The Rollback of Autonomy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Hong Kong

• April 12, 2021

The world has watched in horror as Hong Kong is transformed from an open society with a liberal constitutional order into a repressive authoritarian regime.

Last year a new Beijing-imposed National Security Law (NSL) targeted freedom of expression with the …

The impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Aid

• April 1, 2021

Across the Global South, the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of socioeconomic progress, disproportionally harming poor people. Low- and lower-middle-income countries in particular are struggling more than ever to find the resources to support their citizens’ health and wellbeing at …

Science and Technology in Canada-Japan Relations: Facing Together the Challenges of COVID-19 and Beyond

• March 24, 2021

On February 25, 2021, CIPS hosted the webinar “Facing the Pandemic Together: Canada-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation.” After an introduction by Ambassador Yasuhisa Kawamura, there was a lively discussion with Howard Alper (uOttawa), Melanie Cullins (National Research Council), Yuko Harayama …

The Pandemic, Borders and Refugees

• March 18, 2021

The global response to the spread of COVID-19 teaches us that, although border closures may be critical to fighting the spread of disease, they cause harm, often irrevocable damage, to many of the world’s most vulnerable, namely refugees and asylum …

The Forgotten History of Militant Conservatism in IR

• March 16, 2021

Even for those not listening, it is almost impossible not to hear the collective sigh of relief emanating from foreign policy elites across the globe. “Well,” they mutter (or cheer), “thank goodness that is over.” “That”, it hardly needs saying, …

Ten Years on from Fukushima: Are we asking the Right Questions about Nuclear Energy?

• March 15, 2021

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake and tsunami originating near Tōhoku, Japan, caused inordinate damage to communities across Japan’s Eastern coastline. It also triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daīchi Nuclear Power Plant.

Today – a decade later – the …

Accusations of Genocide: A Tipping Point in China’s International Relations?

• March 11, 2021

China’s oppression of the Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang, including mass incarceration in detention camps since at least March 2017, may be a historical tipping point in how the international community deals with China. On January 19, 2021, the …

Empowering Ultra-Poor Women in Bangladesh

• March 9, 2021

In a village of northern Bangladesh lives Nasima, 26 –  a victim of child marriage who was abandoned by her husband and left with two children. She lived in extreme poverty until the local village council offered her the opportunity …

Celebrating Success Stories from Bangladesh on International Women’s Day ✊🏿✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

• March 7, 2021

On a beautiful sunny day in the winter of 1983, I was in Savar in  Bangladesh, visiting an income-generating project for the village women.  The scene is sombre.  I see a handful of saree-clad local women, with their heads covered, lined up.

They …

Armed conflict in the CAR: religion, identity, and political dialogue

• March 4, 2021

The Central African Republic is again engulfed by conflict. This time, the conflict centred on the Presidential election of December 2020. As the country prepared for the elections, the Constitutional Court rejected former President Bozizé’s candidacy. There were disagreements over …

Why Alexei Navalny Has Failed to Spark Revolution in Russia

• February 26, 2021

For the past few weeks, Russia-related news has been dominated by the story of opposition activist Alexei Navalny, the latest twist in the saga being a decision this week by Amnesty International to deprive Navalny of his status as a …

Peace in Afghanistan: Deeper Level Dialogue Needed

• February 23, 2021

The sustainability of any peace agreement is, to no small extent, a function of the inclusivity of the peace process that led to it. It also dependent on a widely shared notion that the status quo must be replaced in …