In 2004, under the auspices of the World Bank, a conference held in Shanghai titled, “Scaling up Poverty Reduction,” drew global attention to the lessons provided from four East Asian countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Korea.[1] Over 600 participants met in China’s most-populated city to understand how the four countries have managed to improve indicators for poverty reduction better than any other developing country. The arguments presented outlined three common factors behind this achievement: high and sustained growth rates, the centrality of shared growth, as well as institutional learning and adaptation. In each of the four cases, the false notion … Continue reading
Category Archives: Region
China’s Legal System and Its (Lack of) Rule of Law
A year ago, on April 3, Ai Weiwei was suddenly arrested at Beijing airport and was detained for over two months without any official charges being filed. Chinese authorities finally released Ai Weiwei on June 22, 2011 after three months detention based on charges of “tax evasion.” Now a year later, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has installed four live webcams in his Beijing home in direct protest to the treatment that he faced during his 81 days imprisonment and his one year of probation. When asked about his decision to place webcams in his home, Ai Weiwei told a news … Continue reading
The Precedence of State Interests and Memory of the “Century of Humiliation” in Shaping Chinese Foreign Policy
With the reemergence of China on the international stage, there has been a heated debate in elite and public circles in the U.S. about an emerging “Beijing Consensus.” While China has been compiling an extraordinary record of achievements, the West has stumbled catastrophically, especially in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2007-09. The U.S., in particular, suffered great economic losses and was left stagnant, deeply in debt, and uncertain of its future. Along with recognition of China’s extraordinary economic progress, there is an increasing anxiety about potential Chinese expansionist intentions in East Asia and beyond, as well as … Continue reading
In Search of Territoriale Integriteit and the Société Distincte: A Comparative Study of Separatism in Belgium and Canada and Recommendations for the Exportation of Institutions
Introduction Geographically incomparable – insomuch that one occupies 30,528 square kilometers and the other constitutes the second largest country in the world by total area – yet politically and culturally analogous to the extent that both contain significant French-speaking minorities, the federal parliamentary constitutional monarchies of Belgium and Canada present ideal cases for comparison.[1] [2] Moreover, in both instances, the development of nationalist conflict and separatist movements since the nineteenth century has conformed to the following paradigm of five steps: mutually beneficial accord, cultural-linguistic grievances, risk management via federalization, renewed liability, and potential resolution. With regard to the last step, … Continue reading
Abyei Oil Analysis
This article, a somewhat belated entry into the blogosphere, is the first in a series on conflict and geopolitics in Sudan and South Sudan. My hope is to collate facts as they unfold, summarizing past events and drawing the occasional conclusion. Rather than provide copious amounts of background information, I think it more beneficial to jump into the matter and let things unfold for themselves. Therefore, I’d like to begin wholly in the middle of things by looking into the connection between the contested politics of Abyei and the region’s oil politics. Consider the following text to be an introduction … Continue reading
ASIL
Last week I went to the American Society of International Law’s 106th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. My motivation was to see one of these mythical international lawyers, long considered as elusive as unicorns, for myself. Joking aside, for a student, it’s difficult to find and speak to lawyers working on and examining international political issues. I was determined to learn about the life and work of these elite practitioners and academics. Here’s a breakdown of the best parts: (and here’s a quirky breakdown of quotations humorously taken out of context) At one of the first panel discussions, lawyers and academics gave … Continue reading