‘Violent Extremism’ in the Lake Chad Basin. Understanding the Drivers of the Boko Haram Insurgency.

Chinese Investments in Norway: A Typical Case Despite Special Circumstances

Chinese investments in Norway have increased, and remain moderate but substantial compared with the situation in Europe overall. The Norwegian case is both typical and somewhat unique. Transactions made in the 2000s coincided with China’s boom in outbound natural resource- and energy-related investments. Subsequent deals have demonstrated an increasing interest in specialized and high-tech companies. There has been diversification among actors, but state-owned enterprises remain the main source. Moreover, the debate surrounding Chinese investments in Norway has been limited and largely positive. What makes Norway a special case is the six-year freeze of bilateral political affairs that followed the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. Although the suppression of some investor interests and opportunities is to be expected, several major investments were completed during this period despite the dysfunctional political ties. After the normalization of bilateral relations in December of 2016, actors on both sides are signaling increased economic interest and negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement are back on track.

Kan vi stole på NATO?

(Norwegian only) Etter Russlands annektering av Krim i 2014 har reorienteringen av NATO gått fort. Alliansen har utplassert styrker i Baltikum og Polen, reaksjonsstyrken er revitalisert, forsvarsplanene for Europa er lagt på ny, man tenker nytt rundt logistikk og kommandostruktur og øver mer, og de aller fleste allierte er i ferd med å øke forsvarsbudsjettene sine. På tross av dette er ikke alt rosenrødt. Fundamentet i NATO er solidaritet, et delt trusselbilde og enighet om rett respons. Det hjelper lite med bedre planer og materiell dersom medlemmene ikke er enige om når og hvordan alliansen eventuelt skal bruke militærmakt.

Afghanistan: A Political Economy Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of Afghanistan, arguing that the Afghan state is fragile, and sustained through constant negotiations over power, resources and ideology. What began as a radical state-building and democratization project in 2001 was soon captured by elites. Some of which engages in semi-formal and informal governance structures to further their influence. Distribution of state revenue, largely from external donors, has been used to secure loyalty and maintain control. This has contributed to extreme state centralization, hampered development of state institutions, failed justice sector reforms, high levels of corruption and reduced government legitimacy, and lately an increase in poverty. On the positive side, access to education and health services has improved, partly due to the strong emphasis placed on the rights of women. The security situation has deteriorated since 2014. At present the government control less than 60 percent of the country and civilian causalities are steadily increasing. Conflicts in Afghanistan are exacerbated by the involvement of its neighbors. To improve security, as well as economic and social development, a negotiated peace settlement is needed. If the conflict is left unresolved (in fear of regional and international security concerns), a slow and steady deterioration of security, and economic and social development, is to be expected.

The Making of a Classic: On Diplomacy 30 Years On.

In this article, Halvard Leira makes the case for On Diplomacy (published in 1987) being a classic in the making of International Relations, and engages the central notion of diplomacy understood as "the mediation of estrangement".