Kansai Gaidai University, Osaka, Japan
Obstacles and Opportunities on the Long Road to Peace in Afghanistan
The long 19-year war in Afghanistan has been costly, both in human and financial terms. Since the United Nations began tracking Afghan casualties in 2009, more than 100,000 Afghans have been killed. U.S. military casualties…
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Adapting to Hong Kong’s grim reality
Hong Kong residents are scrambling to pick up the pieces after the implementation of the draconian national security law of 30 June 2020. As China’s new Iron Curtain descended around Hong Kong, pro-democracy activists either…
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For Thai protestors, even the dying embers of a regime can be dangerous
More than 100,000 people demonstrated on the open field at Sanam Luang, in front of Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace in Bangkok over the weekend, defying the military-backed government of Prayuth Chan-o-cha and…
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The UN at 75 years; Africa and the strained relationship
Africa’s relationship with the United Nations began in 1960, when 15 African countries gained independence and 17 became UN member states. In an effort to remove the stain of Western colonialism, the UN embarked on…
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At 75, is the United Nations still relevant or necessary?
On September 21, the United Nations will celebrate its 75th birthday. Founded in 1945 after 50 countries met in San Francisco to draw up the UN Charter, it was conceived as an international institution that…
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What’s Behind the Recent Arrests of Cambodian Activists?
A string of recent arrests of activists by Cambodian authorities has human rights groups and the United Nations calling for restraint and the right to free expression. The conviction of a former official in the…
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India-Japan ties post-Abe: Will the bonds remain strong?
The sudden resignation of Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving Prime Minister of Japan, due to health reasons could impact Japan’s relations with some countries unpredictably. Abe had not only nurtured Japan’s new-age policy with nuanced revisionism…
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Why Are Thais Criticizing Their Monarchy Now?
After a long silence, Thailand’s pro-democracy opposition has returned. Although not clad in red nor do they share allegiances to ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, they have taken aim at Thailand’s ruling power structures.…
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Another Coup d’Etat? Prayut Heard It Through the Grapevine
Angry student protesters marching in the streets of Bangkok and whispers of discontent among Thailand’s ruling elite, have rattled Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Thai Prime Minister and leader of the May 2014 putsch that elevated him into…
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A Little Bit of History Repeating? Thai Students and Revolution
A series of events have unsettled both Thailand’s youth and its ruling class. First, Thai Prime Minister and 2014 coup d’état leader Prayuth Chan-o-cha employed an array of authoritarian interventions to ensure his 2019 re-election.…
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