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422. The China Challenge Prompts Recovery of a Strained ROK-Japan Relations: Analyzing ROK-Japan Relations Through the 9th Joint Korea-Japan Public Opinion Survey
- Author:
- Yul Sohn
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- East Asia Institute (EAI)
- Abstract:
- Korea-Japan relations have been strained for the past 3 years as the feelings of fatigue between the two citizens has been steadily increasing due to the Korean Supreme Court’s ruling on the forced wartime labor in October 2018. Bilateral cooperation to reorganize the world order after COVID-19 also remains bleak. The East Asia Institue (EAI, President Yul Sohn) and Genron NPO (President Yasushi Kudo) conducted the “9th Joint Korea-Japan Public Opinion Poll.” Based on the results of the survey, this issue briefing examines the differences in public opinion between the two countries on security and economic cooperation. This briefing also analyzes the Korean public’s call to improve ROK-Japan relations and increase cooperation. President Sohn argues that ROK-Japan relations should be re-examined under the intensified U.S.-China strategic competition and the possible post-pandemic global risks. He also states that Japan should abandon its one-track approach and understand the Korean’s preference for “future-oriented” cooperation. Additionally, the next Korean administration should respond to public opinion and strive towards the reconstruction of ROK-Japan relations.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Regional Cooperation, Public Opinion, and Strategic Competition
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, Asia, South Korea, and United States of America
423. Is Serbia Still a Troublemaker in the Balkans?
- Author:
- Faruk Ajeti
- Publication Date:
- 09-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP)
- Abstract:
- As one of the largest countries of the Balkans, Serbia’s troubled past also poses big dilemmas for the future. Its latest political and military cooperation with Russia and China appears to be an effort to build a strategic neutrality with “Serbian characteristics.” But at what cost?
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Neutrality, and Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Eastern Europe, Serbia, and Balkans
424. Common Perceptions: Discovering the consensus between King Abdullah and Putin regarding the future of Southern Syria
- Author:
- FARAS
- Publication Date:
- 09-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Future for Advanced Research and Studies (FARAS)
- Abstract:
- A Jordanian-Russian summit was held on August 23 in Moscow, during which several files pertaining to Lebanon and Palestine were discussed. However, the crisis in Southern Syria was on top of the list of discussions. This summit was preceded by several Jordanian decisions, which are believed to mark the beginning of some change in Jordanian policy toward Syria and toward the region in general.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Syrian War, and Crisis Management
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Middle East, Syria, and Jordan
425. Incessant Tension: Uncovering the Turkish attempt to bust an Israeli spy ring
- Author:
- FARAS
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Future for Advanced Research and Studies (FARAS)
- Abstract:
- On October 21, Daily Sabah announced that an Israeli spy ring, consisting of 15 agents, was arrested in Turkey early in October. The Turkish newspaper affiliated with the Turkish government and JDP said that the spy ring targeted Israel's opponents in Turkey. A day later, the newspaper affirmed that one of the arrested agents collected information about Palestinians residing in Turkey, and about Turkish military industries. However, Ankara did not officially announce the news, while Israel denied the accusation. A few weeks earlier, the pro-Hamas Shehab News agency announced that seven Palestinian PNA and Mossad agents were arrested in Turkey allegedly for spying on certain Palestinian residents in Turkey.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Espionage
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Middle East, and Israel
426. More Harm than Good: Why Chinese Sanctions over THAAD have Backfired
- Author:
- Daniel Mitchum
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Pacific Forum
- Abstract:
- In 2017 South Korean Moon Jae-in, in response to North Korean ballistics testing, adopted a resolution to implement the THAAD missile interceptor system. Beijing had long been opposed to the system and as a result initiated a series of unofficial, punitive economic sanctions against South Korea which covered a range of industries. However, Beijing’s actions did little to alter Seoul’s decisions and have instead damaged China-South Korea relations. A similar paradigm has since appeared within China-Australia relations. How nations respond and adapt to such tactics in the future is a question of critical importance.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Sanctions, Weapons, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Asia, South Korea, and North Korea
427. The Opportunity is There: South Koreans’ Views of China and the Future of the US-ROK Alliance
- Author:
- John Lee
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Pacific Forum
- Abstract:
- Officially, relations between the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China remain cordial. Because of China’s economic heft and South Korea’s reliance on unmolested trade with the former for its continued economic development, South Korea takes great pains to be as neutral as possible between the United States and China despite its formal alliance with the US. As such, many pejoratively refer to South Korea as “the weak link” in America’s Northeast Asia alliance system. However, on a civil society level, an overwhelming majority of the South Korean public has a negative view of China—a view that has steadily gotten worse over time. Being a democracy that reflects voters’ popular will, growing anti-Chinese sentiment among voters means South Korea’s current policy of placating China will not be sustainable indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Trump administration largely neglected the alliance between South Korea and the United States. That neglect notwithstanding, an overwhelming majority of South Koreans either strongly or somewhat support the alliance with the United States. Conditions are perfect for the Biden administration to seek to repair and strengthen relations with South Korea to empower the alliance to serve as a credible bulwark against Chinese expansionism—this paper offers solutions on how to do so.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Economy, Alliance, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- China, Asia, and South Korea
428. Detachment by Default: the International Framework of the Karabakh Conflict
- Author:
- Thomas de Waal
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI)
- Abstract:
- At the end of 1991, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict changed from being an internal conflict inside the Soviet Union to being an international dispute between the newly independent republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Sovereignty, Territorial Disputes, and Armed Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh
429. Systemic Reconfiguration of Capitalism: Applying Ruggie’s Critique of Waltz in Economics
- Author:
- Sylvia Ferreira Marques
- Publication Date:
- 08-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Contexto Internacional
- Institution:
- Institute of International Relations, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
- Abstract:
- This paper identifies changes in the center-periphery structure due to transformations in capitalism since 1970. In its new configuration, capitalism not only altered center-periphery relations but also exerted impact upon peripheral units that affect the system structure itself. This paper aims to apply Ruggie’s famous critique of Waltz in International Relations to analyse global capitalism and show how the changes in the center-periphery cleavage is affecting its systemic reconfiguration in the 21st century. This research identifies the boomerang effect as a new systemic element, that is, as a byproduct of the interaction of units of the global capitalist system in the 21st century.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, Capitalism, and Economic Theory
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
430. Old Ally, New Direction: Cobra Gold and Beyond
- Author:
- Kitti Prasirtsuk
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- Kitti Prasirtsuk, Ph.D., a Professor of International Relations at Thammasat University, explains that despite strained U.S.-Thai relations over the past decade, the Cobra Gold (CG) military exercise “equates to a win for both sides” and “is the cornerstone of the US-Thailand alliance, representing a major bond between the two nations in their post-Vietnam War relations.” As President Biden is strengthening alliance cooperation, the administration will likely revisit the U.S.-Thailand alliance. However, it is important to consider how the context for the alliance has changed.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Bilateral Relations, Military Affairs, and Alliance
- Political Geography:
- North America, Thailand, Southeast Asia, and United States of America
431. For Israel’s Acceptance to the AU as Observer Reveals Continental Divides
- Author:
- Rina Bassist
- Publication Date:
- 10-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies
- Abstract:
- In our latest issue of Ifriqiya, Rina Bassist analyzes the circumstances surrounding Israel's recent accreditation as an African Union observer state, and discusses trends affecting Israeli-African relations.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, and African Union
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Middle East, Israel, and Palestine
432. Opciones estratégicas de Rusia desde la óptica del neorrealismo ofensivo
- Author:
- José Gonzálvez Vallés
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal on International Security Studies (RESI)
- Institution:
- International Security Studies Group (GESI) at the University of Granada
- Abstract:
- El neorrealismo nos da claves de cómo los Estados -actor principal de las relaciones internacionales-, interactúan entre sí, y, siendo su principal misión la propia supervivencia, desarrolla unas estrategias específicas para asegurarla, las razones de escoger entre ellas, y las acciones que aseguran el objetivo final.Será en este marco teórico en el que se intentará revisitar la relación especial entre Rusia y China. Una vez socios ideológicos, otra adversarios como cabezas de las dos más grandes estructuras de poder bajo el paraguas del socialismo, y en la actualidad, parece que potencias cada vez más cercanas en su común aversión al poderío norteamericano. Y sin embargo....Este trabajo trata de identificar las opciones estratégicas de Rusia, enmarcadas en el paradigma de la escuela realista.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Ideology, and Neorealism
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, and Asia
433. The Great Illusion: Foreign Policy Advocacy and the Problem of Knowledge
- Author:
- Claes G. Ryn
- Publication Date:
- 02-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Humanitas
- Institution:
- The Center for the Study of Statesmanship, Catholic University
- Abstract:
- An odd-sounding title? Bewildering, no doubt, to foreign-policy scholars and activists used to the nomenclature and intellectual emphases of their fields and subfields. But life defies academic and professional boundaries, as does the subject of this article. The following inter-disciplinary examination of a dubious but common notion of persuasion could not be more germane to the study of foreign policy, and yet the problem in question is not being addressed by those most directly concerned. This article will, after introducing the topic of advocacy—specifically, in an area of foreign affairs—give reasons why a widely shared understanding of knowledge and persuasion needs to be reconsidered. If we use measures of quantity and financial expenditure, a very large and important role is being played in American public life by intellectual activism intended to influence public debate and government policy. The vast array of advocacy organizations in the nation’s capital is merely the tip of an iceberg. Enormous sums are spent in what may be called the persuasion or advocacy business. Funders act on the assumption that target audiences can be affected through position papers, policy studies, public events, op-eds, and similar agitation.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Governance, and Advocacy
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
434. Turkish-Greek Rapprochement in the 1930s: The British Factor as a Third Party
- Author:
- Emine Tutku Vardağlı
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Academic Inquiries
- Institution:
- Sakarya University (SAU)
- Abstract:
- The third party effect in international relations gained popularity in 1990s in the context of conflict resolution. However, the Turkish-Greek relations in the modern era have always been discussed in reference to a third party involvement and Britain has always prevailed over the other countries as the most prominent third party. This study searches for the British influence on the Turkish-Greek rapprochement in 1930s. The British factor influence is usually taken as a matter of Great Power dominance or the “provocateur of rivalries between the two nations” from the Turkish point of view or “cooperation of allies” from the Greek point of view. Whereas, this study focuses on a specific conjuncture in which Britain acted neither as a “provocateur” nor as an “ally” for any party. In reference to the historical sources, it is documented that from the late 1920s the British approach to the Turkish-Greek affairs was altered dramatically, parallel to the overarching systemic changes in the interwar period Specifically, it is argued that the revision of British financial policy in response to the Great Depression and its retreat from the Eastern Mediterranean as a naval power directed Greece to change its foreign policy orientations with a sudden demarche and offer Turkey a peace settlement. Rather than attributing this rapprochement to the efforts of charismatic leaders, this study analyses the issue with a realist mind in reference to the British policies modified in parallel to the systemic changes during the interwar years.
- Topic:
- International Relations, History, and Rapprochement
- Political Geography:
- Britain, Turkey, Greece, and Mediterranean
435. The Biden Presidency Could be a Renaissance for U.S. Diplomacy in Africa
- Author:
- Henri Kouam
- Publication Date:
- 10-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Nkafu Policy Institute
- Abstract:
- The recent election in the United States and the resulting win of President Joe Biden will impact Africa in several ways. This is especially true for the liberal world order that has come to underpin the post-WWII era. The last four years have been blighted by polarized and incendiary politics, stemming from climate change skepticism, trade wars, and a blatant assail on multilateralism. The global rules-based orders frayed under a targeted assail from former President Donald Trump that culminated in the reneging of the Iran Nuclear Deal, the North American Free Trade Area, the INF treaty, and the Paris Climate Agreement. Meanwhile, as the largest donor to the World Bank, IMF, and the U.N., the outgoing administration’s approach to global diplomacy has dented decades-long efforts to introduce Africa to liberal values. President Biden’s win will usher in an era of tolerance, even as his ability to influence domestic politics might be hampered by the Supreme Court, not least the Senate, should it remain explicitly republican. Meanwhile, history suggests that every U.S. president has implemented a different foreign policy; but President Biden’s policies are likely to stay consistent with the Obama-era style of consensus building. All this holds grave implications for Africa, which is besieged by COVID-19, gradual implementation of structural reforms, and a dearth of data-driven policies. Even so, the Biden-Harris presidency is significant for Africa for three reasons. Firstly, while multilateralism is far from perfect, it has served as a credible anchor for financing Africa’s health care, education, and structural reforms that are indispensable for economic development. Secondly, governments have equally benefited from technical support and capacity building across sectors spanning health care, education, and agriculture due to information sharing latent under such frameworks.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Hegemony, Leadership, and Strategic Interests
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North America, and United States of America
436. Nation Branding in International Relations: The Case of Nigeria
- Author:
- Bruna Coelho Jaeger and Izabela Mota Bastos
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Brazilian Journal of African Studies
- Institution:
- Brazilian Journal of African Studies
- Abstract:
- Since the end of the Cold War, new forms of public diplomacy have been invented, especially after the advent of mass communication. The use of Nation Branding in International Relations has increased, as a supple-ment to one of the functions of public diplomacy: that of image creation and state propaganda. This method can be considered a way of restructuring a country’s business environment and projecting its international image, an image that is true to its national culture and history. Thus, its objective is to stimulate the reconstruction of foreign policy and international trade through the commercial refinement of a country. These are, hence, programs jointly led by state institutions and private enterprises.There is a constant struggle by countries to expose their identities and images in a positive way (Dinnie 2008), as they can’t be perceived by the International State System in accordance to their true cultural and political identity, essentially because these are subjective identities (Wendt 1992). Therefore, in order to understand this identity in an intersubjective way, an efficient system is necessary, such as Nation Branding. So, perceptions of identity must be collectively shared, otherwise there won’t be an interaction based on common interest in the International State System (Wendt 1999). Nation Branding is thus used as Nigeria’s main resource to break the colonial paradigm manipulated by the West.In light of this, this article’s main objective is to analyze the case of Nigeria’s Nation Branding in order to report on the danger of a single story and its impact on the country’s positioning internationally. Nigeria is a land of ancient kingdoms and multiple ethnic groups3, which until present days suffer the consequences of the scramble for Africa. In this way, the image that the West projects of Nigeria is that of “corruption, abuse, tribalism, religious fanaticism and lack of the most basic aspects of daily life” (Nation Branding 2009).
- Topic:
- International Relations, Propaganda, Public Diplomacy, and Image Creation
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Nigeria
437. Italian Military Operations: Coping with Rising Threats and Declining US Leadership
- Author:
- Alessandro Marrone
- Publication Date:
- 03-2020
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Abstract:
- The Italian armed forces need to adjust to a changing operational environment, whereby threat levels are on the rise and the United States is more reluctant to lead military operations than in the past.
- Topic:
- International Relations, NATO, Armed Forces, and Military Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Italy, North America, and United States of America
438. The New European Commission's Green Deal and Geopolitical Language: A Critique from a Decentring Perspective
- Author:
- Daniela Huber
- Publication Date:
- 04-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Abstract:
- The coronavirus crisis deeply challenges the assumption that we human beings can dominate nature. Contraposing the new European Commission Green Deal and geopolitical language with critical/green thought, this paper aims to provoke reflections on a re-imagination of the European Union as part of a larger regional and global community that lives together within a green and diverse planet.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Climate Change, Environment, and Coronavirus
- Political Geography:
- Europe
439. The Interests of Eastern Mediterranean States and Israeli Policies
- Author:
- Mitvim
- Publication Date:
- 02-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
- Abstract:
- This paper scans the interests and activities of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt in the Mediterranean Basin – their varying and competing interests, their points of convergence and cooperation, and the challenges and opportunities for Israel. The paper is based on the main points raised at the third meeting of the working group on Israel in the Mediterranean, held in September 2019 in the Herzliya offices of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung at the initiative of the Mitvim Institute, the Hebrew University’s Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations and Haifa University’s National Security Studies Center. The paper shines a spotlight on key elements in regional relationships and significant activity taking place in the Mediterranean Basin, which Israel must consider in formulating and executing policy. It is based on the presentations and discussions conducted at the event and does not reflect agreement among all participants.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Middle East, Israel, Greece, Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, and Mediterranean
440. The Interests of Global Powers in the Mediterranean and Israeli Policies
- Author:
- Mitvim
- Publication Date:
- 03-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies
- Abstract:
- This policy paper sets out the various interests and goals of global powers (the US, Russia, China and the EU) in the Mediterranean, and the measures they are undertaking to implement them. The document also describes Israeli policies vis-àvis the powers’ activities in this region, and points to the principles that should guide them. The paper is based on a July 2019 meeting in Jerusalem of the research and policy working group on Israel in the Mediterranean, held at the initiative of the Mitvim Institute, the Hebrew University’s Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations and Haifa University’s National Security Studies Center.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Foreign Policy
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Middle East, Israel, United States of America, and Mediterranean