China has responded to its apparent loss of influence in Myanmar by unleashing an aggressive propaganda and organizing campaign aimed at countering Western influence and cultivating a pro-Beijing grassroots political base particularly among ethnic Chinese in Myanmar.
A Donald Trump presidency could certainly bring some positive dynamics to U.S.-Russia relations but will not be a game-changer.
The refugee crisis in Europe stems from competing state and non-state actors in Syria and uneven responses by state and supra-state actors in Europe. But one of the most interesting—and useful—responses to the crisis have been at the individual level.
Writing on Brazil has become an exercise in futility. With the ever-accelerating tempo of political developments, predictions seem anachronistic within a week’s time.
By defying international law using “traditional fishing grounds” as an excuse, China’s latest show of aggression in the South China Sea has only heightened tensions among its neighbors, and provided the region’s militaries an excuse to increase defense spending.
The best argument against Brexit is that one cannot fully tell what the effects of the UK leaving the EU would be as no member state has ever left the union before. However, there is certainly the feeling that the EU and UK would go through a messy divorce.
Climate change doesn’t recognize ideological or geographic boundaries. The body of water that threatens to take a big bite out of Cuba is doing the same to dozens of cities along the coastline of the southernmost state of its nemesis to the north—Florida.
Beset by challenges ranging from the collapse in oil prices, to the spreading instability in the region, to criticism from its longtime allies in the United States, Saudi Arabia is facing its most difficult test in decades. But the kingdom has the means to overcome these difficulties, and also has the will to seize a unique opportunity to carry out important reforms.
On March 15, President Obama announced that certain travel restrictions between the United States and Cuba would be reduced in preparation for his visit to the small island country.
Many in the Middle East are curious how the next American president will deal with the major unresolved issues in their tumultuous, unsettled region.
China tried to save face last week, by lashing out at those critical of its human rights record during a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.
In dealing with this immediate threat, it behooves the Turkish government to put politicking on the back-burner, separate the non-violent opposition from the violent, and mend fences with the former. Swallowing that bitter pill is necessary for terrorism to be brought “to its knees.”
The erratic behavior of the Kim dynasty has long enraged and exasperated both its enemies and allies, though larger states have certainly used North Korea’s existence as a fig leaf for moves of their own.
One of the most basic forms of democratic engagement besides voting comes from mass peaceful protests. Indeed, it is difficult to ignore millions of people demanding the end of your political career.
In the past, scholars tended to believe that the internet was an effective tool to challenge authoritarian regimes and facilitate the development of civil society. However, as an expert that has been investigating the issue for a number of years, I disagree with this widely held belief.