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Autonomous Weapons Systems: A new kind of diplomacy?0
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 08/04/2019
Kubrick’s 1964 film Doctor Strangelove portrays the devastating impact of a Soviet doomsday device. Programmed to automatically wipe out all human life if any nuclear attack would have struck the nation, the curious construction showed great diplomatic potential. Annoyed as to why the Soviets had kept the device a secret, Doctor Strangelove ranted to the Soviet Ambassador: “The whole point of the doomsday machine (deterrence) is lost if you keep it a secret. Why didn’t you tell the world?”As described by William McNeill in his book The Pursuit of Power, technological and military advances have a fundamental effect on global international relations.Yet these type of developments can only reach a certain level, before edging towards irreparable damage.
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The Amazonian forest price tag: trade benefits vs environment and human rights1
Indigenous leaders called on the European Union to not grant bigger access to its agricultural market until Brazilian president Bolsonaro refrains from deforesting the Amazonian rainforest and cutting back indigenous rights. The EU has a responsibility to preserve the environment for future generations.
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Killer cotton: Fashion’s parasitic relationship with Indian farmers11
Clothing manufacturers are preying on the developing world for their cheap capital and labor to maintain speedy production. Fast fashion, the business model behind this, has increased demand for cotton used to produce most garments. Indian farmers provide a cheap version of the crop, a version genetically modified by seed monopolist Monsanto, which has created an inescapable dependency on the company; perpetuating bankruptcies, illnesses, and ultimately suicides.
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Escaping the Venezuelan nightmare1
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 16/10/2018
Recent news from South America shows that there might be hope for Venezuelans fleeing their country as a response to the economic meltdown and political crisis. A joint agreement signed by eleven South American countries is a step towards dealing with the massive migration flow in the region. Millions of Venezuelans have fled their home country or are planning to do so. Sadly, this is only the beginning of a situation that could lead to a humanitarian crisis in Latin America.
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PESCO – One “Giant Leap” Towards European Defence?0
PESCO, a dormant Lisbon Treaty provision to deepen defence integration among EU Member States, finally saw the light of day. While broad questions remain about the future of European defence, the initiative surely promises to be the biggest leap forward for the bloc’s defence policy in decades.
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Trump’s rhetoric is un-presidential yet effective in appealing to peoples’ emotions0
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 17/08/2017
Many analysts have described Trump’s rhetoric from a moral perspective, but not a rhetorical one. If we consider the three basic rhetorical appeals, as laid out by Aristotle- logos, pathos and ethos- it becomes clear that Trump almost exclusively uses pathos, or emotional appeals, to communicate his points. This fact is revealing of him as a speaker and leader.
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