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Bringing Russia and China in from the Cold: Lessons from The Great WarIt is ironic that, during the centenary of the First World War and a period of declining violence worldwide, as documented comprehensively by Harvard's Steven Pinker (2011) and others (see Goldstein, 2011; Morris, 2014), the possibility of war between major powers is once again rearing its head and in two volatile regions: The dispute between China and Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and the near-war standoff between Russia and the West over Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. |
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S-CAR Student and Alum at USAIDThe United States Agency for International Development (USAID), whose mission is “to partner to end extreme poverty and to promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing the security and prosperity of the United States,” is the primary US federal government agency, tasked with administering civilian foreign aid. This agency was created by executive order in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Although the organization was started to mainly provide "technical and capital assistance programs," the 1970s show a shift to a "basic human needs" approach focusing on "food and nutrition,... |
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Peacebuilding Through the AirwavesAngola achieved its independence in 1975 after a protracted liberation war against Portugal. After independence, Angola embraced communism and unfortunately became the scene of more fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led first by Agostinho Neto and then by Jose Eduardo dos Santos, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) led by Jonas Savimbi. The civil war eventually ended in the year 2002 after claiming more than 1.5 million lives over 27 years, and this was the period that I was born and raised in. Unfortunately, although the end of the civil... |
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Reflections on "The Battle of the Narrative" WorkshopEarlier this year, the Department of Defense approved the prospectus for drafting a military concept to shape the development of future capabilities titled, “The Human Aspects of Military Operations.” The concept prospectus recognizes recent U.S. military experiences and the importance of information and what it terms "the battle of the narrative.” This concept recommends developing the ability to: identify, understand, and influence actors; build trust with key actors and groups; draw on sources of legitimacy; and address popular grievances and counter adversary messaging. |
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Jeremy Tomlinson, S-CAR PhD StudentJeremy Tomlinson started the PhD program at S-CAR in the fall of 2014. “I chose the program because it was one of the very few institutions that offered a unique blend of academics with practice in the field of conflict resolution” he said. Jeremy is a dual citizen of the U.S. and U.K. and has also lived and worked in many places all over the world including Nigeria, Cambodia, India, and South Sudan. “One of my favorite places to visit and eventually work was Cambodia, where I experienced first hand how the people showed resilience in rebuilding their society after the genocide they... |
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John DeRosa, S-CAR MS Student John DeRosa came to S-CAR "looking for alternative approaches to national security challenges. "I was confronted with finding a new path for myself," he said. John is a second year MS student who enrolled at S-CAR after completing a fellowship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Seminar XXI. The transdisciplinary approach of S-CAR encouraged John to continue his Seminar XXI investigation on how various analytical lenses reveal different courses of action to resolve security challenges. |
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Reflections from Burkina FasoMany of us followed the political protests that led to the military coup d’état in Burkina Faso following President Compaoré’s decision to change the constitution to allow him another term in office. Some agreed with Ambassador Johnnie Carson, who said “this is manipulating and subverting the constitution” and “an affront to democracy and to the rights of their own people.” Others, like Simon Allison, cautioned against what he called “the excitement and romance of Burkina Faso’s popular revolution as revolutions solve nothing on their own, it’s what comes next that... |