Exclusion and Inclusion: The Core of Chechen Mobilization to Jihad
The article explores the broad social and relational drivers behind mobilization of Chechens into armed jihad in the Levant. It suggests that the core mobilizing tool in a process toward violent (re-)action is a narrative that projects the Other as so different from, and so dangerous to the Self that the use of violence is legitimized. Moreover, the shift to more radical representations of the other group occurs in a mutual pattern of imagining and interaction between groups. The mobilization of Chechens into armed jihad is explained with reference to the physical and social exclusion of Chechens in Russia and how these experiences have been interpreted and narrated on the one hand and the attempted inclusion of Chechnya/North Caucasus by the global jihadi milieu on the other hand.
Dynamics of de facto state patron-client relations (DeFacto)
Almost all de facto states that survive for some time have a powerful 'patron' that provides security guarantees and economic support. Too often this has resulted in the de facto states simp...
Putin’s Ancien Régime
After 20 years with Vladimir Putin in power, Putin’s Russia is becoming an ancien régime. The gap between Russia’s aspirations for a significant global role, and its ability and capacity to sustain such a role (always a challenge for Russia’ rulers), is now growing. Putin has not learned from history and from his predecessors. Russia continues to try to punch above its weight, with attempts to destabilize by creating new geopolitical “realities,” as in the case of Crimea. At home, the population is dissatisfied, and the regime is under pressure to come up with new solutions to old problems.
WEBINAR: Jihad in the Sahel: Actors, developments and context
Who are the jihadi insurgents, why are they gaining ground, and what are the likely future developments in the Sahel?
Op-ed: COVID-19: The AU must adapt, not wait. It’s needed now more than ever.
(African Arguments, April 1, 2020) At the very time the African Union is most needed to manage crises, many of its operations have been put on hold.
COVID-19 and the African Union. Challenges, prospects and side-effects
The African Union is coordinating the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Africa, but the measures introduced are also significantly disrupting the reforms, programmes and operations of the AU.
Political Change, Women’s Rights, and Public Opinion on Gender Equality in Myanmar
Myanmar’s introduction of competitive elections after decades of military rule raised expectations for progress in economic and social development, including in the area of women’s rights. In this paper, we draw on data from two national surveys, interviews, and existing qualitative studies to explore public opinion on women’s rights and gender equality. Do Burmese people support gender equality? How are their views on gender related to other aspects of political culture, such as traditional values and views toward authoritarianism and democracy? Our objective is to gain better understanding of the opportunities and obstacles to egalitarian social change and democratic consolidation. Our analysis of survey data reveals that attitudes toward gender roles are conservative, traditional and anti-democratic beliefs are widespread, and these views are strongly associated. Our findings imply that tendencies in public opinion provide a resource for Burmese nationalist groups and politicians and an obstacle to activists seeking greater alignment with global norms on gender equality.
Book review: Cas Mudde's "The Far Right Today"
The article reviews Cas Mudde’s ‘The Far Right Today’ (2019). The book remarkably summarizes decades of research on the radical and extreme right, arguing that the contemporary far right differs from its pre-2000s antecedents by its mainstream and normalized nature. ‘The Far Right Today’ is an (semi)academic equivalent of a page-turner. Mudde rationalizes far-right mobilization in a way that takes the edge off those terrified by the sensationalist coverage of far-right demonstrations, featuring tattoo-covered, black-clothed skinheads with combat boots, but also reminds those dismissing the far-right threat of the indirect and long-term impact of the mainstreaming and normalization of the radical and extreme right. ‘The Far Right Today’ is thus a must-read for students, researchers, policymakers, and those interested in up-to-date research on the far right.
Den flerhodede dragen – Mot en ny modell for kinesisk utenrikspolitikk?
Societal development in China in the past few decades has made pluralism a central feature in the way Chinese policy is decided and implemented. Old formal actors are now facing competition from new, informal actors in both public and civil spheres. As a consequence, China’s formal foreign policy is now but one of many voices outwards. On the basis of a systematic description of important actors and lines of governance in today’s China, in this article I argue that the state of affairs can be described as «pluralized authoritarianism». The model is illustrated with an analysis of China’s behaviour in the South China Sea in the period 2007–2012.