Why do some nations build walls along their borders? In some cases, such walls are defensive structures aimed at blunting potential military incursions from a hostile neighbor, which was true for the Maginot Line between France and Germany, as well as for the ... More »
Clichés such as “good research reflects reality” notwithstanding, academics often find that they must sacrifice pragmatic concerns in favor of analytical convenience when conducting research. As a result, many studies attempt to mimic real-world situations usi... More »
Liberal internationalism, despite what the phrase may imply, does not favor the views of Democrats over Republicans. Instead, liberal internationalism features bipartisan values—including freedom, democracy, an open global economy, and respect for human rights... More »
Non-aggression pacts, designed to reduce the possibility of future conflict, are distinctive from other military alliances because they do not necessitate active coordination between signatories. However, what they do have in common with other types of allianc... More »
In the face of domestic opposition, a dictator accountable for human rights violations is unlikely to relinquish power due to fears of domestic punishment and international prosecution. What if the domestic opposition has also caused unspeakable civilian casua... More »
The nuclear threat to the United States from Iraq, North Korea, and Syria is of recent vintage. During the last several decades, the U.S. has undertaken negotiations, as well as made preemptive strikes, to thwart these countries’ efforts to possess nuclear wea... More »
Frequent leadership cycles are common in dictatorships. Historically, military dictators, whose power is derived from the armed forces, have been subject to more subsequent coups and regime changes than their non-military counterparts. Given their short-lived ... More »
The White House was not happy with Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court in late July on corruption charges. During the past four years, Sharif made efforts to strengthen ties with the neighboring countries, including India and Afghanistan. W... More »
Scholars have attempted to clarify whether uncertainty about the outcome of a potential war—victory or defeat—influences state behavior in international crises. Until recently, there was consensus that when two states in a bilateral context have equivalent cap... More »
Differing estimates and perceptions of opponents’ power may increase the likelihood of war. Countries are generally incentivized to misrepresent their own strength and capabilities, and such stratagems to retain advantage during military bargaining may lead to... More »
Salman Sufi is Director General at the Chief Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit within the Punjab government, which works as a think tank for the Punjab Chief Minister. Since 2014, Mr. Sufi has introduced, designed and implemented more than 30 groundbreaking re... More »
China’s policymakers are active in promoting online real-name registration policies, requiring Internet users to disclose their identity and personal information in hopes of creating a more inter-connected society. The increase in Internet supervision has led ... More »