tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58777916596450395262011-10-11T11:40:36.461+01:00LSE IDEASLSE IDEAS is a centre for the study of international affairs, diplomacy and grand strategy. Its mission is to use LSE's vast intellectual resources to help train skilled and open-minded leaders and to study international affairs through world-class scholarship and engagement with practitioners and decision-makers.Nick Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12801901700282032998noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-56266775893786725862011-02-22T10:33:00.000Z2011-02-22T10:33:32.727Z2011-02-22T10:33:32.727ZLSE IDEAS Blog Has MovedLSE IDEAS's blog can now be found at http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/ideas/
LSE IDEAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104894917764561585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-7827344227288725402011-02-15T11:39:00.004Z2011-02-15T11:50:40.025Z2011-02-15T11:50:40.025ZYemen: Why a Regional Approach?By Nima Khorrami<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-45069793974824000942011-02-15T11:19:00.003Z2011-02-15T11:29:56.356Z2011-02-15T11:29:56.356ZYemen’s Reluctant Insurrection<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-60227770888342514142011-02-15T11:00:00.003Z2011-02-15T11:12:44.094Z2011-02-15T11:12:44.094ZThe Middle East after Mubarak: Government Reactions and the International Community<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-19111670179056496022011-02-07T15:20:00.001Z2011-02-08T00:14:32.787Z2011-02-08T00:14:32.787ZEgypt: The protests in historical contextBy Guy Burton<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-11788412776175579422011-02-07T15:11:00.002Z2011-02-07T15:20:09.462Z2011-02-07T15:20:09.462ZEgypt Needs Mubarak for the Sake of DemocracyBy Nima Khorrami<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-87841007876319167512011-02-07T15:00:00.003Z2011-02-07T15:11:30.510Z2011-02-07T15:11:30.510ZThe Politics of Fearlessness: Egypt’s Second January UprisingBy Andrea Teti<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-3202063097046109552011-02-07T14:54:00.004Z2011-02-07T14:59:54.857Z2011-02-07T14:59:54.857ZThe Changing Middle East and Islamism<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-21093405567618488772011-01-31T12:55:00.006Z2011-01-31T13:02:32.918Z2011-01-31T13:02:32.918ZPart.2: What does it mean to be an Arab leftist today?By Maher Sharif (with introduction and translation by Neil Ketchley)<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-36932845671900644912011-01-31T12:26:00.003Z2011-01-31T12:32:27.466Z2011-01-31T12:32:27.466ZBridging the Gap to a Two-State SolutionBy Robert Mason<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-16772969714164973382011-01-31T12:07:00.003Z2011-01-31T12:19:42.420Z2011-01-31T12:19:42.420ZPoor Obama!<!--[if gte mso 9]> 72 1024x768 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE AR-SA <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-33386626231048270042011-01-24T10:34:00.001Z2011-01-26T15:35:00.287Z2011-01-26T15:35:00.287ZAn Emperor Without Clothes: Wikileaks and the Limits of American Power
Two months into the public disclosure of US diplomatic cables by Wikileaks, what has been their impact? Although at this point only about 10% of over 250,000 leaked cables are available to the public, the widespread reporting on their content in the media, in particular by those outlets with access to the cables in advance, allows spending some thoughts on this question. Specifically, we shouldLSE IDEAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104894917764561585noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-69014191958363075762011-01-24T10:14:00.003Z2011-01-24T10:22:08.339Z2011-01-24T10:22:08.339ZWhat Tunisia tells us about Western conceptions of “corruption”By Hannes BaumannPrior to the fall of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisian economic management received gushing reviews. The IMF and World Bank praised Ben Ali’s liberalising policies since 1987. The economy, manufacturing, and living standards all grew faster than in other non-oil Arab states. Tunisia’s “competent leadership” and its low level of corruption were seen as major causes of Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-52372218318475018492011-01-24T10:12:00.003Z2011-01-24T10:14:40.252Z2011-01-24T10:14:40.252ZTunisia: A break with the past or a return to business as usual?By Guy BurtonHere in Ramallah it has been hard to ignore recent events in Tunisia. The flight of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years of power and more than a month of protests against his regime reflect similar sources of frustration at poor living standards and human rights abuses across the region. But can the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ (an inevitable moniker placed on any Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-43960293540876863852011-01-24T10:08:00.003Z2011-01-24T10:11:34.601Z2011-01-24T10:11:34.601ZThe Dictator is Dead, God Save the Dictator!By Afshin ShahiI visited Tunisia a few days after the presidential election in October 2009. Then, the former President Ben Ali was just re-elected for a fifth term with an 89% share of the vote. During my short stay in Tunis the capital was hosting many “celebrations” run by the state. The drumming echo of the musical bands could be heard from the distance. The streets were decorated with flagsSilvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-7072554008446091932011-01-17T15:34:00.000Z2011-01-17T15:34:54.009Z2011-01-17T15:34:54.009ZElite Politics Under the Spotlight: Whither Thailand (again)?Less than a week ago on 13th January, we met to take stock of politics in Thailand ahead of the general election in an event co-sponsored by LSE IDEAS and the Pacific-Asia Specialist Group of the UK Political Studies Association. Controversy – of which Thailand has seen much in recent years – attracts and the event was well attended by a mixed academic and policy audience. Leading Thai LSE IDEAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104894917764561585noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-15923720387950200242011-01-17T10:32:00.002Z2011-01-17T10:40:14.172Z2011-01-17T10:40:14.172ZSaleh's Opportunism Renders US Counterterrorism Efforts IneffectiveBy Nima KhorramiYemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, faces a number of fundamental social, political and economic challenges. Oil revenue currently represents 70% of the state budget and supports Yemen’s patronage system. However, reserves are estimated to run out within the next ten years. Water resources are diminishing rapidly and a water crisis is imminent. At the same time, tensionSilvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-27351578751990922842011-01-11T08:48:00.005Z2011-01-11T08:55:22.981Z2011-01-11T08:55:22.981ZWhat does it mean to be an Arab leftist today?Maher Sharif (with introduction and translation by Neil Ketchley)The ‘Global 1989’ as event (and LSE IDEAS research project) remains a critical point of disjuncture in our understanding of contemporary politics. This post will form part of a series of pieces looking at the trajectory of the Arabic Left, post-1989. Based on interviews and works conducted and published in Arabic, it looks to Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-52111551336717739242010-12-20T06:33:00.006Z2010-12-20T06:46:38.460Z2010-12-20T06:46:38.460ZIsolated: The West or Iran?By Maaike Warnaar Western policy makers should be better aware of what their actions mean in the context of Iran’s political discourse. If they were, they would realise that much of their current policies are counterproductive. Though intended to isolate Iran, their measures contribute to Iran’s message of resistance against the West. With their policies on Iran Western governments are not Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-4226726932212597262010-12-16T20:44:00.008Z2010-12-16T21:03:14.669Z2010-12-16T21:03:14.669ZWikileaks: how Web Technologies are changing the game for Freedom of Information.A true information and political earthquake resulted from the collision of the two great plates of internet freedom and US diplomacy. The epicenter? Wikileaks, a well known website led by Julian Assange since 2006 that encourages online whistle-blowing with the guarantee to keep the source a secret. Coming from Chile, it is difficult for me not to think about earthquakes when describing such a Chloë Pietershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358297146973320246noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-82186753151630268022010-12-16T11:33:00.000Z2010-12-16T11:33:26.726Z2010-12-16T11:33:26.726ZNational Intelligence Estimate Reaffirms Pakistan’s Role in Defeating Taliban
The latest National Intelligence Estimates (NIE) for Afghanistan and Pakistan report what most analysts of the region and the wars there already know: the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan won’t work unless the Pakistani government and military rounds up its Taliban allies and breaks the back of the various groups that constitute the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The New York Times LSE IDEAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104894917764561585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-16657891598167007782010-12-13T15:29:00.005Z2010-12-13T15:43:42.133Z2010-12-13T15:43:42.133ZElection time in Egypt: a Rehearsal for the Big ShowBy Yaniv VollerThe recent election campaign for the Egyptian People’s Assembly turns the limelight once again to this key regional actor. The elections themselves saw a predictable landslide victory for President Husni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP) – including in some areas considered to be strongholds of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and other Islamist opposition groups. The elections Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-16740269721896654932010-12-08T13:43:00.000Z2010-12-08T13:43:54.338Z2010-12-08T13:43:54.338ZThe lack of substance behind Brazil's and Argentina's recognition of Palestinian independence
By Guy Burton
Brazilian flags have been highly visible on Ramallah streets over the past few days, almost as much as in June and before the country crashed out of the World Cup. Their presence has much to do with public sentiment in the West Bank this week and following Brazil’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state within the 1967 Green Line. Brasilia’s announcement was followed by Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17854839236434857958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-62478757618675132102010-12-06T18:44:00.004Z2010-12-06T19:01:42.948Z2010-12-06T19:01:42.948ZDynamics between Hezbollah and the Special Tribunal for LebanonBy Filippo DionigiAlthough the main threat to Lebanese stability over the last months was the possibility of an Israeli attack, Lebanon is now dealing with internal tensions in connection to the indictment of Hezbollah members by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).The tribunal, in charge of investigating the killing of Rafiq al-Hariri in 2005, initially focused on the involvement of the Silvia Penevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866927167411390992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5877791659645039526.post-58433100290203502772010-12-06T11:48:00.001Z2010-12-06T11:48:52.246Z2010-12-06T11:48:52.246ZWikileaks, Blood Ties, and the Special Relationship: "America is the essential power"
It was inevitable that Julian Assange's wikileaks would give unwelcome publicity to the enduring and unequal relationship between Britain and the United States. The Guardian newspaper, under the headline "Tories promised to run a 'pro-American regime'" has exposed the Coalition government of Cameron and Clegg once again. While during the election campaign both leaders were proclaiming their "LSE IDEAShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06104894917764561585noreply@blogger.com1