Publications

This paper 1) examines the socio-economic roots of South Africa’s growing political instability; 2) breaks down patterns of violence across various categories, such as perpetrator identification, grievance types, and sources of motivation; 3) analyzes the extent...chevron_right

This paper outlines three potential futures for South Africa, which may come about after the December 2017 National Conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The three possibilities are...chevron_right

This paper looks at the election observation guidelines SADC revised in 2015, and which it expects its members to comply with in future elections. The new framework places a high premium on improved institutional design, which will...chevron_right

Lisa Reppell, Jonathan Rozen and Gustavo de Carvalho are convinced that Mozambique's decades-long peace process can teach us a thing or two about promoting demobilization, disarmament and reintegration (DDR); economic and social development; the decentralization of power; justice reforms; and natural resource investments. Here are the details.chevron_right

This brief argues that while certain kinds of firearms and military equipment are controlled in South Africa, there exists a legislative gap when it comes to regulating law enforcement equipment that can facilitate torture and ill treatment. According to the text’s authors, electric shock devices...chevron_right

This policy brief looks at what South Africa can do to set itself on a path towards stable development and growth, and thereby free itself from a “middle-income trap” characterized by deep-rooted inequality, sluggish growth and an unsustainable welfare model. For this transformation to occur, however, Pretoria will have to...chevron_right

Given the reliance on various kinds of electric shock devices in South Africa’s prisons, this brief 1) describes these tools and the harmful medical effects associated with their use; 2) highlights the use and misuse of the devices in correctional institutions in South Africa; and...chevron_right

This paper explores UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, which promises universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030, and concludes that Africa is currently not on track to meet this goal. In response, the paper focuses on two models – one aggressive, one moderate – in order to assess the costs and benefits of accelerating access to these essentials.chevron_right

This paper focuses on different sources of urban fragility and what can be done to facilitate metropolitan transformation, renewal, and resilience. More specifically, the paper explores the sources of fragility that exit in Bangkok, Dhaka, Mumbai, Lagos, and Medellín, and...chevron_right

This paper argues that the OSCE, although not fully equipped, is well-positioned to expand its peace operations activities. To improve its future effectiveness, however, the organization should...chevron_right

This paper explores the response to the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis in West Africa, with a particular emphasis on Sierra Leone and Liberia. More specifically, the text’s authors explore...chevron_right

This paper argues that President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration promises to be very different from its predecessor. In particular, Philippine security policy under Duterte will be more inward-looking – i.e., it will concentrate on...chevron_right

Although not an official part of the 1949 Washington Treaty, the “consensus rule,” which dictates that all decisions reached within the Alliance must be agreed upon by all of its members, has always been a cornerstone of NATO decision-making. This paper rejects the suggestion, which critics have repeatedly made, that this process needs to be updated or adjusted. Indeed, NATO's credibility, both internally and externally, still depends on maintaining the rule.chevron_right

This paper contemplates the nature of contemporary defense and deterrence theory and how they shape NATO’s current strategic posture towards Russia. In particular, the text’s author discusses 1) the first principles embedded in the military thinking of nuclear weapons states; 2) the conceptual and...chevron_right

After stonewalling since 2011, Turkey finally agreed to abandon its veto and permit Israel to establish an official mission at NATO Headquarters. As this report's author sees it, the recent go-ahead could lead to a new set of relations in the Levant, initiate a new balance of power, and provide new opportunities for Brussels in the region.chevron_right