On the brink of an Arab spring-style conflict: Zimbabwe’s quagmire and policy options
January 2017
The aim of this study is to examine the political and economic challenges facing Zimbabwe in relation to the potential of generating a violent uprising resembling the Arab Spring civil conflicts. Zimbabwe is in a quagmire due to security, political and economic upheavals that have bedeviled the Southern African country since the end of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2013. The government seems to be reluctant...
Authoritarian trends and their continuity in Sri Lankan politics: A study of operationalizing of authoritarianism from 2005 to 2015 Period
January 2017
This study talks about the authoritarian trends and their continuity in Sri Lankan Politics since 2005. Sri Lanka was considered a model Third World Democracy at the initial phase of political independence from colonial rule. However, the country has been converted into a constitutionally established authoritarian type regime through constitution making exercise. This trend was increased in galloping speed with Mahinda...
Military intervention in Africa’s conflicts as a route to peace: Strengths and pitfalls
December 2016
This study seeks to answer a basic question: what are the merits and flaws of military intervention as a tool of conflict management in Africa? It uses a qualitative research approach and draws on existing literature on conflicts and military intervention in Africa. The study argues that military intervention and peacekeeping operations (PKOs) have become the most common approaches to conflict management in Africa....
Domestic sources of international action: Ethiopia and the global war on terrorism
November 2016
Using the concept of ‘strategies of extraversion’ as an analytical framework, this paper argues that governments in the developing world exploit Western concerns about security, especially US anti-terrorism policies, as a domestic policy instrument. The paper focuses on Ethiopia’s 2006 military intervention in Somalia to argue that Ethiopia’s active role in the fight against terrorism is centered...
Party system, its peculiarities and development of political practices in Nigeria
October 2016
This paper attempts a reasoned critique of the applicability of the concept of traditional ‘party system’ vis-à-vis the emergence and peculiar nature of political parties in Nigeria. Focusing on the various theoretical expositions of party systems and its heuristic adaptations across the globe, the paper investigated the historical antecedents of party formation, administration, composition and party...
Analysis of politics in the land tenure system: Experience of successive Ethiopian regimes since 1930
September 2016
This paper reviews the politics of land tenure in the last three regimes in Ethiopia, the Imperial, Derg and the incumbent government. It critically examines the nature and mechanisms of land alienation and related controversial issues carried out in the context of Ethiopian history by national actors. Ethiopian regimes have experienced a strong political debate on the appropriate land tenure policy. Imperial regime...
China’s non-alliance strategy: Facing the XXI century
August 2016
In 1982, China decided to start a non-alliance strategy that was considered to be one of the core policies of China’s Diplomacy. But with the change of leadership in 2013, some debate surrounding this topic has been opened inside and outside China. This study will start by pointing out the innovations and continuities that China’s new leadership has indicated as guidelines in Foreign Policy terms, and what...
The US attempt of supremacy in the twenty first century: Russian and Chinese response
July 2016
This study is about international politics of post-cold war period in which US attempted to become the singular hegemonic power in the international political affairs. The major purpose of the study was to explore the responses of emerging powers in the international political system to US ambition. The article will start with a discussion on elements of US Grand Strategy in its foreign affairs. It has been revealed...
The patterns of state rebuilding and federalism in Somalia
June 2016
Public opinions and evaluations of federal systems are important to the functionality and vitality of those systems. Yet little is known about the general public opinion on whether a federal system of government in Somalia promotes positive political stability, accommodates the interests of different groups and the barriers to transitioning into a federal system whilst being a fragile state. 165 participants...
New constitution-making in Tanzania: An examination of actors’ roles and influence
May 2016
On 9th December, 2011 Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This was later followed by the anniversary on 26th April, 2014 of a diamond jubilee for the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar which led to the birth of the United Republic of Tanzania. During these celebrations, there was what seemed to be the popular view that Tanzania needed a new constitution for the next 50 years. It was on the basis...
The portrayal of Sino-African relations in the Western Media: Who is actually neo-colonializing Africa?
May 2016
The aim of this article is to contribute in a reflexive way to the hot debate about China and Africa relations. The criticisms that China has received for her activities in Africa usually come from western countries that have their own interests in the area. Specifically, as it will be seen, countries like France and the United States have developed a deep military, political, economic and cultural influence in Africa...
Turkey in Kenya and Kenya in Turkey: Alternatives to the East/West paradigm in diplomacy, trade and security
May 2016
Kenya and Turkey are natural partners but also an odd couple. Although both are fledgling democracies with rapidly growing economies and populations, and facing similar security concerns emanating from transnational terrorism, Turkey is a medium-size country while Kenya is a relatively small state. Turkish-Kenyan relations have grown rapidly over the last two decades raising three questions, which this study attempts to...
Disseminating the national reconciliation commission report: A critical step in Ghana’s democratic consolidation
April 2016
Truth and reconciliation commissions (TRCs) as transitional justice and conflict resolution mechanisms, have gained international prominence, especially following South Africa’s much publicised TRC experience. Among other things, TRCs are expected to contribute to democratic consolidation by correcting the historical narrative, acknowledging past human rights violations and fostering a human rights culture in...
Beyond classical peace paradigm: A theoretical argument for a ‘Glocalized Peace and Security’
April 2016
Throughout ages, one of the greatest needs of humans has been a peaceful and secured society devoid of violence. In pursuit of this agenda, different approaches including classical peace paradigm have been employed at different times in the world history. Ironically, these peace and security architectures largely tend to be state centric, where peace and security are construed in terms of military might and states...
The June 10 2015 by-elections: A Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) urban resurgence or a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) win from the terraces?
March 2016
After a Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) victory in the 2013 general elections, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) retained dominance in Zimbabwe’s two major cities, Harare and Bulawayo. The intra-party turmoil in both ZANU PF and the MDC-T that followed the elections resulted in both parties expelling former members. As per Zimbabwean electoral laws,...
Migration and citizenship question in Nigeria: A study of the Berom and Hausa/Fulani conflict in Jos
February 2016
Jos, an ancient city in Northern Nigeria, had been known for its relative tranquility and peace until the manifestation of hostilities and outbreak of violent confrontations, which became particularly monumental in September, 2001 between the Berom “indigenous” ethnic group (the majority), the Anaguta and the Afizare (the minorities) on one hand; and the “migrated or settler”...
Bureaucratic politics and policy development: Issues and challenges
February 2016
The paper examined the institutional interface of politics and administration in the public service in Nigeria; it also assessed the effects of the interface on service efficiency in Nigeria with a view to identifying the benefits or otherwise the interface of politics and administration, and assessed the role of bureaucracy and national development in Nigeria. Secondary data were collected mainly from relevant...
Renewing media and public attention to the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa in the post-2015 development agenda: A reflective perspective
January 2016
Since the emergence of the deadly HIV pandemic over 30 years ago, advocates and stakeholders in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have implemented diverse tactics to generate unprecedented media, public and political attention to the crisis (UNAIDS, 2011a). This paper examines some of the advocacy strategies undertaken to position HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan African and concludes that the pandemic has reached the peak of its...
Democratization and armed conflicts in post-cold war Africa (1989-2012)
December 2015
The coming of the “Third Wave of democratization” to Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s coincided with the dramatic increase of armed conflicts on the continent. The purpose of this study is to revisit the connection between democratization and occurrence of armed conflicts, and to address specifically the following questions: To what extent has Africa been democratized since the end of the...
The importance of India Assistance to Afghanistan: A critical analysis
November 2015
As there is relation between human to human for understanding each other feelings and difficulties in civics life everywhere, there is a relation between state to state for strengthening weak state as well as maintaining friendly relations without bitterness for the society development (Morgenthau, 1973). Since Osama Bin laden terrorist groups attacked WTO organization in US (Rondeaux, 2008), the relationship...
The cost and benefit of Nigeria’s peace mission in Sierra Leone
November 2015
In the 1990s Nigeria has heavily invested huge amount of resources in promoting peace and stability in many African countries, especially its involvement in the conflict-riddled Sierra Leone. These activities have been perceived by many foreign policy experts as misplacement of priorities considering its domestic security challenges that have been neglected for over two decades. For instance, the growing insurgency and...
Sino-Sudan relation: Mutually beneficial or neo-colonialism
October 2015
In this article, Sino-Sudan relation is explored simply, and then the related knowledge of neo-colonialism is put forward. Sino-Sudan relation is analyzed in four aspects according to the related knowledge of neo-colonialism. It is concluded that Sino-Sudan relation is mutually beneficial, not neo-colonialism. Finally, it is suggested China should intervene in Sudan’s internal affairs moderately and take...
India – Iran relations: Prospects and challenges
October 2015
In past few years both India and Iran have been working towards managing its energy and economic cooperation under the shadow of the United States (US) and European Union (EU) sanctions. Despite the tightening of sanctions, India cannot halt the import of crude oil from Iran given its dependence on Iranian oil. Equally important is the regional security dynamics, particularly the developments in Afghanistan in the...
Democracy, plea bargaining and the politics of anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria (1999-2008)
September 2015
This article examines the genuineness of the campaign against corruption in Nigeria by the democratic regime inaugurated in 1999. It underscores the rationale behind the introduction of plea bargaining as a condition for mitigation of criminal offense in Nigeria. The paper argues that the way and manner by which this element entered the country's legal document was itself criminal in nature and lack any known...
North Korea’s nuclear program and the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons: The controversy and its implications
September 2015
This study critically examines the trend in non-compliance of the NPT, its lack of effectiveness in deterrence and consistent behavior both among compliance and noncompliance states to identify what constitutes construes, and at times justifies the trend. That is, based on the established NPT norms, the study inquired to indicate what the decade’s long diplomatic, military and media ramble constitutes in the...
Climate change and feminist environmentalism in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
September 2015
Feminist environmentalist debate explores possible linkages between women and environmental issues such as inequality. One of the most pressing global problem at the centre of this debate is climate change vulnerability. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) creates global policy awareness on the realities of climate change vulnerability, women in the poor coastal regions of the periphery societies...
Healing the ailing old colony (Nigeria)
August 2015
This paper addressed the rationale for the establishment of a state and the institutions of governance and state administration of Nigeria, the old British colony which was annexed in 1861 by the then British Government. It further analysed the social challenges that the old colony has been battling with since independence in 1960 which constitute variety of social ailments for the country and its citizens. Yet, the...
Effects of leadership training and team work on the Nigeria electoral system: A re-examination
August 2015
The paper set out to examine the role leadership and good team work could play in ensuring credible and acceptable conduct of election in Nigeria. Bearing in mind that the previous conduct of elections in Nigeria was questionable as series of legal petitions always greeted Nigeria election results. This obviously is not disconnected with breach of Electoral Act and Constitutional provisions guiding the...
Insurgency and humanitarian crises in Northern Nigeria: The case of Boko Haram
July 2015
Insurgency has become a threat to global peace and security in the 21st century due to the fact that it constitutes the highest contributor to humanitarian crises in the form of rise in human casualties, internally displaced persons, refugee debacles, food insecurity and the spread of various diseases. The paper sets out to analyse the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on humanitarian crises in Northern Nigeria with...
Moving beyond ‘Illiberal Democracy’ in Sub-Saharan Africa: Recalling the significance of local governance
July 2015
The developmental history of today’s liberal democratic states demonstrates a clear parallel between liberal state practice and functioning local government institutions. This simple fact has implications for today’s policymakers interested in the political liberalization of sub-Saharan Africa’s newly declared “democracies.” Yet, among the many debates taking place in...
Environmental policy in the Czech Republic: Synergy cooperation among agencies
July 2015
Environmental issues must be supported by all parties. International, national, and local agencies should manage the environmental issues seriously and consistently. European Union as an international or regional organization in Europe promoted sustainable development to the member states where the Czech Republic announces a policy of the Environmental Policy to invite participation of all relevant institutions and...
Reframing post-Mugabe justice: A critical need for a truth and reconciliation commission
July 2015
This paper interrogates conditions by which deeply divided societies such as Zimbabwe can move forward through a recognition paradigm often used by Truth Commissions (TCs). The study is located within a dispute that troubled societies cannot fully reconcile as long as pre-existing grievances are not addressed. The principal argument is that there have been human rights abuses under President Mugabe’s presidency...
India’s Foreign Policy-Retrospect and prospect
June 2015
A country relation with other countries of the world is known as her external relations. The external relations of a country are based on certain principles and policies. They are collectively called foreign policy. Thus foreign policy is the totality of actions of a state in dealing with external environment consisting of national, international and regional actors. In other words, foreign policy is the sum total of a...
Egypt and "Democracy Dilemma"
June 2015
The principal objective of this paper is to describe and analyze the failure process of democratization in the Egypt after Mubarak regime. The article continues to give an overview over the current situation inside Egypt after the revolution and collects some evidence for a changed relationship between democracy and stability inside the country. In this context, when Mohammad Morsi won the presidential election in June...
The geopolitics and human security of the Afar in the post-cold war period
June 2015
This paper draws attention to the new geopolitical dynamics of the Afar-Horn states in the Post Cold War period with respect to its effects on sub regional human insecurity (among the Afar people) in the Afar-Horn. Contrary to hitherto held assumptions about the nature of conflict in the Horn region as central of inter-state relations, the Post Cold War period has brought the Afar people in three political...
In search of a framework for social discourse: The case of the state and labour formations in a post-colonial emergent Botswana
June 2015
The search for credible and stable democratic systems in post-colonial African countries takes different forms. It would appear however that whatever the modalities may be, the results invariably are not holistically beneficent to the major segments of these societies. Efforts demonstrated appear not only to lead to deferred hopes but also delayed reprioritization of priorities once political liberation has been...
Contribution of Indian leaders to Indian Nationalist Movement: An analytical discussion
June 2015
At present, India is the most growing powerful nation state of the world. Although it came into being in1947, it was a colony of the British Empire. The British had ruled this land for more than 200 years. To become independent it has to go through a long journey. In this long journey it was guided by its great leaders. These leaders gave Indians the tools to become independent that is Nationalist Movement. Hence,...
Oil multinationals and conflicts construction in oil-host communities in the Niger Delta
May 2015
Oil-host communities in the Niger Delta have for over two decades been enmeshed in violent conflicts. These conflicts have resulted in numerous deaths, destruction of properties and entire communities. The proliferation of violent conflicts in the Niger Delta is a departure from the history of social, political and economic relations in the region before and during colonial rule. The paper interrogates the trajectories...
Understanding the content of crimes against humanity: Tracing its historical evolution from the Nuremberg Charter to the Rome Statute
May 2015
The term ‘crimes against humanity’ has been widely used by different people to mean different things. The media has referred the term to include a variety of contemporary political events that they have reported on. The media practitioners and social workers have used the term loosely to refer to situations where the governments or any other people holding power, authority or influence have done any wrong....
Promoting credible elections in developing countries: International development partners and civil society organizations in Nigeria
May 2015
International development agencies are important actors for democracy promotion, especially in developing countries. In this regard, there has been an upsurge of these agencies in Nigeria’s democratization process. This paper examines Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) as one of the initiatives of international development agencies toward promoting democracy in Nigeria. Specifically, the initiative has...
Sheikh Mujibur Rehman: Founder of Bangladesh
May 2015
Charismatic leaders are the gifts and mercy from God. They are torch bearers of knowledge and revolution. Every nation in one way or the other has been and is endowed with leaders and same is the case of Bangladesh nation which was fortunate enough to have a leader like Sheikh Mujibur Rehman who guided them in the times of freedom struggle, and thrusted them into the region which dawned tranquility of mind and...
Contending hegemony and the new security systems in Africa
May 2015
This paper evaluates the new scramble for Africa in the post-cold war era which has largely contributed to the geostrategic reshaping of the continent. Although much like its predecessor, this newfound scramble is based on resource grabbing scarcity that favors dominant powers and discards the hopes and interests of African peoples. The paper deviates, as it should, from the pessimistic outlook that western scholars...
Cultural hegemony and Africa’s development process
April 2015
This work is about cultural hegemony and Africa’s development process. It examines the backwardness associated with the truncation of African cultural modes of development and the unsuccessful adaptation to western systems introduced by colonial powers. Among the Africa’s lost cultural values, as stated in this work, include the African languages for thinking and planning development processes; sense of...
The effect of Somali armed conflict on the East African Sub-Region
April 2015
This paper intends to look at the effects of Somali armed conflict on the East African Sub-region. The objective of this article is to examine the economic and political instability caused by the conflict in Somalia. This paper views economic hardship as one of the primary sources of the Somali armed conflicts. The Somali armed conflict strongly supports the “greed to grievance” assumption. At the level of...
New Public Management (NPM): A dominating paradigm in public sectors
April 2015
New Public Management (NPM) system hasbeen the dominant paradigm inpublic administration theory and practice since 1980s, having its affinity with markets and private sector management as the old administrative model has been under severe criticisms for its inability to deliver goods and services to the people. NPM is depicted as a normative conceptualization totally different in many ways from traditional public...
Democratisation process and governance crisis in contemporary Nigeria: A re-examination
April 2015
The minimalist conception articulated in the advanced democracies of the West, and typified by liberal political theory and thereafter im(ex)ported to Africa hook, lines and sinkers have not produced the desired ‘fruits’. Going by the waves of democratic upheavals in most part of the continent, the kind of procedural, formal or institutional democracy, which stresses political rights, focusing on elections...
Corruption and voting in Senegal: Evidence from experimental and survey research
March 2015
In Senegal, as in other emerging African democracies, political corruption remains rampant. While all experts on Africa acknowledge the profound impact of widespread corruption on politics, there is disagreement on the role corruption plays on average citizens' behavior. Does corruption affect participation in Africa, and if so, does it do so because powerful patrons compel or bribe Africans to vote? Or, are...
The role of small arms and light weapons proliferation in African conflicts
March 2015
Africa is transiting through a trying phase in the history of its evolution as a major world civilization. These trying challenges are characterized by the extremes of hunger, the conditions of massive refugee flow and internally displaced persons occasioned by the gruesome phenomenon of violent conflicts and wars. The paper sets out essentially to establish the connection between the massive flow of small arms and...
The fallacy behind the role of civil society in transitional democracies: The case of Kenyan ethno-political conflicts
March 2015
The belief in the centrality of the role of civil society in democracy promotion should be re-evaluated especially in the context of transitional societies like Kenya. Contrary to the widely held view that Civil society is a platform for citizen engagement with government and other state and non state actors, there is reason to believe that civil society has become an avenue for simmering hatred and the promotion of...
Unemployment and poverty as sources and consequence of insecurity in Nigeria: The Boko Haram insurgency revisited
March 2015
Central to the discussion in this paper is the issue of the crisis of unemployment and extreme poverty prevailing in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region where it is endemic. It is the contention of this paper that contrary to expectations and dreams nourished by many that the country’s abundant resources will help alleviate poverty from among the citizenry, lack of judicious utilization of these resources...
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