A Seemingly Developed Nation: Women’s Rights in Japan
Japan is seen as one of the most economically successful, and technologically advanced countries in the world. It has the second largest economy—only behind the United States—which is highly impressive, as most of this growth occurred after the end of...
Shifting Away from the West: Erdogan’s Post-Coup Attempt Response
On July 15, 2016, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) launched an attack on the Turkish presidential administration from an air base near the capital city of Ankara, marking the bloodiest coup attempt in Turkish political history. Today, President Recep Tayyip...
India’s Mental Health Epidemic: Deteriorating Amidst the Pandemic
Introduction During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health across the globe is rapidly declining due to the additional stress and turmoil from the virus, especially in developing countries like India. Over the past year, the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase...
Dimensions of Power: The Effects of China’s Escalating Economic Influence on the Contemporary Global Landscape
On October 6th, 2020, German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen presented a joint statement on behalf of 39 member nations to the United Nations Human Rights Committee that condemned China's recent human rights abuses, specifically, its treatment of Hong Kong, and the...
Macron’s Crackdown on Islamist Separatism
After the Brexit referendum and election of Donald Trump in 2016, centrists and leftists revered the electoral success of Emmanuel Macron and his centrist La République En Marche! (En Marche) party in the 2017 French presidential election. Macron seemed to embody the...
Imperial Evolution: The Putin-Erdogan Quandary
The Evolution of Two Empires From the Treaty of Hunkar-Iskelesi in 1833, to a recent deal for the S-400 missile defense system, history has proven that Russia and Turkey are willing to sublimate their imperialist instincts when national progress is at stake. As the...
Ghana in a Health Crisis: Striking a Balance between Saving Lives and Preserving Livelihoods
Introduction On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern [1]. Since this announcement, the 2019-nCoV outbreak, better known as the Covid-19 pandemic, has swept across the globe, leading to over 113...
A Dysfunctional Marriage
Image Credit: voanews The Republic of Turkey suffers at once from both excess of pride and vacillation. We should expect no less from the heir of the Ottoman Empire. Like that empire, Turkey straddles the junction of four different regions. But at reduced...
How Neutrality Has Historically Prevented Terrorist Attacks in Austria, Despite Recent Events
On November 2, 2020, Austria experienced a terrorist attack in its capital of Vienna. The attacker was later identified as an “Islamic terrorist” named Kujtim Fejzula, and it was discovered that the Jihadist group, Islamic State (IS), was responsible for the...
A Multinational Overview of the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense in Remembrance to Its Victims
People that commit hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be held accountable for their actions but, there is a legal loophole that is used around the world to soften their punishments. The...
The Indian Farmers’ Protests: From Local Strikes to a Worldwide Movement
Introduction In August of 2020, the Parliament of India announced three new agricultural acts which sought to reform India’s farming industry. The so-called Farm Bills were made into law in the following September, prompting massive protests on behalf of farmers from...
Contemporary Chinese Economic Foreign Policy and its Implications for the Future
China’s thrust into the global stage has allowed for a mesmerizing level of economic growth over recent decades. This growth, founded on Chinese integration into the international economy, has permitted China to begin exporting its industrial capacity as a...
Poland’s Culture War: LGBT Rights
Introduction: The ‘LGBT Ideology’ Prior to the ascension of President Andrzej Duda and the right-wing, populist Law and Justice Party (PiS), Poland actually witnessed promising signs of increasing LGBT tolerance. Same-sex relations were becoming less taboo and...
Murder in Mexico: The Dangers of Journalism
Since the beginning of 2020, six journalists have been murdered in Mexico. In the afternoon on September 9th, the latest victim—Julio Valdivia—was found decapitated in Veracruz near railroad tracks. He was a veteran reporter who had been working for over two decades,...
ECOWAS: A Useful Ally to the UN and AU in the Fight for West African Democracy
Unfortunately, during the decades since many African countries have gained independence, their politics have been characterized by corruption and instability. Such political instability seems poised to continue with the most recent example of the coup in Mali in...
A False Protagonist: Turkish Duplicity is Undermining NATO
(Image Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin) When Turkey joined NATO back in 1952 it did so alongside Greece, its primordial enemy. The aim was to constrain their historical hostility and to box in an expanding Soviet Union. The latter objective was met. Turkey and Greece were...
Modernization of the People’s Liberation Army: China’s Push for a World-Class Military
In recent years the People’s Republic of China has undergone a notable rise in the arena of global politics. China’s influential growth can be observed in various fields, from their economic partnerships and foreign investments to their participation in...
Belarus’ Legitimacy Crisis: Warnings to Heed
Backsliding: Autocracy Rising For the last twenty-six years, Alexander Lukashenko has served as President of Belarus. Although originally constrained to two five-year terms, Lukashenko has used illegitimate constitutional referendums to heighten the executive power...
