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Political Systems and International Relations

Latest from USIP on Political Systems and International Relations

  • February 3, 2010   |   Event
    Bosnia-Herzegovina:  One Country, or Not?

    What economic and political economic factors keep Bosnia-Herzegovina a unified state?  Is the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina a viable future for the region or would smaller states lack the necessary political and economic components to survive?  Politician and businessman Fahrudin Radončić will address these questions in his discussion.

  • February 2, 2010   |   Resource
    Delays Will Not Improve Afghan Elections

    The presidential and provincial council elections held in Afghanistan in August 2009 were marred by irregularities and fraud, leading voters and candidates to question the fairness and utility of the democratic process there. The Afghan government announced in late January that it will delay Parliamentary elections until September 2010--several months beyond the deadline set by Afghanistan’s constitution.

  • February 1, 2010   |   Event
    Regime and Opposition in Iran

    On February 1st, USIP invited an expert panel to participate in a frank discussion of the conflict between the Iranian regime and opposition and its implications for the Obama administration.  

  • January 28, 2010   |   Resource
    Time for a Peace Paradigm in Colombia

    With congressional and presidential elections respectively scheduled for March 14 and May 30, 2010, electoral politics in Colombia will shape the prospects for peace in the coming months. Peace does not appear on the government’s public policy agenda and it has yet to materialize as a campaign issue.

  • January 25, 2010   |   Course
    Introduction to Post-Conflict Strategies and Operations

    A 'hands on' course that provides students with a guiding principles for organizing and implementing post-conflict and stability operations based upon desired end-states commonly accpeted by the peacebuilding community. The course will focus on the critical issues that confront post-conflict interventions and the overarching leadership challenges involved in manthese objectives.

  • January 21, 2010   |   Event
    Demystifying the Origin of Creative Breakthroughs

    Tatushi Arai, author of Creativity and Conflict Resolution: Alternative Pathways to Peace, challenges the notion that creativity is a rare quality with which only a few gifted individuals are born and demystifies the origin of unthinkable breakthroughs for conflict resolution. With his extensive international experience as a mediator and trainer, Arai will enliven the discussion with case studies and stories from around the world.

  • January 11, 2010   |   Resource
    Prospects for Haiti’s New Government

    As the impoverished country prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections, a new USIP report examines how to best ensure Haiti can continue its progress and development amid political transition.

  • December 9, 2009   |   Event
    International Engagement with Somalia

    Serious and contentious questions surround the issue of how the international community should relate to Somalia. Should major support be given to the Transitional Federal Government? Should the African Union peacekeeping force be expanded?

  • December 9, 2009   |   Event
    Is Constitutional Reform in Bosnia a Good Idea?

    Is constitutional reform in Bosnia needed, and if so how urgently? Will the EU accession process provide the necessary incentives to make it happen? What more is needed? A panel of experts will address these questions.

  • November 10, 2009   |   Resource
    Lebanon's Unstable Equilibrium

    In the wake of Lebanon forming a new government, USIP assesses how the country can ensure ongoing political progress and stability.

  • November 9, 2009   |   In the Field
    Enhancing Traditional Local Conflict Resolution Techniques in Afghanistan

    Promoting non-violent resolution of conflict at all local levels will be essential to bringing, and sustaining, peace and stability to Afghanistan.  In Afghanistan's recent history, the most effective agents in advancing peace and security at the local level have been indigenous structures such as shura and jirga councils, as well as Maliks.

  • November 2, 2009   |   Resource
    On the Issues: Commemorating the U.S. Embassy Seizure, Thirty Years Later

    On Wednesday, Iran will hold a parade and demonstration to mark the 30th anniversary of the U.S. embassy seizure. The opposition is now mobilizing followers to turn the commemoration into a mass protest. Robin Wright, a Jennings Randolph fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and author of four books on Iran, covered the revolution and the hostage drama.

  • October 1, 2009   |   Resource
    The Afghan Elections: Who Lost What?

    On October 1, 2009, Alex Thier, director of USIP’s Afghanistan and Pakistan program, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia on the Afghan elections, the importance of strengthening Afghan institutions, and the threats to success for the U.S. mission in that country.

  • September 16, 2009   |   Event
    Kosovo: A European State, or Not?

    Kosovo, which declared its independence a year and a half ago, is now recognized by 62 other U.N. member states and aims eventually to join the European Union.  What progress is it making in this direction?

  • August 21, 2009   |   In the Field
    Notes from Sudan

    Ahead of the country's critical 2011 referendum on whether the South should secede from Sudan, USIP is dedicated to help resolve internal conflicts and help ensure the country's future stability and security. In "Notes from Sudan," USIP's Jon Temin writes about his recent tour of the country to get an update on the status of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended decades of civil war in Sudan and learn about preparations for the 2011 referendum and the 2010 national elections.