Publications

Understanding the latest election results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) requires an unprejudiced analysis of the political system. Political power in the DRC is negotiated through complex networks that mix formal and informal notions of statehood. Actors’ relations to each other can quickly shift between symbiosis and conflict, which fosters violence, corruption and underdevelopment.chevron_right

This publication assesses the state of political violence and protest across critical flashpoints in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing both an overview of 2018’s developments and a preview ...chevron_right

The articles in this issue of the SSQ address 1) why pessimism in current theorizing about nuclear weapons, and even a nostalgia for the Cold War, persists among current nuclear scholars; 2) if conven...chevron_right

This publication notes that since the start of Vladimir Putin's presidency, over 1.6 Russians have left for Western democracies. In response, the text’s authors look at what this means for Russia...chevron_right

Political and humanitarian actors have widely praised Ugandan refugee policies for their progressive nature. This publication analyzes whether the country really is a role model for refugee integratio...chevron_right

In light of the ongoing US-North Korean negotiations, this publication analyzes the United States’ long-term goals and interests on the Korean Peninsula and how they interact with the priorities of ot...chevron_right

In this new CSS Policy Perspective, Trump’s Missile Defense: Challenges for Europe, Oliver Thränert writes that the recently released US Missile Defense Review is problematic. This is because it argues that missile defenses should be directed against Russia and China in regional contingencies and that they should be better integrated with offensive attack operations. Also worrisome, Thränert contends, is the lack of arms control initiatives. In response, he concludes, European NATO members should continue to support missile defenses, while also stressing the importance of arms control.chevron_right

This issue of the CAD focuses on the domestic dimension of the 2018 Armenian revolution. More specifically, Mikayel Zolyan first explains what made the Armenian revolution possible, arguing that a key factor was how the political regime gravitated towards authoritarian rule in a way that deprived it of the flexibility necessary for survival. Anahit Shirinyan then looks at how the revolution exposed the extent to which Armenia’s political parties had lost touch with the public and explores the country’s new political party system.chevron_right

The three articles in this edition of the CTC Sentinel focus on 1) how while Syria’s Middle Euphrates River Valley has been liberated from the Islamic State, there is a risk of a jihadi revival in the...chevron_right

Mario Esterban notes that the situation on the Korean Peninsula changed radically in early 2018 following the initiation of two parallel diplomatic processes involving North Korea. One concerned Seoul’s reconciliation efforts with Pyongyang, the other the US’ attempt to denuclearize the Peninsula. Esterban believes these developments are not only significant for Koreans but also global security, the nuclear non-proliferation regime, Sino-US relations and more. Consequently, he contends the EU cannot remain on the sidelines and here outlines a sober and realistic analysis of the role it could play to further both processes.chevron_right

Piotr Maciej Kaczyński argues that since 2015, Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party has undertaken a policy of radical change. Further, some reforms, such as that of the judiciary, have put Warsaw on a collision course with EU institutions. However, Kaczyński also believes that much of the criticism Poland has received from abroad has not been nuanced enough. In response, he here provides a clearer picture by examining three aspects of the Polish-EU relationship: 1) the rule of law; 2) economic performance; and 3) Poland’s political position in the EU.chevron_right

This publication contends that winning a certain percentage of seats in the coming European Parliament election would enable anti-European parties to block some of the EU’s procedures and hinder the a...chevron_right

Does it still make sense to speak about post-Soviet space as a collective region? This publication discusses this question by analyzing the process of erosion of structural legacies of the USSR in the...chevron_right

Diese Publikation beschreibt Trends im russischen Realeinkommen und der öffentlichen Unterstützung des Regimes.chevron_right

This publication analyzes Sino-Korean relations. Key insights include 1) that China aims to consolidate a regional system in North East Asia based on the economic integration of the two Koreas and possibly Japan into the eastern reaches of its New...chevron_right