Editorial

“It is very important to us that together we find a strong response to the coronavirus. It knows no borders, it knows no nationalities.” These are the words of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, with regard to the coronavirus crisis. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent sustained pandemic have created a new level of global emergency in early 2020. This includes the closure of borders and introduction of border controls within the European Union.

Indigenous Identity in Latin America

Cultural Riches and Social Dynamite

Indigenous identity in Latin America is fundamentally different from post-materialist identity politics in the West, but could benefit from the latter’s rise. Deep-seated deficits in representation make the issue of indigenous policy-relevant in almost all countries in the region, however, to greatly varying degrees. Indigenous identity is a further manifestation of social inequality in the region’s societies and a challenge to politics.

National Identity Against External Pressure

Will Belarus Reconcile Its Contradicting Narratives?

Viewed dispassionately, the pro-Russian and pro-European poles of the Belarusian national identity, however much they disagree in questions of content, are both part of Belarus in its modern form. From the identity politics perspective, this realisation represents an opportunity to reconcile internal narratives and resolve internal tensions. This insight can ultimately lead to the heightening of the country’s profile at the international level – especially in the West, where Belarus is still often perceived as a mere Russian appendage because of the way it has positioned itself for years.

Religious Nationalism in South Asia

Building Nations, Breaking Communities?

A recent series of violent acts raises the question of a relation between the rise of religious nationalism and communal violence in South Asia. Here, we will shed some light on the roots and development of religious nationalism in South Asia and its impact on social cohesion.

Simple Explanations

Why Nationalists in Europe Grow Stronger

Yielding resentments against the European Union as well as alleged threats: Nationalist parties gained increased electoral success throughout the last years in many member states of the European Union, while challenging their democratic underpinnings and developments. The underlying causes are manifold and vary regionally. How could a promising political response be shaped?

The Situation in the Sahel

Consequences for International Engagement in the Region

For many years, the Sahel region has been a focus of foreign, security, and development policy in Germany and the EU. Despite significant engagement on the part of the international community in the wake of Operation Serval, France’s successful military intervention against terrorist groups in Mali in January 2013, the security situation has continued to deteriorate year-on-year. Not only is this instability caused by jihadist organisations such as ­GSIM and ­EIGS, but also fuelled by local, often ethnic conflicts, armed militias, and organised crime. What is the background of the worsening situation and what are the consequences for Europe and Germany’s support for the Sahel states?

Die Relevanz der Vereinten Nationen in einer neuen Ära globaler Spannungen

Die graduelle Erosion des Fundamentes liberal-demokratischer Werte sowie die zunehmende Konfrontation wichtiger, mit Vetomacht ausgestatteter Staaten fordern die Handlungsfähigkeit der Vereinten Nationen heraus. Der Konflikt USA-China führt in vielen Fällen zu einer Paralyse der VN-Diplomatie. Obgleich die Relevanz der Vereinten Nationen durch die COVID-19-Pandemie erneut unterstrichen wurde, wird es 75 Jahre nach ihrer Gründung unabdingbar, die Frage zu stellen, wie globale Führung aussehen sollte, und den politischen Willen der Mitglieder zur Zusammenarbeit einzufordern.

Tanz mit dem Drachen

Die wechselhaften Beziehungen zwischen Myanmar und China

Die starke Abhängigkeit Myanmars von China war einer der Hauptgründe für den demokratischen Wandel nach 2008. Dennoch ist China heute wieder größter Handelspartner und Investor in Myanmar. Das Land hat eine herausragende geostrategische Bedeutung für China und ist zentraler Baustein der Belt and Road Initiative (­BRI). Die Beziehungen zu China bleiben auch in Zukunft ein schwieriger Balanceakt zwischen eigenen und fremden Interessen.

Coronavirus in Lateinamerika (Online First Version)

Chance oder Bedrohung für den Rechtsstaat?

In Lateinamerika werden die rechtspolitischen Folgen, die aus der Coronakrise hervorgehen, in großem Umfang davon abhängen, wie die Regierungen der Region ihre Macht in Zeiten des Notstands ausüben. Missbrauchen Lateinamerikas Regenten ihre Befugnisse zur Zementierung ihrer Macht, sieht es für den Rechtsstaat in Lateinamerika in Zukunft finster aus. Wissen sie ihre Macht mit Maß auszuüben und ihre Länder mit gutem Führungsstil aus der Krise zu leiten, könnten sie verloren geglaubtes Vertrauen zurück erwerben. Eines ist sicher: Die Coronakrise wird die politischen Spielregeln verändern.

Editorial

Rapid technological developments witnessed over recent decades offer many opportunities, but also present us with new challenges – political, social, and sometimes private. Strategic questions regarding the political design of our digital future need to be considered at the international level in particular. This is because strict technological separation of a wide variety of state and non-state actors is now virtually impossible. Globalised goods, services, communications, and data streams are shaping the world.