91福利

A Pinpoint Politics article by Helen Jane Martin

An abyss for the lost and stolen, and a refuge for the takers, failed states are characterized as the black holes of the international system. Somalia, the archetypical failed state, is condemned by policy makers who maintain that it incubates terror, breeds crime, facilitates piracy and infects regions; with stereotypical images of pirates in tiny skiffs, or an unyielding insurgent and terrorist campaign from al Shabab, it is seen as a land ruled by dangerous warlords. Their problems are not just their own but a menace to everyone, or so the story goes.

On the 24^th of February world leaders convened in London, in a meeting described by British Prime Minster David Cameron as “the largest and most influential gathering that has ever come together,” to seek a lasting solution to the problem of Somalia. This two-day long conference was aimed at ending the civil strife in the country, which consistently tops the ranks of the Failed State Index, and to enhance the level of ‘stateness’ in order to curb the international ramifications that this deviant threatens. However, it seems that this conference, in labelling the country as ‘failed’, was labouring under a set of misapprehensions rather than focusing on what is actually affecting Somalia itself.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Neil Dooley

Reaction to austerity in Europe has been varied. In Greece, measures have frequently been met with forceful opposition, prompting political outrage, mass demonstrations, incidents of violence and civil disobedience. In marked contrast, The Republic of Ireland has been applauded as the ‘poster child for austerity’, implementing its reforms with no apparent social unrest. It is in this context that the events surrounding the recent ‘household charge’ have seemed so surprising to many.

The new annual tax is the latest austerity measure launched by the Irish Government. Temporarily, it requires each household in the state to pay a levy of one hundred euro. In response, aided by a successful campaign organised by political and community activists, at the time of writing, almost 50% of households have refused to pay the household charge.

Dr Nick Vaughan-Williams, Associate Professor of International Security in PAIS, gave an invited talk at the 'Regulating Unregulated Migration' Conference hosted by the European Union Center of Excellence and the Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh, PA, 3-5 May 2012. The conference brought together policy experts from academia, think tanks, and the professional world to examine policy responses to immigration in the U.S. and Europe. Nick's presentation, entitled 'Europe's Border Wars and the Arab Spring', was based on research for a book he is currently writing on the impact of border security on migrants' lives.

Many thanks to our finalists who participated in the National Student Survey this year. The response rate of 72% is the highest figure we have ever achieved. As promised, four lucky winners of £72 Amazon vouchers will be notified (by 11^th May).

A Pinpoint Politics article by Lena-Sophie Demuth

After World War II, the foreign policy of Bundesrepublik Deutschland (West Germany) aimed at getting back in line with its neighbouring states, reconstructing its economy and rebuilding the image of a state responsible for a war that had claimed over 60 million casualties, including more than 6 million deaths in the wake of the biggest genocide the world had seen – the Holocaust. This long path towards becoming a sovereign state was characterized by a strong relationship with the USA, its major partner and investor; membership in the NATO; and European integration as one of the priorities of post-war Germany. True to the motto of becoming an economic giant but a political midget, Germany together with the bordering country and erstwhile hereditary enemy France were at the forefront of the European integration taking a stand for a united Europe built on a shared past, common values and the iron will that war must be averted in the future by all means.