Abstract: This article unpacks the puzzle of Russia's seemingly growing influence in the Global South despite the wide-ranging constraints imposed by Western sanctions. Since 2022, Moscow has sought to counter Western attempts to isolate Russia by dramatically shifting its engagement priorities from the West to the Global South. Yet, the case of Kenya and other recent developments indicate that many Global South states choose to work with Russia not because of ideological affinity but out of pragmatic necessity. This article shows how the growing concerns over Western reliability, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and political volatility in the United States and Europe, have driven subaltern states to leverage pragmatic arrangements with Moscow to mitigate the risk of potential Western disengagement.
Abstract: This paper considers how environmental security can be reconceptualized through the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus to account for the complexities and fluidity associated with the Tonle Sap Lake, a critical ecosystem in Cambodia. Its ecological productivity, as one of the world's largest inland fisheries, is closely tied to the flood pulse of the transboundary Mekong River. Dominant understandings of environmental security are often viewed through the lens of state actors. However, the notion of water wars or conflict does not encapsulate the nuances of how water, food, energy, ecological, and human security intersect in a fluid waterscape like the Tonle Sap Lake. Thus, this paper argues for a bottom-up conceptualization of environmental security to address vulnerable populations, with the Tonle Sap Lake as an ecological, social, and economic safety net for millions. This involves putting the ecological health of the river and human security at the forefront of environmental security, addressing power dynamics that drive environmental change, and adopting a multi-scalar and transboundary approach to addressing these challenges. In considering what makes the lake's inhabitants feel secure, it is also necessary to recognize the fluidity associated with life in tandem with a flood pulse and to move away from static notions of what environmental security might entail.
Abstract: Humanity is entering a new era of space exploration, driven by government agencies, private corporations, and international cooperation. While the space economy is rapidly expanding, concerns about a potential Space Race 2.0 are growing, particularly amid U.S.-China tensions and increasing military activity in space. However, historical lessons from the 1960s Space Race suggest that cooperation has always played a crucial role in space endeavors. Despite military competition, space remains largely a domain of peaceful collaboration, as seen in international partnerships like the Artemis program and the International Space Station. To prevent space from becoming a battleground, policymakers should avoid militarized rhetoric, expand diplomatic engagement, particularly with China, and establish clearer regulations for commercial space actors. Maintaining space as a cooperative frontier will ensure continued progress and the peaceful exploration of the cosmos.
Abstract: This article examines the enduring influence of Jair Bolsonaro's ideology and policies on Indigenous rights in Brazil, even after his 2022 electoral defeat and the subsequent presidency of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Central to the discussion is the controversial "timeframe thesis," a legislative mechanism that restricts the demarcation of Indigenous lands to those occupied or under litigation prior to the enactment of Brazil's 1988 Constitution. The article examines how bolsonarismo continues to impact Indigenous populations by empowering anti-Indigenous agendas and perpetuating biopolitical and necropolitical control over Native lives and lands—a legacy that dates to the colonial period. As a result, the current legislative climate threatens Indigenous wellbeing and environmental stewardship while undermining broader democratic processes. To address this crisis, the paper advocates for a coordinated international response to raise awareness among policymakers and the public of the critical connections between Indigenous rights, consumer behavior, and global environmental futures.
Abstract: Systematic analyses of transboundary water relations in the Euphrates-Tigris basin reveal that key riparian states—Türkiye, Syria, and Iraq—favor water diplomacy over conflict. Despite political instability, including the Syrian civil war, Türkiye and Iraq have re-engaged in formal and informal water diplomacy mechanisms. This paper argues that water diplomacy in this region will likely continue to adapt to the evolving dynamics of conflict impacting transboundary water relations. Notably, cooperation on water issues between Türkiye and Iraq is closely linked with their security collaboration, whose success will likely depend on socioeconomic developments that support fair and sustainable water use across the region. The paper further emphasizes the need to prioritize the swift implementation of existing agreements that address future water availability and demand, particularly in the context of climate change.
Abstract: This article argues that the United States has not lived up to its commitments to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda by not protecting women's rights nor including women in ceasefire negotiations with regard to the war in Gaza. Framing the assessment of US policy against the key tenets of the WPS Agenda, the article first documents the realities on the ground for Palestinian women vis-a-vis safety, health, and wellbeing. Then, it discusses instances of conflict-related sexual violence, including but not limited to technology-facilitated gender-based violence in the form of image-based abuse and sexual violence against both women and men. Finally, the article provides recommendations for the current and future US administrations to implement in peace negotiations and postwar planning. Without meaningfully living up to their WPS commitments, the United States can potentially lose its regional and global legitimacy further.
Abstract: Liberal humanitarianism has achieved much but is poorly equipped for contemporary challenges of politicized famine and multi-causal societal catastrophe. Its strengths and limitations are illustrated by the evolving political and societal nature of mass starvation. This essay examines the emerging field of plural forms of post-liberal humanitarianisms that seek to preserve past achievements and core values while rising to the challenge of alleviating famines in the twenty-first century.
Abstract: Transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) require the complicity of states to flourish. Nowhere is this as true as in Venezuela, where the state offers protection for TCOs, fosters the development and transnationalization of organized criminal groups such as Tren de Aragua, and has even turned itself into an organized criminal enterprise as it engages in illicit activities to finance its regime. Due to their embeddedness in the state, fighting TCOs is therefore a difficult task. Among other things, it requires states to exhibit sufficient motivation and resolve, coercive and legal capacity, and the willingness to coordinate internationally.
Abstract: We live in an era defined by numerous grand challenges, ranging from geopolitical tensions to climate change. Discussions on these issues, along with their associated risks and solutions, are predominantly framed at the national or regional level, emphasizing administrative and governance responses rather than global flourishing. Within these frameworks, the role of diasporas is often overlooked or narrowly instrumentalized for national, political, and economic agendas. Such partial framing risks problematic outcomes, including reinforcing ethnic othering through securitization debates or reducing diasporas to mere drivers of economic growth. This article reexamines discussions on diaspora, arguing that addressing global transboundary challenges requires reshaping the discourse to recognize diasporas as dynamic agents of change. Specifically, this article explores how diasporas can contribute to transnational sustainable development and post-conflict recovery, concluding with policy recommendations for the international community and states on effectively integrating diasporas into global governance frameworks.
Abstract: Focusing on the construction of the Train Maya and the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, this essay analyzes how AMLO's populist governance style paved the way for megaprojects that will change the face of southern Mexico. With these large-scale infrastructure projects, AMLO has sought to deliver development and prosperity to a historically marginalized and impoverished Mexican region. However, despite the evident economic benefits that the Train Maya and the Interoceanic Corridor will bring, the socio-environmental and political consequences must not be overlooked. This article suggests potential pathways for redeeming environmental harm and protecting Indigenous communities affected by the linkage between populism and extractivism in Mexico.
Abstract: This article examines how the South Korean government has utilized its popular culture to strengthen its soft power, how this relates to its longstanding tradition of instrumentalizing culture, and how such an approach can be understood in neighboring countries. As long as culture is understood as a significant political instrument for foreign governments and citizens, excessive use of culture to increase its political presence in other countries may provoke backlash. This article suggests that countries should exercise caution when using culture to promote international awareness, seeking mutually beneficial cultural exchanges through public institutions instead of viewing culture as a means of influencing the country's political and economic presence abroad.
Abstract: In an interview with GJIA, Rorry Daniels, Managing Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), discusses how China's geopolitical goals are rooted in domestic stability and a desire for a multipolar world. She highlights Beijing's strategic neutrality in global conflicts and its preference for working with like-minded countries. On Taiwan, Ms. Daniels stresses the mismatch between U.S. tactical management and China's view of the issue as deeply political, warning this gap could escalate tensions.
Abstract: Technological advancements have facilitated the expansion of affordable desalination in many regions of the world. In the arid countries of the Middle East, desalination has been perceived as a quick fix for the rising water demands of the region's growing populations and economies. This paper analyzes the impacts of the rise of desalination on interstate cooperation and competition in the Middle East. With the increased attractiveness of seawater desalination, governments are relying more on desalination in order to ease external pressures on freshwater resources and depoliticize water issues. Considering the environmental impacts of desalination and the risks facing large-scale infrastructure, desalination will require more cooperation over shared water bodies. It is also a key resource within political agendas aiming to reshape the regional economy of the Middle East based on industrial cooperation and sustainable technologies.
Abstract: This article seeks to explain why state capture takes hold and endures in so many democracies around the world. It argues that, in addition to formally re-purposing institutions, captor groups use strategically divisive narratives (SDNs) to accelerate state capture and render accountability mechanisms ineffective. Like state capture itself, these narratives have long-lasting effects that hinder processes of recovery.
Abstract: GJIA sat down with George Melashvili, President of the Europe-Georgia Institute, a prominent civil society organization, to talk about the current state of and prospects for democracy in his country, Georgia. Melashvili touches on Georgia's ongoing constitutional crisis, galvanizing popular action, internal and external Russian threats to democracy, and the country's future with the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Abstract: Cloud computing is a worldwide subscription-based method for providing hundreds of millions of consumers with computing services. However, U.S. cloud providers are systematically stripping consumers of the right to any remedy when providers' substandard security measures allow for cybercriminals to compromise consumers' personally identifiable data. This article calls for a proposed UN Convention on Consumer Rights in Cloud Computing, which would make cloud computing providers' duties to secure personal data non-disclaimable. This proposed UN Convention is modeled on the Brussels I Regulation (Recast) governing jurisdiction and the Unfair Contract Terms Directive of the European Union (EU), which creates mandatory non-disclaimable rights in consumer transactions. Consumers of cloud computing services in Convention Signatory States and parties to the Convention will have a minimum adequate remedy against providers that currently utilize one-sided clauses that eliminate warranties, cap damages, and require consumers to arbitrate claims in a distant forum. The UN Convention would address abuses of power by cloud providers that compromise or misappropriate consumer data in Contracting States.
Abstract: In this interview, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs and Distinguished Fellow with the Atlantic Council R. Clarke Cooper offers strategic insights into global security amid shifting geopolitical tensions. Mr. Cooper reflects on the evolving significance of the Abraham Accords, highlighting their economic and security potential, particularly in relation to Iran's regional influence. He also examines the limitations of conventional military approaches against non-state actors and outlines how U.S. Special Operations Command structures adapt to asymmetric threats. Turning to NATO, he emphasizes the importance of U.S. leadership in maintaining alliance cohesion and interoperability. The conversation also explores challenges facing the U.S. defense industry, including rising global competition and the need for modernization. Finally, Mr. Cooper identifies China as a long-term strategic concern, urging greater supply chain resilience and sustained interagency coordination. His remarks underscore the need for pragmatic, forward-looking policy to navigate an increasingly changing global security environment.
