Two Chinas Revisited

Worldview ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-7
Author(s):  
Robert J. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
Democratic Values ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Richard Nixon ◽  
Bargaining Positions

If we no longer have Richard Nixon to kick around, we nonetheless have the former president's advice. On U.S. policy toward China, he states: “China, with its population and resources, is eventually going to be a superpower. It is vital that we help them become a superpower associated with the West rather than one that is against us.”Sounds reasonable enough, until we consider the options. To announce such a goal might, in the short term, play hob with our diplomatic bargaining positions vis-à-vis Beijing itself or come at the expense of our traditional allies in Asia. And if this is to be the polar star of U.S. foreign policy over the long term, as Nixon suggests, what about other legitimate U.S. interests; what about the notion of the proper play of the international balance of power and America's concern for human rights and democratic values?

Italy's politics without policy: Balancing Atlanticism and Europeanism in the Middle East

Modern Italy ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaella A. Del Sarto ◽  
Nathalie Tocci
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Middle East ◽  
The United States ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Government ◽  
Specific Interests ◽  
Policy Shifts ◽  
The Eu

Focusing on Italy's Middle East policies under the second Berlusconi (2001–2006) and the second Prodi (2006–2008) governments, this article assesses the manner and extent to which the observed foreign policy shifts between the two governments can be explained in terms of the rebalancing between a ‘Europeanist’ and a transatlantic orientation. Arguing that Rome's policy towards the Middle East hinges less on Italy's specific interests and objectives in the region and more on whether the preference of the government in power is to foster closer ties to the United States or concentrate on the European Union, the analysis highlights how these swings of the pendulum along the EU–US axis are inextricably linked to a number of underlying structural weaknesses of Rome's foreign policy. In particular, the oscillations can be explained by the prevalence of short-term political (and domestic) considerations and the absence of long-term, substantive political strategies, or, in short, by the phenomenon of ‘politics without policy’ that often characterises Italy's foreign policy.

Homer: A relational mnemohistory

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Erll
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Twentieth Century Literature ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Memory Culture ◽  
European Heritage ◽  
The World ◽  
Century Literature

This article proposes to extend the prevalent short-term and presentist frameworks of research on transcultural memory and to consider its dynamics across long-term relational mnemohistories. After more than two and a half millennia, “Homer” and the Homeric epics still resonate in memory cultures across the world. But they are often erroneously cast as “European heritage” or “foundations of the West.” This is the result of what I call a tenacious “Homeric genea-logic.” Highlighting three moments in the relational mnemohistory of Homer, this article shows, first, that already during their emergence in the archaic age, the Homeric epics were relational objects; second, how during the Middle Ages Homer could arrive in Petrarch’s Italy only as a product of relational remembering between the Roman and the Byzantine empires; and third, how twentieth-century literature (Joyce, Walcott) developed conscious modes of mnemonic relationality connecting diverse cultural memories. Relationality thus emerges as a key term for a reflexive memory culture today, a tool to overcome exclusive memory logics (“Homer as the heritage of Europe”) while enabling the articulation of meaningful long-term transcultural memories (“Homer as relational heritage in Europe”).

Belarus will contest gas price as Russia's charms fade

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Lower Price ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Term Energy ◽  
The Government ◽  
Gas Price

Subject Arguments about gas prices as a reflection of deteriorating relations. Significance Attempts by the Belarusian government to secure a lower price for gas imported from Russia have political undertones. The government is cautiously distancing itself from Moscow while signalling an openness to improved ties with the West. A long-term energy security programme adopted in December 2015 sets out steps towards diversifying fuel imports and would, if successful, undermine Russia's role as monopoly supplier. Impacts Reduced economic reliance on Russia is likely to be accompanied by greater political frictions. A worsening relationship could prompt Moscow to consider covertly undermining the Belarusian leadership. The government is unlikely to institute democratic and human rights reforms. This reluctance to change will be a constraint on closer EU ties.

The Biology of the Ground Parrot, Pezoporus wallicus, in Queensland. III. Distribution and Abundance

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
DC McFarland
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Seed Availability

Ground parrots in Queensland were found in closed graminoid-heathlands and sedgelands between Maryborough and Coolum on the mainland, and along the west coast of Fraser I. Parrot distribution, when compared to historical data, shows a decline which is a result of habitat destruction or degradation in the northern and southern limits of the species range. The current population is estimated at 2900 birds, with the majority in the heathlands of Cooloola National Park, Wide Bay Military Reserve and the State Forest and the Great Sandy National Park on Fraser I. Ground parrot density varied between sites because of the interactive effects of vegetation type, heathland area, time since and frequency of fire, microhabitat diversity and proximity to recolonisers. Within sites, parrot numbers changed in the long term with time since fire (influence of temporal changes in vegetation structure and seed availability) peaking at 5-8 years after burning, and in the short term with the seasonal effects of dispersal and breeding. Although predators were present their impact on the main populations was considered minimal. All of these factors are, to some extent, influenced by human activities, e.g. clearing and burning of heathlands.

scholarly journals Human Rights in Hong Kong – International Context

Politeja ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2(71)) ◽  
pp. 149-170
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Gruszko
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
International Relations ◽  
World Order ◽  
The West ◽  
International Context ◽  
The World ◽  
Litmus Test

Human rights in international relations are defined by the boundaries between individual states and regions, as well as the most important theories of international relations. The assumption of their universal character often finds no reflection in the foreign policy of states, especially the strongest ones. The most important players and theories do not question the existence of human rights as such, however, their role and place in international relations are interpreted differently. Human rights in Hong Kong, the meeting place of the West and Confucianism in the context of globalization, may become the litmus test of the intentions of the world powers and their vision of a World Order in regard to human rights.

scholarly journals Differences in Investment Concepts between Chinese and Western Investors from the Cultural Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiming Gong
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Capital Market ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Independent Decision ◽  
Investment Portfolios ◽  
The Capital Market

The investment concept, reflecting the investor's investment purpose and willingness, is a value that embodies the investor's investment personality characteristics, prompts investors to carry out investment analysis, judgment, decision-making, and guides investor behaviors. Due to different maturity of the capital market in China and Western countries, there are many differences in the regulatory level, cultural and behavioral patterns of the supervision and management departments of the capital market between Chinese and Western investment philosophy. This article analyzes the differences in investment ideas between Chinese and Western investors from the culture perspective. This thesis studies on the basis of four cultural differences: "The Golden Mean" and "Interest Maximization"; the face-culture and individualism; rule of man and rule of law; and gambler psychology and adventure spirit. Based on these four aspects of cultural differences, four different investment concepts of Chinese and Western investors are analyzed: long-term investments and short-term speculation; "Herd Effect" and independent decision; grapevines and public information; and leveraged trading and allocation of funds. This thesis adopts several cases to analyze the differences between Chinese and Western investors in financial products such as stocks, gold, and futures, and in investment behavior such as the long-term investment, short-term speculation, leveraged trading, and investment portfolios. With cultural differences between China and the West probed into, the differences between Chinese and Western investors' investment concepts are justified. It is hoped that this effort will help investors deepen the understanding of the capital markets in China and the West, enable Chinese investors to learn the Western mature investment concepts, and facilitate the regulators to manage the capital market effectively.

Negotiation in Foreign Policy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristopher Ramsay
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
International Politics ◽  
The Political ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Alternative Means

Foreign policy often involves two or more countries finding a path from contested interests to a peaceful agreement that incorporates the political and security desires of the relevant parties. In almost every case, the possibility of armed conflict as an alternative means of settling disagreements casts its shadow. Recent research on foreign policy can be well understood as following the view, first articulated by Thomas C. Schelling, that all international relations is really about negotiations and bargaining. This worldview brings a number of aspects of international politics into a natural and coherent framework. We can understand what leads countries to fail to reach peaceful solutions when disagreements arise, how the issues on the agenda influence the content and success of negotiations, and how domestic constituencies shape the ability of leaders to make agreements. Equally important, we can understand the trade-offs between short-term negotiating advantages and long-term issues of reputation.

scholarly journals Shifting the Balance of Power: The Strategic Use of the CRPD by Disabled People’s Organizations in Securing ‘a Seat at the Table’

Laws ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Laufey Löve ◽  
Rannveig Traustadóttir ◽  
James Rice
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Right To Participation ◽  
Consultative Process ◽  
Depth Interviews

The article highlights how the strategic use of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) by disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) in Iceland has produced a shift in the balance of power with regard to how, and by whom, disability legislation and policy in Iceland is developed. The article draws on a study examining the last stages of a consultative process between representatives of DPOs and policymakers in Iceland leading up to the adoption, in May of 2018, of core disability legislation, Laws pertaining to services for disabled people with long-term support needs (No. 38/2018). It examines the process from the perspective of representatives of DPOs through in-depth interviews and document analysis. This article draws on critical theory and the human rights approach in its analysis, with a particular emphasis on the roadmap to the coproduction of policy provided by the CRPD and the UN CRPD Committee through the issuance of guidance to States Parties to the Convention. It draws attention to the DPOs’ ongoing refocusing of their strategies, and their emphasis on harnessing the rights contained in the CRPD to gain recognition of their right to participation in the coproduction of policy and in changing process norms.

Putin, Putinism, and the Domestic Determinants of Russian Foreign Policy

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-139
Author(s):  
Michael McFaul
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International System ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Russian Foreign Policy ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
The West ◽  
New Era ◽  
Vladimir Putin ◽  
International Behavior

Why did Russia's relations with the West shift from cooperation a few decades ago to a new era of confrontation today? Some explanations focus narrowly on changes in the balance of power in the international system, or trace historic parallels and cultural continuities in Russian international behavior. For a complete understanding of Russian foreign policy today, individuals, ideas, and institutions—President Vladimir Putin, Putinism, and autocracy—must be added to the analysis. An examination of three cases of recent Russian intervention (in Ukraine in 2014, Syria in 2015, and the United States in 2016) illuminates the causal influence of these domestic determinants in the making of Russian foreign policy.

Identities and roles

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverley Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
History Of

As representatives of the West in China, to use Isabel Crook’s words, the long-term residents were active participants in the PRC’s ‘people-to-people diplomacy’ (or ‘friendship diplomacy’) which, like its Soviet counterpart, was directed towards influencing foreign public opinion, especially in the West. In her book A History of China’s Foreign Propaganda 1949–1966, PRC journalist and author Xi Shaoying saw the long-term residents, along with short-term invited ‘friends of China’, as playing an integral role in the government’s ‘foreign propaganda work’. In the West, the long-termers’ most contentious activity was their support for the PRC against their own governments.

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