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29691. Center-Periphery Relations: What Kind of Rule, and Does It Matter?

Author:
Nicholas Onuf
Publication Date:
01-2017
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
All Azimuth: A Journal of Foreign Policy and Peace
Institution:
Center for Foreign Policy and Peace Research
Abstract:
In proposing ‘a structural theory of imperialism’ nearly half a century ago, Johan Galtung made center-periphery relations central to peace research theory and more generally to the way scholars from the periphery see international relations. Galtung took an imperialist system to be a special case of a ‘dominance system’; any such system enforces an unequal distribution of privilege and material well-being through mechanisms of direct, structural and cultural violence. I propose to re-write Galtung’s structural theory by taking rules and rule to perform the function that he assigned to violence. I conclude that today’s global imperialist system is ruled through a functionally segmented hegemony, supported by hierarchical coercion against a heteronomous backdrop.
Topic:
International Relations, Hegemony, Periphery, International System, and Center
Political Geography:
Global Focus

29692. The Prison Terrorism Nexus: Recommendations for Policymakers

Author:
James Howcroft
Publication Date:
09-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
Abstract:
Among the many challenges in the fight against terrorism today is the issue of terrorists within prisons. Cross-pollination of terrorist and criminal networks and, in particular, the radicalization and recruitment of ordinary criminal offenders present significant and growing threats to security. What can countries do to manage and reduce these threats? To discuss these issues and exchange best practices, the Marshall Center hosted a Global Counter-Terrorism Alumni Community of Interest (COI) workshop from 29-31 August, 2017. Six alumni from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as French and U.S. subject matter experts, shared their countries’ national experiences. This served as a catalyst for discussion among sixty-five counter-terrorism (CT) professionals from forty-six countries. The following recommendations are the product of these discussions. 1. Include prisons in national CT strategies and develop an action plan to counter radicalization in prisons. COI participants identified insufficient political will and attention to the issue of prison radicalization as a key challenge. Inclusion of prisons within national CT strategies may help to focus attention on the issue while clarifying the roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies. It is also essential to develop research-based action plans for the management of terrorist offenders in prison in order to reduce the level of risk and prevent further radicalization.
Topic:
Security, Intelligence, Terrorism, Prisons/Penal Systems, and Counter-terrorism
Political Geography:
Global Focus

29693. Global Priorities in Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Practitioner Perspectives

Author:
Sam Mullins and James Howcroft
Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Commentary and Analysis
Institution:
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
Abstract:
This research note reports the results of a pilot questionnaire on priorities in terrorism and counterterrorism, which was completed by seventy-five security-sector professionals from more than fifty countries who attended the Program on Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS) at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (GCMC) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, from July to August, 2017. The results reveal that these practitioners consider terrorism to be one of the most serious threats to stability in their countries. Participants were especially concerned with jihadist terrorism and were more or less equally concerned with lone actors versus foreign fighters. The majority identified online versus offline methods as most important to terrorist recruitment, however this difference of opinion was not large. Looking to the future, they viewed hacking/cyber attacks by terrorists as particularly likely. In terms of counter-terrorism (CT), intelligence agencies were seen as playing the lead role, while cooperation between domestic CT agencies was seen as the biggest challenge. In contrast to this, terrorist use of encrypted communications was seen as least challenging. Participants were evenly split in their views on political negotiations with terrorists, but displayed a comparatively high degree of optimism about the prospects of deradicalization. Nevertheless, they also appeared to hold a government-centric view of CT, seeing relatively little role for civil society and non-governmental organizations. Border control was viewed as the capability most in need of further development.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Terrorism, and Counter-terrorism
Political Geography:
Global Focus

29694. Pakistan Security Report 2016

Author:
Muhammad Amir Rana, Safdar Sial, Zia Ur Rehman, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Ershad Mahmud, and Tahir Khan
Publication Date:
11-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
While militant attacks declined in 2016, militant groups continue to remain a potent threat, with many widening their scope, narrowing their ideology, and evolving within the new spaces. These threats will linger on for long, unless the state moves beyond the hard approaches. In 2016, as with the preceding years, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remained the major actor of instability in the country, carrying out 106 attacks. 2016 also saw rise of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, with 66 attacks. Part of JA’s relative rise owes to the weakening of the TTP’s operational capability. This reality of how militant dynamics evolve should not be lost upon policy makers, note PIPS’s 2016 security report. Overall, the report notes, there has been a decline of 28% in terrorist attacks in 2016: 441 terrorist attacks took place in 57 districts/regions across Pakistan, claiming 908 lives. While suicide bombings have been receding, the reports note, 50% of the attacks in 2016 were targeted killing or shooting.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan

29695. Securing Punjab’s social & cultural diversity

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the deliberations of the first of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. The first policy dialogue focused on the cultural, religious and social diversity in Punjab with a view to explore how far that had been used or could be used to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Culture, Violent Extremism, Diversity, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

29696. Social harmony and equal citizenship

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the deliberations of the second of six provincial-level policy dialogues on social harmony and equal citizenship in Punjab. The second policy dialogue focused on social harmony and equal citizenship in the context of countering violent extremism in Punjab.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Citizenship, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

29697. Safe charity: giving to the right hands

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the third provincial-level policy dialogue on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. Held in the provincial capital Lahore, the dialogue discussed how to ensure that charity reaches the right hands, besides exploring the role of social welfare organizations in Punjab.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Charity, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

29698. Promoting the culture of dialogue in Punjab

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the findings of the fourth provincial dialogue forum held in Lahore, which explored the role of “dialogue” in Punjab to counter extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Dialogue, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

29699. Intellectual and scholarly trends on countering violent extremism in Punjab

Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the fifth of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. The policy dialogue series is part of the efforts by PIPS to analyse the security and conflict-related issues in Pakistan, with a view to finding practical ways and means to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Intellectual History, Scholarships, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

29700. Role of Punjab’s literary and cultural institutions in countering extremism

Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the last of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab organized by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The policy dialogue series was part of the efforts by PIPS to analyze the security and conflict-related issues in Pakistan, with a view to identifying practical ways and means to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Culture, Violent Extremism, Literature, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab