Tag Archives: International Relations

What would Israel’s economy have looked like without the Palestinian Intifadas? Scholars have long debated the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Israel’s economy. Some point to Israel’s long-term growth trajectory and conclude the conflict has little or no impact on Israel’s economy, while others argue the conflict has a ...

Climate change is one of the most debated issues of the 21st century. The debate is multifaceted, as it ranges from whether the phenomenon should constitute a top international concern to how information on greenhouse gases should be locally collected. Little is know, however, about which issues are most systematically ...

There is no doubting the single-minded determination of Australia’s Liberal government to be seen as the party of national security. Amidst the distinctive atmospherics of an approaching election, the past few months have witnessed Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his ministers, following in the footsteps of the government of the ...

Is it possible that Bashar al-Assad is simply just crazy? Of course, it is always more likely than not that a political leader is in fact rational – even for the likes of Kim Jong-un, Muammar Gaddafi, and Saddam Hussein. But can we always be 100% certain that a given policymaker is rational? The odds that he or she is crazy may be low – like 5%, 1% or even a tenth of a percent – but they are not 0% for every leader.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has often adopted resolutions to authorise the American use of force. What do these resolutions communicate to the wider public overseas? Will they increase levels of support for US military action? A survey study [link to article] we have conducted in Japan finds not only that UNSC resolutions increase levels of support, but also that resolutions which failed due to a Chinese or Russian veto will still secure high levels of support for the use of force. If a draft resolution is withdrawn, however, or the US gives up on diplomacy, then public support falls. Foreign public opinion gives an ‘A’ for diplomatic effort when the US at least tries to pass a resolution; self-withdrawal is the worst case for the US.

Regions, cities, and other subnational policymakers can constrain or empower their national governments in international climate negotiations.