Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

Why You Should Care About Taiwan

By Nicholas Whelan An octopus almost prevented me from existing— at least indirectly. My grandmother, Kuei-Mei, frequently shares the story of her near-death encounter with the octopus, offering a glimpse into her childhood in Taiwan. My grandmother was scavenging for food along the shore outside her home, doing everything she could to feed a family […]

Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

The U.S. Must End Military Aid to Israel

In May, during the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli security forces teamed up with a bevy of far-right settler groups to raid, assault, and restrict worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque. The Israeli government justified the crackdowns as security measures needed to quell clashes between protestors and authorities over the eviction of 300 Palestinians in the […]

Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

Twitter Diplomacy: Ukraine and The End of Fancy Dinners

By Alejandro Hernandez In December 2021, when President Vladimir Putin was still threatening to invade Ukraine, the official Ukrainian Twitter account published a meme describing how being Russia’s neighbor can give you the worst type of headache. Two months later, when Putin invaded, the tweets and memes did not stop. The account continues to be […]

Categories
Energy & Environmental Policy Global Global Policy Studies & International Security

COP26: Was it a Success or a Cop-Out?

On Nov. 13, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference – also known as COP26 –  came to an end with mixed results. The two-week conference held in Glasgow, Scotland had two main goals: coordinate international efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and provide countries an opportunity to update their Nationally Determined […]

Categories
Global Global Policy Studies & International Security

Global Development is the key to Global Security

By Abdullah Dowaihy Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres started the general assembly debate by telling leaders that “the world must wake up,” because it is “on the edge of an abyss.” The Secretary General also warned world leaders are “moving in the wrong direction” given that human rights are backsliding, there is […]

Categories
Global Global Policy Studies & International Security

Biden and America’s Allies

A Rocky Start to Repairing Relationships By Kate Munro During a July 11, 2019 speech in New York City, candidate Joe Biden promised “as president, I will do more than just restore the historic partnerships, I will lead an effort to reimagine them to better meet the challenges we’re grappling with today in the next […]

Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

South Korea’s Human Rights Activists Under Pressure

An Uncertain Future for North Korean Human Rights Activism in South Korea By Kenneth Nienhuser The Korean Peninsula has struggled to foster peace and communication since the end of the Korean War and the South Korean government’s latest attempts to reconcile differences have left human rights organizations on the peninsula questioning their future. Human rights […]

Categories
Global Global Policy Studies & International Security

Imminent Iranian Nuclear Capability Is Not Itself A Redline

By Kathleen Hillery Experts project Iran may cross the nuclear threshold this month, meaning Iran would have the technology and enough weapons-grade uranium to build a nuclear weapon—without actually having built one. Recently elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has delayed negotiations to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), possibly to allow his […]

Categories
Energy & Environmental Policy Global Global Policy Studies & International Security

Clearing Up Expectations

What does it really mean to stop climate change? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently made headlines around the world with the release of its Sixth Assessment Report on the state of the global climate. The report presents a variety of potential scenarios for the future based on how much the planet warms […]

Categories
Global Policy Studies & International Security

Biden’s ‘Root Causes Strategy’ for Central America Must Look Past the Current ‘Crisis’

The Biden Administration is developing a “Root Causes Strategy” (RCS)  to reduce violence, strengthen the rule of law, and reduce economic insecurity in Central America, in the hopes that these measures will reduce migration from the region by addressing the problems at the source. The Biden Administration issued an Executive Order (EO) calling for a […]