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Beyond the Final Frontier: Emerging Powers and Private Influence in Outer Space

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Beyond the Final Frontier: Emerging Powers and Private Influence in Outer Space

The spatial domain has experienced significant transformations over time, both politically and economically. In parallel to terrestrial globalization, the advent of space programs in emerging nations implies a departure from global powers' traditional complete dominance. This shift is not only limited to state endeavors but also includes a rising number of private entities, which are particularly present in Western countries. This evolution raises several pertinent questions: Who exactly were the key players in the first new era of space exploration? To what extent do ‘the rise of the rest’ and the involvement of private enterprises represent a pivotal shift in the dynamics of Outer Space?

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Navigating Troubled Waters: the Escalating Crisis in the Red Sea

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Navigating Troubled Waters: the Escalating Crisis in the Red Sea

Emerging from Yemen’s civil war, the Houthi militia is disrupting vital global shipping routes with its actions, creating the necessity of finding alternative routes and exacerbating costs for companies. This conflict has further created humanitarian and environmental consequences, which added to the economic ones, have profoundly affected the interests of Western powers, notably the United Kingdom and the United States, who support Israel. These countries sought to secure the region with the creation of several different operations, such as Operation Prosperity Guardian or Operation Poseidon Archer, aimed at securing the area. Concurrently China and Russia managed to reach an agreement of safe passage with the Houthis. This article delves into the complexities of the conflict, emphasising its far-reaching global repercussions, and the challenges it poses.

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An Orwellian Fortress: The Pegasus Spyware

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An Orwellian Fortress: The Pegasus Spyware

The gentle clatter of hooves made by Pegasus sounds magical in the Greek mythical world where nature bloomed under his majestic wings. However, in our contemporary society, the name of this divine winged horse carries a darker significance, unveiling a concealed dystopian society hiding in plain sight. Dubbed as one of the most sophisticated cyber weapons, the Pegasus spyware is used to suppress dissent and opposing views, targeting the individuals who advocate for human rights and justice or simply expose state crimes.

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Unravelling the Nexus: Gender, Sexuality, and Settler Colonialism in Palestine-Israel

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Unravelling the Nexus: Gender, Sexuality, and Settler Colonialism in Palestine-Israel

This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the intricate intersections between gender, sexuality, and settler colonialism within the context of Palestine-Israel dynamics. Drawing upon insights from Palestinian studies and queer theory, it delves into the multifaceted manifestations of pinkwashing and homonationalism, critically analysing their implications. Through in-depth exploration and nuanced discourse, it navigates the complexities of Palestinian queer activism, resistance strategies, and the challenges faced in post-Oslo Palestine. Ultimately, it envisions a future where intersectional struggles for liberation and social justice prevail.

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The Grim Reality: Myanmar Junta's Aggressive Surge in War Crimes

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The Grim Reality: Myanmar Junta's Aggressive Surge in War Crimes

The military junta’s takeover of Myanmar in February 2021 has resulted in massive human rights violations in the country, including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings. This article, therefore, elucidates the intensification of violence sparked by the junta's brutal crackdown on non-violent protesters and the resultant launch of ‘Operation 1027.’ It will also uncover the response of international actors, including the legal complaints filed in the Philippines.

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Understanding the Chinese Private Security Contracting Industry

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Understanding the Chinese Private Security Contracting Industry

In the wake of the geopolitical shocks, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) faces notable challenges. This article examines Beijing’s response to security concerns within the BRI framework, with a specific focus on the exploration of Private Security Companies (PSCs) as a viable solution. Highlighting the distinctions between PSCs and Private Military Companies, the article traces the evolution of the legal landscape governing Chinese PSCs, noting a shift towards a change in policy in their favour. Against the backdrop of the BRI’s global expansion, often in regions with precarious security conditions, China’s consideration and deployment of PSCs are explored. Despite challenges and limited combat experience, Chinese PSCs are gaining preference from Chinese companies operating abroad. Recent discussions in Beijing suggest an assertive global posture, hinting at an expanded role for PSCs in safeguarding overseas interests and influencing global politics. The article concludes by emphasising the dynamic significance of this evolving aspect within China’s global engagement.

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Harmonies of Influence: Exploring the Political Dimension of Eurovision

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Harmonies of Influence: Exploring the Political Dimension of Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is a cultural phenomenon that, since its creation in 1956, has transcended its original purpose of a European Song Contest, becoming a platform for soft power politics, diplomacy and ideological messages. The increase in complexity in Europe and the Middle East, along with the growing audience of the ESC, has made this century's edition increasingly political. The ban on Belarus in 2021 and Russia in 2022 are two recent examples of the politicisation of the competition, and controversy currently surrounds Israel's participation in this year's edition (2024). Given the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, it is likely that the Swedish edition of the ESC will feature a higher number of political messages on the stage and an increase in strategically using points for diplomatic purposes.

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China's Ascent in the New Space Era: Geopolitics, Technology, and the Quest for Outer Space Supremacy

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China's Ascent in the New Space Era: Geopolitics, Technology, and the Quest for Outer Space Supremacy

Ever since humankind succeeded in launching its first satellite into orbit, space has been considered the last frontier. The ideological rivalries of the Cold War led to the birth of the space age, which was aggravated by the clash between the US and the USSR. Today, the rapid economic development of emerging powers such as China, the gradual reduction in the cost of rocket launches, technological sophistication, and public-private collaboration and entrepreneurship are just some of the elements that make the commercialization and exploration of Outer Space one of the most vibrant fields of international activity in the present and future. Although this discipline is vast, this article will be an introduction to the People's Republic of China's activities in Outer Space, encompassing both civilian and military aspects (which are closely related). These aspects, and the activities of the US, Russia, or India, may be touched on in future publications.

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Colombian Internal Conflicts: A Tortuous Pathway Towards Peace

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Colombian Internal Conflicts: A Tortuous Pathway Towards Peace

Colombia has been dealing with longstanding internal conflicts provoked by both structural and immediate causes. Against this backdrop, the current government led by Gustavo Petro has adopted an innovative approach to deal with increasing levels of violence and the proliferation of armed groups. This article proposes an early assessment of the first year of Petro’s mandate, highlighting the results he achieved as well as the main challenges he is facing. 

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The Surge in Executive Power Across Latin America: A New Wave of Autocracies?

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The Surge in Executive Power Across Latin America: A New Wave of Autocracies?

In 1991, Samuel P. Huntington espoused the concept of ‘democratic waves,’ in which he highlighted the democratisation of Latin America, among other regions, during the so-called ‘third wave.’ However, the rightward shift in politics and the expansion of executive powers for many presidents in the region may signal a reversal that will lead to new illiberal democracies on the continent. President Bukele consolidated his power in El Salvador through a prolonged state of emergency to fight las pandillas, while President Noboa is using the narco crisis to extend military power in Ecuador. In Argentina, President Milei is using the country's difficult economic situation to disempower the Argentinian Congress. This epidemic of autocratisation, also known as democratic backsliding, threatens the survival of liberal democratic values on the continent, casting the region's future in doubt.

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The Future of Argentina's Foreign Policy: What Will Change With Milei?

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The Future of Argentina's Foreign Policy: What Will Change With Milei?

The election of Javier Gerarldo Milei as President of Argentina already marked a pivotal shift in the country's foreign policies. Milei's government seems willing to keep prioritising ideological alliances, with what he defines as "the free world", over economic interests. The President advocates for closer ties with Western liberal nations, particularly the USA and Israel, while distancing from MERCOSUR and BRICS and refusing to have diplomatic connections with historic commercial partners of Argentina, such as Brazil and China. As Argentina becomes more pro-American, economic consequences and internal changes emerge, reshaping the nation's future.

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Navigating the Waters: Chinese Maritime Expansionism

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Navigating the Waters: Chinese Maritime Expansionism

The South and East China Seas have become highly contested regions due to their strategic importance in international trade and global supply-demand dynamics. In this sense, the increasing Chinese maritime assertiveness in the region aims to safeguard economic development, critical shipping lanes, and uphold territorial claims. This assertiveness clashes directly with the countries conforming to the so-called first island chain, stretching from Japan to the Malay Peninsula, and involves  territorial disputes and geopolitical tensions.

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Desperate Afghanistan: A Suicide Pandemic Among Afghan Women

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Desperate Afghanistan: A Suicide Pandemic Among Afghan Women

The departure of Western forces from Afghanistan marked a drastic shift for Afghan women, once granted freedoms during the Taliban's absence. Now, under Taliban rule, a "suicide pandemic" disproportionately affecting women has emerged. Taliban-imposed gender restrictions have triggered a mental health crisis, and the rollback of women's rights and their erasure from public life has led to profound despair and mental health deterioration. Such institutionalized oppression prompts some women to view suicide as the only option to escape their desperate situation, signalling a worrisome impact of the Taliban’s regime on women’s survival.

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Observers of the 2023 TPNW Meeting - Why Should We Care?

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Observers of the 2023 TPNW Meeting - Why Should We Care?

This article explores the importance of observing states attending the Second Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in November 2023. It focuses on Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia to argue how the TPNW discussions can foster the nuclear disarmament discourse in countries concerned with nuclear deterrence. It advocates for the state parties to promote the humanitarian approach and the relationship between the TPNW and NATO to bring observers closer to the Treaty’s disarmament goals.

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The Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh: A Genocide in the Making

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The Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh: A Genocide in the Making

It is now over ten months since the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, or Artsakh, have been barely surviving with dwindling reserves of food, medicine, gas, and electricity. The aftermath of resumed Armenian-Azerbaijani hostilities has forced the migration of 5 out of 6 inhabitants to the state of Armenia, with the remaining population being deprived of dignified living conditions. To understand this humanitarian crisis and why it is nigh constitutive of a genocide, this article will delve into a brief history of the region and the territorial dispute that has surrounded it for decades, understanding the motivations behind the actions of both countries and how they have evolved overtime.

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Myanmar’s Crisis: Deciphering Stakeholders and the Probability of Dialogue

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Myanmar’s Crisis: Deciphering Stakeholders and the Probability of Dialogue

Myanmar's Juntas celebrated the 8th anniversary of signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in the country's capital, Nay Pyi Daw, on October 15. However, this anniversary occurred against the backdrop of the February 2021 military coup, which cast doubt on the validity of the NCA, sparked armed conflict in minority ethnic areas, and expanded conflict theatres into Burman-dominated regions. The military's repressive actions against pro-democracy individuals and organisations have fueled armed resistance movements nationwide. Simultaneously, international initiatives to mediate dialogue remain elusive. This article attempts to decipher the complex and dynamic web of stakeholders and assess the existing efforts for dialogue.

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The Wagner Group in Africa: Implications of Migration Patterns and Crises in the Region and Beyond

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The Wagner Group in Africa: Implications of Migration Patterns and Crises in the Region and Beyond

This article explores how the Wagner Group’s (WG) expanding footprint in Africa can exacerbate the migration crisis in Europe. It argues that the group can provoke irregular migration by supporting violence and political oppression in Africa and cooperating with hybrid warfare tools against EU borders. It also reflects on the challenges for the EU to address such threats and comments on what could be done by the Union to contain the WG in Africa.

Pakistan’s Political Crisis - A Country in Transformation

Pakistan’s Political Crisis - A Country in Transformation

Political instability at the core of the Pakistani state threatens the intricate, yet delicate, domestic power balance that has worked to sustain the volatile nation. Imran Khan’s challenge against the Pakistani political establishment that followed the ex-cricketer’s ousting last year followed by his arrest this month is indicative of both the deep political structures of the state but also reflects a new testing of this status quo. Furthermore, the transitional government that overtook Khan has experienced persistent shock and tragedy in its first year of power. With the turbulent context surrounding Khan, the lead up to the upcoming general elections in November could prove to be one of the most consequential periods of the country’s recent history.

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War in Sudan (II): Human Security and Future Outcomes

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War in Sudan (II): Human Security and Future Outcomes

The crisis in Sudan has unfolded due to the outbreak of conflict between the Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which has resulted in mass civilian displacement and a dire need for aid throughout the country [1]. These events echo the Somalian human security crisis of 1993 resulted in the starvation of 300,000 Somalis due to regime collapse and conflict between several rival factions [2]. Despite clear differences between these two cases, the similarities of their outcomes are clear, as both conflicts have produced mass food insecurity, civilian suffering, and potential regional instability [3]. A lack of institutional stability has been a common causal factor in their human security crises [4].