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International Relations

May 22, 2024

⛓️ What is political science for? A comment on ECPR’s silence over Gaza

Vladimir Bortun Last month, a group of scholars submitted an open letter to ECPR's Executive Committee, calling upon it to condemn the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. ECPR declined. This, says Vladimir Bortun, was a missed opportunity. Here, he argues that the political science community should use the catastrophe in Gaza to open up debate about the mission of ECPR – and about the very purpose of political science Read more
May 20, 2024

♟️Pakistan elections: perpetual instability in a military-controlled democracy

Vasabjit Banerjee Pakistan’s recent elections have produced a two-party ruling coalition, and seemingly ended the confrontation between ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan and his former backers, the military. Yet, while the military’s role as a veto player in Pakistani politics remains unquestioned, its grip is shakier, argue Vasabjit Banerjee and Adnan Rasool. Read more
May 15, 2024

Why terminating sanctions is more difficult than initiating them

Olga Vlasova Olga Vlasova delves into the intricacies of economic sanctions termination. Scrutinising global data and exploring historical precedents, she uncovers the complexities surrounding the lifting of sanctions, and how rarely they are lifted. Her analysis offers valuable insights for policymakers navigating the delicate balance of international relations. Read more
May 14, 2024

Why communal conflict should be viewed as a wartime phenomenon

Claudia Wiehler Violent local conflicts over land and resources are taking place almost exclusively in civil war-affected societies. Claudia Wiehler and Sebastian van Baalen argue that analysts and peacebuilding practitioners therefore need to involve civil war parties in communal conflict management and resolution — and view them as potential conflict management parties. Read more
May 13, 2024

♟️ Russia’s mercenaries are bolstering autocratic regimes in the Sahel

Marcel Plichta The spate of coups in the Sahel has been advantageous for Russia. Marcel Plichta and Christopher Faulkner argue that Moscow's mercenaries in the Sahel aren't to blame for the democratic retrenchment, but their presence is insulating and emboldening military dictators on their path to autocratic consolidation. Read more
April 29, 2024

China’s Belt and Road Initiative: re-evaluating the economic impact

James F. Downes James F. Downes and Mathew Wong re-evaluate the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative by examining important macroeconomic linkages between China and other economies. Combining statistical analyses of 163 countries, alongside EU case studies , they find that the economic impact of the BRI is limited, and determined largely by pre-BRI economic factors Read more
March 18, 2024

The democratisation of asymmetry

Alexandr Burilkov Despite the deployment of multiple Western warships to the Red Sea, Qatar has suspended deliveries from shipping company LNG to Europe as a result of Houthi attacks. This disruption of fragile Western supply chains, writes Alexandr Burilkov, comes at a time when resource-poor Europe must meet the steep costs of rearming to match the Russian military Read more
March 14, 2024

The third year of the Ukraine war and its possible end

Albrecht Rothacher Drawing parallels with the end of the First World War, Albrecht Rothacher looks at the prospects for an end to war in Ukraine. He starts with the worst-case scenario and then considers four further ways in which hostilities might end Read more

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Advancing Political Science
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