Publications

This paper reviews Finland’s policy towards the Aland Islands, which are increasingly being menaced by Russia’s aggressive military posture in the Baltic Sea region. Helsinki’s politicians and military commanders have called for...chevron_right

This paper discusses the potential policy implications of the so-called Islamic State’s (IS) expanding cyber capabilities. As social mecdia providers have cracked down on accounts affiliated with terrorist organization, IS and other violent groups have shifted their activities to the darknet in order to...chevron_right

This paper explores how Germany’s sanctions regime against Russia has inevitably become a political issue prior to the 2017 Bundestag elections. The text’s authors specifically consider the evolution of Germany’s thinking about Russia after...chevron_right

This commentary grapples with the two questions which most affected the 2016 Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations between Canada and the EU: 1) how can national regulations on safety, health and the environment be made...chevron_right

This analysis reviews US trade policy and how it relates to wider ongoing free trade agreements. In particular, the text’s author discusses 1) how US trade policy has evolved since the end of WWII; 2) the status of US trade agreements in 2016; 3) the details that...chevron_right

This text’s author examines 1) the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is a private US-based multi-stakeholder association that helps provide a “peaceful” cybersecurity architecture; 2) the recent takeover of the Internet...chevron_right

This paper contends that the UN-brokered 2015 Libyan Political Agreement (PLA) has stalled and failed to deal with a variety of critical issues, including worsening living conditions, who controls what oil facilities, people-smuggling, and the ongoing struggle against jihadist groups. The text also suggests ways to rejigger the country’s peace process in order to achieve a more durable outcome. One requirement, for example, is to engage key actors who have not participated in the PLA talks so far.chevron_right

This issue of the RAD looks at current trends in Russian higher education. The first piece outlines how Russian academia is suffering from constrained resources and divisions between academics and administrators, particularly on the merits of “internationalization.” The second article then details the spread of corruption in Russian universities, which is negatively impacting their relations with external partners.chevron_right

This paper contends that in order to sustain the momentum gained in combating outbreaks of infectious diseases, the incoming US presidential administration should integrate global health, development, and pandemic preparedness more tightly into...chevron_right

This paper looks at Spain’s new Popular Party (PP) government, which faces two large problems – its minority government status and a deeply fragmented Spanish parliament. Despite these impediments, however, the text’s author argues that the PP must slog on and...chevron_right

This text looks at how and why Russia is developing alternative historical narratives. The author contends that Moscow hopes to achieve two goals: 1) to propagate a black-and-white version of the past that...chevron_right

This paper assesses the 24 October 2016 terrorist attack in Balochistan, Pakistan. More specifically, the text’s author 1) analyzes the level of terrorist activity that exists within the province; 2) triangulates the connections between antagonists, targets and objectives in...chevron_right

As the title suggests, this paper highlights the issues which will be discussed at the November 2016 Marrakech Climate Change Conference. More specifically, the text’s authors stress that 1) negotiators will likely clash over how to...chevron_right

In light of the 13 October 2016 selection of António Guterres as the new United Nations Secretary-General, this paper discusses the issues which Guterres prioritized as part of his candidacy for the post and, briefly, the implications which his appointment may have for Israel.chevron_right

This paper explores public perceptions of democracy in Bangladesh from 2007 to 2014, including 1) the level of trust citizens had in major public institutions, and 2) their faith in the country’s election commission/caretaker government to hold...chevron_right