Fidelity and Variation: Discerning the Development and Evolution of the Humanitarian Idea
Hugo Slim
Borrowing from Darwin and Newman, Slim proposes that we judge the evolution and development of the “humanitarian idea” by submitting it to a series of tests that allow us to discern healthy developments from corruption or decay.
An Insider’s View of Humanitarian Assistance
Anne Itto
Ito examines how humanitarian and donor agendas frequently lead to unsustainable solutions among affected populations. She emphasizes critical errors in aid programs that are born of good intentions.
Drawing Lines in Water: The Challenge of Vulnerability Analysis in Developing Countries
Patrick Webb
Webb argues that vulnerability is not an absolute state or condition, but a set of reactions to a real or perceived threat. With this framework, traditional analyses rely on benchmarks or generalizations about “vulnerable” groups that are unreliable predictors of deprivation.
Seeds of Unrest: The Political Genesis of the Conflict in Chechnya (1990-1994)
William Hayden
An in-depth analysis of the players and circumstances at the heart of the Chechen conflict, revealing a complex interplay between historical and political tensions, and Yeltsin’s reaction to growing Chechen resistance.
Reflections from the Field: Ethical Challenges in Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Interventions
Major D.M. Last
Having served as a United Nations peacekeeper in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia and West Africa and with NATO forces in Bosnia, Major David Last reflects on the ethical dilemmas confronting members of peacekeeping forces on the ground.
The Ethics of International Sanctions: The Case of Yugoslavia
Jovan Babic and Aleksandar Jovic
Exploring sanctions imposed on the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Babic and Jokic offer a philosophical analysis that questions the ethical justification of this highly controversial coercive measure.
Creative Destruction-or Just Destruction? Survival and Success in the Global Internet Economy
Peter Cukor, Raul Katz, Lee W. McKnight and Paul M. Vaaler
Identifying the key dynamics revolutionizing the field of telecommunications the authors suggest that a process of rapid innovation, followed by imitation, is eliminating the old industry structure and replacing it with a more dynamic, though more unpredictable, regime.
Will Elections Erode Russia’s Democracy?
Henry E. Hale
The rise of authoritarian leadership in Russia stands to jeopardize the country’s fragile democratic achievements. Will the growing influence of regional politicians at the federal level require more coalitions between regional political movements?
Reclaiming Cambodian History-The Case for a Truth Commission
Jaya Ramji
Based on field interviews and analysis, Ramji advocates an international tribunal for the top leaders of the Khmer Rouge and a truth commission for lesser-ranting members as the most responsive method for healing Cambodian society.
Radical Consequences of Benign Neglect: The Rise of the PKK in Germany
Vera Eccarius-Kelly
German political circles have minimized growing inter-ethnic hostilities between Turkish and Kurdish immigrants, refusing to entangle the country in the Kurdish struggle for independence. But Germany’s strategy of benign neglect is beginning to backfire.
Commentaries
Subsidiarity and Federalism in the European Union
Jean Schprer
(A personal view from an organization theorist-cum-classical liberal)
Economic Integration of the Balkan Peninsula: The Key to Regional Stability
Senad Hrustanovic
A Peace Plan for Kosovo
Krnjevic-Miskovic and Leng
Russia’s Nuclear Arsenal: Why the Y2K Bug Didn’t Bite
Wendin Smith