The importance of Ukraine as one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world due to its "geopolitical", "strategic" and "geo-economical" characteristics has made this country one ...
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The importance of Ukraine as one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world due to its "geopolitical", "strategic" and "geo-economical" characteristics has made this country one of the most important topics in the competition between Russia and the USA in the international field. The USA and the West's efforts to promote Western values and the promotion of democracy in Ukraine, Ukraine's membership in NATO and the European Union, are all indications of the effort to remove this country from Russia's orbit. Therefore, since each of the two sides act in a different manner, no end to the current conflict between Russia and the West led by the USA can be envisioned and expected. In such circumstances, and in consideration of the recent developments, the question arises whether defensive realism can explain Russia's foreign policy towards the crisis in Ukraine or not? It seems due to factors such as overall strength and power, geographical proximity, offensive power, and aggressive intentions, defensive realism is capable of clarifying and explaining Russia's foreign policy in regards to the Ukraine crisis.
Post-Soviet Russia still does not have sufficiently strong government and therefore, ethnical and security threats have put Russian society in danger of disintegration and collapse. ...
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Post-Soviet Russia still does not have sufficiently strong government and therefore, ethnical and security threats have put Russian society in danger of disintegration and collapse. The main question of this paper is how Russian and Chechnyan identity and nationalism have distinguished and defined their distinction? This Paper claims that in the conflict with ethnic nationalism, Russian nationalism uses Slav myths and Orthodox religion in order to represent non-Slavic ethnicities and Muslims as fundamentalists and separatists and in fact, both sides define their identity by referring to threatening and security implications (Russia) and ethnical implications (Chechnya).
This article tries to show that this representation of the other as separatist and Slavic-Orthodox myths are identity based, and according to a modeling metaphor that corresponds to both Russian and Chechnyan metaphor schema. The method used in this paper, is the discourse analysis method.
The success of the European Union in the field of peace and integration in the recent decades shown this institutions as a model to be followed in order to achieve peace and security ...
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The success of the European Union in the field of peace and integration in the recent decades shown this institutions as a model to be followed in order to achieve peace and security in conflict stricken regions of the world (Bindy(?) et. Al., 397: 1393). After the end of the Cold War, the European Union found an opportunity to play a greater role in international issues. This institution, with reliance on historical experience and by using liberal approaches, has tried to help a large number of conflicting communities to fight extremism and help them achieve peace. Afghanistan, as a perfect example of a community in crisis, conflicted, and a failed state, is considered one of the most important security issues that the international community has been facing over the last fifteen years. After the fall of the Taliban government, the European Union and other international actors present in Afghanistan, tried by following the principles and concepts of liberal peace theory and various financial, military, technical assistances and more, to guide this country toward peace and erase the main roots of conflict.
This article seeks to answer this question, "Considering European Union's fifteen years of presence in Afghanistan with the aim of bringing peace to this country, to what extent has it been successful in reaching its goals?" The hypothesis presented in this article claims that after more than a decade of European Union presence in Afghanistan, an assessment of the current situation in this country and international findings and statistics show that there has been no real progress towards peace, security and development in Afghanistan and the main roots of conflict still remain present and untouched in this country.
Volume 20, Issue 87 , September 2014, Pages 93-123
Abstract
Since the creation of mankind, humans have interacted with their habitat and biogeography environment, they have impacted on this environment and in turn, been influenced by it. In ...
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Since the creation of mankind, humans have interacted with their habitat and biogeography environment, they have impacted on this environment and in turn, been influenced by it. In addition, the geographical diversity coupled with special natural and climatic features has changed the course of history in different parts of the world.
Although the advancement of science and technology has gradually reduced the impact of geographical environment on the human living conditions, this factor has never completely disappeared. In fact, climatic conditions, geographical location and historical events play an important role in the rise and development of civilizations and will have a great impact on their subsequent modernization; therefore advanced civilizations have often enjoyed favorable climatic conditions and geographic location.
This article analyzes the impact of historical and geographical characteristics on the nature of the patterns of development and modernization in Russia, in order to not only find out how historical and geographical factors have influenced the development and modernization of Russia, but also try to identify and analyze historical and geographical factors separately, in an attempt to prove the theory of inevitable differences in the nature of Russian and western patterns of development and modernization. Thus, according to the nature of the subject, in this article the analytical-descriptive research method is employed and is implemented by way of bibliographical method (virtual and real).
Volume 20, Issue 87 , September 2014, Pages 125-148
Abstract
The Collapse of the Soviet Union caused a very important change in the security environment of the areas that were separated, including the South Caucasus. The emergence of three states ...
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The Collapse of the Soviet Union caused a very important change in the security environment of the areas that were separated, including the South Caucasus. The emergence of three states of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in the South Caucasus led to changes in the regional security equations and interaction patterns, which were influenced by the presence and number of actors, and the complexity and variety of regional issues, including the issues of ethnicity, political and territorial disputes and economic problems. The presence of numerous external actors, including governments and various alliances are amongst the most important security and economical developments in the countries of the South Caucasus.
This paper seeks to answer the question, why after gaining their independence the South Caucasian countries have started to follow the model of alliances and coalitions in their foreign policy and have employed this strategy in their agenda? The hypothesis here is that security and political challenges in the region, being surrounded by large regional states and the economic weakness of the South Caucasian countries, are at the root of the tendency to adopt a pattern of establishing alliances with regional and extra-regional actors.
Volume 20, Issue 87 , September 2014, Pages 149-177
Abstract
Afghanistan is located in a region that from a political, security, economic, cultural and geopolitical point of view, can be placed in a sub-class of a multi-regional system which ...
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Afghanistan is located in a region that from a political, security, economic, cultural and geopolitical point of view, can be placed in a sub-class of a multi-regional system which includes Central Asia, Middle East, and South Asia. However, this country can mainly be considered a sub-class of the Central Asian region. Although the intense rivalry existing between India and Pakistan, has led Kabul to enter the regional equations in South Asia. On the other hand, Afghanistan is India's gateway to Central Asia, and the Middle East. Thus, India will be able to expand its strategic depth to Central Asia, and prevent itself from being surrounded by China and Pakistan. The result of the above mentioned issues, in addition of adding Afghanistan to the South Asian security concerns, is highlighting the position of Kabul in India's foreign policy. In this paper, we seek to answer the following questions with the use of Buzan security complex theory. "What is Afghanistan's place in India's foreign policy concerning South Asia after the events of Sept. 11, 2001? What are the factors affecting Afghanistan's entry into the security dynamics of South Asia?" The authors' hypothesis is as follows: "Afghanistan is a country that acts as insulation between several regional sub-systems Political, economic and especially the security crisis following the developments after September eleven, 2001 have pushed this country towards South Asia. India's foreign policy also seeks to exploit these new conditions."
