This Week at ISN

20 - 24 August 2012 How might identity politics influence and impact the geopolitical and security dynamics of today's international system? This week, we attempt to address such concerns through a series of case studies that analyze the interconnections between identity and security.

Identity Politics and Security

Geopolitics, Nationalism and Dual Citizenship
20 Aug 2012 / Special Feature

What factors influence conceptions of political and national identity in todays world? STRATFORs George Friedman argues that notions of citizenship and nationhood are becoming increasingly ambiguous, with potential negative consequences as a result. More Reshaping Political Identity in Egypt
21 Aug 2012 / Special Feature

The fall of the Mubarak regime provided Egypt with an unparalleled opportunity to reshape and redefine its political identity.The CSS' Lorenzo Vidino discusses the extent to which the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood has changed Egypt's political identity and considers the implications of this change for Cairo's foreign and security policies. More Israeli Identity and its Security Dilemmas
22 Aug 2012 / Special Feature

Religion is fundamental to Israeli identity politics and cannot be separated from the countrys geography or society, argues Tova Norlen. This, however, does not translate into uniform thinking when it comes to defining Israels security dilemmas. More Identity, Security and the Race for the White House
23 Aug 2012 / Podcast

Identity politics impact US presidential races in distinct ways. Yes, a host of ethno-political identity groups use their power to influence security debates, but what also matters, Xenia Dormandy argues in this podcast, is the foreign policy identity each candidate conveys to the rest of the world. More China's 'Significant Others'
24 Aug 2012 / Special Feature

China's rapid integration into what is still a Western-dominated international system has challenged official narratives about nations and states. One result of this challenge, argues Christian Wirth, is that historical education and the maps you create and use have become integral to 'higher-level' identity-politics. More

Security Watch
The Message Behind Secretary Clinton's Trip to Mongolia
20 Aug 2012

On a recent visit to Mongolia, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton applauded the nations efforts to link economic modernization to democratic reforms. But as Alicia Campi reveals, her message was viewed in some quarters most notably China as highly critical of distinctly "Asian" approaches to economic

development. More Kyrgyzstan: Is Corruption Controversy a Sign of Political Trouble Ahead?

21 Aug 2012

In the wake of 2010's political unrest, Kyrgyzstan has tried to introduce greater accountability into its political system. According to Chris Rickleton, however, a recent number of high-profile corruption cases may spark the return of political upheaval to the country. More Information Wars: Assessing the Social Media Battlefield in Syria
22 Aug 2012

Syria's opposition forces are engaging the Assad regime both on the ground and on the Internet. Chris Zambelis outlines how the Free Syrian Army is using social media to promote its interests by waging information warfare. More The EU's Growing Global Counter-Terrorism Role
23 Aug 2012

Since 2001, argues Alex Mackenzie, EU has become increasingly assertive in its attempts to combat internal and external sources of terrorism. As its initiatives in South Asia and West Africa demonstrate, the EUs activities expand well beyond its partnership with the US. More Addressing an Imploding Mali
24 Aug 2012

A separatist and Islamist insurgency in the north, weak democratic governance and drought are pushing Mali to the brink of collapse. The way forward, argues John Campbell, involves seeking a political settlement with secessionists and external intervention to avert a humanitarian disaster. More

ISN Blog
Saif Wants to be Tried at the ICC But That's Not All
20 Aug 2012

Reports claiming that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi wants to be tried at the International Criminal Court are misleading, says Mark Kersten. Instead, the son of the deposed former dictator Muammar Gaddafi would have preferred to receive a fair trial in a Libyan court. More China's New City: Is this Beijing's Pivot?
21 Aug 2012

China has established a new city on an atoll in the South China Seas disputed Paracel Islands. According to Robert Manning, Beijing now views the city as its administrative hub in the area, a move that is likely to stoke tensions with the Philippines and Vietnam. More Is NATO Taking Over the Arctic?
22 Aug 2012

Swedens and Finlands full accession into NATO would give the alliance a significant foothold in the Arctic Council. That would not only enhance its presence around the Arctic Circle, it might also convince the conspiracy-minded that a future Arctic war is possible, writes Marten Lindberg. More Under the Radar: the Crisis in Madagascar
23 Aug 2012

Over the past three years Madagascar has experienced its fair share of political upheaval and international censure. Despite its efforts to return to stability, writes Hannah Stadlober, the most recent coup dtat suggests that Antananarivos political future remains far from certain. More Occupy the Hood: Leveraging Occupy in Minority Communities
23 Aug 2012

The homogenous ethnic make-up of the original Occupy Wall Street movement has led to the emergence of Occupy the Hood and other successful initiatives across minority communities, writes Chrisella Sagers Herzog. More

Kyrgyz Secret Police to Monitor Web

24 August 2012

Kyrgyzstan's security services plan to begin monitoring the internet for material that might enflame tensions between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks. The plan has been derided by the nation's civil society, which has been performing a similar task since the ethnic violence experienced in 2010. More

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