Human Security Centre (HSC) Senior Fellow Simon Schofield has had a comment piece examining the latest developments in Turkish foreign policy published in CapX. In the article, he outlines how Ankara's interventions in Iraq, Syria and Libya, fostering of jihadists and colluding with powers such as Iran have left relations between Turkey and the West at a critical juncture.
Read More »The Prague Poison Plot that Wasn’t
While the plot may have turned out to be a complete fabrication, the fear and panic inspired by the initial reports serve as a reminder that mokroye delo - wet affairs or “wetwork” in the West - has seen a resurgence under Vladimir Putin.
Read More »“Not only a dear friend, but also a brother”: Sino-Serbian relations in times of East-West tensions
Much like the ties with Russia, close relations with China are seen by the Serbian President as a means to pressure the West into increased involvement – a strategy that appears not without its successes.
Read More »President until 2036? The impact of Putin’s constitutional overhaul on Russia and the World
Any hopes of an alternate course for Russia have surely been dashed by the constitutional overhaul and it appears that the future will hold significantly more continuity than change for the country both internally and externally.
Read More »Football Politics: How one Kurdish club has been harassed by the authorities
The world of football is often less about the game on the field and much more about anything that happens around it. Governments exploit the sport for propaganda, investors for reputation improvement, and sports officials for personal gain.
Read More »Emergency relief as a geo-political power tool: Examining the International Military Support to the Australia’s Operation Bushfire Assist
The bushfires which rampaged across parts of southeastern Australia were finally extinguished at the end of February, after more than 240 days of blazing across New South Wales.
Read More »Iraq names third Prime Minister-designate of the year as political squabbles drag on
Although it is not entirely clear if Mustafa al-Kadhimi will be able to form a cabinet within the 30-day timeline, one thing he does have is support amongst most parliamentary factions.
Read More »Lockdowns, disinformation and telling signals: Lessons from the Western Balkans’ response to COVID-19
The suspension of normal life across the Balkans as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak has been forcing governments to take quick action, and political elites across the region are being presented with unprecedented opportunities to show their true intentions.
Read More »Pandemic animal cruelty and viral evolution in COVID-19
Preventing the conditions which permit novel zoonotic viruses is key, as containment is logistically improbable once they have emerged.
Read More »Kaliningrad: Russia’s Province in the Heart of Europe
Despite Kaliningrad’s rich and complex history, the city’s current aesthetic, economic stagnation and social instability is in need of attention. However, for as long as Russian authorities prioritise its military importance, Kaliningrad’s residents will have to wait.
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