Europe And Separatism: First Crimea, Now Venice. Will Scotland And Catalonia Also Vote For Independence?

The recent referendum in Crimea and the subsequent annexation of the peninsula by Russia has captured much of world’s attention of late. It has also ignited discussions about secessionism in Europe, which is quite relevant ...
by John Haltiwanger
0

 
 
International Political Forum

Central Asia’s Rulers View Turkish “Soap Power” With Suspicion

Back when the post-Soviet states of Central Asia gained independence, there was much talk of Pan-Turkism, a word that had been largely forgotten during seven decades of  communism and Russian linguistic influence. The idea th...
by Kanykei Tursunbaeva
0

 
 

Why The Russian, Nigerian And British Governments Are Acting Like Big Bullies

One story that has emerged in the “weird news” sections of many online news outlets over the past few days is the news that a Nigerian woman disowned her cat for displaying ‘homosexual tendencies’. The woman from Lafi...
by Michael Osiyale
0

 

 
International Political Forum

Crooks, Thieves, & the Independent Mayors Who Run Russia

The mayor of Yaroslavl and several of his colleagues will spend the next two months behind bars on extortion charges. Evgeny Urlashov, a former United Russia member who ran as an opposition-friendly independent, won the mayorâ€...
by Global Voices
0

 
 

A Fistful of Bloggers: Russian MP Pressured to Resign

It’s not often that Russian anti-corruption activists can boast about their results. This week is one of those times. On February 12, 2013, head of RossPil and Coordinating Council of the Opposition member, Alexey Navalny...
by Global Voices
0

 
 
International Political Forum

Dissecting The Dead In Odessa

Several dozen people burned to death late last week in Odessa, when violence between different political factions led to a fire in a heavily occupied building. Afterwards, witnesses uploaded to the Internet hundreds of differ...
by Kevin Rothrock
0

 

 
International Political Forum

Germany’s Foreign Policy: Ever cautious?

The 17th of December saw the installation of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and her coalition cabinet following the longest entre-en scene of government in German history. Despite the prolonged negotiations, foreign poli...
by Leonard Schuette
0

 
 

It is time to end World War II: Russia, Japan, and the Occupied Islands

August 9, 1945. The day the “Fat Man” atomic bomb destroyed Nagasaki, and the day that – keeping his promise to the Allies – Stalin entered the war against Japan, creating a territorial dispute lasting to this day. Sovi...
by Jeroen Gelsing
0