Sårbare stater og valdelege entreprenører: konflikt, klima og flyktningar (FRAGVENT)
Kva er den kombinerte effekten av sårbarhet, konflikt og klimaendringar i Mali og i Sahel-regionen sett under eitt?...
Teoriseminar: Lacansk psykoanalyse og fascinasjonen for IS i ein euro-amerikansk tryggingsdiskurs
Charlotte Heath-Kelly presenterer arbeidet sitt med korleis Lacansk psykoanalyse kan auke forståinga vår for det vestlege behovet for fiendskap, og manien til vesten med fiendar som IS.
The Joint Force of the G5 Sahel: An Appropriate Response to Combat Terrorism?
The Joint Force of the Group of Five of the Sahel reflects the commitment of African states to cooperate to address common security challenges. Yet, little is known about its counter-terrorism strategy for the region. This article focuses on the security pillar of the G5 Sahel, the Joint Force (FC-G5S), and provides a critical examination of its mandate to combat terrorism in the Sahel. It explains the context into which the force was deployed and provides an overview of its conceptualisation and configuration. It demonstrates that in its current form, there is a danger of advancing a security-first stabilisation strategy that relies heavily on military-led counter-terror operations to contain and deter the threat of terrorist groups which can have serious consequences for local communities living among insurgents. The article argues that while establishing firmer border control and enhanced intelligence-sharing between the G5 Sahel states is important, the current counter-terror response risks depoliticising insurgents, and neglects the sociopolitical and economic grievances and problems of governance that have enabled violent extremism to take root in the first place. Removing the categorisation of jihadist insurgents as terrorists only and understanding their multifaceted identities – some as legitimate social and political actors – would open up more policy responses, including dialogue and conflict resolution.
The risks of being an ally
States join security alliances to increase their level of security vis-à-vis neighbours that may pose a threat. The deterrence logic that was the main rationale for joining NATO in 1949 still represents the cornerstone of Norway’s security policy. However, belonging to a military alliance can also pose challenges. This policy brief focuses on some possible negative spillover effects that could emerge from being member of a military alliance. The focus here is on current challenges within NATO, and the possible implications for Norway. First, we present a broader conceptual framework. What are the internal and external challenges facing NATO? How do NATO and its members deal with them? We then proceed to the implications for Norway. Due to structural factors that shape relations in Norway’s strategic environment – including the location of Russian strategic bases close to the border, and the clear asymmetry in capabilities – negative developments in other regions and theatres may influence Norwegian security directly. We argue that, in order to minimize the likelihood of negative trends spilling over to Norway’s strategic neighbourhood, it is important to communicate the special features of this neighbourhood clearly to other members of the alliance. Further, to facilitate intra-alliance trust and cohesion, Norway should also emphasize NATO’s internal, shared value-base, in order to make the alliance better prepared to meet external security challenges.
Donor-driven state formation: friction in the World Bank–Uganda partnership
The chapter explores the partnership relation between the World Bank and Uganda from 2000 and onwards. It demonstrates how the notion of politics frames apolitical development discourses, and argues for how the formation of partnership entails specific tacit governance mechanisms that have been central to the formation of neoliberal Uganda, the latter being the anthology's overall topic. The donor's governance mechanisms mediated through partnership are indeed powerful, but this does not mean that the aid recipient is prostrate and without any theoretical or empirical possibilities for resistance. The formation of neoliberal Uganda in the context of development aid should thus be understood in the nexus between external governance mechanisms and local means for translation and resistance.
Førebygging av terrorisme ved hjelp av risikovurderingar: Perspektiv og erfaringar frå Storbritannia
Korleis utmanøvrerer Storbritannias terrornedkjempingsstrategi seg i røyndommen, og kva er risikovurderingas (potensielle) rolle i førebygging av terrorisme?
Kor effektive har eigentleg FNs fredsoperasjonar i Somalia, Kongo og Mali vore?
Ekspertar frå heile verda skal i eit nytt nettverk sjå nærare på kor godt fredsoperasjonar faktisk fungerer.
Er Putins Russland eit populistisk regime?
Kva er likskapane, forskjellane og sambanda mellom Putin's Russland og Orban's Ungarn, Duterte's Filippinane, USA under Trump eller Brasil med Bolsonaro?
Teoriseminar: Spreiinga av protest under den egyptiske revolusjonen i 1919
Neil Ketchley skal diskutere sin siste artikkel om korleis protest og opprør spreier seg i ei befolkning.
EU i Midtøsten - hvordan forhindre terrorisme og voldelig ekstremisme?
Hva EU bør gjøre for å stabilisere stater i Midtøsten var hovedtema da forskere fra NUPI og det NUPI-koordinerte prosjektet EUNPACK deltok på MERI Forum 2018.