Q-Pop: A Musical Expression of Kazakhstan’s National and Global Identity
Q-pop is the latest phenomenon hitting the airwaves in Kazakhstan. The musical genre features infectious pop tunes, tightly choreographed dance routines, and flamboyant fashion trends and make-up. Behind this seemingly
Russian Military Build-up Next to Ukrainian Border: What Do We Know?
In late March, news about major Russian military build-up near Ukrainian border began to emerge in Ukraianian media space. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba later confirmed that Russia has been
China’s Mongolian Language Policy and Implications for International Human Rights
Inner Mongolia, a province located in the northeastern corner of China, has become a battleground for the freedom to express linguistic and cultural identity. The crisis stems from the Chinese
Protests in Russia Over Jailing of Alexei Navalny
Despite freezing temperatures, starting on January 23rd, thousands of Russians have been gathering in different corners of the country in support of the jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The Kremlin’s
Significance of “Power of Siberia” in Russia-China Relations
The strategic partnership between Russia and China is one of the significant axes of contemporary world affairs, where energy cooperation has contributed immensely to the development of bilateral ties. With
What the 2020 Khabarovsk Protests Mean for Russia
In the summer of 2020, Russia was rocked by a series of massive protests in its Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk. The protests rapidly grew into the largest demonstrations in
Cuban Medical Diplomacy Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for the US
Cuba and the US are big players in the field of health diplomacy as they have been at the front in numerous global health crises and natural disasters. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Cuba has sent more than fifty medical teams to twenty countries across the world.
Will Europe’s Last Dictator Stay in Power?
Thousands of people took to the streets in Minsk and at least 30 other Belarusian cities following the presidential election on August 9. According to the country’s Central Election Commission, the incumbent Belarusian President
How Taiwan Flattened the Curve
Taiwan, initially deemed defenseless against the novel coronavirus, is now winning the global fight against the pandemic. Among industrialized countries, Taiwan is a leader in containing the virus’ spread through
Trump vs. Biden: Implications for the U.S.-Russia Relations
The U.S.-Russia relations are arguably at their lowest point since the Cold War. Back in 2016, Donald Trump pledged to improve bilateral relations with Russia, however, little substantial progress has
Russia-China Relations in Times of Global Pandemic
Despite all the negative hype created around their cooperation during the COVID-10 outbreak, Russia and China managed to bounce back together.
Why Going After Former President Petro Poroshenko Is a Bad Idea
Ukraine faces economic crisis, continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and an ongoing war in the Donbas region. The last thing the country needs is more pressure and scrutiny of Ukrainian domestic politics from the West.
Northeast Asia Security Initiative to Bolster U.S. Interests in the Region
BY DONG YON KIM (Op-Ed Contributor) While South Korea fights with Japan over the economy and past history, the Sino-Russian alliance — joined by North Korea — is getting stronger, forming
The Turkish Food Economy is Stalling
BY ELANUR URAL Turkey’s economy is suffering. Consumer inflation is stuck above a 20% rate, and unemployment has increased by over 30% since 2012.[1][2] The Lira dipped down to one-seventh
The Aral Sea and a Reforming Uzbekistan
BY AUSTEN DOWELL While other man-made disasters like the Chernobyl meltdown or the Deepwater Horizon oil spill often command greater name-recognition, the slow death of the Aral Sea is undoubtedly
India’s Balancing Act
BY NICHOLAS FLETCHER India and Russia have enjoyed a relatively amicable relationship since the signing of the 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which was spurred by the US-China
President Trump’s Calls for a “Space Force” Likely to Trigger an Arms Race with Russia
BY SEAN CROWLEY Last week, President Donald J. Trump called for the creation of a sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces – the Space Force. As of now,
China and Russia: A Fractured Friendship
BY NICHOLAS FLETCHER Russia and China have had a stable working relationship for some time now, based on mutual economic needs and a “don’t attack me, I won’t attack you”
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan: Revitalizing Energy Connections
BY AUSTEN DOWELL Neighbors Tajikistan and Uzbekistan seem to be close to reaching an understanding on one of the issues that has most plagued the relationship between these two countries
Canada’s Trade Policy Dilemmas in the Wake of an Increasingly Protectionist America
BY DAVIT SAHAKYAN (Op-Ed Contributor) This week’s G7 summit in Charlevoix, Quebec was less about highlighting the common grounds among the world’s leading nations and more about trying to conceal
The Farhod Hydropower Plant: From Clashes to Cooperation
BY SIDNEY BALABAN A formidable Soviet project, the Farhod Hydropower Plant (HPP), stands immovable on the border of Northern Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, in the Spitamen District of the Sughd Province.
The Competition Over Kasan-Sai Reservoir
BY SIDNEY BALABAN The Kasan-Sai Reservoir is located at the western end of Kyrgyzstan — a little over 3 miles away from the Uzbekistan border — in the Ferghana Valley
Trump’s Asia Trip Was a Muted Success
BY BRANDON WEICHERT Last November marked President Donald J. Trump’s historic trip to Asia. Upon his return, the president decreed that it was the most successful diplomatic trip of any
The Importance of United States’ Arms Sales for Taiwan’s Defense
BY BRIAN BLONDER Relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States have been tense for some time, with the issues of China’s expansionism in the South China
Second Shift Schools: A Viable Mainstay Policy Response?
BY WENDY WILSON The United Nations, through a variety of treaties and conventions like the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), establishes education as a human right that
Tense Skies and Seas: What Chinese Actions Indicate About its Disputes with Japan and Taiwan
BY BRIAN BLONDER China’s military exercise on July 14th in which 6 H-6 bombers flew through the Miyako Strait, a strait very close to Japanese islands through which Chinese military
What Difficulties will ICC Face in Russia-Georgia 2008 War Crimes Investigation?
BY LORETA MATULEVIC In the International Criminal Court’s long history of investigating war crimes, the 2008 five-day Russia-Georgia armed conflict was the first conflict outside of Africa to attract the
How China’s Currency Regime Negatively Impacts the World and What Are the Solutions?
BY KEFEI WU Many scholars around the world have been studying China’s currency regime and have labeled China as a currency manipulator. Tracing its history, the RMB “has seen many
Reflecting on the Six-Day War Fifty Years Later
BY MATTHEW APPEL This past June marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Six-Day War, a watershed moment in Middle Eastern history that altered the regional balance of power and dramatically
Cultural Diplomacy in the Age of European Populism
BY JULIA GABRIEL With populism on the rise across Europe and the globe, there is frequent talk of how to restrain extremism on both the left and the right. Amid
Is China A “Currency Manipulator”?
BY KEFEI WU U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently accused China of manipulating its currency, the Renminbi (RMB), during his presidential campaign and after his inauguration1. Indeed, through manipulating their
Geneva Talks after the 2008 Georgia-Russia War: On the Verge of Collapse?
BY LORETA MATULEVIC Geneva talks began with the 1954 Geneva Conference, which aimed at a peaceful dialogue and communication for conflict settlement and resolution. The initial disputes that spurred the
How will the CPEC Affect the Xinjiang Conflict and Terrorism in China?
BY GAYATHREE DEVI K. T. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Initiative helmed by the People’s Republic of China proposes an array of infrastructure projects that connect the territory of the
Can Donald Trump’s Economic Nationalism be Countered by the Upswing of Economic Liberalism in Europe and Asia?
BY DAVIT SAHAKYAN (Op-Ed Contributor) With America implementing its newly adopted economic nationalism by withdrawing from multilateral agreements as well as imposing new barriers to trade and the UK mired
Political Tensions Risk Stoking Ethnic Tensions in Macedonia
BY WILL HAMMER On May 6, Zoran Zaev, the leader of Macedonia’s Social Democratic Union (SDSM), finally received a mandate to form a new government from President Gjorge Ivanov after
Domestic Politics and Deterrence will Shape the Next Israel-Lebanon War
BY RICK LIPMAN As governments across the Middle East have toppled or been plunged into bitter wars over the last several years, the few that have escaped such fates have
Latin America is the Next Frontier for Iran and Hezbollah
BY RICK LIPMAN The expansion of Iranian influence and Iran’s role as a state sponsor of terrorism are evergreen topics of concern in the U.S. security community, but the Islamic
The International Tension Over THAAD
BY KEFEI WU Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is an affiliated system of the United States’ Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS)1. On July 8, 2016, South Korea and the
Understanding Romania’s Anti-Corruption Protests
BY MATTHEW APPEL Throughout much of post-Communist Europe, the prospect of EU membership and integration has always been a driving force behind political reforms. In the absence of this external
Putin’s Role in the Refugee Crisis
BY JACOB MERKLE Since the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, international institutions in general, and the European Union in particular, have grown in influence. EU countries have
Kurds Between a Rock and a Hard Place
BY STEWART KATO The Kurds are an ethnically distinct people in the Middle East playing a prominent role in pushing back the influence of the Islamic State (IS), but while
Yemeni Detainees: An Obstacle to Closing Guantanamo Bay
BY CASEY MADDEN On January 22, 2009, United States President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13492, calling for the prompt closure of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO).
Syrian Conflict: Cui Bono?
BY STEWART KATO The Syrian Civil War that erupted in March 2011 continues to disrupt the international community as an increasing number of foreign nations become involved including Russia, the
Europe’s Unsettled Southeastern Flank
BY ARMEN V. SAHAKYAN ***This article was originally published by the European Affairs 11/16/2016 at https://goo.gl/N7rjqc On November 13, the Republic of Moldova, a member of the EaP (EU’s Eastern Partnership),
Book Review: “Red Notice”
BY ALEXANDER OSADTA The “Red Notice” is Bill Browder’s personal experience in dealing with Russia. In the early days of his financial career he, like no one, saw big opportunities
Why Demagoguery and Populism are on the Rise Throughout the West
BY BABKEN MATEVOSYAN, PHD From Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen to Hungarian Jobbik Party, Geert Wilders’ Dutch Party for Freedom and UKIP in Great Britain, many of the Western
What to Expect from the Upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw
BY BABKEN MATEVOSYAN, PhD We asked ERA Institute experts what to expect from the upcoming July 8-9 NATO Summit in Warsaw and how it may affect relations with Russia and
The Potential Consequences of Brexit
BY HAIK TER-NERSESYAN “When partners can’t agree Their dealings come to naught And trouble is their labor’s only fruit. Once Crawfish, Swan and Pike Set out to pull a loaded
Good-Bye To All That
BY MICHAEL ZELLER One-hundred years ago this summer the continent of Europe was in the grip of the bloodiest conflagration in centuries. On days like this, when the people of
Russia, a Strong Iran, and the Nuclear Deal
BY MARIYA PAK FEUER On April 17th, during National Army Day celebrations, Iran displayed part of its new S-300 missile defense system. Delivered this year from Russia, the mobile, long-range, missile
Eight Things You Need to Know About Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
BY LAUREN KAO The Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) is a territory under dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan that has recently erupted in fighting after a 20 year truce. During the April 1
Korea: China’s Front Garden
BY VAHE BOGHOSIAN On February 7 North Korea launched a long range rocket to much international criticism. The incident has already begun to cause ripples in global domestic policy, with
The Labour Reshuffle: Auspice of the New Dynamism of British Politics.
BY MICHAEL ZELLER It is a tumultuous time in British politics; intra- and inter-party forces are wreaking havoc on the previously durable ‘two-and-a-half-party system’ of the United Kingdom. The Scottish
Decentralizing Peace in Yemen
BY ADAM SIMPSON (Op-Ed Contributor) This article was originally published by Gulf State Analytics: http://goo.gl/wC33aT The Yemeni crisis is entering a new phase. A conglomeration of forces ostensibly linked to exiled
Where Does Oman and Iran’s Pipeline Leave Saudi Arabia?
BY AKHIL SHAH (Op-Ed Contributor) This article was originally published by Gulf State Analytics: http://goo.gl/2WZKZ6 Recent reports suggest that officials in the Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Republic of
Qatar’s Economic Diversification and the World Cup
BY TAIMUR ALI (Op-Ed Contributor) This article was originally published by Gulf State Analytics: http://goo.gl/xrYYeJ Not long ago Qatar was known merely as a micro-state in the Middle East. Despite the Persian
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Policy Shift and the Threat of Isolation
BY ARMEN V. SAHAKYAN Article was originally published by the European Affairs: http://goo.gl/J4BHEq Over the course of the past 18 months a new foreign policy doctrine has emerged in the Republic of