The agreement to international rules - from banking and trade to health and arms-control - is essential to global order. But the process of rule-making is at present undemocratic and prone to failure. The way ahead is to put dissent at the heart, says Frank Vibert.
The west's military-political strategy prolongs the war in Libya and gives space to authoritarian regimes elsewhere in the region.(This article was first published on 19 May 2011)
The afterglow of Osama bin Laden’s killing fuels the United States’s confidence in its shift towards integration of military and security policy. But it is another grand illusion and missed opportunity.
The Dalai Lama's impending retirement symbolises an important transition in the life of Tibet's political-national community. The process underway clarifies both the nature of Tibetan governance and the challenges it must address in face of China's power, says Ramin Jahanbegloo.
The death of the al-Qaida leader is a symbolic moment. But far more important is that the future of his movement - and much else besides - is closely tied to the success or failure of the Arab risings.
The diplomatic signals point to negotiation with the Taliban as a route to ending the Afghan conflict. But the geopolitical hurdles remain formidable.
The idea of solidarity retains its moral force. Yet it is vulnerable to the same manipulations as any category of modern politics. Fred Halliday examines the paths of solidarity under colonialism, communism, and post-1989 democracy; its deformed applications to the Arab-Israeli conflict; two voice
Libya's war is being shaped by Tripoli's defiance, the rebels' endurance, and the western coalition's strains. In the mix, a Gaddafi regime faced with elimination is making larger plans.
The Iraqi experience of creating a new constitution from political and social ruin offers lessons for Egypt, says Zaid Al-Ali.
