Publications

This paper examines Indonesia’s current approach to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. After reviewing the historical context of the specific quarrel between China and Indonesia, the text’s author contends that Jakarta’s approach to...chevron_right

This analysis reviews the security ties between Australia and New Zealand following the publication of their respective Defence White Papers in 2016. The text concludes that 1) both countries are concerned about the future course of the rules-based...chevron_right

The seventeen chapters in this volume provide the incoming Trump administration with plenty of advice on how to confront the strategic challenges that exist in the world today. The text specifically covers the existing security and defense dynamics of eight regions of the world and a series of topical subjects which zero in on defense budgeting and reform, weapons of mass destruction, cyber warfare, terrorism and much more.chevron_right

This brief argues that the most critical foreign policy tests for the Trump administration will be in the Asia-Pacific region. The problem, of course, is that Candidate Trump oscillated (often wildly) between interventionism and isolationism in his approach to Pacific Rim affairs. That doesn’t auger well…chevron_right

Why did the talks over Syria breakdown between the US, UK and Russia in October 2016? According to this brief, the fragile Russian-Western collaboration that existed from 2015 to 2016 initially broke down because of...chevron_right

So, is there an emerging Sino-Russia alliance against the West or not? This brief argues that in the past three years, China and Russia have forged new foundations for a third way- i.e., a strategic alignment that’s primarily based on a shared sense of vulnerability and common threat perceptions. Here’s what the alignment involves.chevron_right

This brief argues that Russia’s military presence in Syria is attributable to 1) its desire to check Western interventionism against authoritarian states; 2) its external counterterrorism strategy; and 3) its wish to reestablish its presence on the international political scene.chevron_right

What defines gender-based sexual violence (SGBV)? According to this paper, it depends on the recognition that it’s a human rights violation. But as Jens Bartelson sees it, there are three types of recognition – moral/social, political, and legal – and...chevron_right

This policy brief does indeed focus on the potential impact of Brexit on Asia in general and ASEAN countries in particular. After quickly summarizing the latest developments in Britain’s planned departure from the EU, the text’s authors 1) run through the various…chevron_right

This paper assesses the political involvement of women in Yemen, which has been influenced by the different historical legacies of state-building, competing nationalist and religious discourses, changing socio-economic conditions, and urban-rural...chevron_right

This brief 1) analyzes the physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) challenges faced by Sahelian states; 2) explores how existing PSSM mechanisms are trying to address these small arms challenges; and 3) provides a PSSM Priorities Matrix that’s designed to...chevron_right

This paper analyzes the underlying military, political, and ethnic dynamics of the civil war in South Sudan’s Unity State, specifically from 2013-2015. Unfortunately for the country, these forces dynamics quickly overwhelmed the...chevron_right

How will the appointment of Taban Deng Gai as South Sudan’s First Vice President (FVP) impact the country’s ongoing peace process? On the one hand, Gai’s selection has helped legitimize the latest peace foray within the country, at least in the eyes of...chevron_right

This paper initially takes stock of Kenya’s regional diplomacy since 1963 and the mottled influence the country currently wields in its neighborhood. The text’s author then highlights the key determinants of Kenya’s external engagement, which include its...chevron_right

Over the past few decades, Côte d’Ivoire has been a passive and often problematic actor within its region. However, as this paper illustrates, since the election of President Alassane Ouattara in 2011, the country has slowly reemerged as a stable regional and international actor, primarily by…chevron_right