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March 15, 2012 | Multinational Conflict Management

Dave Roddenberry: Sovereignty is a multi-use concept with a seemingly unending supply of definitions. It is also in an apparent logical conflict with the idea of interstate cooperation. Yet, for centuries states have sought to collaborate across a number of fields, though perhaps none more so than that of security.

December 8, 2011 | Favelas on Fire: Rio's Urban Civil War - A Conflict Assessment

Marcella Marucci: With the opportunity to substantiate Brazil’s emergence as a global leader, Rio and Brazil must get their security situation under control, not only are lives of its citizens at stake, but so is Brazil’s standing as a competent and reliable actor in world affairs.

September 15, 2011 | Favelas on Fire: Rio's Urban Civil War

Regina Joseph: With the opportunity to substantiate Brazil’s emergence as a global leader, Rio and Brazil must get their security situation under control, not only are lives of its citizens at stake, but so is Brazil’s standing as a competent and reliable actor in world affairs.

July 12, 2011 | Can South Sudan Survive in a Tough Neighborhood?

Mark Furness: South Sudan celebrated its independence Saturday, but the world’s newest state now faces massive poverty and underdevelopment. The international community must act immediately before the fledgling country becomes the latest to crash onto the list of failed states.

May 13, 2009 | European Union and Global Governance: an Evaluation

Rudi Guraziu: The EU ought to play a greater role in global governance. But in order to achieve that it needs to devise functional institutions for global governance – in effect getting everyone ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’

May 3, 2012 | The Return of the 22-Year Civil War

Sudan has been at war with itself since gaining independence. ++ The positive impacts of Southern Sudan post-secession, when the region’s voters supported a split in an internationally backed referendum last year, have been slow to mature. ++ For starters, it is still unclear how the north will be compensated for the loss of its oil wells amounting to $7 billion, nor has the demarcation line

February 2, 2012 | What if Assad Survives?

Bashar al-Assad is hanging onto power in Syria despite a gradually developing civil war. ++ The current turmoil is the most precarious moment in Syria’s post-independence history. ++  No matter how much condemnation and bloodshed, the Assad regime is likely to continue fighting, even alone if need be. ++ While his time might be numbered and everyone outside of Syria apparently foresees

June 9, 2009 | Pro-Western Victory in Lebanon Could Spark Conflict

Lebanon’s Sunni-led pro-western alliance has won a surprising victory at the weekend’s parliamentary elections. ++ Saad Hariri, the son of the assassinated head of government Rafik Hariri, is the front runner for the position of prime minister. ++ “This is an extraordinary day for democracy and for Lebanon.” ++ However, new conflicts could spring from the hard fought election campaign and

August 27, 2008 | Russia's Invasion Challenges the World Order

Russia’s invasion is not only a threat to Georgia, it also questions the political order and values of Europe. ++ With American help, the EU has become “one of the greatest strategic achievements of the 20th century.” ++ But now the Russian aggression is drawing a dividing line through Europe and separates the truly independent nations from those which are stuck on Russia’s autocratic

August 21, 2007 | Is Russia's claim exceptional? List of most Valuable Disputed Territories

FP lists the top most valuable disputed turfs that might just be worth a fight. The world was astonished by Russia’s recent claim to the arctic shelf, with potential for billions of dollars worth of oil and gas reserves. But looking globally, many other strategic and mineral rich territories are just as highly contested between several countries. Japan vs. China, Venezuela against major US oil

August 16, 2007 | Jeffrey Sachs: Hundreds of Millions Destined to Flee Environmental Pressures in the Coming Decades

Jeffrey D. Sachs writes in the Scientific American that the coming decades may see the mass-migration of hundreds of millions of “environmental refugees” seeking better living conditions and above all available water. It will be important to keep an eye on at least four vulnerable climate zones:

• Coastal areas. The 10% of the global population living in these areas is highly vulnerable to