While the UK’s Strategic Defence and Security Review was visibly reported as a missed opportunity, the recent Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS) has received little attention. Yet BSOS presents a unique opportunity to better understand and connect approaches across ‘civil society’, ‘devel
The global power-balance is being changed by the rise of the non-western "Brics" states. This makes the pioneering work of a body committed to linking trade and development in the interest of the world's poor more relevant than ever.
Who gets the blame for the ongoing social effects of the coalition’s love for neo-liberal principles? The culprits are rather conveniently eastern European migrants, the Greeks, the leftists and of course those that dare to associate themselves with Islam.
Governments and the military industrial complex continue to do business as usual and such business is fostering conflict and war around the world. The year 2011 was particularly conflictive and 2012 is reaching new alarming levels, particularly in the Middle East. Sino-American relations remain te
Centrist parties have historically not fared well for a variety of structural reasons in Israeli politics. Despite an auspicious start for Kadima in 2005, it too seems doomed. Can the newly elected chairman of the centrist Kadima party, Shaul Mofaz, succeed where others have failed?
In Jordan, Iraqi refugees are commonly referred to as ‘brothers’ yet at the same time also suffer a variety of social stigmas. But do Ali and his family have a better chance, having worked for the coalition forces?
While international attention on Iran focuses on the country's nuclear programme and anti-western rhetoric, few have noticed the country's constructive attempts to develop a sphere of influence in its fellow Persian-speaking Tajikistan. But as western states ramp up sanctions against Iran, will th
For Israel, the opportunity to do business with Syria and break its alliance with Iran is more valuable than the Assads’ so-called contribution to the Golan Heights status quo.
Such joint measures as Fateh and Hamas are agreed upon fall very far short of challenging the occupying powers.
Preaching about love in the churches is not enough, as long as the words the worshippers read in their Bible turn them against people of other faiths and fill them with suspicion, dislike, loathing, hatred, aversion or revulsion. It is not enough to talk about tolerance as long as the holy scriptu
A strong momentum is building for armed intervention in Syria, either by channelling arms to Syria's rebels or undertaking direct military assaults on the regime. But these proposals are based on flawed analysis and if implemented would have damaging results, says Mariano Aguirre.Also in this oS A
