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5201. Human Rights Due Diligence through Stakeholder Engagement?

Author:
Brigitte Hamm and Anne Schax
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for Development and Peace
Abstract:
The report examines to what extent stakeholder engagement as a form of private governance can contribute to a corporation’s human rights due diligence performance. It takes as the basis for investigation a case study of a stakeholder engagement program implemented by the oper- ating company SMI for a planned copper-gold mine in the Philippines during the project’s pre- operational phase. The analysis examines criteria for good stakeholder engagement set out by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and uses the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as the conceptual framework. For the case investigated here, it is established that SMI’s stakeholder engagement program as well as the IFC’s guidelines evince several shortcomings from a human rights perspective, which in turn negatively affect other due dili- gence processes.
Topic:
Human Rights, United Nations, Governance, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:
Philippines, Asia-Pacific, and Global Focus

5202. Firm-Level Technology and Competitiveness in Vietnam: Evidence from 2010-2014 surveys

Author:
Carol Newman, John Rand, Finn Tarp, Neda Trifković, and Nguyen Tue Anh
Publication Date:
04-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
United Nations University
Abstract:
This report summarises information from the Vietnam Technology and Competitiveness Survey (TCS) that has been conducted every year since 2010, concluding with 2014. The TCS has been a collaborative effort of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), the General Statistics Office (GSO) and the Development Economics Research Group (DERG) of the Department of Economics (DoE), University of Copenhagen. The data used in this report is based on four survey rounds, and, with the addition of future rounds of the survey, aims to give researchers and policymakers a detailed understanding of the dynamics of technology, productivity and profitability of Vietnam’s growing private sector. This report provides readers with an introduction to the main features of the dataset and an overview of the main trends among the firm from the manufacturing sector in Vietnam. As the report does not provide a complete description of the full range of information collected in all survey rounds, both interested readers and researchers are encouraged to review the survey questionnaire and explore the full survey dataset.
Topic:
Science and Technology, Private Sector, and Survey
Political Geography:
Vietnam and Southeast Asia

5203. Beguiling Americans: a guide for Indian diplomats

Author:
Christine Fair
Publication Date:
05-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations
Abstract:
Pakistan continues to receive succour from its long-time ally, the U.S., despite blundering about in its neighbourhood unabashedly- be it through righteous indignation or through generous courtesies. The external affairs ministry needs to improve its approach towards U.S. officials who are visiting India in order to better its relation with the country.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5204. La Ronda Uno y la senda del futuro

Author:
COMEXI
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI)
Abstract:
El documento fue preparado por algunos integrantes del Grupo de Trabajo de Energía por lo que representa la posición de quienes participaron directamente en su redacción. Varios miembros del Grupo más amplio contribuyeron con comentarios y sugerencias para mejorar el documento, pero éste no necesariamente representa la visión de todos y cada uno de los integrantes del Grupo de Trabajo de Energía. El contenido de este documento de ninguna manera representa la visión institucional de Comexi, cuya posición es neutral e independiente
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Mexico

5205. Foreign Fighters

Author:
The Soufan Group
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Soufan Group
Abstract:
In June 2014, The Soufan Group (TSG) released its initial Foreign Fighters in Syria report, which identified approximately 12,000 foreign fighters from 81 countries. Nearly eighteen months later, despite sustained international effort to contain the Islamic State and stem the flow of militants traveling to Syria, the number of foreign fighters has more than doubled. Based on its own investigation, TSG has calculated that between 27,000 and 31,000 people have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and other violent Salafist groups from at least 86 countries. This increase is evidence that efforts to contain the flow of foreign recruits to the Islamic State and other extremist groups in Syria have had limited impact
Topic:
Intelligence and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5206. Corruption Risk Assessment in the Security Sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author:
Armin Kržalić
Publication Date:
11-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Centre for Security Studies
Abstract:
Corruption risk assessment in the security sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the original work of authorship by a research team of the Centre for Security Studies which consisted of Denis Hadžović, project manager, Alma Kovačević, project coordinator, Aida Kržalić, project assistant, and surveyors Mirela Hodović, Emsad Dizdarević, Sabrina Berberović–Tadić and Sanjin Hamidičević. The assessment is one of the results of the „Mapping Corruption Risks in the Security Sector“ project which the CSS implemented during the period between December 2013 and August 2015. The Project was funded by the European Union.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5207. Civil Capacities for Peace Support Operations: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author:
CSS
Publication Date:
11-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Centre for Security Studies
Abstract:
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has gone from being a receiver to providing assistance to post-conflict countries. Through its experience with rebuilding the country after conflict, BiH can make relevant and useful contributions to further peacebuilding and sustainable development in other countries. This article details current contributions BiH is making to international peace operations, maps the civilian capacities BiH could contribute in the future, and provides recommendations on how this could be implemented with regards to training, rostering and deployment of civilian capacities. Successful training, rostering and deployment of civilian capacities from BiH could be replicated at the Western Balkans level and bear witness to the development of security communities in BiH and the region
Topic:
International Relations
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5208. Amérique latine - L’année politique 2015

Author:
Maya Collombon, Hélène Combes, Olivier Dabène, Gaspard Estrada, Marie-Laure Geoffray, Ana Carolina González Espinosa, Erica Guevara, Damien Larrouqué, Marilde Loiola de Menezes, Frédéric Louault, Frédéric Massé, Mohcine Mounjid, Eduardo Rios, and Darío Rodriguez
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
Amérique latine - L’Année politique is a publication by CERI-Sciences Po’s Political Observatory of Latin America and the Caribbean (OPALC). The study extends the work presented on the Observatory’s website (www.sciencespo.fr/opalc) by offering tools for understanding a continent that is in the grip of deep transformations.
Topic:
Political Violence, Economics, Regional Cooperation, Bilateral Relations, Sociology, and Elections
Political Geography:
Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Arab Countries, Latin America, Nicaragua, Caribbean, Venezuela, Mexico, and United States of America

5209. Une puissance parmi d'autres : évolution des enjeux et défis géostratégiques de la France en Océanie (One Among Many: Changing Geostrategic Interests and Challenges for France in the South Pacific)

Author:
Denise Fisher
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
France, which is both an external and resident South Pacific power by virtue of its possessions there, pursues, or simply inherits, multiple strategic benefits. But the strategic context has changed in recent years. China's increased presence; consequent changes in the engagement of the US, Japan and Taiwan; and the involvement of other players in the global search for resources, means that France is one of many more with influence and interests in a region considered by some as a backwater. These shifts in a way heighten the value of France's strategic returns, while impacting on France's capacity to exert influence and pursue its own objectives in the region. At the same time, France is dealing with demands for greater autonomy and even independence from its two most valuable overseas possessions on which its influence is based, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. How it responds to these demands will directly shape the nature of its future regional presence, which is a strategic asset.
Topic:
Political Economy, Natural Resources, Colonialism, Political Science, and Decolonization
Political Geography:
Japan, China, Taiwan, France, Australia, Australia/Pacific, and United States of America

5210. L’insécurité énergétique en Amérique du Sud : développement des réseaux et intégration sectorielle entre le Pérou et le Chili (Energy Insecurity in South America : Network Development and Sectoral Integration in Chile and Peru)

Author:
Alvaro Artigas
Publication Date:
10-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
The South American continent has experienced a robust economic growth presently overshadowed by an uneven energy integration that fails to meet both an ever-growing industrial and metropolitan demand. Several integration mechanisms co-exist, but a poor integration layout threatens the energy security of the region and individual countries. Several factors contribute to this. Firstly, the very template of regional integration has failed to deliver a valid set of supranational coordination mechanisms aimed at coordinating and sorting out disputes among individual countries. Secondly, national States tie security to self-sufficiency in the face of mutual distrust, thus rendering potential advantages of market and networks integration a less desirable choice. The example of Chile and Peru integration drive reveals many of these dynamics while showing at the same time the windfalls of a transversal sectoral coordination over diplomatic exchange by individual states. What is the potential for an alternative template where the State will play a less intrusive role while consigning territorial disagreements backstage?
Topic:
Economics, International Trade and Finance, Political Economy, Natural Resources, and Regional Integration
Political Geography:
South America, Latin America, Chile, and Peru

5211. Relations informelles entre Pékin et Taipei : l’essor de la diplomatie académique dans le détroit de Taiwan (Informal Relations Between Beijing and Taipei: The Expansion of Academic Diplomacy in the Taiwan Strait)

Author:
Alice Ekman
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
Since the Kuomintang returned to power in 2008, Beijing has adjusted its communication strategy towards Taiwan, while maintaining the same long-term goal of reunification. This strategy of rapprochement by seduction rather than by threat promotes the rapid growth of exchanges between the Chinese and Taiwanese populations at all levels: students, tourists, farmers, businessmen, academics, retired diplomats and military, politicians, etc. Especially, the multiplication of meetings between academics of both countries is creating new channels of communication over the Strait, allowing on the one hand to compensate for the lack of formal diplomacy between Beijing and Taipei, and on the other hand to compete with informal diplomatic links existing between Taiwan and several of its partners (US and Japan, mainly). These communication channels could ultimately reinforce Beijing’s strategy – and China keeps investing heavily in their development – but could also be used as a conduit to prevent and to manage crisis would tensions reappear in the Strait.
Topic:
Nationalism, Sovereignty, Borders, Identities, and State
Political Geography:
China, Taiwan, and Asia

5212. Entre européanisation et fragmentation, quel modèle de développement pour le territoire ukrainien? (Between Europeanization and fragmentation, what model of development for the Ukrainian territory?)

Author:
Gilles Lepesant
Publication Date:
06-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
One week before the third Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius on November 28-29, 2013, Ukraine suspended the preparation of an association agreement with the European Union, which had been under negotiation since 2007. When the agreement was finally signed in June 2014, President Yanukovych had fled the country under people’s pressure, and the integrity of Ukraine was challenged in the East by separatists and their Russian allies. These events came paradoxically at a time when the country's cohesion seemed stronger than in the 1990s. Far from being divided into two parts, Ukraine consists of the pieces of broken empires that all have good reasons to join in the state, as recent as this one may be. Indeed, its geography, electoral or economic, does not show a split between two blocks, but various lines of division that do not necessarily herald the breaking up of the state. Since the independence, this diversity had never been translated into new institutions: for several reasons, the reshaping of the centralized regime inherited from the Soviet era was deemed untimely by the country’s political forces. Presented as a priority by the members of the Parliament elected in 2014, the reform of territorial government is being implemented while Ukraine’s driving regions are either paralyzed or threatened by war.
Topic:
Nationalism, Sovereignty, War, Territorial Disputes, Europeanization, Memory, Borders, and State
Political Geography:
Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, and European Union

5213. The Power of Staying Put: Nonviolent Resistance Against Armed Groups in Colombia

Author:
Juan Masullo
Publication Date:
08-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)
Abstract:
Confronted with civil war, local civilians typically either collaborate with the strongest actor in town or flee the area. Yet civilians are not stuck only with these choices. Collectively defying armed groups by engaging in organized nonviolent forms of noncooperation, self-organization and disruption is another option. This monograph explores this option through sustained and organized civil resistance led by ordinary peasants against state and non-state repressive actors in Colombia’s longstanding civil war: the case of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó.
Topic:
Human Rights
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5214. International Affairs

Author:
East View Information Services
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East View Information Services
Abstract:
Russian World special
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Russia

5215. U.S. Policy in a Changing World

Author:
A. Kortunov and A. Frolov
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East View Information Services
Abstract:
The U.S. foreign policy today has fallen on hard times. The world is entering a new era with a lot of totally new challenges, including untraditional challenges that the U.S. leadership is faced with. In some instances, Washington manages to fit into ongoing processes while in others, the situation starts to follow a different scenario and then this policy, which is based on a number of important and fundamental principles, begins to founder.
Topic:
International Relations and International Affairs
Political Geography:
America

5216. Russia in the Mediterranean: Geopolitics and Current Interests

Author:
D. Malysheva
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
East View Information Services
Abstract:
ON JULY 26, 2015, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on board the frigate Admiral of the Soviet Navy Gorshkov endorsed a new version of the Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, the basic document that specifies Russia’s naval and maritime policy. This version added the Mediterranean to the areas of the national maritime policy (the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific zones) and specified that Russia’s naval pres- ence there is aimed at “turning it into the zone of military-political sta- bility and good-neighborly relations.”1 This is not fortuitous: The region is one of the main zones of Russia’s politics and international coopera- tion. Time has come to sort out regional developments, varied interests of the states involved and the problems they have to cope with. In other words, we should arrive at a clear idea about the region’s importance for the Russian Federation.
Topic:
International Cooperation, International Affairs, and Geopolitics
Political Geography:
Russia

5217. Iran: Regional Threats and Shiite-Sunni Challenges

Author:
Ian Dudgeon
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Australian Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:
Any assessment of the multitude of dynamics that contribute to the ongoing regional stability in the Middle East requires an understanding of the factors that motivate the perceptions and actions of each state and other non-state actors. Iran and its neighbours, the Islamic State (IS) and the Sunnis and Shiite sects of Islam are all stakeholders in this mix, and in shaping any solution that contributes to regional peace and stability.
Topic:
International Security and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Iran

5218. Emerging Scholars

Author:
Melissa Conley Tyler
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Australian Institute of International Affairs
Abstract:
The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) was established in 1924 to promote public understanding and interest in international affairs. The AIIA works actively to engage younger people in its work by coordinating events such as careers fairs, school events, mentoring, internships and a Young Diplomats Program. As part of the AIIA’s commitment to engage young people, AIIA National Office launched an internship program in 2006 that has hosted more than 150 interns to date. Internship opportunities also exist in all AIIA state and territory offices. Anyone who has served as an intern at the AIIA is eligible to submit a paper for publication in Emerging Scholars.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Australia

5219. Informe sobre la Desigualdad en España 2015

Author:
Luis Ayala Cañón
Publication Date:
11-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
Contexto y objetivos: El I Informe sobre la Desigualdad en España de la Fundación Alternativas, publicado en 2013, recogía una situación preocupante sobre la evolución de la desigualdad social. Por un lado, las diferencias económicas entre los hogares dejaron de reducirse a comienzos de los años noventa y la fase de crecimiento económico anterior a la reciente crisis no consiguió que éstas disminuyeran. Por otro lado, la caída de la actividad económica y la destrucción del empleo que comenzó en 2007 elevaron los indicadores a niveles desconocidos desde hacía décadas. En el momento actual, en el que ya se vislumbra una cierta mejoría de las condiciones macroeconómicas y, con mayor lentitud, del empleo, no parece que las desigualdades hayan disminuido. Por el contrario, la información más reciente muestra, inequívocamente, que el crecimiento de la desigualdad no se ha frenado. En este contexto, resulta de sumo interés la pregunta sobre el papel que han tenido las prestaciones sociales y los impuestos en el crecimiento de la desigualdad para entender cómo pueden prevenirla en el futuro. La respuesta a esta pregunta ha constituido el objetivo del II Informe sobre la Desigualdad en España 2015 cuyo eje conductor ha sido tratar de vincular los procesos de desigualdad existentes con las principales políticas del Estado de Bienestar.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Spain

5220. A new Atlantic Community: the European Union, the US and Latin America

Author:
Joaquín Roy
Publication Date:
06-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
Joaquín Roy es licenciado en Derecho por la Universidad de Barcelona y doctor por la Universidad de Georgetown. Es catedrático Jean Monnet ad personam y anteriormente fue profesor en Georgetown University, John Hopkins University (Washington DC) y Emory University (Atlanta). Entre las distinciones recibidas destaca la Encomienda de la Orden del Mérito Civil, otorgada por el Rey Juan Carlos I.
Topic:
International Relations and International Political Economy
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5221. Informe sobre la Democracia en España 2015. Reformular la política

Author:
Joaquín Estefanía
Publication Date:
06-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
El Informe sobre la Democracia en España nació con el objetivo de analizar el funcionamiento de la democracia española y los desafíos derivados del afán por mejorar sus instituciones. En las distintas ediciones continúa proporcionando una información fiable sobre acontecimientos y decisiones colectivas, de utilidad para el análisis, el debate social y la formación de la opinión pública. De este modo, cada entrega anual da cuenta del comportamiento efectivo de nuestro sistema de convivencia: las elecciones, las relaciones entre los poderes e instituciones del Estado, los partidos políticos, la vida parlamentaria; las relaciones entre los poderes centrales y territoriales, la creación y difusión de la información, el comportamiento de los medios y la articulación de la opinión pública, el papel de los poderes económicos, etc. Un selecto plantel de investigadores y un Consejo Asesor de especialistas en la materia hacen posible esta ambiciosa publicación que incorpora una auditoria de la democracia española para intentar aproximarnos a la evolución de la calidad del sistema democrático en nuestro país.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5222. Informe sobre el estado de la Unión Europea: nueva legislatura: 11 desafíos de Europa

Author:
Fundación Alternativas
Publication Date:
11-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
Este es el cuarto informe sobre el estado de la Unión Europea que la Fundación Alternativas y la Fundación Friedrich Ebert elaboramos conjuntamente y que hemos titulado en esta ocasión Nueva legislatura: 11 desafíos de Europa. El motivo de haber elegido este título radica en el hecho de que recientemente se han celebrado las elecciones al Parlamento Europeo, se ha elegido una nueva Comisión, y nuevos presidentes de esta última institución y del Consejo Europeo. Estamos pues ante una nueva legislatura y con ella iniciamos una nueva fase en el devenir de la Unión en un momento decisivo del proceso de construcción de nuestra querida Europa
Topic:
International Relations and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Europe

5223. The state of the European Union 2015. The new legislature: eleven challenges facing Europe

Author:
Diego López Garrido
Publication Date:
05-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
The new legislature: eleven challenges facing Europe is the fourth State of the Union Report that the Ebert Foundation and Fundación Alternativas have published jointly. Its title reflects the new composition of the European Parliament in the wake of the most recent European parliamentary elections as well as the inaugurations of a new Commission and new presidents of the European Commission and the Council of Europe. The beginning of this new legislature, which marks the advent of a new phase for the Union, is getting underway at a decisive moment in the construction of our beloved Europe.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5225. Putins informations warfare in Ukraine

Author:
Maria Snegovaya
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for the Study of War
Abstract:
Russia has been using an advanced form of hybrid warfare in Ukraine since early 2014 that relies heavily on an element of information warfare that the Russians call “reflexive control.” Reflexive control causes a stronger adversary voluntarily to choose the actions most advantageous to Russian objectives by shaping the adversary’s perceptions of the situation decisively. Moscow has used this technique skillfully to persuade the U.S. and its European allies to remain largely passive in the face of Russia’s efforts to disrupt and dismantle Ukraine through military and non-military means. The West must become alert to the use of reflexive control techniques and find ways to counter them if it is to succeed in an era of hybrid war.
Topic:
Intelligence and International Security
Political Geography:
Russia

5226. ISIS global strategy: A wargame

Author:
Harleen Gambhir
Publication Date:
07-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for the Study of War
Abstract:
The United States currently faces multiple national security threats in an environment of growing disorder. ISIS is executing a sophisticated global strategy that involves simultaneous efforts in Iraq and Syria, the Middle East and North Africa, and the wider world. Homegrown terrorism is increasing in the U.S. and Europe. Civil wars are intensifying in Ukraine, Yemen, and Libya, while the U.S. attempts to pivot to the Asia-Pacific. In this complex environment, it is difficult for policymakers to discern the consequences of action or inaction even in the near future.
Topic:
International Relations and International Security
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5227. The ISIS defence in Iraq ad Syria: countering an adaptive enemy

Author:
Jessica Lewis McFate
Publication Date:
05-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for the Study of War
Abstract:
Some have claimed that ISIS is on the defensive inside Iraq and Syria. A defensive strategy, however, is not a sign of organizational weakness, but rather a sign that ISIS intends to preserve its holdings in Iraq and Syria and keep its claim to a caliphate. ISIS’s defensive strategies include expanding elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa, while also maximizing combat power and future opportunities to launch offensives inside Iraq and Syria. Iraq and Syria are the physical foundation for ISIS’s expanding caliphate.
Topic:
International Security and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Iraq and Syria

5228. "An Army in all Corners" Assad's campaign strategy in Europe

Author:
Chris Kozak
Publication Date:
08-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for the Study of War
Abstract:
U.S. policymakers in April 2015 appear to be returning to the position that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad represents the “least worst option in Syria” for American strategic interests. Assad is often compared to the Islamic State (ISIS) with the implication that Assad is the lesser of two evils. Senior administration officials including Secretary of State John Kerry signaled support for diplomatic negotiations with the regime in March 2015, rather than developing a committed strategy to remove Assad from power. American leaders’ ambivalence reflects the limitations of U.S. policy which attempts to treat Syria as the backdrop for a narrow counterterrorism problem rather than a comprehensive national security issue. This outlook is dangerously flawed.
Topic:
International Security and War Crimes
Political Geography:
Syria

5229. The Taliban Resurgent: Threats to Afghanistan's security

Author:
Lauren McNally and Paul Bucala
Publication Date:
03-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Institute for the Study of War
Abstract:
The success or failure of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan has reached a critical juncture. Newly appointed Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced on February 21, 2015 that the United States is considering a number of changes to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, including slowing the drawdown timetable and rethinking the U.S. counter-terrorism mission. On March 16, 2015, anonymous U.S. officials confirmed that the United States is likely abandoning its plans to cut the number of U.S. troops to 5,500 at the end of the year. The United States could allow many of the 9,800 troops in Afghanistan to remain beyond 2015. A visit by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to Washington, DC from March 22-25, 2015 is intended to discuss these issues.
Topic:
Civil War and International Security
Political Geography:
Afghanistan

5230. Mapping out vulnerable sectors in the Eastern Partnership countries – structural change, Visegrad experience and relevance for EU policy

Author:
Vitaliy Kravchuk, Malgorzata McKenzie, and Mykola Ryzhenkov
Publication Date:
08-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Slovak Foreign Policy Association
Abstract:
This is the first report of the project on vulnerable sectors in the Eastern Partnership (EP) countries. Its aim is to provide a macroeconomic setting for future structural reports. It also provides a toolkit for the sectoral reports in the sense that it offers a set of macroeconomic points of reference.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Europe

5231. Launch of CTED Global Research Network

Author:
The Soufan Group
Publication Date:
04-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Soufan Group
Abstract:
With a view to enhancing its analytical capacity and its engagement with the research community, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) launched a global research network at United Nations Headquarters, New York, on 19 February 2015
Topic:
International Security and Counter-terrorism
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5232. Action Agenda for Historic Preservation in Legacy Cities

Author:
Cara Bertron
Publication Date:
12-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
American Assembly at Columbia University
Abstract:
Action Agenda for Historic Preservation in Legacy Cities" is a report containing a nine-point strategy to shape new approaches to preservation, to adapt existing tools and policies used by preservationists, and to promote place-based collaboration, especially in legacy cities like Newark, Detroit, and Cleveland. By offering new strategies for protecting local cultural heritage, "Action Agenda" serves as a guide for preserving the stories of Rust Belt cities and communities and make them more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable in the face of economic shifts. Using examples from Cincinnati, Buffalo, Detroit, and more, the report offers suggested next steps, potential partners from preservation and allied fields, and financing and coalition-building toolkits for urban development and preservation advocates.
Topic:
International Development
Political Geography:
America

5233. Notice and Takedown in Everyday Practice

Author:
Joe Karaganis and Jennifer M. Urban
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
American Assembly at Columbia University
Abstract:
It has been nearly twenty years since section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act established the so-called notice and takedown process. Despite its importance to copyright holders, online service providers, and Internet speakers, very little empirical research has been done on how effective section 512 is for addressing copyright infringement, spurring online service provider development, or providing due process for notice targets. This report includes three studies that draw back the curtain on notice and takedown: 1. using detailed surveys and interviews with more than three dozen respondents, the first study gathers information on how online service providers and rightsholders experience and practice notice and takedown on a day-to-day basis; 2. the second study examines a random sample from over 100 million notices generated during a six-month period to see who is sending notices, why, and whether they are valid takedown requests; and 3. the third study looks specifically at a subset of those notices that were sent to Google Image Search.
Topic:
Science and Technology
Political Geography:
America

5234. Ice Islands in Canadian Policy, 1954-1971

Author:
Adam Lajeunesse
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Ice islands are large rafts of multi-year ice that are carried by currents around the Arctic Ocean. They became politically significant in the early 1950s when American and Soviet research parties began occupying them. This activity called into question their legal status and highlighted the uncertain nature of polar maritime jurisdiction. This volume tracks the evolution of Canadian policy vis-à-vis ice islands and examines how the politics surrounding these bodies influenced the country’s broader position on Arctic maritime sovereignty.
Topic:
Climate Change and International Affairs
Political Geography:
Canada

5235. The Advisory Committee on Northern Development: Context and Meeting Minutes, 1948-66

Author:
P. Whitney Lackenbauer and Daniel Heidt
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
Abstract:
The Advisory Committee on Northern Development (ACND), a high-level interdepartmental committee, was responsible for coordinating federal Arctic policies and programs from 1948-1971. The minutes of its main meetings provide unparalleled insight into how high-ranking civil servants in Ottawa grappled with what they perceived to be the most pressing issues of the era, including Canadian-American relations, sovereignty, security, Aboriginal affairs, socio-economic development, scientific research, and governance. As this volume reveals, the ACND represented an early example of the “Whole of Government” approach to policy deliberations, revealing the myriad activities that constituted the “Arctic revolution” during this pivotal quarter-century.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5236. Annual Report 2015

Author:
Ali Resu Usul
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Abstract:
As Chairman of the Center for Strategic Research (SAM), I am pleased to present our 2015 Annual Report. SAM’s primary objective is to conduct research on foreign policy and related issues, develop alternative perspectives, provide new insights and make policy recommendations. SAM has risen to a significant peak in our Ministry’s policy making process, and has created more influence than what was ever expected. Each year, it continues to move beyond its accomplishments of the previous year.
Topic:
International Affairs
Political Geography:
Turkey

5237. SOGI-Related Forced Migration in East Africa: Fleeing Uganda After the Passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act

Author:
Gitta Zomorodi
Publication Date:
07-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Global Philanthropy Project (GPP)
Abstract:
Over the past decade, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans have sought safety and asylum in various countries, but never in such numbers or with such a high degree of visibility as following the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in December 2013. When reports of LGBT Ugandans seeking refuge in Kenya began to surface in the months following, many international donors and LGBT activists in the region felt at a loss for how to respond. Stories of LGBT Ugandans in the Kakuma refugee camp and Nairobi highlighted difficult living conditions, harassment, arrests and violence. Refugee service providers, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), struggled to respond to the unexpected influx, one that coincided with a government crackdown on refugees in Kenya. It seemed that the Ugandans had left one hostile and insecure environment for another, yet the numbers continued to grow. Instead of slowing, following the Anti-Homosexuality Act’s nullification in August 2014, the stream of asylum seekers from Uganda continued and even increased. …The findings of the research are intended to inform the individuals and organizations who have been responding or wish to respond to this complex situation; to help strengthen protection mechanisms within Uganda and Kenya; and to support proactive and sustainable interventions to address LGBT forced migration. While the recommendations are focused on the situation related to Uganda, it is hoped that they have relevance to the region more broadly and wherever similar situations may arise.
Topic:
Refugees, LGBT+, Asylum, and Forced Migration
Political Geography:
Uganda, Africa, and East Africa

5238. Advancing Women’s Agency in Conflict Settings through Health Work: A Comparative Evaluation of the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation and the Panzi Foundation

Author:
Patty Chang, Mayesha Alam, Roslyn Warren, Rukmani Bhatia, and Rebecca Turkington
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Women historically have been, and remain, marginalized from the highest echelons of political power. As a result, their experiences, perspectives, leadership, and potential are untapped in governance. In international peacemaking, women are grossly underrepresented, especially in high-level processes. There are growing calls – by both international policymakers and feminists – to do more to include and uplift women in peace and security efforts, as originally directed in UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Today, this is increasingly framed as not only the “right” thing to do, but also the “smart” thing to do. But what does this mean? And what can we learn from women who have mobilized and engaged in peacemaking already? This study examines women’s political participation in peace negotiations, focusing on four cases where women have gained access to high-level official negotiations. Each case study – Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Kenya, and the Philippines – is framed by eight overarching research questions: Why did women mobilize for peace? How did women mobilize and organize to gain access to high-level peace negotiations? How did they form coalitions and alliances? How did they assemble and shape agendas? How did they set priorities for their activities? How did their priorities change when they participated in high-level peace negotiations? How did they negotiate their goals? And, to what extent were their objectives or priorities represented in the resulting peace agreement? As a departure from publications of a similar nature, this study offers a comprehensive, systematic literature review and a series of new findings on women participating in high-level peace processes in Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Kenya, and the Philippines based on a political economy approach. It analyzes nearly 100 in-depth, face-to-face interviews collected in-country with diverse women in civil society, and applies a rigorous two-stage coding method to examine emergent themes. All data are triangulated against existing secondary literature and primary source documents to improve the reliability and validity of results. Although this is not a cross-comparative study, there are interesting commonalities in women’s experiences that are decipherable. For example, in each case, women were primarily motivated by a desire to end violent conflict, and they seized opportunities that emerged within the process to play more prominent political roles in the formal negotiations. Women drew upon their personal connections and leveraged their interpersonal and professional skills, as well as their political capabilities, to advance their goals. In Northern Ireland and Kenya, for example, women drew on pre-existing and new networks, which proved vital to mobilization. In Guatemala and the Philippines, women forged strategic alliances and relentlessly lobbied at multiple levels in order to negotiate their goals. At the same time, in each case, external actors – within and outside of the country in question – influenced women’s mobilization. Despite the similarities between the four cases, there are also many important distinctions in how women negotiated their goals, shaped agendas, formulated proposals, and influenced the content of peace agreements. In Northern Ireland, the NIWC established a precedent for political participation and engaged in women’s collective political consciousness-raising. In Guatemala, provisions inserted in the final agreement tracked back to the Women’s Sector’s agenda, but overall the language on gender lacked the strength and depth the Women’s Sector desired. In Kenya, women in CSOs held mixed sentiments about their degree of influence on the process, but generally felt the mediation agenda reflected the issues for which they lobbied. In the Philippines, the dual effects of women officially embedded in the peace talks and external pressure from civil society women’s networks influenced the language, agenda, and format of the power-sharing agreement. The differences of women’s experiences, resulting from unique conditions in each case, reinforce the understanding that women are not a monolithic demographic anywhere. Rather, race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, cultural background, and other characteristics shape their identities, perspectives, agendas, and lived experiences. This report describes and analyzes the specificity of women’s political participation in each country in detail, demonstrating the myriad ways in which women can and do engage in peacemaking, as well as the challenges they face and the limits of their participation. 12Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of not only why and how women in CSOs mobilized for peace, but also how they shaped negotiations and outcome documents within a specific context. More importantly, this study finds that how women in civil society gain access to high-level peace negotiations is contingent not only on the careful selection of tactics and strategies, but also on the dynamic relationships and iterative interactions between different parties (i.e., government officials, rebel organizations, key constituents), the opportunity structures that permit participation, and the socio-political context that shape the interactions. This report is a unique and a significant contribution not only because of its methodological rigor, but also because it brings the voices of different women peacemakers to the fore, highlighting their perceptions, reflections, and lessons-learned. In doing so, the findings here describe how women’s participation affects negotiations and their outcomes. Having a woman at the formal negotiation table does not guarantee that she will raise issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment, as demonstrated by Raquel Zelaya, who was a member of the Guatemalan government’s peace panel. At the same time, depending on which and how many women are at the table, it is possible that issues affecting women and their families may be taken more seriously, as was increasingly evident in the Philippines. Outside of the confines of official negotiations, women in civil society tend to seek transformative change in a way that conceptualizes peace beyond the cessation of hostilities and the disarmament of warring troops. Irrespective of their strategies and approaches to engagement, this was true for civil society women in Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Kenya, and the Philippines, and it is by no means unique to those four countries. The frequent, if not consistent, abrogation of peace agreements coupled with the continued marginalization of women from the business of peacemaking poses two problematic, and possibly correlated, challenges that stymie the durability and inclusivity of peace agreements. In recognition of the unfinished business of gender equality, this timely report offers a detailed historical account of women’s participation in four contexts. There are many important lessons-learned about women’s participation and leadership in peace processes, which are shaped by their circumstances, but hold relevance beyond the four respective contexts. As such, the study also acts as a resource for women in civil society currently engaged in peace activism in conflict settings around the world. At the same time, in a world fraught by violent conflict, this report serves as an informative tool for representatives of international institutions that promote governance, security, and development.
Topic:
Health, Governance, Women, Conflict, Peace, and Political Participation
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5239. Under Fire: Women Human Rights Defenders in Mesoamerica

Author:
Ashley Binetti
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) are integral to the promotion of human rights in their communities and in fostering regional stability. However, WHRDs often face violent repercussions for their work—including physical attacks, death threats and assassinations. The danger faced by WHRDs is particularly acute in Mesoamerica, where there were 1,375 reported attacks against WHRDs in Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala between 2012 and 2013. When assessing how to protect WHRDs, it is important to understand their unique vulnerabilities, which stem from their gender and the subject of their advocacy efforts. Despite a strong normative international legal framework, available regional protection mechanisms through the Organization of American States (OAS) and the nascent development of national laws, Mesoamerican WHRDs work under perilous conditions while their persecutors operate with impunity. While it is the primary responsibility of States to protect WHRDs, the United States has a legal and moral duty to assist this vulnerable population when their own governments are perpetrators of the abuse or fail to provide protection from attacks. This duty arises from UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and its progeny, which embody principles of binding customary international law, as well as the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which represents the government’s express commitment to empower women around the world as agents of peace and stability. In addition to maintaining a clear regional policy against femicide, pressuring foreign governments to improve their laws and investigate and punish attacks against WHRDs, and suspending U.S. aid to governments who wantonly abuse or fail to protect defenders, the U.S. can also act in concrete ways to directly benefit WHRDs. This paper recommends that the U.S. begin to strengthen its commitment to WHRDs by: (1) Improving access to existing funds for human rights defenders, and (2) Increasing the availability of temporary humanitarian relocation within the U.S. through longer-term B1 and B2 visas, or by implementing a Temporary Protected Status (TPS)-type program for WHRDs. The implications of these recommendations would allow WHRDs to access available funds with greater ease, and seek temporary respite in the U.S. until safety concerns were eliminated and they could return home to continue their work. WHRDs in Mesoamerica are engaged in promoting democracy and human rights, which strengthens not only their own communities, but also bolsters regional security and stability more broadly. In acting upon these two recommendations, and in remaining cognizant of underlying gender vulnerabilities when exploring new protection mechanisms in consultation with WHRDs, the U.S. will demonstrably strengthen the commitment it made to WHRDs in its National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and confirm its solidarity with advocates of human rights in Mesoamerica and beyond.
Topic:
Human Rights, Women, Democracy, and Political stability
Political Geography:
Latin America and Central America

5240. Protection for Whom? Violations of International Law in Myanmar's New 'Race and Religion Protection' Laws

Author:
Chloé White
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
In recent years, Myanmar has undergone a significant political transformation. In 2011, after nearly sixty years of iron-fisted rule, the governing military junta transferred power to a quasicivilian government.1 The new government has undertaken various political and economic reforms2 and has become a signatory to and ratified several international treaties.3 In response, the United States, the European Union and others have opened up relations with the country and eased sanctions.4 Despite these advances, however, Myanmar has several obstacles to overcome before it can be considered a pluralistic, functioning democracy. The analysis here focuses on two issues of concern: discrimination against minority ethnic and religious groups, particularly Muslims, and discrimination against women, and how the two have intertwined in dangerous new state policy. Myanmar president Thein Sein recently signed into law a set of four bills that exemplify the challenges facing the country. 5 These new laws are allegedly aimed at ‘preserving race and religion,’ but have a clear goal of discriminating against Muslims and other non-Buddhist groups by, in part, reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes. 6 The group of bills, first proposed in 2013 by the anti-Muslim Association for the Protection of Race and Religion (known as Ma Ba Tha) and supported by a petition supposedly signed by 1.3 million people,7 consists of legislation to outlaw polygamy and adultery, regulate religious conversions, restrict the marriage of Buddhist women to non-Buddhist men, and institute population control measures.8 While some of the provisions of these bills may seem innocuous, the timing of their passage, shortly before the November 2015 elections,9 and the surrounding rhetoric by ultra-nationalists belie any ostensibly benign motives. These initiatives could, both as passed and in practice, further exacerbate religious, ethnic and gender strife, violate both the Burmese constitution as well as international norms and obligations, and pose a particular threat to women’s health and empowerment.
Topic:
International Law, Politics, Women, Discrimination, and Rohingya
Political Geography:
Southeast Asia and Myanmar

5241. The 2015 Nigeria Elections & Violence Against Women in Politics

Author:
Alexandra Z. Safir and Mayesha Alam
Publication Date:
04-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Violence against women in politics is a global scourge that marginalizes women in political and public life. This report examines the troubling, multidimensional phenomenon of violence against women in politics and elections with specific focus on Nigeria, where historic presidential elections were held on March 28, 2015, followed by local elections on April 12. In the lead up to the elections, which were postponed for six weeks due to the tenuous security situation, there was widespread fear of electoral violence. However, monitors and the international community deemed Nigeria’s elections free and fair, an unprecedented peaceful and democratic transition of power. Despite this commendable achievement, electoral politics in Nigeria is not free from violence, and women face significant gender-based vulnerabilities. In the year prior to the elections, Nigeria experienced more political violence than it had during its previous election cycle in 2011, when over 1000 fatalities were reported. During the presidential election, an attack by the Islamic militant group Boko Haram killed 41 people, including a legislator and two voters, and scared hundreds away from the polls.1 Additionally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported 66 incidents of violence during the more recent local elections.
Topic:
Politics, Elections, Women, and Participation
Political Geography:
Africa and Nigeria

5242. Women Leading Peace: A Close Examination of Women’s Political Participation in Peace Processes in Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Kenya, and the Philippines

Author:
Patty Chang, Mayesha Alam, Roslyn Warren, Rukmani Bhatia, and Rebecca Turkington
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Women make important contributions to the attainment of peace, but they remain grossly underrepresented in official peacemaking processes. This study and policy brief demonstrate how women from civil society in the Philippines, Northern Ireland, Guatemala, and Kenya accessed and shaped peace processes in their countries. It illustrates that women from civil society have greatest impact on peace agreements— making them more comprehensive and durable—if they are involved in official roles during the peace process.
Topic:
Civil Society, Women, and Peace
Political Geography:
Kenya, Philippines, Guatemala, and Northern Ireland

5243. Women and Climate Change: Impact and Agency in Human Rights, Security, and Economic Development

Author:
Mayesha Alam, Rukmani Bhatia, and Briana Mawby
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS)
Abstract:
Climate change is a global challenge that burdens all of humanity, but not equally. The world’s poor, the majority of whom are women, are encumbered disproportionately. The distinct impacts of climate change on men and women are exacerbated in settings that are also affected by violent conflict, political instability, and economic strife. As the world struggles to grapple with rapid onset disasters as well as respond to slower degradation caused by climate change, it is critical to ensure that the plight of women is firmly on the agenda of concerns, and that women – from different backgrounds – are able to lead in negotiations and participate in the design and implementation of programs. This report comes at an important time of international observance when new commitments to action will be made, coinciding not only with the fifteenth anniversaries of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) and the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, but also in anticipation of the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 conference in Paris in late 2015. In an effort to remedy the dearth of existing literature on women and climate change, this report makes an important contribution by covering a wide variety of issues; highlighting both impact and agency; mapping examples of solutions that have proven to be successful; and holding relevance to policy- makers, practitioners, scholars, and students. The findings of the report are based on and buttressed by a thorough examination of international conventions and protocols; national action plans; journal articles and other scholarly publications; reports by government and multilateral agencies; policy briefs and guidance notes, as well as civil society reports. The analysis is also informed by and draws upon a series of consultations with experts from around the world in research, advocacy, program design and implementation, and global leadership positions. As a result, the study represents an interdisciplinary endeavor with far-reaching practical applicability.
Topic:
Security, Climate Change, Human Rights, Women, and Economic Development
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5244. Countering Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) Recruitment Workshop: Counter-Messaging and the Role of Disillusioned Former Fighters

Author:
Hedayah
Publication Date:
01-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Hedayah
Abstract:
Foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) returning to their home countries from the conflict stimulated by the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” or ad-Dawlah al-Islamiyah fil-Iraq wa asSham (DA’ESH) abroad, are a growing concern for many countries—particularly those in the international counter-DA’ESH coalition. Past conferences and workshops have focused on issues related to FTF rehabilitation and reintegration back into society, but the need for effective counter-narrative communication strategies to prevent the spread of violent extremism and terrorism is now more relevant than ever. The use of interviews, testimonials, and statements of once-inspired FTFs, who now denounce the actions of DA’ESH and other terrorist groups, can be potentially powerful in countering DA’ESH recruitment. This three-day countering violent extremism (CVE) workshop—hosted by Hedayah, the Abu Dhabi-based international CVE center of excellence—convened government and nongovernment CVE practitioners to share communication approaches relevant to countering FTF radicalization and recruitment into DA’ESH, with a particular focus on the role of disillusioned FTFs in creating counter narratives/ messages. Over the course of the three days, participants were asked to apply knowledge gained from the panel sessions to create and develop the content and structure of an alternative or counter-narrative/message that involves actual case studies of individuals who have traveled to join DA’ESH.
Topic:
Terrorism, Recruitment, Foreign Fighters, and Political Extremism
Political Geography:
Middle East and Global Focus

5245. Defence and India’s private sector

Author:
Sameer Patil
Publication Date:
05-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations
Abstract:
The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pro-actively pursued India’s agenda of modernising and indigenising its defence sector by clearing several long-pending demands of the Indian military for equipment. India’s rapidly-obsolescing military hardware has made this push imperative—the ageing of the hardware has been prominently highlighted by a string of naval accidents in the last two years and the rapidly depleting strength of the air force squadron, with the de-induction of old aircraft and delays in inducting replacements. Externally, raging border disputes with China and Pakistan, and the growing presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean region, continue to be threats that call for an updating of the Indian defence sector.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Private Sector, and Modernization
Political Geography:
Pakistan, China, South Asia, and India

5246. Fragile States Index 2015 – Annual Report

Author:
J. J. Messner, Nate Haken, Patricia Taft, Kendall Lawrence, Felipe Umana, Sebastian Pavlou, and Hannah Blyth
Publication Date:
06-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Fund for Peace
Abstract:
The Fragile States Index, produced by The Fund for Peace, is a critical tool in highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure. By highlighting pertinent issues in weak and failing states, The Fragile States Index—and the social science framework and software application upon which it is built—makes political risk assessment and early warning of conflict accessible to policy-makers and the public at large.
Topic:
Reform, Ebola, Democracy, Fragile States, Domestic Politics, Sustainability, Health Crisis, Instability, and Uprising
Political Geography:
Africa, Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Middle East, Finland, Eastern Europe, Greece, Libya, Cuba, North Africa, Lebanon, West Africa, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Global Focus, and United States of America

5247. State-Sponsored Homophobia (2015)

Author:
Aengus Carroll and Lucas Paoli Itaborahy
Publication Date:
05-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
ILGA World (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association)
Abstract:
Every year, ILGA World publishes its State-Sponsored Homophobia report, a world survey of sexual orientation laws. Since its first edition, back in 2006, ILGA World’s State-Sponsored Homophobia has been a fundamental resource for those interested in accessing the core information on legislation affecting people on the basis of their sexual orientation. Not only human rights defenders, but also civil society organisations, governmental and United Nations agencies, allies and media worldwide value the publication as one of the main sources of information on the issue. The publication is accompanied by a series of maps and charts illustrating where criminalisation, protection and recognition laws exist.
Topic:
Human Rights, Law, LGBT+, and Homophobia
Political Geography:
Global Focus

5248. The Community Work Programme in Grabouw

Author:
Zukiswa Puwana
Publication Date:
10-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
Abstract:
This report is based on research carried out by Zukiswa Puwana in the town of Grabouw (in the Western Cape) in late 2014. It focuses on the Community Work Programme (CWP), a public employment initiative, and the programme's social impact in the town. It discusses research findings on the effect of the CWP on social cohesion, social capital, gender and power relations in Grabouw.
Topic:
Employment, Social Cohesion, Social Capital, Gender, and Work
Political Geography:
Africa and South Africa

5249. Building a Good Nation in Manenberg: A Case Study of the Manenberg Community Work Programme

Author:
Fairuz Mullagee and David Bruce
Publication Date:
08-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
Abstract:
This report draws on fieldwork conducted in Manenberg (in Cape Town) in early 2014. It discusses how the Community Work Programme (CWP), a public employment initiative, has impacted on relationships between community members, as well as between communities and governance structures in Manenberg. The report is one of six community case studies conducted by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) to investigate the effects of the CWP on violence prevention and social cohesion.
Topic:
Governance, Employment, Social Cohesion, Work, and Violence Prevention
Political Geography:
Africa and South Africa

5250. The Impact of the Community Work Programme on Violence in Orange Farm

Author:
Malose Langa
Publication Date:
07-2015
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
Abstract:
This report is based on primary research carried out in Orange Farm (a township in Johannesburg) in 2014. It discusses the social impact of the Community Work Programme (CWP), a public employment initiative, in Orange Farm. The report contains discussion on background information about the community of Orange Farm as well as key findings of the fieldwork, including the CWP projects undertaken in Orange Farm and their impact in promoting social and civic cohesion and reducing urban violence.
Topic:
Employment, Social Cohesion, Community, Work, and Violence Prevention
Political Geography:
Africa and South Africa