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This Week at ISN

28 October 01 November 2013

Our Weekly Editorial Roundup

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Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Russia and its Neighbors: Can the Center Hold?

Russia's vast geography and ethnic mix present Moscow with a complex array of security challenges, most notably along and within its 'near abroad'. In response, the country's leaders are using geography to protect its 'center' from a variety of perceived threats. At the same time, these elites continue to strengthen their grip on the levers of domestic power in the name of national security, and at the expense of the country's economy. It thus remains to be seen whether Moscow will be able to convert its dominant relationship with its near-neighbors into a resurgent display of Russian power and influence beyond its immediate spheres of influence.

The Geopolitics of Russia: Permanent Struggle

28 October 2013

The possibility of social unrest is one reason why Vladimir Putin has been unable to translate his calls for economic reform into effective policies, writes Peter Rutland. Instead, the Russian President is hoping that his Soviet-style 'mobilization narratives' and the country's oligarchs will kick-start the economy for him.More

The Political Economy of Putin 3.0

29 October 2013

The possibility of social unrest is one reason why Vladimir Putin has been unable to translate his calls for economic reform into effective policies, writes Peter Rutland. Instead, the Russian President is hoping that his Soviet-style 'mobilization narratives' and the country's oligarchs will kick-start the economy for him. More

Islam in Russia and the Relationship Between Moscow and the Caucasus
30 October 2013

Tensions between Moscow and the Muslim populations in the North Caucasus region are well-documented and likely to continue. In today's podcast, Alexey Malashenko explains why the tensions are intimately linked to the social and economic problems that plague all of Russia. More

External Threat as a Driving Force for Exploring and Developing the Russian Pacific Region
31 October 2013

Russia has often responded to security threats on its borders by investing in its far-eastern regions. However, that investment tends to wane once these threats have subsided. According to Victor Larin, that's because Moscow fears the prospect of the East eventually breaking away from the center.More

Putin's Eurasian Union- From Pre-Electoral Sideshow to Quest for Empire?

01 November 2013

Does Russia view the creation of a Eurasian Union as an opportunity to expand its influence over its 'near abroad'? Not for the time being, writes Kevork Oskanian, but if recent policy shifts by former Soviet Republics are any indication, it is a distinct possibility. More

// Security Watch
Violent Radicalisation in Bangladesh: A Second Wave?
28 October 2013

How has the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) managed to bypass Bangladesh's zero-tolerance policy towards religious extremists? It's quite simple, says Iftekharul Bashar. Just like other fringe groups, it's making full use of the Internet and other IT platforms to advance its agenda anonymously.More

CEEDEFCOA New Pillar of Ukrainian Defence

29 October 2013

As a 'non-bloc' country, Ukraine needs to adopt a defense posture that reflects its geopolitical realities. According to Wojicech Lorenzo, that means cooperating with NATO and the EU and signing on to the nascent Central and Eastern European Defence Cooperation (CEEDEFCO) initiative. More

Briefing: Abyei's Dangerous Impasse

30 October 2013

Will Abyei's long-term future lie with Sudan or South Sudan? With a referendum about to occur on this issue, our IRIN experts not only outline what Khartoum's and Juba's strategic interests are in the region, they also wonder if in the cases of security and stability the referendum represents no choice at all.More

Plumbing the Depths: Unmanned Submersibles Come of Age

31 October 2013

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) have been slow to attract attention in military circles until now, that is. Today, Jon Rosamond looks at the technological advances that are enabling the development of unmanned submersibles and which countries are leading the way.More

The Heavy Hand on Venezuela's Streets

01 November 2013

Nicolas Maduro's Plan Patria Segura has put over 40,000 policemen and military personnel onto the crime-ridden streets of Venezuela. According to Sarah Kinosian, the deployment confirms that Maduro has failed to develop a set of policies that effectively tackle the country's domestic insecurity just like his predecessor. More

// Blog
Putting the ICC's Kenya Cases on Ice
28 October 2013

Will the UN Security Council agree to postpone the ICC's prosecution of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, as Kenya wants it to? Mark Kersten believes that's possible, especially since deferring the case is unlikely to damage the reputation of those Western states now thought to be drafting such a resolution.More

Inevitable Transhumanism? How Emerging Strategic Technologies Will Affect the Future of Humanity
29 October 2013

Emerging strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence are beginning to pose fresh challenges for global politics and international security. It's time then for a set of international moral and bioethical guidelines to govern their use, writes Nayef Al-Rodhan.More

Indonesia and the Next Defence White Paper

30 October 2013

Tony Abbott has vowed to deliver a defense white paper that spells out the roles Australia would like Indonesia to play in their region. With 18 months to go until publication, Daniel Grant is already warning against assigning Jakarta a 'buffer role' that it's unlikely to accept.More

Broadening Participation in Peace Processes From "Why" to "How"

31 October 2013

When it comes to peace negotiations, it's a widely held belief that if you included participants beyond the warring parties, then the final agreement will be more durable. Well, if that's true, asks Corinne von Burg, then why do so many peace processes remain more exclusive than inclusive?More

Mediation Perspectives: Reframing the Charities and Terrorism Debate

01 November 2013

The West's attempts to curtail funding for terrorist groups have increasingly put it at odds with charitable organizations. Today, the CSS' Owen Frazer outlines the steps that both governments and charities need to take in order to ensure that counterterrorist policies do not create a 'humanitarian vacuum'.More

// Video
Hard Diplomacy and Soft Coercion, Russia's Influence Abroad
In this video, Chatham House's James Sherr talks about the role of soft power in Russia's foreign policy. More specifically, he talks about the differences between Western and Russian perceptions of soft power and the way in whichRussia's Soviet past shapes the country's business culture. More

Strategy: A History
In this video, the eminent Lawrence Freedman, who is a Professor of War Studies at King's College London, discusses his book "Strategy: A History." Freedman not only focuses on the evolution of strategy in the political, business and military spheres, he also traces how theorizing about it relates to actual practice.More

The Kremlin and the Jihadist Issue: Understanding the Russian Situation Today
In this video, Didier Chaudet, who is a well-known security and foreign policy consultant, discusses Islam, Islamism and Jihadism in Russia. More specifically, he looks at the history of Islam within the country, its role in contemporary politics, the impact of Jihadism in the North Caucasus region, and Russia's broader policies toward the Muslim world. More

Coming Up
Next week, our editorial focus examines security issues affecting Russia.

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