Extremism, in all its forms – political, religious, ethnic, gender, generational – is, in short, an extreme version of a belief system. It can be promoted peacefully, and within the normal bounds of freedom of speech. And it can, of
Continue Reading
The title-phrase derives from Hindu scripture. It is found in the Upanishads, and the full verse remains engraved on the entrance to the Parliament of India. Essentially, the world is one family. For centuries, the phrase has shaped India’s spiritual
Continue Reading
The international community of states, today, is so heavily engaged in deadly rivalry and competition that we have forgotten the idea of global unity and cooperation. The latter is, however, a precondition of human survival. The year 2020 began with
Continue Reading
In Part I, we focused primarily on the effort of the UN and WHO, and its relationship with some of the major member states. In this part, we explore in more depth the internal dynamics of those powerful countries. National
Continue Reading
How have the UN and other international organizations – and indeed the whole global governance system – responded to the COVID-19 outbreak? What are we learning from this response? Back in 2010 we examined (Journal of International Organizations Studies) whether, and
Continue Reading
The Covid-19 induced crisis presents all walks of society with an opportunity to re-evaluate. No more important is that, than in the university sector. It is no secret that the university sector globally has been in crisis for some
Continue Reading
In Part II of this blog series, three conclusions were drawn: This decade is likely to be a seminal moment of systemic change to the contemporary international system, updating its 20th features to fit the 21st. The legitimate grouping for
Continue Reading
My 1998 book, ‘Environmental Victims’, sought to relate the intensifying spread of environmental problems around the world to issues of natural justice, international law, public health, social policy and international security. The project looked at environmental problems specifically from the
Continue Reading
The coronavirus has overrun the world in no time. This ‘blitzkrieg’ so far only needed four months to destroy many lives, dealing the world economy a serious blow – threatening to topple the Great Depression from its pole position of
Continue Reading
I read with interest the latest views of Board members on how to improve global governance. While I broadly share the sentiments expressed I fear they fail to take into account the enduring reality of the nation state, rivalries between
Continue Reading
