Pundits and academics alike tell us that we are supremely fortunate to be living in a new “information age.” However, new findings which I present in an article in a Journal of Peace Research special issue paint a far more complicated picture of the consequences of increased human connectivity. Ours is certainly not an age… Read more »
Month: November 2015
What is the Russian Military good for?
The Russian military intervention in Syria—launched in a great rush just over a month ago — came as a surprise; perhaps not as shocking as the swift occupation and annexation of Crimea, but a surprise nevertheless. But does Russia’s ability to surprise and to project force in Syria prove, as Garret Campbell claims, that Western… Read more »
Are Myanmar’s Monks Hindering Democratization?
The upcoming general elections in Myanmar raise the question of religion’s role in democratisation processes. Previously Buddhism has been an important force in favour of democracy, but in the 2015 election campaign strong Buddhist forces are supporting the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). This is their democratic right, but it may hinder further… Read more »
This Week in South Sudan – Week 44
Monday 26 October The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will deploy a 10-member assessment mission to South Sudan following reports of rights abuses. The SPLM/A (IO) signed the agreement on security arrangements during a transitional period, despite their earlier refusal to do so last month at the security workshop in Addis Ababa. The… Read more »