit this series to show you some of the beauty of Nicaragüa. Because, unfortunately, it is her beauty that is often left untold.

Photo Reportage: A Taste of Costa Rican Culture

By David J. Franco

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Costa Rica, Culture, Photo essays

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In this post, the author shares photographs taken during a trip to Costa Rica in summer 2010.

By David Franco, 16 Dec, 2011

Located between Nicaragüa and Panamá and flanked by the North Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica proclaimed its independence from Spain in 1821 and gained full sovereignty in 1838. Today, Costa Rica is Central America’s most prosperous country and one of the few nations in the world to have voluntarily given up its army. The country is known for its rich natural resources and agricultural products (including coffee, sugar, bananas, and beans), an impressive biodiversity, and a very friendly indigenous population. Its rapid industrial development and specialisation in microprocessors, food processing, medical equipment, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, and plastic products make it a very attractive economy for foreign investors. I know it sounds a bit of a cliche, but two words define this fantastic country: Pura Vida.

Redressing Grievances: Why India’s New Administrative Reform Legislation May Not Work

By Sid

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Articles, Civil Society, Governance, India

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In this article, the author analyses the structural problems of India’s administration which are likely to hamper the functioning of the Citizens’ Right to Grievance Redressal Bill, 2011.

By Siddharth Singh, 16 Dec, 2011

The Citizens’ Grievance Redress Bill is set to be tabled in the Indian Parliament in the current parliamentary session, after a delay of several years. In the recent months, the Jan Lokpal (Citizens’ Ombudsperson) agitation led by Anna Hazare, which brought to light the people’s frustration with the corruption and inefficiency of the administration, has brought a sense of haste to Dr. Manmohan Singh’s government in the passing of this legislation.

The draft of the bill was posted on a Government website a few months ago (infuriatingly, in the Comic Sans font). This bill is not significantly different in its key tenets from the already-enacted state-level Grievance Redress Acts and the other drafts that have been put out by civil society groups such as Anna Hazare’s team.

The Apocalypse in Twenty First Century International Politics

By David J. Franco

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Apocalypse, Articles, International Politics, Nuclear Weapons

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In this article, the author provides a brief overview of the presence of the apocalyptic in twenty first century International Politics by looking at the particular case of the (ab)use of apocalyptic frames in US-originated discourses on nuclear weapons.*

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By David J. Franco, 19th December, 2011

As often noted the apocalyptic has served as a source of inspiration in literature, philosophy, and culture. Why, then, would international politics be immune from this phenomenon? That apocalyptic thinking was much present during the Cold War has been widely acknowledged. However, apocalyptic rhetoric continued and in some senses increased in the post-Cold War era. As we approach 2012 (a year marked as apocalyptic by some Millennia movements) the apocalyptic continues to be present in IR as numerous discourses are framed, with varying fortunes, in apocalyptic terms or tone. Thus, examples of apocalyptic rhetoric in twenty first century IR include: global warming discourses, environmentalism, overpopulation warnings, global war on terror rhetoric, media coverage of the global economic crisis, nuclear weapons discourses, accounts of AIDS, feminism, and many others.

Child Soldiers In The Rio’s Drug Wars

By InPEC Contributor

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In this article, the author reports on child soldiers in Rio de Janerio.

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By Arushi Sharma, 19 Dec, 2011

Mario (as he prefers to be identified) was 11 when he killed a person for the first time. It was night, and about 15 boys had gathered at the highest point in their favela, and after spending the evening snorting cocaine, the boys were high and looking for something to do. As Mario pulls the trigger to the .32 caliber revolver he looks at the x9—or snitch— and feels no remorse. He feels nothing because he’s too high.

With the upcoming 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics games, Brazilian officials have waged a war to pacify Rio de Janeiro’s drug and gang-related violence. As authorities try to decipher the maze of favelas, or slums, gangs have started using teenagers to do their dirty work since their prison sentences are shorter.

Iran, Israel and the US: who’s threatening who?

By David J. Franco

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IAEA, International Politics, Interviews, Iran, Israel, Nuclear Programme, Sanctions, Shirin Shafaie, United States, War

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In this interview, Iranian political analyst Shirin Shafaie answers questions on Iran following the IAEA’s November Report and the latest developments leading to an increase of tensions and failure of diplomacy between Iran and the West.

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By David J. Franco, 22 Dec, 2011

InPEC has conducted this interview with Shirin Shafaie at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Shirin Shafaie is an Iranian researcher and PhD candidate at SOAS. She was educated in Iran (BA in Philosophy and MA in Philosophy of Art) and in the UK (MSc in Middle East Politics). The core of her research is critical war studies in general and the Iran-Iraq War in particular. The links in the answers are added by Shafaie.

Securing Emptiness: The Sahara Desert and the Global War on Terror

By jmhamilt

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, History, International Politics, Intervention, Sahara, Security

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“So Geographers in Afric-maps With Savage-Pictures fill their Gaps” – Jonathan Swift

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This article is the introduction to a series of pieces on the Sahara Desert. In this piece the author assesses the idea of emptiness and how this has come to be seen as a threat in international politics. In the words of Jonathan Swift, “So Geographers in Afric-maps With Savage-Pictures fill their Gaps”

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By Jack Hamilton, 23 Dec, 2011

Emptiness is both romanticised and feared. In this sense deserts serve as a geographical blank canvas upon which cultural and political views can be painted. It is this fear of the unknown that ebbs into contemporary political and cultural tropes on the Sahara Desert.

Grazing from Mauritania in the West through the hinterlands of Mali, Algeria and Niger, to the Tibesti mountains of Chad towards the northern states of Nigeria, this is the land which has been described as the ‘swamp of terror’: the Sahara-Sahel. The narrative of this terrain has drifted from romantic imaginings of nomadic caravans and peaceful Sufism towards depictions of drug smuggling routes and sandy bastions of violent Islamism threatening the West. When did the ‘nomads’ become ‘terrorists’?

Photo Essay: Stories from Kabul, Afghanistan

By InPEC Contributor

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Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Culture, Photo essays, Security, Terrorism

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As part of a USAID project, Abhishek Srivastava worked in Kabul, Afghanistan on AMDEP (Afghanistan Media Development and Empowerment Program). The principal goal of the project is to train and assist Afghan journalists and students of Kabul University on the nuances of reporting. Abhishek tells us stories of people and places in Kabul using his photos as a medium. This is the first in a series of photo-essays on Kabul.

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By Abhishek Srivastava, 23 Dec, 2011

10 Reasons why India is not the Next Superpower

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, Governance, India, Poverty, South Asia

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In this article, the author presents ten issues that are holding India back and have crippled India to some extent. He makes the case that if these problems are not overcome, India will not be a future “superpower”, as some claim it will be.

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By Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, 4 Jan, 2012

There is an increasing vigour with which international observers speak of the rise of India. According to many, it seems that those who placed bets on China becoming the next dominant power are wrong and in fact India was the right choice. This is based upon the assumption that India is destined to become the next real global player by virtue of three integral factors: it is the world’s largest democracy; it has an absurdly large and predominantly young population, and its ascension into the global elite of power economies is inevitable.

However, have we asked ourselves enough questions about the so-called emerging power? What is the reality of the Indian condition? Has hyperbolic economic growth planted the seeds for a truly gregarious society? Is democracy moving the masses forward or fostering a residue of stagnation? With the dawning of a new year, it is an appropriate time to dispel the romanticised image of the emerging Indian powerhouse by identifying 10 key areas that prevent India from being considered as a global superpower.

From Fiesta to Siesta: Spain, Merkozy, and Neo-Eurosclerosis

By David J. Franco

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Articles, Eurocrisis, Europe, International Politics, Macroeconomics, Merkozy, Neo-Eurosclerosis, Political Economy, Spain

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In this article, the author analyses the Euro crisis by taking a look at Spain and fiercely criticises European conservatives’ obsessive focus on austerity, a trend that is inevitably leading the old continent towards a state of Neo-Eurosclerosis.

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By David J. Franco, 4 Jan, 2012

European politics is a tough game: on the one hand, there is the political struggle in which parties seek to win a domestic electorate with old-fashioned programs relating to the level of state intervention, economic growth, and social integration and protection. Here the talk is usually centred on taxes, employment, state regulation, and welfare programs. On the other hand, European integration and monetary union are forcing member states to strengthen their positions in an attempt to resist challenges to state sovereignty. Here the talk is usually centred on fighting back transnational forces and financial markets, enhancing national identity, and resisting the transference of sovereignty. Hence, political parties find themselves in the odd situation of having to win two battles: one with a domestic electorate, and one with the effects of European integration. Three battles if we include the struggle against financial markets that do not seem to respect boundaries of any sort. The 2008 economic crisis and subsequent sovereign debt crisis and crisis of the euro have only exacerbated these trends. The case of Spain comes in handy here.

India’s Anti-graft Protests: Why Demands for Inclusiveness are Not a Distraction From Fighting Corruption

By InPEC Contributor

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In this article, the author brings to light some of the criticism that the Anna Hazare led anti-corruption agitation is facing on counts of not being inclusive enough.

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By Arvind Iyer, 5 Jan, 2012

Team Anna, as the group of largely ex-bureaucrat activists headed by anti-graft agitator Anna Hazare has been christened by commentators, had earned praise through much of 2011 for being able to articulate a unanimous-sounding consensus of Indian civil society across the barriers that render it notoriously fractious. Even some of their detractors had conceded Team Anna’s success in rallying a typically apathetic citizenry around a cause backed by a mobilization and momentum which is thought of by many educated city-dwellers as grievously lacking in a parliamentary system crippled by the ‘politics of identity’ and coalition compulsions.

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Homophobia: the 2012 Republican Presidential Primaries and the Evangelical Connection

By matthiaspauwels

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Articles, Culture, Elections, LGBT, United States, US 2012 Presidential Elections

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In this article, the author looks at the evangelical presence in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries and how the issue of gender equality has resurfaced in the civil rights debate.

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By Matthias Pauwels, 9 Jan, 2012

With the United States Republican Party presidential primaries in full swing, the issue of marriage equality has regained considerable momentum over the past weeks in American national politics. In early December, it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas – until Rick Perry decided to deck the halls with rabid homophobia rather than holly. In a bizarre ad, Perry equated the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to a blatant attack on people of faith. Michele Bachman, perhaps one of the most extreme and contested anti-gay candidates in the GOP presidential contest, has an impressive anti-gay track record, including likening being gay to being a “part of Satan”. However, Bachman has suspended her campaign following a poor result in the Iowa caucus of January 3rd, 2012.

Exploring the Sino-Indian Maritime Rivalry

By InPEC Contributor

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Articles, China, India, International Politics, Military

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INS Vikramaditya - India's Aircraft Carrier

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In this article, the author explores China and India’s maritime rivalry in context with the recent skirmishes between the two nations in the South China Sea.

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By Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, 10 Jan, 2012

In the dying embers of 2011 the sentiment between China and India regarding maritime activities became increasingly antagonistic. China explicitly warned India from any interference in the South China Sea, India demonstrated its increasing naval capability with the induction of its second aircraft carrier – two years ahead of schedule – and China beefed up its physical presence across the Indian Ocean. Emboldened by a sense of strength and necessity both nations are expanding their capability and presence beyond their immediate periphery, directly into the others ‘backyard’. What is the naval security state of affairs between Asia’s rising powers?

What is Happening in Nigeria? Blood and Oil (Subsidies)

By jmhamilt

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, Capitalism, Counter-terrorism, Energy, Nigeria, Protests, Security, Terrorism

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In this article the author looks at the current wave of political and economic turmoil sweeping Nigeria. With a potential oil shutdown sending waves of panic across Brent Crude prices and terrorism forcing the closure of the borders the state is facing its largest crisis since its return to civilian rule in 1999.

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by Jack Hamilton, 14 Jan, 2012

In 2010 the BBC released the controversial docudrama: ‘Blood and Oil’. It depicted a Nigeria crippled by corruption, protests and terrorism and was slammed for the tropes of endemic sleaze and violence. Executions, inhumane oil politics and the collusion of leading politicians in these atrocities were seen to reflect the Nigeria of the past. This is now the Nigeria of the present and it could be about to get a lot worse.

Research Project: Battling Food Waste in India

By InPEC Contributor

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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Paul Artiuch, Research Projects, Sam Kornstein

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This post is the first in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 9, 2012

Last fall, we each participated in the Development Ventures course in MIT’s Media Lab. The objective of the course was to identify ways to leverage for-profit business models to tackle some of the world’s most pressing international development challenges. As we both had an interest in finding ways to reduce or extract value from waste that occurs in the supply chains of many developing countries, we teamed up to think about how we could make an impact. In the process, we learned something staggering: research shows that 20-40% of the food grown in India ends up spoiling before it ever reaches consumers.

Photo Essay: Stories from Kabul, Afghanistan – Part II

By InPEC Contributor

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al-Qaeda, AQIM, Culture, Photo essays, Poverty, Security, Terrorism

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The projection room of Park Cinema in Sher-e-Naw, Kabul

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By Abhishek Srivastava, 16 Jan, 2012
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Research Project: Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi Vegetable Market

By InPEC Contributor
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Delhi's Azadpur Mandi Vegetable Market, Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Paul Artiuch, Photo essays, Research Projects, Sam Kornstein

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This post is the second in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 10, 2012

Soon after arriving in Delhi, we took a walk over to a local market and spoke with a man who runs the community produce stand. We asked him where he buys his fruits and vegetables. “I take my truck to Azadpur Mandi every day at five in the morning,” he said. “Is that where all of Delhi’s markets get their produce?” we responded. “Just about, except for the government-run shops.” We probed a bit more about seasonality, food waste, and prices, but found that his operation is fairly simple, and nearly nothing gets wasted at the retail level. Even if food becomes damaged someone in the community finds a use for it.

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United Nations Security Council: Prospects for Reform

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Essays, United Nations

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In this essay, the author examines the current composition of the UN Security Council and discusses prospects for reform.

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By Anna Rabin, 18 Jan, 2012

Established as one of the principle organs of the United Nations (UN), the Security Council bears the ‘primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.’ The Council’s mandate, outlined further in Article 24 of the Charter, coupled with its ability to make legally binding decisions, makes the Security Council arguably the most powerful organ of the UN. The Council has retained its importance in international relations and is arguably of increased importance as a result of heightened international co-operation in the post-Cold War era. The lack of reform since its creation, has however led to doubts over the Council’s legitimacy and effectiveness in contemporary politics. One observer even referred to its lack of reform as ‘one of the most successful failures in the history of the United Nations.’ The most commonly debated areas for reform revolve around the veto power, the size of the Council and in the event of an enlargement, the powers and selection of new members.

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Research Project: India’s Cold Storage Capacity

By InPEC Contributor
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Cold Storage, Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Photo essays, Research Projects

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This post is the third in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 14, 2012

Cold storage facilities, essentially refrigerated warehouses, can reduce agricultural price volatility, helping to minimize food waste and increase income for various supply chain stakeholders. The benefits of cold storage are simple: most types of produce have shelf lives ranging from just a few days to a couple weeks when kept at room temperature. Farmers and traders are forced to quickly get their produce to consumers, even if there’s too much supply in the market. This can result in low prices that often don’t even cover the price of production and transport. In the most extreme cases, when the market is flooded with a particular item, it makes more economic sense for farmers to just let certain crops rot in the field, rather than spend the time and money to harvest them.

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Research Project: A Look at India’s Agricultural Chains

By InPEC Contributor
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Agricultural Chains, Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Photo essays, Research Projects

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This post is the fourth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 15, 2012

Over the past week, we’ve learned quite a bit about how food gets from farmers’ fields all over India to the plates of the country’s 1.2 billion people. What struck us most is the level of fragmentation across the supply chain, which hinders the country’s ability to plan and quickly make adjustments to the system when necessary. These challenges, coupled with the importance of India’s agricultural sector in feeding the population, have compelled the government to step in and regulate parts of the system. Sometimes this is a good thing – government programs provide food for millions of low-income families – however, these government programs can also be extraordinarily inefficient and wasteful, which we’ll discuss at length in later posts. In the meantime, we thought we’d share a brief overview of how the system works, which will hopefully provide some useful context for subsequent entries.

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Research Project: The Punjab Potato Party

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Punjab, Research Projects

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This post is the fifth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 16, 2012

As we mentioned in our post on cold storage, this year there’s an excess supply of potatoes in India, and prices have plummeted. After spending a day speaking with professors at the Punjab Agricultural University, we learned that there tends to be a 4-5 year cycle for the prices of certain staple crops such as potatoes.

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Afghanistan in transition: a reporter’s diary

By InPEC Contributor
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Afghanistan, Articles, Kabul, Kabul Debate Live, Reconciliation, Taliban

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In this post, the author shares notes taken during his attendance to a popular TV show night in Kabul, called ‘Kabul Debate Live’, where participants and audience discussed the issue of ‘Reconciliation with Taliban’.

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By Abhishek Srivastava, 26 Jan, 2012

It was just before 11 at night, and I was thinking of calling a cab, when Dr Walid drove up and offered to drop me at my guest house. On any other day, travelling by road would have been an affordable risk to take in Afghanistan: a country fraught with suicide attacks, kidnappings and roadside bombings.

Paul, CEO of 1TV media group, had invited me to be part of a popular television debate called ‘Kabul Debate Live’. A crowd of about two hundred Afghans occupied the swanky studio of 1TV anxiously waiting to talk about the absence of peace, and to voice their opinion on one of the most closely watched debates of the country: ‘Reconciliation with Taliban’.

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Research Project: India’s Grain Storage Problem

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, India's Grain Storage, Photo essays, Research Projects

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This post is the sixth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 18, 2012

India is one of the largest wheat producers in the world, with the most recent harvest bringing in over 80 million tons of grain. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, the government buys a significant portion of each year’s harvest and distributes it to the poor through ration shops. As part of this program, the government also maintains a grain reserve as a food security measure, and provides farmers with purchase guarantees at a minimum support price. As a result, massive stocks of wheat are kept in government storage every year – 17 million tons was held by the program’s agency, the Food Corporation of India, at the beginning of 2011.

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Research Project: India’s Lack of Food Processing

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Processing, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Research Projects

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This post is the seventh in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 21, 2012

Fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables, generally spoils quickly. As we’ve previously discussed, cold storage is an effective method of extending shelf life. In most cases, however, the cost of such storage is prohibitively expensive in India, stifling investment. Another way to preserve food is to process it into products, including juice, sauce, dried fruit, and jarred/canned vegetables. Processing can extend shelf life from days to years, and in many cases can add value to the product.

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Research Project: Smaller Markets in Rajasthan

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Photo essays, Rajasthan, Research Projects

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This post is the eighth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 23, 2012

Earlier this month, we visited Azadpur Mandi, the largest wholesale produce market in Asia. We found that while the marketplace is extraordinarily chaotic, it’s actually quite efficient, and little food goes to waste once it reaches the city. Since then, we’ve spent some time in rural areas, meeting with farmers, commission agents, traders, academics, and start-up companies. It’s become clear that some of the most significant causes of food waste in India include inadequate storage facilities, limited processing capacity, government program inefficiencies, and as well as some economic challenges related to cold storage and capital investment capabilities.

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Research Project: Four Problems with India’s Food Supply Systems

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, India's Food Supply Systems, Photo essays, Research Projects

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This post is the ninth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 24, 2012

We’ve spent the past three weeks in India researching agricultural supply chains to see if we could uncover the reasons why an estimated 30-40% of food grown in the country goes to waste. Over this time we’ve had a chance to speak with many stakeholders to gain their perspectives on the issue. Not surprisingly, the landscape that’s emerged is quite complex. At the risk of oversimplifying some of India’s largest agricultural challenges, we’ve outlined four of the main problem areas.

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Research Project – Pune: A (Nearly) Waste-Free City

By InPEC Contributor
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Development, Food Security, Food Waste, India, Photo essays, Pune, Research Projects

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This post is the tenth in a series sharing findings from a research project Sam Kornstein and Paul Artiuch are working on throughout the month of January. Paul Artiuch and Samuel Kornstein are graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Throughout the month of January they are in India researching market-oriented approaches to reducing agricultural food waste.

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By Samuel Kornstein and Paul Artiuch

January 26, 2012

Until now, we’ve spent the majority of our time exploring upstream agricultural supply chains – learning about what happens to food between farms and markets, before it reaches end consumers. Unlike many western countries, Indian consumers waste remarkably little food, as a use is found for nearly all left-overs and food scraps. However, this doesn’t mean that there’s no waste, and Pune, a four million person city three hours southeast of Mumbai, is implementing an innovative initiative to change that.

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Grassroot Diplomat: The Power of Relationships

By David J. Franco
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Civil Society, Grassroot Diplomat, Interviews, Talyn Rahman-Figueroa

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In this interview, young policy leader and entrepreneur Talyn Rahman-Figueroa discusses her new project, Grassroot Diplomat, and gives her view on different hot-topics, from gender through to disarmament and UN Reform.

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By David J. Franco, 31 Jan, 2012

InPEC has conducted this interview with Talyn Rahman-Figueroa at Grassroot Diplomat’s office in Central London. Ms Rahman-Figueroa is a young policy leader and enthusiastic entrepreneur with a clear goal: to bridge the existing gap between civil society and leaders. With an impressive academic and practical background in diplomacy, Ms Rahman-Figueroa set up the first Diplomatic Business Consulting firm of its kind. Five months later, Grassroot Diplomat has grown to include a team of six experts in their respective fields as projects proliferate rapidly in all continents. Despite her young age, Ms Rahman-Figueroa is determined to tear down traditional barriers and work towards moving from a culture of national interests to a culture of people interests. ‘Success depends on one thing’, she argues, and that thing is the ‘power of relationships’.

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The Cartography of Insecurity – What Does ‘The Sahara’ Mean?

By jmhamilt
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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Counter-terrorism, Poverty, Sahara, Security, Terrorism, Uncategorized

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In this article the author assesses the aggressive language used to describe the Sahara Desert. The tropes of terrorism and poverty have defined the region as an ‘impending Afghanistan’ but the reality isn’t so bleak.

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By Jack Hamilton, 2 Feb, 2012

In the words of comedian Dara O’Briain, ‘we all have list of countries inside our heads and each of these countries has one or two words attached to them. We can’t all have fully formed opinions of every country in the world’.

It generally narrows down to a few choice phrases. Ask a wide audience how they would define the Americans and the French and you will receive a narrow range of answers. But when happens if the country is less globally visible?

O’Briain jokes that characteristics can be arbitrarily ascribed such as the ‘vacuous people of Vanuatu’ and the people of Swaziland who are ‘terrible at small talk’. The reality is not so random.

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A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland

By jmhamilt
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Articles, History, International Politics, Military, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, United States

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This is the first in a series of articles compiling the US Army guide to Northern Ireland during World War Two. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor the US agreed to take over the defence of the region to free up British troops to fight in North Africa and the Middle East. It also gave the US the time to complete invaluable military training before entering the war in Europe. This was the manual given to the first officers to arrive in Belfast on 23 January, 1942.

This guide was prepared by the Special Service Division, War and Navy Departments, Washington DC

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By Jack Hamilton, 7 Feb, 2012
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A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland – Part 2

By jmhamilt
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Articles, Culture, Europe, History, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, War

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This is the second in a series of articles compiling the US Army guide to Northern Ireland during World War Two. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor the US agreed to take over the defence of the region to free up British troops to fight in North Africa and the Middle East. It also gave the US the time to complete invaluable military training before entering the war in Europe. This was the manual given to the first officers to arrive in Belfast on 23 January, 1942.

The first article outlined the differences between the North and South of Ireland as well as the two key rules for any visitor:

(1) Don’t argue religion
(2) Don’t argue politics

This excerpt describes the country: the geography, climate and feel of living in Northern Ireland.

This guide was prepared by the Special Service Division, War and Navy Departments, Washington DC
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By Jack Hamilton, 9 Feb, 2012
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Interview with Dr Dan Plesch (Part I) – ‘Disarmament is the Cinderella while Weapons and Non-Proliferation are the Mean Sisters’

By David J. Franco
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Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, Dan Plesch, Disarmament, Interviews, Photo essays, School of Oriental and African Studies, SCRAP

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In this issue of a two-part interview, longstanding disarmament activist and Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, Dr Dan Plesch, answers questions on disarmament.

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By David J. Franco, 21 Feb, 2012
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The Case of the Missing Girl Child – Focus on Tamil Nadu, India

By InPEC Contributor
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Articles, Governance, India

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This article examines the issue of female infanticide in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. While the author is optimistic about the initiatives taken to eradicate the practice, there is emphasis on an understanding the issue at a more basic level and the need for a national level consciousness raising to change patriarchal attitudes.

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By Gowri Thampi, 14th Feb, 2012

I was surprised when I read the article by Athreya and Chunkath, in the Economic and Political weekly twelve years ago. The practice of female infanticide in Tamil Nadu had not gained media coverage until 1986, when the press highlighted its prevalence in Usilampatti, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu. Even then, it was assumed that this practice was only prevalent among a small minority in that area.

We have this idea, largely painted by the media and what appears before our well bred urban eyes, of India, one of continuous improvement and development. Either we deal with those who exalt the past glory of what is honestly an infant nation or those who speak of its future reign as a global super power, but rarely those who acknowledge the present realities without a defeatist attitude. Technology may have in fact contributed to the declining female sex ratio, though it wouldn’t have anything to do with female infanticide as opposed to female feticide.

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The Israeli Embassy Vehicle Attack in New Delhi – Reactions in India

By Sid
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Articles, India, International Politics, Iran, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Palestine, Terrorism

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In this article, the author explores the reaction among the media, the government and the people over the attack that took place on the Israeli Embassy vehicle on the 13th of February, 2012.

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By Siddharth Singh, 15th Feb, 2012

In the aftermath of the bomb blast targeting an Israeli embassy car in central Delhi, the reaction of the people and the press has largely revolved around three themes: one, outrage that yet another attack has taken place in India and the condemnation of the current government over its inability to stop such attacks. This perception is strengthened by the “weak” verbal responses by the concerned Indian ministers. Two, pointed criticism that the government couldn’t prevent an attack which is a stone’s throw away from the Prime Minister’s residence. Three, surprise – by people mostly – that Iran is in any way related to this attack. Bomb blasts in India have so far been popularly and officially blamed on home grown terrorist groups and those supported by or originating from Pakistan.

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Reporting from the United Nations – The dilemma of the Conference on Disarmament: to be or not to be.

By David J. Franco
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Articles, Conference on Disarmament, Disarmament, International Politics, United Nations

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In this article, the author reports on the first plenary meeting of the 2012 session of the Conference on Disarmament.

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By David J. Franco, 15th Feb, 2012

On 14 February 2012, representatives of the states parties to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) gathered at the UN headquarters in Geneva for the opening of the first plenary meeting of the 2012 session. Following the opening statement of this session’s Presidency (held by Ecuador) we heard the statements of several delegations including those of Croatia, Mexico, Switzerland, Colombia, Chile, Egypt, Iran, Syria, and the US. There were no substantive surprises as states sticked to their well-known, longstanding scripts. However, perhaps the most positive notes derived from the Presidency’s efforts to overcome the current impasse and from the UN Secretary General’s statement and message that either the parties reach an agreement on a way forward or the General Assembly will consider alternative routes for disarmament.

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Photo Essay: Stories from Kabul, Afghanistan – Part III

By InPEC Contributor
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al-Qaeda, AQIM, Photo essays, Political Ecomomy, Poverty, Security, Terrorism

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As part of a USAID project, Abhishek Srivastava worked in Kabul, Afghanistan on AMDEP (Afghanistan Media Development and Empowerment Program). The principal goal of the project is to train and assist Afghan journalists and students of Kabul University on the nuances of reporting. Abhishek tells us stories of people and places in Kabul using his photos as a medium. This is the second in a series of photo-essays on Kabul.

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By Abhishek Srivastava, 17 Feb, 2012
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Photo Reportage: South Tel Aviv, a changing neighbourhood – Part I

By InPEC Contributor
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Israel, Natalie Muallem Photographer, Photo essays, Refugees in Tel Aviv, South Tel Aviv

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In this part of a series of photo reportages, the author shares photographs taken in South Tel Aviv, Israel, where large numbers of refugees have landed over the past decades.

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By Natalie Muallem, 20 Feb, 2012

Last summer I spent two months in the south part of Tel Aviv. I was teaching English to a family from Darfur who arrived in Israel over three years ago. I have not included photos of them in this series as I feel they are too personal. However, I spent a lot of time walking around the neighbourhood in which they live with Ahmed, a refugee from Darfur and someone who has volunteered much of his time working for an NGO that helps to make the life of other refugees easier. These photographs are not a statement about the life of refugees but rather a document of a changing neighbourhood.

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Photo Reportage: South Tel Aviv, a changing neighbourhood – Part II

By InPEC Contributor
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Central Bus Station Tel Aviv, Israel, Natalie Muallem Photographer, Photo essays, Refugees in Tel Aviv, South Tel Aviv

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In this second part of a series of photo reportages, the author shares photographs taken in South Tel Aviv, Israel, where large numbers of refugees have landed over the past decades.

By Natalie Muallem, 22 Feb, 2012

Last summer I spent two months in the south part of Tel Aviv. I was teaching English to a family from Darfur who arrived in Israel over three years ago. I have not included photos of them in this series as I feel they are too personal. However, I spent a lot of time walking around the neighbourhood in which they live with Ahmed, a refugee from Darfur and someone who has volunteered much of his time working for an NGO that helps to make the life of other refugees easier. These photographs are not a statement about the life of refugees but rather a document of a changing neighbourhood. This second part of a two-part series on South Tel Aviv includes photographs of the Central Bus Station Area.

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Interview with Dr Dan Plesch (Part II) – ‘As a concept, SCRAP is a tool to be used’

By David J. Franco
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Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, Dan Plesch, Disarmament, Disarmament Education, International Politics, Interviews, School of Oriental and African Studies, SCRAP

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In this second issue of a two-part interview, longstanding disarmament activist and Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, Dr Dan Plesch, answers questions on SCRAP (or Strategic Concept for the Removal of Arms and Proliferation), the CISD project on global disarmament.

By David J. Franco, 23 Feb, 2012

In 2011 the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) of the London School of Oriental and African Studies formally launched SCRAP, a holistic approach to global disarmament that proposes the adoption of an international legally binding agreement for complete and general disarmament with a ten-year implementation period. Originally developed in Dr Plesch’s book, the Beauty Queen’s Guide to World Peace, SCRAP was recently presented at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, during a Consultation on Disarmament Education co-organised by the Costa Rican and the Philippines delegations to the UN, the International Peace Bureau, and the CISD.

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Research Project: Best Before, the London food revolution

By InPEC Contributor
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Best Before, Food and Politics, Food as a commodity, Food in the UK, Food Security, Food Waste, Photo essays, Research Projects

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In this post, documentary filmmaker Ben Mann brings us his latest work on the current food revolution taking place in London.

By Ben Mann, 27 February, 2012

Best Before is about the current food revolution in London and the reasons why it is happening. Since it is a revolution that few people are aware of, we wanted to draw a picture of what it constitutes of, and how and why it is happening. The 2007/2008 Food Price Crisis pushed an extra 800 million people around the world into chronic hunger, as a result of the price for basic foods drastically increasing. This was so dramatic a shock since many developing countries are net importers of staple crops. Here in the UK we import about 40% of the food we consume[i]. With increasing oil volatility, the food system in London and the UK is vulnerable to increasing prices of basic foods. Food prices are expected to double across the world by 2030[ii], and food prices have already risen 6% in the UK in the last year[iii].

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Three Myths about China and its Relationship with the US

By InPEC Contributor
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Articles, Capitalism, China, International Politics, Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, Military, United States

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In this article, the author busts three myths about China and its relationship with the United States.

By Mikael Santelli-Bensouda, 5th March, 2012

Many things have been written regarding the relationship between China and America, most of which is founded upon a sense of speculation that emerges from a state of fear. The general assumption is as follows: China is acting unilaterally and belligerently to undermine and overtake the US, initially through economic means and later through traditional military means. This is not the case. The China threat perception has been, in recent times, blown out of proportion. This can be verified by examining what’s really going on between these two behemoths.

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Stop Kony and Stopping Joseph Kony – Relationship Status: It’s Complicated

By jmhamilt
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Africa, ICC, International Politics, Intervention, Invisible Children, Kony 2012, Protest, Security, Uganda

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In this article, the author addresses the criticisms of Invisible Children and the Kony 2012 campaign to highlight the success of the project as an advocacy movement. Sharing a video on Facebook is not tantamount to donating to Invisible Children. Equally, discrediting a video on Facebook is not tantamount to providing a solution. The primary ambition of advocacy must be to highlight the issue. Invisible Children, and their detractors, have been successful in this respect.

By Jack Hamilton, 8th March, 2012

A new human rights campaign has spread across the internet with a solitary aim: make Joseph Kony famous. The idea is that fame will enable Kony, the leader of the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda, to be brought to justice.

The film was created by the group, Invisible Children, a charity set up to combat the use of child soldiers by raising awareness of the issue and making slick videos fit for popular consumption. This method, as well as the background of charity, has been questioned by other activists following the unprecedented social media success of the #Kony2012 and #StopKony campaign.

StopKony has been trending worldwide since Tuesday and to date ‘Kony 2012’ has over 32 million views on Youtube and Vimeo combined. This article outlines the intentions of the campaign before looking at the ripostes. The key message is, whatever the failings of Invisible Children and their campaign, the ‘tipping point’ of hope and inspiration rings true.

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Hostage Crisis in Nigeria: Did the Terrorists Win?

By jmhamilt
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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Counter-terrorism, Intervention, Nigeria, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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In this article the author addresses the prevailing narrative that Boko Haram carried out the kidnapping and executions of two Europeans in northern Nigeria yesterday. By taking all of the evidence into account, the involvement of Boko Haram is one of several possibilities and to immediately place the blame on this group could be playing into the hands of the terrorists.

By Jack Hamilton, 9 March, 2012

In May 2011 two European construction workers were kidnapped in Kebbi, north-west Nigeria. Yesterday both of these men were killed in a botched rescue mission in Sokoto, northern Nigeria. Despite some bold assertions by the British and Nigerian governments, what exactly happened to the 28 year old Englishman, Christopher McManus and the 47 year old Italian engineer, Franco Lamolinara, and who they were taken by remains unclear.

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China in Afghanistan: Valuable Ally or Emerging Threat?

By InPEC Contributor
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Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Articles, China, Counter-terrorism, United States

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In this article, the author explores the competing US and Chinese discourses on China’s Peaceful rise strategy, using the PRC’s economic involvement in Afghanistan as a case study. It argues that although China’s interest in Afghanistan is perceived and framed as a threat by the US, it also represents a momentous opportunity for Afghanistan and its neighbors.

By Camille Maubert, 17th March, 2012

Karzai’s attempt to build an Afghanistan with American democratic characteristics and Chinese economic dynamism highlights the delicate positioning at play, whereby Afghanistan is subjected to different and sometimes contradictory foreign influences. Indeed, while the US is the biggest player in Afghanistan, China is also preparing to assume a long-term role in the country. In fact, the successful Chinese Metallurgical Corporation’s bid on the Aynak copper mine in Lowgar province, worth US$4 billion, promoted China as the largest single foreign investor in the country’s history. This had the West shudder by reminding it how powerful – and potentially threatening – a neighbor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is.

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The Syrian emailgate: first reactions

By David J. Franco
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Articles, International Politics, Syria, Syrian emailgate

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In this article, the author shares his first thoughts and reaction to the Syrian emailgate before concluding with the following sentence adapted from Bob Marley’s Redemption Song: how long shall they continue to kill while we stand aside and look?

By David J. Franco, 15 March, 2012

The latest in the long list of leaks since Wikileaks’ cablegate in 2010 concerns Syria and the Assads. Except that this time we are not talking about diplomatic cables. No, this time we are talking about some 3,000 emails hacked from the Assads’ private email accounts by, presumably, the opposition. Assuming that such emails truly originate in the Assads’ accounts and have not been falsely manufactured (The Guardian have made their best to ensure the authenticity of most of those emails), their content is both frivolous and worrisome.

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