Publications

This paper examines Sri Lanka’s foreign policy relations with China, India, the US and Japan. More specifically, it focuses on the major strategic, economic, political and cultural agreements and exchanges the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government has...chevron_right

The four articles in this issue of the RAD focus on 1) President Putin’s 2016 state-of-the-nation address, which neglected most of the major challenges facing the country; 2) Russia’s recent high risk foreign policy, which may actually pay off in the near-term; 3) the continued consolidation of domestic authoritarian rule; and 4) the sluggish Russian economy, which will most likely continue to limp along in 2017.chevron_right

This backgrounder reviews the various actors involved in Syria’s civil war. It specifically profiles 1) pro-government forces, including Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia; 2) opposition forces, such as The Free Syrian Army and the US; 3) the so-called Islamic State; and...chevron_right

This brief looks at how the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the electoral victory of Donald Trump might impact South Korea. The text’s author points out that although Park’s impeachment has not led to a power-vacuum in Seoul, questions have been raised about...chevron_right

This commentary analyzes "Scotland's Place in Europe," the December 2016 White Paper which sets out the Scottish Government's desire to join the European single market and the customs union as part of the Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU. Although the proposals...chevron_right

This brief anticipates Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe's meeting with US President Barack Obama in Hawaii on December 26–27, 2016. It specifically focuses on 1) the significance of Abe visiting Pearl Harbor; 2) how the meeting will provide a chance to...chevron_right

This bulletin 1) argues that the above agreement benefits both countries’ militaries, and 2) outlines its potential strategic and diplomatic implications. In the latter case, the rotating US military forces in and out of the Philippines will...chevron_right

When considering Francis Fukuyama’s “end of history” thesis, it appears the last-gasp Soviet Union followed Fukuyama’s advice and ended up regretting it. China, in contrast, ignored the advice and experienced three decades of record-setting economic growth. So what’s the take-away? Should authoritarian regimes…chevron_right

This report analyzes the regional and domestic drivers behind South Sudan’s ongoing political crisis, particularly in the post-July 2016 period. The report specifically looks at 1) how Khartoum and Juba reshaped their relations after...chevron_right

This paper analyzes the potential impact the Trump administration’s climate change policy might have on Southeast Asian states. We have to remember that while the latter have developed their own climate-related policies, the ability to implement...chevron_right

This report 1) examines the interactions between China and other countries in the nuclear power and telecommunications industries, to include their security and safety dimensions; and 2) provides policy recommendations in...chevron_right

This publication examines the Paris Agreement tasks that still need to be implemented. The basic problem is that COP22’s unexpectedly fast ratification has accelerated the need for a climate change rulebook that accounts for...chevron_right

These days, too many people tend to 1) conflate religious violence with terrorism; 2) assume the principal source of the brutality is “religious” in nature; and 3) focus their attention on violence pe...chevron_right

This guide provides African states with the legislative information they need to ratify and implement relevant conventional arms regimes. While the guide particularly focuses on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), it also refers to the...chevron_right

This paper examines the strategies being pursued by Russia and Ukraine in the secessionist Donbas region. It concludes that after three years of violence and many deaths, Moscow has shown that it can...chevron_right