From careful participant to budding partner: China in the Sustainable Development Agenda
China is an increasingly active player in the Sustainable Development Agenda. It has staked out a national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) plan that stresses comprehensive development with serious consideration to environmental issues. Internationally, China’s development role is growing, manifested through increasing trade, aid, and investment and a stronger position within many international organizations. China uses SDG-related activities to promote and align its domestic and international development interests.
Consequences of Investments for National Security (COINS)
How can liberal open societies reap the benefits of open economies, but at the same time protect their legitimate security interests? In the project “Consequences of Investments for National Security”...
WIN-WIN! with ODA-man: legitimizing development assistance policy in Japan
Official development assistance (ODA) constitutes one of Japan’s most important foreign policy instruments as it builds Japan’s global network and supports allies in the Southeast Asian region and beyond. In the context of a rising China and an increasingly severe fiscal and demographic situation at home, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) promulgated a domestic-oriented legitimation campaign featuring a popular anime character rebranded as ‘ODA-man’ to increase public understanding of and support for Japan’s ODA. Drawing on interpretivist analysis of performances at a development cooperation promotion festival, anime videos on the MOFA YouTube channel and interviews and examining the use of rhetorical strategies, this article provides an in-depth study of the promotion of one of the central instruments in Japan’s foreign policy repertoire. Though he comes off as goofy and benign, ODA-man’s messages are serious ones that reproduce dominant economic and security narratives about Japan and the world. Analysis points to both innovation and path dependency in Japan’s foreign policy repertoire; while ODA-man may be new the story he is telling, and the way that he is performing it, is very much familiar. The article further illuminates important trends in the public legitimation of foreign policy in Japan.
China's Evolving Approach to UN Peacekeeping in Africa
China’s new, assertive role in UN peacekeeping, especially in Africa, represents a significant shift in Beijing’s peace and security posture that is not yet fully reflected in official discourse and rhetoric, but that reflects China’s new confidence with its global power status. Every significant adaptation in its peacekeeping policy has reflected an important shift in the country’s practical foreign and security policy. Tracing and tracking China’s peacekeeping policy and practice is thus a useful proxy for analysing the evolution of its peace and security considerations. In this In this report Senior Research Fellows Kari Osland and Cedric de Coning consider the medium- to long-term trajectory of China’s peace and security practices by analysing its recent activity in Africa, focusing on how China has used its contributions to the UN peacekeeping missions in Mali (MINUSMA) and South Sudan (UNMISS).
Kapitalisme i øst og vest: Vivek Chibber, Subaltern Studies og universalismens nødvendiget
The article discusses the Indian debate about universalism, eurocentrism and post colonialism, based on Vivek Chibber´s critique of Subaltern Studies in his book Postcolonialism and the Specter of Capital. It argues that on most points, Chibber´s critique is valid, and endorses his defence of a conditional universalism. At the same time, some aspects of his own approach are criticised, in particular his defence of rational choice theory.
Japan and Arctic Security
This chapter focuses on what Arctic security means to Japan and how Japan handles the security dimension in its three-spoke approach to the Arctic, involving economic, political, and scientific factors. The chapter begins by addressing the changing understandings of what Arctic security entails. What are the historic and contemporary understandings of Arctic security? It then embarks on a discussion of Japan’s approach to the Arctic demonstrating how security fits in at traditional and nontraditional and national and international levels. How does Japan convey its position as a non-Arctic state concerned about security developments in the Arctic? Analysis is based on recent statements and activities stemming from Japan’s official Arctic Policy (2015), as well as developments in the political, research, and business sectors since 2008. The chapter concludes that, while traditional security issues in the Arctic are not the explicit framing of Japan’s Arctic policy and engagement, they do play an implicit role both on paper and in practice.
Comprehensive report on Nordic-China cooperation
Joint Nordic relations with China are evolving but have clear limitations.
A Norwegian perspective on Nordic-China Cooperation
This chapter addresses opportunities and challenges concerning Nordic-China cooperation, seen from Norwegian perspectives. With basis in the overall Norway-China relations, the chapter points to areas where joint activity is already quite dynamic and where many Norwegian actors welcome more Nordic-China cooperation. Academic and business promotion activities seem especially promising. However, the chapter is also very clear on the limitations of furthering the joint activity, not least in the political arena, where there is no interest in replacing activities that are currently national or bilateral in nature with something jointly Nordic.
Breakfast seminar: China as a Development Actor in Africa
China’s role as an international development actor is growing. What is China hoping to achieve? How do African actors respond, and what are possible implications for Norwegian development policy?
Østasiatiske giganter i handelskrig
Why would Japan and South Korea risk large economic losses and weakening security relations in such a precarious time?