Publications
The Congo war and the prospects of state formation : Rwanda and Uganda compared
This paper analyses the effect of the Congo war on state power in Rwanda and Uganda. Drawing on theories of European state formation, it asks whether the Congo war has led to a strengthening of the state in the two countries. It is argued that this has not been the case. Neither the Rwandan nor the Ugandan state has been strengthened as a result of the war. I argue that this must be explained by changes in the state system, which have altered the links between war and state formation. The «war makes states» connection presupposes a positive relationship between regime maintenance and state formation. In contemporary Africa, there is no link. On the one hand, state survival is guaranteed anyway, no matter how weak the state is. On the other hand, regime survival does not depend on mobilisation of resources through taxation, since resources are available from elsewhere (aid, crime, plunder, globalisation, warlord politics).
The German ICT industry : Spatial employment and innovation patterns
This paper documents recent developments in German ICT industries. In particular we report results on spatial patterns in innovation and employment in these industries. The paper is motivated by previous studies that have found that ICT industries seem to cluster geographically and having spatially clustered growth rates. In this study, we discriminate between production of ICT devices and production of ICT services. In Germany, production of ICT devices is concentrated in clusters of innovating regions (in terms of patents). ICT service production, on the other hand, is concentrated in larger urban areas. Growth rates in ICT-related employment show different spatial patterns. The data show that negative spatial effects are present for several sectors, which might give support for the so-called backwash effect described by Gunnar Myrdal (1957). For other sectors, positive spatial spillover effects may be present. For overall economic development (in terms of gross regional product per habitant) we find weak positive growth effects ICT, but these growth effects stem more from innovation than from production or use of ICT.
Hva gjør Norge utsatt for terrorisme? : Trusselscenarier og norsk sårbarhetsforvaltning
Til tross for en begrenset internasjonal terrortrussel mot Norge, kan noen utviklingstrekk, forhold og situasjoner bidra til at trusselbildet blir mer alvorlig, og aktualisere sårbarheter i det norske samfunnet. Noen av faktorene er knyttet til langsiktige og vedvarende endringer, mens andre er mer situasjonelle og kan føre til en akutt, men kortsiktig økning av trusselen. De viktigste sårbarheter og potensielle nasjonale mål kan deles inn i henholdsvis: energiproduksjon, transportmidler, informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi, kontroversielle næringer og aktiviteter, symbolobjekter og - personer, samt ulike utenlandske mål i Norge. Spørsmålet er i hvilken grad og i hvilke sammenhenger det finnes grupper som ønsker å utnytte disse sårbarhetene, og å utføre aksjoner. Rapporten presenterer situasjoner og hendelser hvor disse sårbarhetene har blitt aktualisert, eller kan bli det i fremtiden. Avslutningsvis gis det noen generelle vurderinger av utfordringer for norsk «sårbarhetsforvaltning», samt forslag til nasjonale forskningsfokus for terrorisme. Dette for å underbygge sunn prioriteringspraksis i beslutningskretser, generere et grunnlag for videre sårbarhetsforskning og sårbarhetsforståelse, samt å identifisere kunnskapshull.
More teeth for the NATO-Tiger How the Framework Nation Concept can reduce NATO’s growing formation – capability gap
How can the Framework Nation Concept reduce NATO’s growing formation – capability gap?
Power, Principles and Procedures : Reinterpreting French foreign policy towards the USA (2001-2003)
French foreign policy towards the US is often understood as particularly confrontational and based on traditional power politics, or a wish to re-establish “la grandeur de la France”. This article aims at investigating the validity of this widely held view. It further seeks to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the French positions by studying the arguments used by the French political leadership and the implications of the Iraq conflict for bilateral cooperation at lower levels. This study questions the common assumption of IR theory that national identities and/or interests are fixed and independent of structural factors such as international norms and values. It also questions the value of focusing exclusively on diplomatic or “top-level” bilateral relations, without looking at “low-level” or practical bilateral cooperation and/or conflicts.
Indigenous to Indigenous Cooperation : Review of the Saami Council Projects in Africa
The Norwegian section of the Saami Council has been cooperating with two indigenous organizations in Africa since 2002: the Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Africa, based in Tanzania, and the First People of the Kalahari, in Botswana. The report evaluates this cooperation. It concludes that both organizations are potentially very relevant, but that for different reasons, the full potential has not been reached. Recommendations for how to strengthen the work are given.