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Hezbollah's Military Setback: From Strategic Strength To Political Dilemma—A Comprehensive Analysis, Habib Albadawi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This study examines the unprecedented military transformation of Hezbollah from 2024 to 2025, analyzing how technological superiority and strategic constraints have fundamentally altered the effectiveness of irregular warfare organizations. Through extensive analysis of organizational adaptation, technological disruption, and external dependencies, this research investigates the paradox of how advanced military capabilities, when constrained by external dependencies, can become operational liabilities rather than strategic assets. The study employs multiple theoretical frameworks to understand this transformation and its implications for future irregular warfare.

Christianity In Relation To Judaism: Historical Memory And Polemics In Constructing The Story Of Christian Faith, John Merkle

The Journal of Social Encounters

Throughout most of Christian history, Christians have told a replacement story: Christianity has replaced Judaism and is the one valid pathway to God. As both Judaism and Christianity are based on historical events, the story of Christian faith is inevitably told with reference to events in Jewish history, especially events recounted in the Hebrew Bible (or the Christian Old Testament) that contextualize the emergence of Christianity and situate events concerning Jesus of Nazareth within a Jewish context. But over the last seventy years or so, a growing number of Christian scholars and church leaders have acknowledged that traditional Christian ideas …

Fires And Protests Of Peace: The Catholic Anti-War Movement In Sixties America, Casey Self

The Ozark Historical Review

This study reviews the history of the Catholic Peace Movement and the impact of the publication, Catholic Worker, and individuals such as Thomas Merton, Phillip and Daniel Berrigan, and Dorothy Day on the anti-war movement against the Vietnam War.

The Ozark Historical Review, V.47, 2019

The Ozark Historical Review

No abstract provided.

Encountering The Sublime: Early Hermit Lifeways, Visual-Spatial Worlds, And The Global Recluse, James Brown

The Ozark Historical Review

This paper will assess the degree to which reclusion in the early period can be labeled a global phenomenon and will examine three key areas, the institutional ambits of reclusion, the visual-spatial world of the eremite, and the enduring cultural canon associated with eremitisms across both geographical and temporal distances. In addition, the author will perform an epistemological and phenomenological exercise in deriving humanistic insight from the experiences of recluses, as gleaned through deep consideration of their environments and cultural products.

Humanitarian Intervention And Just War Theory, Nathaniel R. King

The Ozark Historical Review

Since the end of World War II, the United States has engaged in a new type of warfare. No longer fighting conventional wars, the United States has begun to enter into an intervention style of warfare. Often, intervention occurs on humanitarian grounds, rather than for reasons of conquest, which can often lead to unwanted destruction and alienate local populations. At the same time America’s military tactics shifted the world saw the resurgence of universal human rights. Increasingly included within these rights was the right to protection, or R2P. Just war theory becomes joined with humanitarianism when the action of intervening …

Britain And The Mediterranean: Empire And Culture In The Georgian-Victorian Era, James Brown

The Ozark Historical Review

I will examine the high age of British expansion into the Mediterranean – the mid- to late years of the Georgian- Victorian era. Since Britain’s imperialistic ventures were always intimately connected with domestic forces, I have chosen to divide my investigation into two main sections: the first analyzing the role of the Mediterranean, particularly Greece, in British culture and intellectual history prior to and during full-scale expansion, and the second presenting an account of Britain’s Mediterranean campaigns proper.

Images Of Sacrifice: Religion, Power, And Colonial Ambition In The Americas, Louise Hancox

The Ozark Historical Review

The article addresses images of sacrifice from Mesoamerica and the adoption of this imagery during Protestant colonization as a way to limit the Spanish power. The author posits that while initially serving the purpose of demonizing the Spanish Catholic presence in the Americas, the use of this imagery led Protestant powers to assert claims of religious and political superiority over both the Spanish and the indigenous peoples.

Editor’S Note: Comparative Civilizational Turn: The Future Of The Iscsc In The Wake Of Geopolitical “Grey Rhino” Events, Greg Lewicki

Comparative Civilizations Review

The last few years seem to have brought some bitter realizations among political scientists, forecasters, and security analysts. Namely: they tend to err, and their forecasts too often remain off-target.

Civilization: The Gaze Of Photography, William Alexander Ewing

Comparative Civilizations Review

If the lifetime of our species were imagined as a single 24-hour day, then civilization makes its appearance at the 23.02 mark. And photography? It comes on stage under a minute before midnight.

How marvelous it would have been to have had photography recording our lives throughout those millennia.

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Towards All-Under-Heaven: China’S Geoeconomic Strategy In The Asia-Pacific Region, Alfariza Dika Azzani

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

This research aims to understand China’s geoeconomic strategy in reshaping the alternative international order in the Asia-Pacific region. China’s economic rise increased its geopolitical influence and significance as a global great power. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government, under Xi Jinping, has adopted classical ideas in its foreign policymaking, including tianxia. Tianxia is a classical concept of a hierarchical Sinocentric international order. An empirical study was conducted on several cases of China’s economic policy and analysed with the congruence method to determine the correlation between the tianxia concept and China’s economic policy. Tianxia served as a paradigm and justification for …

Defending Nato’S Northern Flank: Power Projecting And Military Operations, Nate Ostdiek

Space and Defense

This review evaluates Defending NATO’s Northern Flank: Power Projection and Military Operations, edited by Lon Strauss and Njord Wegge. The volume offers a comprehensive assessment of NATO’s evolving Arctic posture, combining doctrinal analysis, historical context, and alliance dynamics. Contributions examine Russia’s military strategy, U.S. Arctic policy, and intra-alliance complexities involving Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. While the anthology provides valuable insights into NATO’s strategic challenges, it notably underrepresents Canada’s role. Overall, it stands as a timely and rigorous contribution to understanding Arctic security and NATO’s internal decision-making amid rising geopolitical competition.

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Modeling Nato Joint Warfighting Through Space Combat Simulations, Grant Nehls, Apoorva Somani

Space and Defense

This article investigates NATO’s dependence on space systems in joint warfighting and explores the use of simulation to quantify degradation effects. Using a custom-built AFSIM model of a NATO Arctic operation, the study demonstrates how GNSS spoofing and crosslink jamming undermine data integrity, commander trust, and strike execution—even without kinetic losses. Results show that partial degradations can cause mission failure through decision paralysis. By moving beyond binary modeling, this research highlights the need for nuanced simulations to prepare NATO for contested space environments and the challenges of great power competition.

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Same But Different: The Survivability Of Arctic-Based Russian Second-Strike Capability, July Decarpentrie

Space and Defense

This article analyzes the survivability of Russia’s second-strike capability in the Arctic through the lens of classical nuclear deterrence theory. Despite heavy commitments in Ukraine, Moscow continues to modernize its Northern Fleet and reinforce bastion defenses, underscoring the Arctic’s role as the cornerstone of its retaliatory deterrent. While these strategies mirror Cold War practices, they face unprecedented challenges from NATO expansion, multipolar competition, and advances in anti-submarine detection technologies. The study concludes that safeguarding Russia’s second-strike capability not only shapes regional security dynamics but also has broader implications for global strategic stability.

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Atomic Offsets: Nuclear Policy Shifts For Arctic States In The Wake Of Moscow’S Special Military Operation, Molly Wise, Lillian Hussong

Space and Defense

This article examines how Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has intensified nuclear reliance among Arctic states. Applying a new framework of “conventional-nuclear vulnerability,” it analyzes the nuclear policy shifts of Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The findings show that Finland and Sweden pursued NATO membership to secure nuclear guarantees, while Russia adopted riskier nuclear signaling and lowered thresholds for nuclear use. These developments highlight the growing centrality of nuclear deterrence in Arctic security, underscoring the challenges for U.S. and NATO policymakers in balancing assurance and deterrence in a volatile regional environment.

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Russian Strategic Culture And Deterrence In The Arctic, Lana Obradovic, Bethany Vailliant

Space and Defense

This study analyzes Russia’s evolving strategic culture to assess its implications for deterrence in the Arctic. It argues that Western deterrence frameworks insufficiently account for Russia’s integration of military, economic, informational, and political tools into a holistic strategy. Rooted in a siege mentality and aspirations for great power status, Russia perceives the Arctic as central to its security, economic modernization, and geopolitical influence. By situating Arctic policy within this cultural framework, the analysis highlights the need for U.S. and NATO practitioners to reassess assumptions and develop more culturally attuned deterrence strategies.

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Space And Defense Vol. 16 No. 1 Summer 2025 Special Issue On Arctic Security (Whole Issue), Editors Space And Defense

Space and Defense

Articles that cover issues on Artic Security.

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Anatomy Of An Ai Arms Race: U.S. And China Technological Dispute For Ai Leadership, Denisse I. Rojas Maldonado

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The history of societies and the emergence of powerful states have been marked by cycles of conflict and war, followed by periods of cooperation that foster international stability. Similarly, the Cold War era saw a significant rise in military and economic capabilities, which highlighted a security dilemma as the former USSR and the United States sought to protect their national interests. Currently, artificial intelligence has expanded the scope of invisible warfare beyond the atomic bomb. Some scholars like Paul Scharre advocate that there is no arms race in place, and others support the idea of a healthy competition and collaboration …

Japan’S Military Transformation In Abe Era: A Revolution Or Something Else?, Ganesh Aji Wicaksono, Tangguh Chairil

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

After the World War II, Japan has been adopting a pacifist Constitution and established the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) for narrow self-defense operations. The JSDF are restricted from having offensive military weapons. However, Japan’s pacifism and restrained security policy have been evolving recently, especially during the term of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2012-2020). The latest example is Japan’s plan to enable forward defense and counterstrike. This paper explores the transformation of Japan’s military through the revolution of military affairs (RMA) concept. The findings suggest evolutionary transformation of Japan’s military rather than revolutionary. The factors explored include international and domestic factors. …

Unveiling The Shadows: Exploring The Roles Of The Dark Web And Encrypted Messaging Apps In Facilitating Online Terrorist Networks, Eziho Promise Ogele

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The paper examines the pivotal roles of the Dark Web and encrypted messaging apps in enabling online terrorist networks. These platforms have become essential tools for extremist groups, empowering them to communicate, coordinate, and share intelligence securely. The Dark Web, a hidden portion of the internet, provides a secure conduit for terrorist organizations to emerge, operate, and coordinate activities anonymously. This digital haven enables terrorists to share resources, plan operations, and execute attacks as part of their secret operations strategy. Encrypted messaging apps, such as Telegram and WhatsApp, offer an additional layer of security, allowing terrorists to send messages anonymously …

Indonesia In Brics: A Realist Perspective, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat, Juan Pablo Sims

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

Indonesia’s 2025 accession to BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) appears at odds with the country’s long-standing bebas-aktif (“free and active”) tradition of non-alignment. This article explains the move through a layered realist approach and a purely theoretical, deductive method. First, the study integrates structural, offensive, and neoclassical realism to clarify four key mechanisms external balancing, hedging, relative gains, and status-seeking. It then maps propositions about what BRICS can offer Indonesia and tests them against existing realist scholarship on middle powers and emerging-power clubs. Analysis shows that BRICS chiefly serves as an external-balancing instrument, reducing Jakarta’s reliance on …

A Verdant Reading: On The Agency Of The Nonhuman Landscape In Apocalypse Now (1979), Christian Jil Benitez

Kritika Kultura

lack of sensitization, and fanatic adherence to tradition allow the illegal practice of prenatal sex

A New City For A New Era: Xiong'an As Showcase Of China's Evolving Urban Ideology, Andrew Stokols

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Cities have long been expressions of political ideology in China and elsewhere. During China’s rapid urbanization over the past few decades, “new areas” became popular strategies to promote urban growth, following the success of Shenzhen, widely regarded as China’s first special economic zone. Today under Xi, Xiong’an New Area has become the latest “new area of national significance.” But unlike previous new areas in China, Xiong’an has become wedded to a distinct vision of the urban in Xi Jinping’s China, one in which the excesses of reform-era urbanization are controlled through new forms of affordable housing and finance, new ecological …

Sovereignty Vs. Humanity: The Evolution Of International Law In Civil And Colonial Wars And Modern Implications, Dr. Noam Zamir

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Exploiting Vulnerability: Human Trafficking As A Tool Of Genocide, Madison Bryant

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis examines the relationship between human trafficking and genocide, arguing that when trafficking is used with the intent to destroy a targeted group, it should be understood and prosecuted as an act of genocide. While international law traditionally treats genocide and human trafficking as distinct crimes, historical and contemporary evidence reveals significant overlap in their mechanisms, motivations, and outcomes. Through a thematic analysis of three case studies, this research demonstrates how trafficking has been systematically employed to further genocidal objectives, including displacement, exploitation, cultural erasure, and the destruction of communities. The case studies are the genocide of Indigenous peoples …

Economic Warfare Against Iran’S Nuclear Program, Zoey E. Weiss

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This study evaluates the effectiveness of economic sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with a particular emphasis on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the Maximum Pressure Campaign (MPC). Using the Economic Coercion Trilemma framework, this research analyzes the impact of these sanctions regimes on Iran’s nuclear program through the lenses of efficacy, political feasibility, and unintended consequences. Ultimately this study explores the question: Could sustained sanctions have constrained Iran’s access to critical resources, effectively halting its pursuit of nuclear weapons? The findings suggest that while both the JCPOA and MPC had varying degrees of success, neither fully …

Cunning Commies, Dumb Democrats, And Exiled Germans: A Holistic Postmortem Of The 1948 Czechoslovak Coup D'État, Douglas Joys

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

The role played by the post-WWII expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia in catalyzing the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état has been underexplored in favor of the traditional narrative of an East-West clash between Czechoslovak democratic and communist parties backed by the United States and Soviet Union, respectively. Scholarship on the expulsion and the coup has on occasion brought up connections between the two events, albeit briefly and only as a small part of larger examinations of one of the two. The Eastern and Western forces at play in Czechoslovakia were undoubtedly key factors in the coup’s outcome: the end of …

Narrating The New Cold War: Investigating Chinese Cyber Propaganda And Sino-American Tensions On Bilibili, William G. Highfill

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis examines Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform originally known for its anime, comics, and gaming (ACG) content, as a critical site for the formation and circulation of nationalist discourse in the context of a “New Cold War” between the United States and China. As ideological rivalry increasingly shifts from traditional state media and military posturing to decentralized digital platforms, Bilibili offers a unique case study in how propaganda evolves in participatory online spaces. Through a combination of digital ethnography and discourse analysis, this research explores how Bilibili’s algorithmic infrastructure, comment culture (弹幕), and remix-oriented design allow users to not …

How The U.S. Can Protect Taiwan In The 21st Century, Zachary Surmacz

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

What U.S. policy would deescalate cross-strait tensions, while maintaining Taiwan’s security? This article is supported by the information and perspectives received from 12, one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with a variety of thought leaders in Taiwan. The goal of this proposal is to provide policymakers in the United States with a path for protecting Taiwan, while responsibly managing the U.S.-China relationship. The paper begins with a short background of the complex policy problem facing Taiwan and a review of the current official U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity." The article then provides an evaluation of the U.S. policy by comparing its stated goals …