The Communist Theory of International Relations

This essay analyses the distinctive effects of Marxist-Leninist ideology and Communist practice on states ruled by Communist parties and states with non-Communist or ‘bourgeois’ regimes. Communist regimes assert that they are historically destined to triumph over ‘capitalist’ and ‘imperialist’ governments. From 1917 to 1944, the Soviet Union was the sole Communist-governed state. Since 1944 there have been multiple Communist-ruled states. Such states generally have formal state-to-state relations in addition to Communist party-to-party relations. Non-Communist-ruled states may have oppositional relations with domestic and foreign Communist parties as well as formal relations with the foreign ministries of Communist-led states. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union has claimed that its decisions bind all Communist parties, but it has also accepted the primacy of a global gathering of Communist parties. Disputes among Communist parties over doctrine and interests that are theoretically congruent raise questions about the coherence of the ideology. Forming a Communist world-state to suppress national rivalries could offer a solution, but at the cost of abandoning national state sovereignties and the autonomy of specific Communist parties.

The Chicoms on the World State

A review of "Hidden Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World," Clive Hamilton, Mareike Ohlberg, One World Publications, 2020, pp. 418, $17.41 hardbound.

Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in The Digital Era: The Unexpected Tool for Peacebuilding. How 21st Century Fluencies Can Shape Sustainable Global Peace?

If education is unanimously recognized as a powerful and impactful tool for social advancement, its use in global affairs as a major component has not yet been fully acknowledged. The current world state, with multiplying challenges amidst a global crisis - caused by the fallouts of an unmanageable pandemic - exposed the limits of multilateralism, undermining international cohesion already struggling over geopolitical rivalries and bursting territorial conflicts. Growing gaps between citizens and governing bodies are threatening the very essence of democracy, the quintessence of people representation, the act of being a citizen. If such struggles arise even within states’ borders, needless to say, building a global citizenship feeling of belonging may prove difficult, requiring exceptional efforts and a strong driver, such as education, leaning on an innovative approach. Peacebuilding through education to global citizenship is one of the pillars of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. In this regard this work is directly relevant to the Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 (Education for sustainable development and global citizenship, and the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence), an indicator building a basis for decision-making and institutional frameworks, reflecting on citizen political involvement on a local/global level, leaning on the tryptic pattern of foundation/adaptation/integration. GCED could be one of the strongest peace advancement tools to think globally and act locally, by integrating emotional intelligence, creating a common shared value, tackling climate change and gender equity, as women are often in the frontline of rising challenges. This work will investigate and analyze the paradigms of GCED in peacebuilding using a cross-national analysis within the framework of digital humanities and peace studies research fields. KEYWORDS: peace, education, peacebuilding, digital citizenship, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, global security, 21st century skills, peacetech, innovation, empowerment

(Im)possible Escape? H. G. Wells, Utopia and the World State

This article reviews the recent monograph by Maxim Shadurski, The Nationality of Utopia. H. G. Wells, England, and the World State (New York: Routledge, 2020) in the context of utopian studies on the one hand, and the political ideas of the nation state vs. world state on the other.

A Nationwide Multi-Center Questionnaire Survey on the Real-World State and Clinical Management of Poststroke Dementia in Japan

Background: Poststroke dementia (PSD) is a serious problem for stroke survivors. However, there is still limited data on the real-world state and clinical management of PSD worldwide, and several countries already have a super-aged society. Objective: We conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey to examine the real-world state and management of PSD in Japan. Methods: A survey was conducted in the top 500 Japanese hospitals regarding the number of stroke patients treated between July 2018 and August 2019. Thirteen questions regarding PSD were mailed to doctors responsible for stroke management. Results: Responses were obtained from 251 hospitals (50.2%). The chief doctors responsible for stroke management answered the questionnaires. The median numbers of patients admitted annually with stroke in the departments of neurology and neurosurgery in the hospitals were 281.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 231.8–385.3) and 253.5 (IQR, 210.0–335.3), respectively, and most hospitals were acute care hospitals. Executive dysfunction was the most common cognitive dysfunction (10.9%), followed by amnesia (9.5%) and apathy (4.1%). Surprisingly, many stroke survivors lived alone at home (23.7%). Montreal Cognitive Assessment was significantly uncommon compared to Mini-Mental State Examination (p < 0.01). Furthermore, objective evaluation tests for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were not often performed. Cognitive rehabilitation treatments were performed more often and earlier than drug treatments. The first drug of choice for PSD was predominantly donepezil (79.1%), followed by galantamine (6.1%), cilostazol (4.9%), memantine (2.5%), and rivastigmine (1.8%). Conclusion: Our study provides real-world evidence for the state of clinical practice related to PSD in Japan.