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Begin New Search Content Type Journal Article Publication Year within 25 Years

51. Manageable Mandate or Mission Creep? The Canadian Armed Forces Assistance to Law Enforcement Agencies

Author:
David Sopotyk
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
Institution:
Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
Abstract:
This paper examines the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) assistance to law enforcement agencies (LEA) and seeks to answer the question if CAF involvement is permitted? More precisely, is this action legal or does it represent mission creep by the CAF that should be of concern to Canada’s democracy? An analysis of CAF support to LEA via the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) is used as the case most likely to elicit legal difficulties. This analysis finds that even given NORAD’s assistance to LEA (chosen as the most likely scenario of potential mission creep for the CAF given that Canadian military are operating in the United States with US LEA), the activities were within the bounds of the National Defence Act and given approval by the Canadian national command authority (the Prime Minister). Ultimately, this paper concludes that the CAF’s assistance to LEA is not mission creep so long as the authorities and processes in place are respected.
Topic:
Law Enforcement, Armed Forces, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and Mission Creep
Political Geography:
Canada and North America

52. From Seeds to Suffering: Herbicides, Environmental Degradation and Slow Violence

Author:
Alexandra Pacheco Hardwicke
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
Institution:
Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Warfare almost always results in the destruction of the environment, yet the devastation extends far beyond the immediate physical consequences of battle. Historically, natural environments have played an integral role in human conflict, from land disputes to armed conflict and terrorism. Starving the enemy through attacking livestock, contaminating water resources, and scorched earth tactics are a few of the many ways in which the environment has been weaponized during war. Environmental security, particularly in the context of armed conflict, is an evolving field. The incorporation of slow violence may provide a critical framework to analyze post-war impacts and long-term ecological harm in ways traditional security studies tends to overlook.
Topic:
Environment, Violence, Environmental Security, Warfare, and Herbicides
Political Geography:
Global Focus

53. Emerging Powers’ Engagement in International Organizations: The Case of Vietnam’s Multilateral Diplomacy

Author:
Tran Chi Trung and Hoang Hien Thuong
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
It is widely believed that, with greater political and economic influence, emerging powers are increasingly playing larger roles within international institutions, ranging from global organisations, regional organisations, to various alternative platforms of minilateralism or coalition of the willing. Despite growing debates about the motivations of emerging powers when engaging in both new regional organisations and existing global institutions, there is limited research explaining this from the perspective of these nations. Hence, this article addresses this gap by studying the case of Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy since 2021. The article adopts a qualitative research design, combining discourse analysis of official speeches, policy documents, and a case study of Vietnam’s participation in international and regional organisations following the new foreign policy direction of Viet Nam since 2021. We argue that while Vietnam and other emerging powers share a common aspiration for a more multipolar and equitable international order, their multilateral strategies diverge according to distinct priorities and challenges. After its 13th National Congress in 2021, Vietnam’s foreign policy focuses on leveraging multilateral institutions to heighten the country's international influence and position. Aiming to become a regional leader, Viet Nam has been more proactive in leading ASEAN’s agenda and pathways forward, advancing its convening capacity, and acting as a linchpin between ASEAN and regional and international organisations. While at the global level, Viet Nam is stepping up as a sectoral leader, focusing on new fields and domains of global governance to shape a conducive future for its national development path.
Topic:
Diplomacy, International Organization, Multilateralism, ASEAN, and Regional Organizations
Political Geography:
Vietnam and Southeast Asia

54. American Populism, American Personhood

Author:
Colin Anthony MacNairn
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
Current American populism—an endogenous product of liberal capitalism— functions less as an interruption of liberal democracy than as the political form through which its contradictions are expressed. Starting from that premise, this essay traces how citizens, rendered economically superfluous and politically abstracted, reach for meaning through affective grievance—grievance that populism captures, reroutes, and converts into allegiance. By placing C.B. Macpherson’s critique of possessive individualism in dialogue with Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s analysis of moral incapacitation, A.N. Whitehead’s insights on simplified ideals, and Kant’s republican account of public right, this essay reconstructs the mechanisms by which structural dispossession is transformed into cultural antagonism. Through political-theoretical argument augmented with empirical illustrations, this essay provocatively demonstrates that American populism’s emotional economy reinforces the very structure it claims to resist and why any democratic renewal ought to begin with a reconstruction of personhood itself
Topic:
Politics, Capitalism, Populism, Donald Trump, Illiberal Democracy, Critical Democratic Theory, and New Democratic Theory
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

55. Strategic Resource Nationalism and the Role of Rare Earths in EU Economic Security

Author:
Upasna Mishra
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
Rare earth elements (REEs) have become a critical factor in contemporary geopolitical and economic statecraft, particularly within the framework of strategic resource nationalism. China’s dominance, accounting for over 60% of global REE production and a larger share of processing capacity, presents a significant supply chain vulnerability for import-dependent actors like the European Union (EU). The EU’s strategic sectors—including renewable energy, defence, and digital technologies—are acutely exposed to potential supply disruptions, prompting a concerted policy response. This paper tries to examine how REE dependencies shape global trade and security. It evaluates EU initiatives like the Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to mitigate supply chain vulnerability through diversification and strategic partnerships. The green and digital transitions intensify the need for secure REEs for key technologies. However, challenges like environmental impacts and high costs persist. This paper focuses on how the REEs could shape future geopolitical alignments and define economic stability in an increasingly competitive global landscape
Topic:
European Union, Geopolitics, Strategic Competition, Economic Security, Rare earth elements (REEs), and Strategic Resource Nationalism
Political Geography:
Europe

56. Between Realism and Constructivism: Theorising Foreign Policy Shifts After the Israel-Gaza War

Author:
Abeeta Hilal and Meha Pant
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The Israel-Gaza conflict, following the events of October 7, reignited global scrutiny of foreign policy postures, revealing a stark contrast between official state narratives and widespread public dissent. Whereas most governments resorted to a complex of realism in the reassertion of the strategic alliances and security interests, the responses of civil society, such as protests, advocacy, and media critique, emphasised the increasing pressure of a constructivist, norm-based approach to international engagement. This changing dynamic, the literature tends to present realism and constructivism as pugnacious rather than complementary paradigms, leaving a considerable gap in explaining the complexity of modern foreign policy-making. The theoretical deficit is addressed in the current paper, which examines changes in foreign policy from an integrative perspective that reconciles realist and constructivist theories. Using qualitative and historical data, the study analyses Western responses to the Israel-Gaza war, revealing tensions between strategic interests and ideological principles, requiring hybrid theoretical approaches.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Public Opinion, Realism, Constructivism, Norms, and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, and Gaza

57. Russia's Fragile Balance of Global and Regional Alliances: The Formation and Evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Author:
Ilias Tasopoulos
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The article examines the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in shaping regional and international dynamics, with particular attention to Russia’s participation, drawing on insights from the Copenhagen School. It explores how the SCO advances a distinct model of regional governance, thereby influencing the political and strategic trajectories of its member states and neighbouring regions. Russia views the SCO as a platform that reflects its dual strategic orientation: engaging in regional multilateral frameworks to safeguard its immediate interests, while simultaneously seeking to assert greater status within the international system. The expansion of the SCO’s membership is evaluated, as it represents a broadening of its reach and influence. Russia’s engagement within this framework is explored, highlighting its evolving relationship with China in the aftermath of the 2022 Ukraine war. Ultimately, the article positions the SCO within the broader analytical context of international relations theory, assessing its contribution to the configuration of the global balance of power.
Topic:
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Regional Organizations, and Strategic Alliances
Political Geography:
Russia, China, Eurasia, and Asia

58. Analysis of Emerging Powers Joining to International and Regional Organisations: Intentions and Implications

Author:
Mojtaba Eskandari, Farhad Farahani, Somayeh Hamidi, and Sara Torabian
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The significant growth of regional and global cooperation in economic, military, and ideological areas is a common feature of modern diplomacy, as states have been continuously expanding these efforts. In today's geopolitics, these collaborations are not limited to specific regions but extend to superregional and global levels; this is evident in emerging powers that seek to increase their global influence through mutual agreements and the creation of regional or international organisations. The goal of this research is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the strategic considerations behind emerging powers' involvement in multilateral frameworks. Being part of international and regional organisations allows them to coordinate efforts and play a vital role in shaping the international order. To achieve this goal, a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis will be used, including analysis of documents, policies, expert reviews, and historical case studies.
Topic:
Diplomacy, International Organization, Regional Cooperation, International Order, and Emerging Powers
Political Geography:
Global Focus

59. Dignity, Responsibility and Reciprocity: A Framework for Non-International Armed Conflicts

Author:
Samuel Jesus
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
This research aims to integrate Mario Bettati's Critical Globalist Theory within the framework of non-international armed conflicts, alongside Jean-Pierre Dupuy's ethical relationalism, particularly in the application of International Humanitarian Law. Human dignity stands as the fundamental focus of ethics amid the complexities of non-international armed conflicts. The Law of Armed Conflict faces challenges due to human objectification that arises from ruthless utilitarian armed interventions. In this context, conflicting parties must establish minimum moral limits for warfare and regulate global institutions to ensure human rights and accountability. Reciprocity, rooted in recognising globalising concepts, demonstrates that one actor's actions affect others and the global community. In this light, the isolationism, utilitarianism, and mercantilism of warfare used as state hermeneutic criteria for population protection are supplanted by dignity, responsibility, and reciprocity, thereby contributing to the renewal of global humanism and the minimum guarantee of protection within the realm of armed conflict.
Topic:
International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Armed Conflict, Dignity, and Reciprocity
Political Geography:
Global Focus

60. Understanding the Politics of the Denial of Genocide Recognition: The Case of the Rohingya

Author:
Nahian Salsabeel and Faria Ulfath Leera
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The atrocities committed against the Rohingya people by Myanmar have not translated into any unified actions by the regional and international community. This qualitative research seeks to uncover the regional and global responses that have negatively influenced the formal recognition of the genocide against the Rohingya people, as well as the limited nature of mediation efforts. To do so, this chapter will draw on established research on the geopolitics of genocide denial and the Rohingya crisis. Consequently, the authors connect the existing research gap, explaining why some state and non-state actors have been reluctant to recognise the acts of genocide against the Rohingya people in Myanmar over the decades. The paper sheds light on the international state and non-state actors influencing the geopolitics of genocide recognition, concluding that the denial of the genocide against the Rohingya community is significantly influenced by complex geopolitical situations.
Topic:
Genocide, Non State Actors, Geopolitics, and Rohingya
Political Geography:
Southeast Asia and Myanmar