Public Health and Pandemics, the wake-up call for cooperation?
Are We Ready for Future Pandemics? In a speech on the eve of the Paris Agreement in 2015, then-US President Barack Obama recognized the need for a better international cooperation structure for possible pandemic control and prevention. He warned that there may be a time “in which we have an airborne disease that is deadly, […]
Palestine and the 2021 Crisis
Last May was not the first time that Israel laid siege to the Gaza Strip. In the fifteen years of the blockade, this was Israel’s fourth intensive bombardment campaign since 2008. After its failed incursion into Lebanon in 2006, periodically “mowing the grass” in Gaza maintains Israel’s strategic “deterrence capacity.” But for what seemed like […]
Climate Change in the Pacific Islands: Why the World Needs to Pay Attention
Until recently, climate change has always been a future problem. With most countries addressing climate change at a painfully slow pace, coupled with “gravely insufficient” policies, the recent uptick in support and concern worldwide is positive. In 2020, 52 percent of US citizens listed global climate change as their top priority, compared to 30 percent […]
What is Happening in Israel
On May 10, 2021, in the final days of Ramadan, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stormed the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque with tear gas and stun grenades. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, but is part of a larger complex called the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism. Though Israel […]
How the Pandemic Impacts Global Mental Health
COVID-19 took the world by storm in January 2020. Initially identified in Wuhan, China, the disease quickly spread across the globe, causing over 2.8 million deaths. It has brought economic turmoil, collapsed international cooperation, and incited xenophobia and racism. Amidst these critical areas lies another field in which COVID-19’s impact has been largely overlooked: mental […]
The Future of Climate Change International Policy
“We must now agree on a binding review mechanism under international law, so that this century can credibly be called a century of decarbonization.” –German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 2015 Paris Agreement negotiations The time for climate action is long overdue. Humanity must employ universal, cooperative efforts to prevent irreversible damage to our planet. The international […]
France is getting progressive with its immigration. Others should too.
According to a recent survey, most French citizens are anti-immigration. This tone is backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who, in 2018, began pushing controversial immigration legislation. Since then, his administration has tightened asylum rules, made it harder for immigrants to access health care, and cracked down on Islamic practices. Macron has since reversed his stance […]
The UN’s Reformation
On the seventy-fifth anniversary of the UN’s formation, Secretary-General António Guterres said that it is “clear that the world has high expectations of us, as the main platform for multilateralism and cooperation on a rules-based international system.” To achieve effective cooperation, the UN Charter sets forth one of the UN’s most important missions as developing […]
Cracking Japan’s Systemic Sexual Abuse Culture
This article discusses sexual violence in detail.
Asia After Trump: Competitive Coexistence in the Biden Era
The new Biden administration will have to address myriad challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to affordable health care to climate change. While his immediate focus is on domestic issues, Biden will eventually need to turn his attention to the Asia-Pacific, a region of geostrategic importance to Washington. The security environment has changed significantly since Biden […]