Given the glacial pace of movement in virtually every aspect of Sino-Indian relations that came up for mention in talks between the leaders of both countries during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s current visit to India, it is easy to surmise that that the interactions were a colossal flop. But was it? Read Here – Firstpost
Today, roughly one-quarter of the world’s population lives in conflict-affected and fragile states. Despite vast sums of money spent aiding such states over the last 50 years, armed conflict and violence continue to blight the lives of millions of people around the world. International and national partners must radically change the way they engage such […]
This past two weeks, North Africa has been in an uproar. In Egypt, two million citizens demand that their democratically elected government step down. In Libya, Parliament passes a law prohibiting officials who served under Qaddafi from holding senior offices. If the law passes legal challenges, it will mean that the president, prime minister, much […]
Concomitant with its growing power, India is expanding its influence, both within the region and in global arena. While Indian diplomacy has been struggling to bridge the gap between what the country believes is its rightful place in the international community, on the one hand, and the actual status, on the other, its status and […]
Moscow’s refusal thus far to act on Syria seems puzzling. Russia has let other of its Middle East client regimes fall without much action on its part in the past. Why is Syria different to Moscow than those other Russian allies in the Middle East? Because, in Russia’s view, the outcome in Syria affects Moscow’s […]
One out of every four refugees in the world is from Afghanistan. Many make their escape via the Tora Larah, the Black Way, a long and dangerous underground railroad that winds through Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Greece. Those that travel this path might escape their home country, but they often end up bringing its […]
Modern history is the story of how liberal democracy, originating in the U.K. and America, spread around the world. This may sound like an absurd fantasy. In actuality, this Whiggish narrative of progress underpins most newspaper editorials, political commentary and speeches in the West, and frames larger views of political developments in the non-West. Read […]
Numbers are important in explaining political issues and interpreting election results but they are rarely used to identify a person’s political affiliation, much less a person’s religion. In Southeast Asia, however, where numerology has retained its appeal among the masses, numbers are increasingly being used by politicians and religious leaders in support of a particular […]
It seems unlikely that Egypt’s President Mohammad Mursi has read Thucydides’ famous record of the great Athenian politician Pericles’ speech when he describes democracy as the system of government that acts for the many and not the few, gives equal justice to all and regards merit as the sole criterion for office — and he […]
Chinese-US relations come to the public’s attention mainly through official actions, yet linkages are conducted at two levels, observes Edward Gresser, executive director of Progressive Economy, a research program of GlobalWorks Foundation in Washington, DC. While relations among the nations’ leaders are competitive and tense, exchanges among students, business managers, tourists are amenable and lasting. […]
looking beyond borders 