Projected publication date (1st February 2025)
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Chapter 2
Destined to Deter: The Paradox of U.S. Foreign Policy
Iskren Ivanov
The purpose of this chapter is to study how nuclear deterrence impacts the U.S. Foreign Policy in contested regions where Washington faces nuclear-armed strategic adversaries. In this chapter, I argue that nuclear weapons have four strategic effects that are essential to the foreign policy decision-making of Nuclear Weapons States. Although the consensus that states are rational actors still applies, war has changed its nature, and so does deterrence, resulting in three different types of security dilemmas for Washington.
Chapter 3
Russo-Ukrainian Conflict: A Software-Defined Warfare
Evangelos Koumparoudis
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since February 2022.Beyond its special importance for geopolitics and political science, there is another dimension worth examining, that of software-defined warfare. The implication of AI and robotic technologies in the Russian-Ukrainian war is to a great extent leading us to consider that is the first conflict that can be considered to be fully software-defined. This chapter also explores the disinformation and misinformation spread during the war on television and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. We investigate the reactions to disinformation by citizens of other countries, such as Romania and Greece. Finally, the chapter delves into war-case scenarios run by ChatGPT and fuzzy cognitive maps with genetic tuning.
Chapter 4
Russian Provocations. Managing the Hybrid Conflict at Poland’s Borders
Wojciech Gizicki
This chapter aims to analyze Poland’s activities in the context of the threats arising from Russia’s inspirations against Poland and the EU, particularly taking into account the borders with Belarus and Ukraine. Poland’s security challenges concern Russia’s hybrid, subliminal actions using Belarus and Ukraine. These actions are directly or indirectly significant for Europe’s security system. Russia is undertaking many aggressive actions related to its superpower and neo-imperialism policies. Of key importance for Russia is to take control of Eastern Europe and parts of Central Europe, the so-called near abroad that was once part of the Soviet Union or strongly influenced by it during the Cold War.
Chapter 5
Serbia’s Foreign Policy Strategic Goals and the Issue of Kosovo and Metohija in the Conditions of the Diminished Clarity of the International System
Pavle Nedić, Marko Mandić
In this article the authors analyze Serbian foreign policy and pursuit of strategic goals in changing global circumstances with specific focus on Kosovo and Metohija issue. In order to examine the roots of Serbian strategic adjustment in international sphere, the path dependency of foreign policy, development and current relations with great powers and especially challenges that Serbia is currently facing in resolving the status of Kosovo the authors use neoclassical realist theory of international relations as an analytical framework. Accordingly, authors take both systemic stimuli that comes from international state system and range of domestic factors within the country that influence the creation and conduction of Serbian foreign policy. Taking all factors into consideration the article lays out an explanation why is Serbia persistent on its current strategic course and what are the possible scenarios regarding negotiations about Kosovo status.
Chapter 6
Power Dynamics and Institutional Resilience in the Liberal International Order-A legal perspective: Liberal International order
Abhilash Sapre, Shaeyuq Shah, Syed Mushtaq, Shalini Singh
The dynamics of power the role of institutions and the pursuit of an international order are crucial factors that shape the global landscape.The global system known as the liberal international order emerged after World War II, built upon principles like free trade, democracy, and human rights. Its primary objective is to foster peace and prosperity worldwide. This order relies on various institutions such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and International Monetary Fund to facilitate collaboration among nations and ensure adherence to international rules. It has been crucial in preventing large-scale conflicts between nations. The chapter evaluates the consequences for global governance and the rule of law. Ultimately this legal analysis aims to contribute to discussions about finding a delicate balance between power, institutions and global order. By delving into the aspects of these concepts it offers insights into potential ways to enhance fairness, effectiveness and inclusivity within the global governance system
Chapter 7
Defensive Realism and The Balance of Threat: Analysing Israel’s Actions Against Nuclear Weapons Programs in Iraq, Syria, And Iran.
Bhavish Gupta, Pallav ., Keshav Madhav, Arvind Kushwaha
The paper strives to examine Israel’s actions against the nuclear weapons programs of Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Why did Israel act or act against the Iranian, Syrian, and Iraqi atomic weapons programs, according to Walt’s defensive realism and the balance of threat theory? The balance of threat theory, based on four distinct threat components, and Walt’s defensive realism are used to explore and solve the research’s main question. The researcher concluded that they have backed anti-Israel militias and engaged in armed combat with Israel, Iraq in 1981, Syria in 2007, and Iran from 2009–2021, all considered dangerous to Israel. This judgment was reached by the researcher using a comparative case study. It was determined that Israel’s aggressive policies and attacks on the nuclear programs in Iraq, Syria, and Iran were significant and justified in preventing totalitarian governments in the region from jeopardising Israel’s security.
Chapter 8
Deconstructing Warfare - Redefining Superpowers, Battlefields, Wars, and Armies
Galit Ben-Israel
This chapter examines the transformations in warfare, power dynamics, and international relations in the 21st century, focusing on redefining concepts such as superpower, battlefield, war, and army. Using structuralism and post-structuralism frameworks, the research analyzes recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war (2022-2024), Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the Israel-Gaza conflict (2023-2024), and Iran's Proxies vs. Israel (2023-2024) as critical case studies. Key findings reveal a significant shift in modern and post-modern conflict. Traditional definitions of superpower are challenged by countries like Iran, which exert influence through proxy networks and asymmetric warfare. Battlefields now span physical, cyber, and informational domains simultaneously. The concept of war has evolved to include complex, multi-actor scenarios involving both state and non-state entities, with groups like Hamas (and Hezbollah) demonstrating capabilities traditionally associated with state armies. The research highlights the role of technological disruption.
Chapter 9
Exploring the Complexities of India-Bangladesh Relations
Pranjal Khare, Vishambhar Raghuwanshi
This chapter establishes the strategic relations between India and Bangladesh with more emphasis on history, cultural, geographical, and political pertinent factors. India-Bangladesh relations are based on mutual history and cultural similarities, but several times have witnessed cooperation in different fields along with conflict like water, border, and political changes. It analyses major events that include the liberation war, post-liberation diplomacy, water issues such as the Ganges and Teesta River Water Agreement, and the current Rohingya issue. Besides, it analyses the impact of domestic politics in Bangladesh and geopolitical concerns arising from the increasing Chinese interest in this country. In applying the mutual cooperation and shared interest proposition, the study holds that power relations have had a rather profound impact on their bilateral relations as new internal and external dynamics will unfold their relations in the future. A proper comprehension of this relationship remains central to the geopolitical stability and South Asian development.
Chapter 11
Decentering the Subject: A Levinasian Perspective to Conflict Prevention
Stavros Panayiotou
Political understanding arises solely from the outside, as Levinas suggests that only the utterly foreign can truly instruct us. My very political existence, according to Levinasian ethics, presupposes the existence of others, as Levinas emphasizes the notion of infinity conveyed by knowledge as it approaches a Majesty embodied in the face of the other. Thus, this chapter strived to shed additional light on Levinas' method to reconcile ethics with politics as well as to lucidly and philosophically elucidate that the primary key to preventing conflicts and political-social tensions between nations is to encounter the other as other, and not merely as a means to our own ends. Levinas offers a robust paradigm: The relationship between the other and me must solely be a relation between terms that are politically and socially self-sufficient. We must approach the idea of politics through interhuman, intersubjective relationships. For Levinas to be responsible is to be responsible before any decision.
Chapter 12
On the Phenomena of Intervention in and Disengagement from the Periphery
Yunus Emre Ozigci
Studying the phenomena of intervention of “outside” powers to a locality/ region and of their disengagement requires an ontological approach, differing from the current IR theorising which brings serious complications into the study. The entities, phenomena and events of the international politics do not have an "objective", self-standing presence differing from the matters of positive sciences and to an extent, from those of the social science. The IR theorising does not have an objectivity "anchor" and tends to provide its own "ontological" ground with its own axioms and assumptions, which contrasts to, therefore alter, the immediate, pre-theoretical, intersubjective givenness of the IR phenomena and events. Here, phenomenology offers grounds and tools for conducting an ontological study of the IR phenomena and events "as they are given" in their temporal states. This chapter's attempt to conduct an ontological/ phenomenological inquiry of intervention and disengagement through three representative cases gives fundamental elements that serve to describe these phenomena.
Chapter 13
Hobbesian Contractualism: Insights into the Nature of War, Civil Conflict, and Afghanistan’s Struggle
Prashant Rahangdale, Shubhangi Bag, Pallab Das, Pranjal Khare
“Amid the contemporary political turmoil, Hobbes’s contractualism, as exemplified in Leviathan, stands as a beacon of rational order in the face of chaos.” This chapter delves into Hobbes’ contractualism, its implications for civil conflict, and its relevance to ongoing conflicts such as Afghanistan’s. Leviathan serves as our guide, navigating us through the complexities of war, sovereignty, and social cohesiveness. It uses analogies between theory and reality to equip us with the tools to resolve civil unrest and foster peace in our turbulent times. This chapter is not just a theoretical exploration. It has three practical goals. First, it elucidates Hobbes’ contractualism and its implications for the causes and solutions of war. Second, drawing from Hobbes’s experiences in civil unrest, as depicted in Leviathan, it scrutinises the relationship between contractualism and civic strife. Finally, it applies Hobbes’s theories to shed light on Afghanistan’s protracted civil war.
Chapter 14
Navigating the Nexus of Universal and Private Human Rights: A Case Chapter of Roma Rights and Strategic Litigation in Europe
Prateek Mishra, Ananyo Mitra, Shashank Nande, Paridhi Sharma
This paper explores the tension between universal and private human rights within the European context, particularly focusing on how the European Court of Justice and the European Convention on Human Rights address these issues. It scrutinizes the role of civil society organizations, such as the European Roma Rights Centre, in using strategic litigation to advocate for Roma rights. By employing descriptive analysis of legal texts, the study identifies shifts in judicial perspectives toward recognizing the constitutionality of discrimination against Roma. The findings suggest that recent rulings by the European Court of Justice acknowledge such discrimination, marking a significant shift from its earlier stance on the universality of human rights. The effectiveness of strategic litigation in alleviating the conflict between universal and private human rights in Europe is also assessed, highlighting its potential long-term impact on the protection of minority rights.
Chapter 15
Revitalizing Theory and Practice Through Relational and Processual Perspectives of Feminist New Materialism: Within the ‘Emergent Interplay’
Ilgın Yıldız
This chapter aims to explore key feminist new materialist (FNM) concepts and frameworks and their application in the analyses of environmental and health crises with a focus on the relational and processual characteristic of FNM. In this context, it engages with Nancy Tuana’s concepts of “interactionism” and “viscous porosity” which Tuana utilizes in her analysis of Hurricane Katrina, as well as Stacy Alaimo’s concept of “trans-corporeality”, explored here in relation with public health crises such as Flint Water Crisis. This work maintains that these analyses and explorations reveal the dynamic relational and processual character of FNM sphere of thought as it engages with the complex interrelations between agents, bodies, and environments. This work maintains that the relational and processual framework of new materialism can significantly enrich the field of IR in a world marked by complex webs of interdependencies and agential interactions.
Chapter 16
Assessing the Efficacy of UNSCR 1325: A Comparative Analysis of UN Peacekeeping Actions on Women’s Rights and Female Security in Conflict
Shubhangi Bag, Ananyo Mitra, Shreya Chatterjee, Ananya Bharadwaj
This paper explores the impact of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on conflict-related sexual violence and war rape, specifically in the contexts of MINURSO (Western Sahara), MONUSCO (Congo), and UNMISS (South Sudan). UNSCR 1325, intended to introduce a gender perspective into UN Peacekeeping operations, addresses the long-standing use of violence as a weapon of war, particularly in areas termed as the “rape capital” like Congo. Applying the theories of Female Security Studies and Militarized Masculinity, this research evaluates the mandates and actions of UN Peacekeeping before and after the resolution’s implementation. The findings reveal significant discrepancies between written commitments and actual actions, highlighting a systematic failure in effective implementation. The paper argues that despite the resolution’s potential, the impact remains limited due to inadequate enforcement and insufficient female participation in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes.
Chapter 17
On the Social Contract as Key to Preventing Wars. A Revised Perspective of Conflict Management: The Principle of Protection of Country
Scott Green
This chapter delves into the philosophical and ethical dimensions of war, drawing on the thoughts of Plato and the early tradition of the Just War Theory, critiquing the theory on its ambiguity and inherent misuse. It explores the justifications for engaging in warfare and posits that the sole justifiable reason for immediate engagement in war is the defense of one's homeland. The Principle of Protection of Country (PPoC) contrasts interventionist policies and highlights the importance of distinguishing justifiable self-defense from unnecessary foreign conflict. The PPoC is rooted in natural human rights and the social contract. The moral duty of citizens is explored concerning defending one's country against direct threats, as well as the obligation to question the legitimacy of wars fought on foreign soil.
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