The US government under President Donald Trump has announced a comprehensive shakeup of the US development aid agency USAID. The talk ranges from restructuring or integration into the State Department to complete closure of the organization. Immediately after the announcement, USAID funding was frozen for an initial 90 days and thousands of employees and contractors worldwide are laid off. With the end of USAID as we know it, a fundamental upheaval in international development cooperation and democracy promotion is imminent.
Kategorie: English
Germany’s Fragmented Approach to Disinformation in 2025 Elections
With elections taking place in less than a month, Germany finds itself faced with a critical challenge: foreign influence and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining democratic processes. As Anne Applebaum warns, authoritarian regimes are no longer passive observers but rather active participants in spreading narratives that target the core ideals of freedom and democracy. In Germany, the government’s fragmented approach to countering disinformation only underscores the urgent—and, given recent developments, long overdue—need for a more proactive strategy for better understanding and addressing disinformation–during elections and beyond them.
Is Lawfare Fair? Russia’s Illegal War and the International System
The search for recognised political legitimacy and legality is integral to states which take part in the international system. As Moscow’s acts of aggression continue in Ukraine, the international community has not been able to end the war, nor appropriately address its illegality. With Russia’s actions strictly going against international law, the use of legal means to lock-in the status quo has been a key part of the Russian war strategy. This blog conceptualises lawfare and contextualises its uses by Russia at the UN level.
The Resurgence of the Pakistani Taliban – Implications for Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations
In December 2024, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban, attacked Pakistani security forces. The Taliban, who have taken refuge in Afghanistan, have been targeting Pakistan from their base in Afghanistan. This incident is part of a series of attacks that have been taking place since 2021, in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Initially, it was expected that the return of the Afghan Taliban would benefit Pakistan’s strategic interests. However, the opposite has happened. This article examines why and how the TTP is catalysing a gradual deterioration of the relationship between the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan (Af-Pak).
Reducing Nuclear Threats: Why Talks on Ending the War in Ukraine Should Include Agreements on Nuclear Risk Reduction
As the new U.S. administration pivots toward negotiating a ceasefire in the Ukraine war, the growing nuclear threat from Russia demands urgent attention. Drawing on Cold War history and negotiation research, this analysis highlights how arms control – formal or informal – can help curb nuclear risks even in the most volatile crises. German and transatlantic policy makers should therefore integrate practical arms control and risk reduction measures into ceasefire discussions to safeguard European security and prevent nuclear escalation.
Rojava Under Pressure After the Fall of Dictator Al-Assad: Turkey and Islamist Allies Threaten the Kurdish Autonomous Region in Syria
After the long-awaited fall of the brutal dictator Bashar Al-Assad on December 8, 2024, through a swift offensive by Islamist rebels, many Syrians initially found hope. However, for the Kurds, this brought a different reality. Turkey and its Islamist allies have been putting immense pressure on the Autonomous Administration. Around 100,000 Kurds have already fled, and a Turkish invasion seems increasingly likely. The dream of democratic self-governance now faces an existential threat.
Sri Lanka’s Voters Shift to the Left: Unpacking the Implications
Presidential elections in the tiny island nation of Sri Lanka in South Asia brought a leftist coalition to power. The elections were held in September 2024. This was followed by parliamentary elections in November 2024. In both contests, the left-leaning candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his political coalition, the National People’s Power, won decisively. This blog will contextualize the economic events that enabled the coalition’s victory and analyse the reasons why this electoral result is of historical significance for Sri Lanka.
Trump, White, Rogan – Männlichkeit, Härte und Faschismus: eine nicht ganz so neue Verbindung toxischer Männlichkeitskultur
Nun ist es Gewissheit: Donald J. Trump wird die USA für eine weitere Amtszeit regieren. Viel wurde in den vergangenen Wochen über Trumps Wahlkampfstrategie diskutiert. Obwohl der Erfolg auf eine Vielzahl von Faktoren zurückzuführen ist, steht fest: Trump hat mit enormen Mobilisierungsaufwand die spezifische Zielgruppe junger Männer adressiert. Die Auftritte fanden häufig über sogenannte Alternativmedien in einem maskulinen, heterosexuellen und gewaltaffinen Umfeld mit rechtsoffenen bis rechtsextremen Persönlichkeiten statt. Dies gilt es ernst zu nehmen und in einem multifaktoriellen Kontext zu analysieren.
Moving in the Rights’ Direction? An Assessment of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime
Four years ago, on December 7, 2020, the European Union (EU) adopted its Global Human Rights Sanction Regime (EUGHRSR), which has been applauded as a milestone in the field of human rights promotion and protection. December 10, the UN’s global Human Rights Day, is a suitable occasion to put both the EUGHRSR and its performance to date to scrutiny.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The UN Cybercrime Convention
In December 2024, UN members will vote on a worldwide Cybercrime Convention negotiated since 2019. While the convention is problematic, this Spotlight shows why a conditional acceptance nonetheless seems the best way forward. For this purpose, we first present the different meanings of cybercrime and outline the existing regulatory framework. We then examine the UN negotiations and the possible human rights implications of the convention, showing that it reflects the contestation of human rights norms and a growing division in the UN, yet supporting the convention at this point also enables long-term influence on its implementation.
.jpg){kind=link}
