China-US Relations in South East Asia

US and China continue to clash in the South China Sea over the perceived spheres of influence of both governments. China has launched its clearest warning yet that it is running out of patience with the US.

http://the-diplomat.com/new-leaders-forum/2011/06/26/china-plays-nationalism-card/

South Sudan Secedes

The impending secession of South Sudan and the impact on the people of particular disputed areas, and indeed the international community.

http://www.towardfreedom.com/africa/2379-toward-secession-the-future-of-south-sudan

Integration in the Netherlands

"The integration will not be tailored to different groups"

The Netherlands to introduce a new bill on multi-culturism in which the Dutch society "takes

a central role" and the previous policy of a parallel societies within the country is abandoned.  

http://www.hudson-ny.org/2219/netherlands-abandons-multiculturalism

The Gender Imbalance Timebomb in Asia

"Sex selection starts with the urban, educated middle-class and filters down"

Gender selection and Asia's missing girls.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/06/21/gender-selection-abortion-crisis-in-asia-india-u-s.html

Where is the Water?

Infographic on the availability of access to clean water in the world.

http://www.good.is/post/infographic-lack-of-clean-water-access-worldwide/

Monroe in Asia

The differing versions of hegemonic powers in the world: the Free-rider, the Strongman, and the Constabulary models, and how the Monroe Doctrine applies them to China, India and the USA in Asia.

http://the-diplomat.com/2011/06/15/monroe-doctrines-in-asia/

Italians Finding Their Voice

"On June 12–13 Italians voted “yes” on four referendums in a resounding defeat for the Berlusconi government. It came just two weeks after the center-right was roundly voted down in municipal elections across Italy, and was a blow that even some of Berlusconi’s own colleagues think the prime minister cannot survive. But it was more than that. This was a vote that went far beyond parochial Italian politics: a vote in which citizens had their say on how to manage natural resources and energy policy, a vote against the neoliberal axiom that “private is better,” against industry lobbies and powerful insiders with euro signs in their eyes, against the view that some of us are more equal than others."

http://www.thenation.com/article/161440/direct-democracy-italy

Tyranny in the National Conscience?

Was the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia a result of radical Agrarian Marxism? Or of a desire to build a rural utopia? This article argue that the seeds of the worst of the atrocities were alive within the psyche of the nation and it's people, from 'fatalistic Buddism' to a traditional disdain for urban life.

http://historytoday.com/tim-stanley/contrarian-question-identity-0

The Problems Continue

Is the European Currency saveable?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/can-europe-rescue-its-single-currency-2299737.html

Equal Rights for All, Regardless of Sexual Preferance

Despite strong opposition from some African and Muslim countries, the UN has passed it's first resolution

endorsing equal rights for gays, lesbians and transgendered persons.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/06/17/un_gay_rights_un_passes_landmark_gay_rights_resolution_despite_s.html

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/un-backs-gay-rights-979851.html

If Boys Will Be Boys, What Will Girls Be?



Huma Abedin and Hillary Clinton

 The attitude towards male politicians alleged dalliances would shift sharply if the perpetrators were female, argues this article.

http://www.good.is/post/why-do-female-politicians-avoid-sex-scandals-one-word-sexism/

Did You Know?

We are living in exponential times; a video run through of some revealing facts about the development of the modern world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUMf7FWGdCw

Reevaluating First Principles

Democracy Journal series on the first principles of governance, the idea of government, the legitimacy of government among other items.

http://www.democracyjournal.org/19/6783.php

Death and Statistics

Article on the exaggeration and inflation of death tolls in natural disasters and war zones.

""This is a historic disaster," she said. "We have never been confronted with such a disaster in the U.N. memory. It is like no other." The problem with such over-the-top rhetoric is that it requires a willful suspension of disbelief and no small degree of historical amnesia"

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/09/grave_inflation

Eurotech: Lagging Behind?

Why does European technilogical innovation pale in comparison to the American output?

http://www.slate.com/id/2296547/

Religion, Politics and the Public Space



Globel Experts Logo



Three interesting articles from the the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Global Experts project on Religion, Politics & the Public Space.



http://www.theglobalexperts.org/comment-analysis/secularism-rescue-arab-spring

http://www.theglobalexperts.org/comment-analysis/faith-free-speech

http://www.theglobalexperts.org/comment-analysis/private-beliefs-public-change

Empire

Genghis Khan

Analysising the rise and fall of various Empires in history and the common problems that have faced them all.

"In the end, all elites face the temptation to turn extraction into exploitation"

http://www.historytoday.com/harold-perkin/rise-and-fall-empires

The Negative Impact of Journalism

American Propaganda from WWI

A side of journalism we don't often think about: the role of the media  and propaganda campaigns in indoctrinating populations and even inciting hatred and violence against minorities. This article examines the issue of whether the actions of the media can ever be considered to be war crimes, with particular focus on a Kenyan case.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/05/kenyan-trial-asks-can-journalism-be-a-war-crime/238692/

To Dictate or Not to Dictate?

A further look at the role of the ICC in the prosecuting of the 'war' on Gaddafi, with the view that the body has done more harm than good in the matter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/after-the-dictators-fall-/2011/06/02/AG57AmJH_story.html?hpid=z3
http://bosco.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/06/06/the_case_for_impunity

Not So Exceptional

A look at the idea of American Exceptionalism, with a particular focus on debunking the very idea of it.

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/03/03/in-defense-of-american-excepti#

Womens Rights

Human Rights Watch Report on the past 20 years of Womens Rights all over the world.

http://www.hrw.org/node/95629

One Nation Under Retrospection

The Founding Fathers of the USA

The faith of the three traditional pillars in the telling of the history of North America

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/jun/09/very-violent-road-america/

Food Wars



The rising price of food all over the world and the growing conflict over arable land.



Terraced Rice Fields in China



http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/04/25/the_new_geopolitics_of_food

WWII Revisited and Revised

Article on the trend of revisionism with regards to the history of World War II.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/books/review/adam-kirsch-on-new-books-about-world-war-ii.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all