China – CESRAN International

The ‘Beijing Consensus’ & Prospects for Democratic Development in China and Beyond

CESRAN Int.29 October 201729 October 2017

Whether China liberalises politically, as the original ‘Asian Tigers’ did, or maintains its authoritarian approach is an issue with theoretical and practical implications that resonate well beyond China’s own immediate...

Americas China and Neighbourhood

North Korea, the US and the Status Quo

CESRAN Int.20 February 201720 February 2017

In the age of “fake news” and President Donald Trump claiming that Sweden was riddled with terror attacks which of course never took place, and of perpetual corporate and state-media...

CESRAN Blog

Is the G20 the Real Security Council?

CESRAN Int.7 September 20167 September 2016

Is the G20 the real Security Council? Over the past two days the heads of state and government of the G20 (Group of Twenty) top world economies met in Hangzhou...

CESRAN Blog

Decline and Fall 2016?

CESRAN Int.11 August 201611 August 2016

“In the end, more than freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all – security, comfort, and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not...

China and Neighbourhood

China and Taiwan – Apocalypse Now?

CESRAN Int.21 May 201621 May 2016

The Presidency of Tsai Ing-wen, which begins officially following her inauguration on 20 May, promises even more “interesting times” in relations across the Taiwan Strait, writes John West. Tsai Ing-wen...

China and Neighbourhood

Integrating China’s New Silk Road and the Eurasian Economic Union

CESRAN Int.19 May 201619 May 2016

In a recent article Russia's reputed periodical Expert Online suggests China is pushing Russia to link its Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) project with China's plans for the New Silk Road...

CESRAN Blog Energy & Environment

If We Are not Going to Burn Coal is There Another Reason to Mine It?

CESRAN Int.21 February 2016

According to a team of researchers from Penn State University, there are rare-earth elements to be found in coal seams. This has been known for awhile but extracting them was...

CESRAN Blog Defense & Security

Repairing the Policy-Making Processes of the United States: The First Step in Improving Its Defense

CESRAN Int.13 February 2016

Former US Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Robert Gates explained on the January 21, 2016 Business Insider website that our military’s biggest weakness is sequestration, compounded by unpredictability in the...

Americas Defense & Security

Paris Bombing (13 November 2015) and Western “Terrorism” Policy

CESRAN Int.14 November 201514 November 2015

The bombing that took place in Paris with many casualties was a human tragedy and a political disaster for Western anti-terrorism policy. A day before ISIS suicide bombers in Paris,...

CESRAN Blog China and Neighbourhood Michael Roberts

China: A Weird Beast

CESRAN Int.22 September 2015

In the light of all the controversy over whether the Chinese economy was about to collapse or suffer such a ‘hard landing’ that it would spill over into causing a...

Americas CESRAN Blog

21st Century Challenges to American Democracy: Part 3

CESRAN Int.6 May 20156 May 2015

“Consumption Democracy” Consumption values are at the core of contemporary American culture. The mass media, businesses and politicians equate such values with freedom and democracy. The social contract as the...

Americas CESRAN Blog

21st Century Challenges to American Democracy: Part 2

CESRAN Int.6 May 20156 May 2015

Rising Public Debt, Dwindling Democracy. Conservatives attribute the rising public debt to government spending on costly entitlement and social programs. They conclude that deficit financing for entitlement and social programs...

Americas CESRAN Blog

21st Century Challenges to American Democracy: Part 1

CESRAN Int.6 May 20156 May 2015

Abstract: It requires several hundred pages to address the complex subject of challenges to American democracy in the post-Cold War era of a global multi-polar economic and political power structure....

CESRAN Blog Russia and Eurasia

Russian Foreign Policy under Dmitry Medvedev’s Presidency (2008-2012)

CESRAN Int.29 April 20154 May 2015

Summary Putin’s Russia (2000-2008) not only established internal stability, following the difficult and painful transition of the 1990’s onwards, but recovered economically, bolstered by a rapid increase in revenues from...

CESRAN Blog China and Neighbourhood

China Inherits Obama’s Nightmare

CESRAN Int.13 February 201513 February 2015

As NATO withdraws from Afghanistan, the continuing terrorism emanating from there and Pakistan has become a security threat to China Two weeks before Barack Obama took his ﬁrst oath of ofﬁce...