Archive
December 2020
Does It Matter That the New OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Is From Kazakhstan?
By Ana-Maria Anghelescu
In early December a Kazakh diplomat secured a top position in the OSCE -- but does it matter?
Australia-China Economic and Trade Relations Are Heading for a Hard Reset
By Chan Kung and He Jun
Amid worsening geopolitical tensions, the economic relationship will never be the same again. What will the new normal look like?
How the US Can Mediate the Japan-South Korea Dispute
By Xuan Dung Phan
The Biden administration must avoid the fundamental flaw of previous reparations arrangements: prioritizing state interests over victims’ concerns.
‘Love Jihad’ and the Crafting of a Bigoted Law in India
By Rahul Machaiah
A new law in Uttar Pradesh seeks to create onerous burdens on inter-faith marriages. It is bound to have long-term negative repercussions.
Counterterrorism or Counterinsurgency? Biden’s Coming Afghanistan Dilemma
By Carlo J.V. Caro
History bears witness to the challenges both strategies face in Afghanistan.
Eight Years, and Still No Answers on Lao Activist’s Disappearance
By Sebastian Strangio
Sombath Somphone's 2012 abduction heralded an alarming trend of "disappearances" in mainland Southeast Asian countries.
The Internet as Battleground in Thailand’s COVID-19 Tinderbox Moment
By Colleen Scribner
Online tools have been invaluable for Thailand's pro-democracy movement – but the government is cracking down.
FinTech and the Risks of Terrorist Financing in Indonesia
By Federica Russo
New financial technologies hold out great benefits to developing nations, but they also come with considerable risks.
Philippine Drug War Case Inches Forward at the ICC
By Sebastian Strangio
But many obstacles lie in the way of international accountability for President Duterte's bloody "war on drugs."
What’s in the New Indonesia-SpaceX Chatter?
By Prashanth Parameswaran
A call between Musk and President Joko Widodo followed earlier talks about the potential production of lithium batteries in Indonesia.
China’s Space Program Suggests Decoupling Won’t Work Like the US Hopes
By Brantly Womack
The U.S. has long frozen China out of space cooperation. That hasn’t stopped China from making substantial progress.
How Latin America Can Make the Most of the US-China Competition
By Paola Zuleta
As a theater for great power confrontation, Latin American states can leverage influence and shape relations with both powers.