Preventing Violent Conflict
The project is commissioned by the World Bank and seeks to better understand how the interplay between international actors and domestic political actors affects efforts to prevent violent conflict....
Russlands nye maktposisjon
(Available in Norwegian only): Russland forsøker å markere seg i Midtøsten – også utenfor Syria. Kong Salmans første besøk til Moskva bekrefter hvor vellykket den russiske strategien er.
Den globale flyktningkrisen - de synlige og de usynlige
(Available in Norwegian only): Den europeiske delen av den globale flyktningkirsen har skapt et nyy geografisk hierarki av synlige og unsynlige flyktninger. De synlige er de som kommer til Europa eller har en mulighet til det. De usynlige er de som ikke har denne muligheten. Dette hierarkiet har store implikasjoner både med tanke på hvilke dimensjoner av den globale flyktningkirsen som synes og hvilke som forblir unsynlige, men også for hvilke typer av politikk som benyttes og hvilke prioriteringer som gjøres
The conflict in Syria: Great Power Politics and Humanitarian Consequences
This NUPI seminar will look at the Syrian conflict from different angles and perspectives – from geopolitical dynamics to humanitarian consequences and views from Syrians who fled the war.
Tunisia´s Ennahda: A model for Democratizing Political Islam?
What has been the role of Ennahda, the moderate Tunisian Islamic Party, during the country´s democratic transition? Does Ennahda represent, more broadly, a democratic model for Islamic politics? These are questions to be discussed at a seminar with Abdelfattah Mourou, Tunisian politician, lawyer, Vice-President of the Parliament and co-founder of the Ennahdha Party.
Lebanon poised at the brink
Gravely affected by the Syrian crisis, Lebanon has remained relatively stable against all odds – despite the influx of some 1.5 million Syrian refugees and an internal political crisis involving supporters of opposing Syrian factions. Lebanon’s resilience can be explained by the high opportunity cost of state breakdown for domestic, regional and international political actors. Moreover, international economic assistance, diaspora remittances and informal networks established by refugees help to prevent outright economic breakdown. However, stability remains extremely precarious. Primary tipping points include (1) an IS strategy to spread the conflict to Lebanon, with consequent disintegration of the army along sectarian lines, (2) democratic decline and people’s dissatisfaction, (3) Hizbullah’s domestic ambitions and Israeli fears over the group’s growing military powers and (4) the potential that frustration between refugees and host communities may erupt into recurrent violence. The slow economic and sanitary decline in the country (5), however, is considered the biggest challenge.
Lebanon on knife-edge
With Syria to the north-east, Israel in the south and faced with its own political crises, Lebanon finds itself challenged on many fronts.
Lebanon on the brink
Gravely affected by the Syrian crisis, Lebanon has managed to remain relatively stable against all odds – despite the influx of some 1.5 million Syrian refugees and internal political crisis involving actors who support opposing Syrian factions. Lebanon’s resilience can be explained by the high opportunity cost of state breakdown for domestic, regional and international political actors. Moreover, international economic assistance, diaspora remittances and informal networks established by refugees help to prevent outright economic breakdown. Yet, stability remains extremely precarious. Important tipping points include (1) the IS strategy of spreading the conflict to Lebanon, and the consequent disintegration of the army along sectarian lines, (2) democratic decline and popular dissatisfaction, (3) Hizbullah’s domestic ambitions and Israeli fears over the group’s growing military power and (4) the potential for frustration between refugees and host communities turning into recurrent violence. However, (5) the slow economic decline and the worsening sanitary conditions stand out as the greatest challenges.
Community-based policing and post-conflict police reform (ICT4COP)
This research project will create greater knowledge of social, cultural, legal and ethical dimensions of community-based policing in post-conflict societies....