I reported in this Blog on 25 January on the prospects for coverage of the link between climate and conflict in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), scheduled for release in 2021–22. The number of chapters in the report for Working Group II has been cut to 18,… Read more »
The Important Debate We’re Not Having
Foreign and security policy impacts everyone, and is therefore too important a topic to be silenced or restricted to the backrooms of government ministries.
In general Norwegians have a high level of knowledge on international affairs, not least reflected in a substantial societal interest in the subject. The world is changing rapidly, and Norway along with it, facing new challenges. As such, it is paradoxical that open debates on international affairs are so limited.
Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg visited the Norwegian Armed Forces Cyber Defence at Jørstadmoen. Photo: Anette Ask / Forsvaret
Why is this? One common explanation for this is that there is so much consensus on foreign and security policy that there is little to discuss.
Another frequently heard explanation is that, despite a relatively high level of knowledge, much of the population still lacks the understanding that is required for decision-making in this field, so it is best to just keep quiet.
We also often hear a third explanation, which is that most people – voters – actually have little to no interest in the topic, despite evidence of the contrary.
Hungary (Re)Elects in April
Looking at the most recent polls, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán can be calm about the upcoming elections on the 8th of April. The only real question is whether his Fidesz party will win with a simple or a constitutional majority.
Viktor Orbán. Photo: European People’s Party. CC BY 2.0 / Flickr
But what is the secret of this football enthusiast? A seasoned politician with a background as a jurist, Orbán is an outstanding communicator, and comes across as a man who understands the average Hungarian citizen better than anyone.
This Week in South Sudan – Week 13
Tuesday 27 March The President of the United States, Donald Trump, issued a “Notice Regarding the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to South Sudan”. This has been renewed on an annual basis since 2014 and opens for US sanctions against South Sudan. Unknown gunmen shot and killed a senior SPLA officer, Colonel John… Read more »
Popular Anti-Immigration Movements – and the Response of Democracy
All across Europe, we see growing opposition to immigration. Tough measures imposed by governments are limiting immigration but are not having the same effect on opposition to immigration.
Mounting polarization is putting Europe’s democracies as well as European cooperation to the test.
Hungarian-Serbian border barrier being built in 2015. Photo: Délmagyarország / Schmidt Andrea. CC BY-SA 3.0
I recently visited Warsaw, and then travelled on to Berlin. The capitals of two countries with a common border, but distinct political histories.Read More
Monitoring South Sudan Week 12
Tuesday 20. March The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) protested against last week’s decision by the UN Security Council to renew UNMISS’ mandate, saying they were not consulted on the matter. GoSS has suspended Vivacell’s licence, one of the largest telecommunication companies in the country, for failing to comply with government regulations. Former SPLA chief… Read more »
On Militarism and Security: a Special Issue Introduction
This blog post briefly introduces the Security Dialogue Special Issue on Militarism and Security: Dialogue, Possibilities and Limits, guest edited by Anna Stavrianakis and Maria Stern (Volume 49, Issue 1-2, February-April 2018). Here they talk about their own article for the special issue, which also serves as its introduction. By Anna Stavrianakis and Maria Stern If your child… Read more »
Measuring Women, Peace and Security
Last week, GIWPS together with the International Peace Institute and the Government of Norway cohosted a discussion on linking the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index to WPS in practice. The WPS Index, launched in October 2017 by GIWPS and PRIO at the United Nations, draws on recognized international data sources to rank 153 countries on peace and security—and women’s inclusion and justice—in homes, communities, and societies.
Jeni Klugman at the launch of the WPS Index at PRIO.
The New York discussion, held alongside the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women, touched on how the index and data more broadly can be used in advocacy efforts, challenges in collecting data in fragile or conflict contexts, and broader priorities for WPS action.
This Week in South Sudan – Week 11
Tuesday 13 March Salvatore Garang Mabiordit, a former undersecretary in the finance ministry, has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance following President Salva Kiir’s dismissal of Stephen Dhieu Dau. Radio Tamazuj: “Profile: South Sudan’s new finance minister Salvatore Garang” At least 16 people were killed during inter-communal clashes in Jalwau, Warrap State, between… Read more »
The State of the Field in Climate and Security
This blog post was first posted on the Duck of Minerva. After nearly fifteen years of study, what do we know about the relationship between climate change and security? I recently attended a Woodrow Wilson Center event organized by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) on the state of the field. Along with Geoff Dabelko,… Read more »