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This Week at ISN


30 September 04 October 2013

Our Weekly Editorial Roundup


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Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Southern Africa: Issues in Focus


Whether Southern Africa is moving towards bipolarity or not, its security problems persist alongside its vast economic opportunities. Indeed, as Pretoria struggles to reconcile its regional policies with its actual capabilities, Mozambique's natural gas discoveries might soon transform its fortunes. The same might not be said for other countries, however. Robert Mugabe's dubious rule persists in Zimbabwe and Madagascar continues to be gripped by a political crisis that started in 2009.

Zimbabwe Elections: Past, Present and Future Challenges


30 September 2013

Robert Mugabe was recently sworn in for another five-year term as President of Zimbabwe. In today's podcast, Piers Pigou explains why he is so critical of the role played by SADC observers in the country's elections, which Mugabe suspiciously won by a landslide.More

The Challenges and Ambiguities of South Africa's Foreign Policy


01 October 2013

If South Africa wants to enhance its global and regional status, it must correct a growing imbalance between its commitments and power, argues Jean-Paul Marthoz. That means solving deep-rooted domestic problems and outgrowing the safe nostalgia of past anti-apartheid struggles.More

A Boom for Whom? Mozambique's Natural Gas and the New Development Opportunity
02 October 2013

Will recent natural gas discoveries help Mozambique become an economic powerhouse? Ichumile Gqada is optimistic but knows that resource wealth doesn't automatically lead to socio-economic development. Indeed, that will require a commitment from all the country's stakeholders. More

The Troubled Road to Peace: Reflections on the Complexities of Resolving the Political Impasse in Madagascar
03 October 2013

Ever since Andry Rajoelina ousted President Marc Ravalomanana from power in 2009, Madagascar has been in political crisis. With long-delayed elections finally about to happen, Lesley Connolly evaluates SADC's roadmap for peace in the country and the efforts of Rajoelina and Ravalomanana to break their impasse.More

Challenges and Prospects for Democratic Governance in Southern Africa


04 October 2013

Can Southern Africa translate its relative stability and security into more democratic institutions? It's possible, say Jakkie Cilliers and Dimpho Motsamai, but old problems stand in the way. They include poverty and inequality, the mixed legacy of liberation-era politics, and a weak commitment to regional unity. More

// Security Watch
China's Military Expansion - A Chinese Perspective
30 September 2013

Many in the West view China's rapid military expansion as a growing threat to global and regional security. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, or so writes Ai Zhong-Guo. Beijing has little time for global or regional domination, which it reminds everyone in its 2013 Defence White Paper.More

Israel's Plan to Bring Cyprus and Turkey Together


01 October 2013

Can Israel help improve the tricky relationship between Cyprus and Turkey? The International Crisis Group's Hugh Pope believes so. The key, in his view, lies in jointly developing Israel's natural gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean. More

Jakarta's Counterproductive Counterterrorism Approach


02 October 2013

Allegations of corruption, a lack of transparency and extra-judicial killings have tainted Indonesia's otherwise successful counterterrorism policies. However, Tyler McBrien is confident that recent admissions of wrongdoing by the country's counterterrorism forces may result in increased accountability to the public.More

Bloody Syria
03 October 2013

According to Peter Foot, the contrast between Syria's daily suffering and the inept Western-led response to it will leave many painful legacies. And because the West has no realistic chance of ending the crisis any time soon, it should welcome recent attempts by Russia to end the violence.More

Democratizing Peace Processes: Women at the Table


04 October 2013

Should women play a more prominent role at the negotiating table? In today's Question and Answer session, Margaret Vogt, who is the UN's mediator-in-residence, explains why women bring 'something different' to peace negotiations. She also describes what steps are needed to get them to the table. More

// Blog
Mediation Perspectives: Preventing Clashes over Religion and Free Speech
30 September 2013

Free speech or greater religious sensitivity those who advocate one or the other have more in common than they might think, writes Niklaus Naus. They could, for example, build upon their shared interests in justice and equality to prevent further outbreaks of hate-fueled violence.More

New Collaborations for Better Maps in Crisis


01 October 2013

Our parent organization, the Center for Security Studies (CSS), recently hosted a workshop on crisis mapping. Today, Florian Roth reviews the topics covered at the event, which brought together civil protection officials, geo-specialists and other stakeholders from across Switzerland.More

The Pillars of Peace


02 October 2013

What's the best way to determine if peacebuilding efforts are working in war-torn countries or not? Our partners at the Institute for Economics and Peace believe that their "Pillars of Peace" Report, which identifies the 'formal and informal structures' that underpin peaceful societies, helps answer the question.More

The Return of Conventional War?


03 October 2013

After two long, expensive and 'unconventional' wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will the United States and its allies now turn their attention to the 'conventional' challenges posed by emerging powers? That was the main topic at a recent CSS Evening Talk, which we report on here.More

Oversight and Intelligence Services: the Case of Switzerland


04 October 2013

How did Switzerland rein in its intelligence services in the wake of the 'Secret Files Scandal'? According Carmen Muller, the adjustments have been comprehensive. Clear legal mandates, multi-layered oversight, a watchdog role for the Swiss public and media, and citizen access to information have all been part of the response.More

// Video
India - South Africa Relations
In this video, Dr Arvind Gupta and Ruchita Beri largely focus on three topics India's place on the global stage, IndianSouth African relations, and what to expect from the upcoming 6th India-Brazil-South Africa Summit.More

Nancy Fraser: Can Societies Be Commodities All the Way Down?


Why do we lack a conceptual framework that helps explain why the international system is going through 'a period of unprecedented crisis'? And why do we remain ill-equipped to resolve this crisis in 'an emancipatory way'? These are the questions that Nancy Fraser attempts to answer in this video.More

The Troubling Path Ahead for US-Zimbabwe Relations


This video features a US House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on Zimbabwe's ongoing political conflicts and its relations with the US. More

Coming Up
Next week, we highlight a selection of articles from the latest edition of Comparative Connections, a triannual journal published by our partners at Pacific Forum CSIS.

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