International Relations Commons^™

From The Editor In Chief, C. Anthony Pfaff

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Summer 2026 issue of Parameters, which consists of two In Focus special commentaries, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Strategy, and Historical Studies) and the Strategic Competition Corner.

Parameters, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

How Is Going To War Like Buying A Car?: The Bargaining Model Of War, Richard R. Johnson

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

The bargaining model of war, a popular, yet complex international relations theory, emphasizes how nations communicate signals regarding military strength, resolve to fight, and foreign policy goals. Since the military plays a major role in communicating these signals, its leaders should understand this theory, despite its complexities. This article explains the model and its components through the used car sale bargaining process and supplements the analogy with real-world examples of international events. This article will help military and foreign policy professionals easily grasp the concepts of the model.

Organizing To Engage: A Framework For Conflict Strategy, Paul Mason Carpenter

Dissertations

Conflict strategy can be exceedingly complex. While many of the basics are simple, even the simple can be highly complicated to execute. The Schlieffen Plan in World War I appeared straight forward, but execution was a great deal more complex. It failed and the result was years of trench warfare.  In addition, leaders entering conflict may not fully appreciate the full context, its effect, and the need for a long term result--a better state of peace.

Strategy and tactics may be challenging to transform as an engagement evolves. In addition, strategists must often commit to courses of action within very …

The Necessity Of U.S. Aid: The Russian-Ukrainian War, Lelin Spriggs

The Dialogue

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the conflict has emerged as a defining foreign-policy challenge of the twenty-first century. In the United States, the war dominates political discourse and continues to shape debates on national security and the appropriate scope of American global leadership. Although President Trump vowed during his campaign to end the war upon entering office, hostilities intensified following his inauguration, prompting renewed policy debates regarding the future and extent of U.S. military and economic support for Kyiv.

This paper argues that the United States must continue providing sustained military and economic …

Integration Through Reform: Le Conflit That Shaped The European Union, Ricardo E. Arellanes

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

Historians and political scientists have highlighted Charles de Gaulle’s initial hostility towards European integration and tended to ignore his nationalist policies in favor of a focus on pan-European free trade systems. They have also argued that de Gaulle’s vision of establishing a “European Europe” created more problems than solutions. These scholars have primarily approached the question through a realist perspective, holding that de Gaulle believed that total integration would allow larger nations to manipulate smaller ones. This essay argues the opposite. In his effort to restore France’s reputation as a strong world power, de Gaulle actually helped to reinforce the …

Shall We Play Kagame? - The Differences Between Rwanda And Burundi, Colin Leary

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This paper examines the two neighboring countries of Rwanda and Burundi, and the impact that Rwandan President Kagame has had in helping his country recover from the genocide of 1994.

Human Security And The Idiot: “Can Beauty Really Save The World”, Aaron Tyler

The Journal of Social Encounters

A key point of progress in the systematic considerations of the causality and cessation of violent conflict is found in the evolving idea of human security. In a collective effort to respond to the chaotic reality of violent engagement, human security emerged toward the end of the twentieth century as a multilateral, person-centered paradigm for thinking about and pursuing conflict transformation. As human security enters a third generation of development, scholars and policymakers continue to discern the usefulness of this holistic, multilateral paradigm for security. The efficacy of human security outcomes will depend on how the individual and collective within …

Parameters Spring 2025, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Spring 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Russia, Ukraine, and NATO; Strategic Competition and Managing National Security; and Joint Sustainment Strategies), the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment, and a review essay.

Call For Papers, Leandrit Mehmeti

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

You are invited to submit a paper for possible inclusion in the first issue of the Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies (JPCSS). JPCSS is housed in the Political Science and Public Policy department of the Rochester Institute of Technology-Kosova (RITK). This is an international peer-reviewed journal published as a joined venture of the RIT main campus in Rochester, NY, RITK in Prishtina, and the Kosovo Defence Academy.

The Position Of The United States Of America Vis-A-Vis The Question Of Western Sahara: Assessing The Role Of Think Tanks In The Conflict, Hamid Baadeche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

The Position of the United States of America Vis-à-vis the Question of Western Sahara: Assessing the Role of Think Tanks in the Conflict

Hamid Baadeche

Think tank organizations, particularly in the United States, have become a prominent feature of the political landscape. They act as advocates for specific policies that they consider beneficial for the country or a particular societal group. They function as a primary source of information, which they then aim to transform into well-informed policies and sound decisions. They are referred to as "the revolving doors," "idea brokers," and "idea factory." As such, their foremost objective …

Going Nuclear: Conflict Transformation In Asia, Hariharan Murugesan

Student Theses and Dissertations

On July 16th, 1945, codenamed “Trinity,” the world’s first nuclear bomb was detonated, releasing 18.6 kilotons of energy, morphing the sand in the Alamo Desert into green sheet glass.

International relations and its study were fundamentally changed with the creation of nuclear weapons. Mutually Assured Destruction, aptly shortened to MAD became a prevailing theory that tried to explain why countries would acquire nuclear weapons but would never use them; overtime, through various frameworks and treaties, the world tried to control the spread of nuclear weapons, and since 2006, only nine countries have succeeded in creating nuclear weapons, and yet interestingly …

Navigating The Threat Posed By The Chinese Communist Party, Adam Opp

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the economic growth of China has become a threat to the United States. Beginning in 1978, the CCP issued a series of economic, market-oriented reforms which led to a period of economic growth and productivity increase in China. The CCP turned to diplomacy with the United States and other nations to increase foreign investment and implemented the Belt and Road initiative. The impressive scale of Chinese economic growth poses an economic and hegemonic threat to the United States, as China’s economy is projected to outpace the United States and the CCP has …

Review Of Water Management And Violent Conflict In East Africa: Scarcity And Security In Kenya And Uganda, Ken Conca

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Short Supplemental Reading List For The Environment: Issues In Justice, Conflict And Peacebuilding, Ronald Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Guns, Bombs, And Pollution: Unraveling The Nexus Between Warfare, Terrorism, And Ecological Devastation In Iraq, Hogr Tarkhani

The Journal of Social Encounters

Iraq's environment has experienced significant pollution and degradation, earning it the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluted and degraded regions globally, according to the Globe Pollution Review. The past three decades of armed conflict have exacted a heavy toll on the country, resulting in widespread human suffering, including countless fatalities, injuries, and a massive displacement of people. Amidst this death and destruction, the ecosystem has also endured severe damage, and its decline carries long-lasting implications.

The environmental crisis in Iraq has been worsened by the presence of extremist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and various …

Tigray Conflict And Political Development In Ethiopia: Assessing Governance, Political Participation And Human Rights., Olileanya Amuche Ezugwu, Moses M. Duruji

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

The escalation of intra-state conflicts in Africa has assumed an endemic nature, posing a challenge to regional stability. Conflicts have the capacity to not only cause physical destruction to individuals and property, but also impede the establishment and maintenance of the rule of law, undermine the legitimacy of states, and pose a threat to institutional structures. This paper examines the effect of the Tigray conflict on the political development of Ethiopia: election, political participation and human rights. The objectives of the study include examining the extent the Tigray conflict affected the political development of Ethiopia and efforts made to resolve …

Legitimacy In Conflict Contexts: Shifting Rebel Engagement In Sierra Leone And The Presence Of Private Contractors, Anne Lauder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growth of non-state actors has significantly changed the nature of conflict. Rebel groups increasingly challenge state rule while private military and security companies (PMSCs) increasingly enter conflict spaces on behalf of a variety of actors, including states seeking to suppress insurgencies. This case study of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during Sierra Leone’s civil war between 1991-2002 contributes to emerging work on rebel behavior by examining how rebel’s legitimacy-seeking behavior might evolve when PMSCs enter a conflict context. I explore the ways that PMSCs can shift perceived incentive structures surrounding insurgents’ interpretations of and engagements with legitimacy during conflict, …

Arming Development: Measuring The Effects Of Development Aid On Armed Conflict. An Analysis On West Africa, 1990-2020, Alyk Collins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Did the securitization of the development aid to West Africa lead to an increase in armed conflict and one-sided violence? The goal of this research is to provide evidence that development aid allocation following the September 11th terror attacks had undergone securitization that led to an increase in casualties from armed conflict and one-sided violence in West Africa. I argue the Global War on Terror shifted development aid allocation from development projects to security projects in countries that were geostrategic partners. My approach is based on the Security Complex theory conceptualization of development aid in West African countries. Using both …

Self-Interest Or Altruism: Why Do Some Ingos Engage In Conflict Settings While Others Leave?, Rachel Arthur

International Relations Honors Papers

Why do some international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) continue work in conflict settings while others leave? Understanding the motivations influencing INGO behavior in fragile and conflict settings is important for scholars and practitioners: INGOs are a major part of the network of international third-party actors in conflict and fragile settings and provide much of the services funded by third-party state donors. While previous literature investigates the selflessness of INGOs, or lack thereof, and the behavior of INGOs within specific sectors, this thesis proposes a comprehensive analysis of the factors that impact INGO behavior in conflict settings at multiple levels. Drawing on …

Conflict Weather: Climate Change As A Driver Of Pastoralist Conflicts In The Lake Chad Region, Tope Shola Akinyetun, Nife Elizabeth Ogunbodede

Jurnal Politik

The Lake Chad region hosts a significant portion of sub-Saharan Africa’s pastoralist activities. Pastoralism in the region has become synonymous with armed conflict, thus escalating the tension in the area and making it a hotbed of insecurity. Among other things, the exacerbation of the herder-farmer crisis in this area is attributable to climate change. Lake Chad which serves as a source of water, fodder, and fertile land for herders and farmers in the region, has been shrinking. This, coupled with drought, flooding, and variability in weather patterns, forces pastoralists to move around and engage in a constant migratory pattern, resulting …

Fixing Prior Consultation For Indigenous Empowerment, Marcela Torres-Wong, Elia Méndez-García

The Journal of Social Encounters

Over the last three decades, extractive conflicts in Latin America have become increasingly violent. Hundreds of Indigenous activists have been murdered for defending their land against extractive interests. The international formula for addressing this type of conflict is for governments to conduct prior consultation procedures with Indigenous communities before affecting indigenous territories. However, the misuse of consultations by governments and companies to legitimize ecologically destructive projects has led a sector of Indigenous organizations to reject prior consultation, while others continue advocating for free, prior, and informed consent. We compare two cases of Indigenous communities from Oaxaca and Yucatán in Mexico …

Extractivism And Conflict: Comparative Study Of Serbia And The Drc, Borislava Manojlovic, Espoir Kabanga

The Journal of Social Encounters

This study explores how populations in Serbia and the DRC have been affected by and responded to natural resource extraction. Specifically, protests and other activist engagement were examined by surveying social movements’ participants from civil society and academia. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry were used. Data was collected from multiple sources, including academic and online sources pertaining to the topic of extractivism, and a survey of 71 participants. The results indicate that both Congolese and Serbian participants have grave concerns about extractivism and its impact on the environment, peace, stability, health, and well-being but differ in their ability …

The Economic Reintegration Of Former Child Soldiers In Northern Uganda, Capri Gutiérrez

Honors Program Theses

During the Northern Ugandan War, the Lord’s Resistance Army kidnapped and recruited 30,000 children and forced them to become soldiers. Nearly twenty years since the end of the war, former child soldiers continue to experience extreme poverty, psychological distress, and social isolation. For many, the economic hardship they face, due to stigma and missing out on school, is their greatest challenge upon returning home. This paper analyzes the strategies used by the government and non-state actors to reintegrate former child soldiers back into the Ugandan economy. These strategies are then compared to best practices in the field using secondary research …

The Nexus Of Climate Change And Human Rights: An Examination Of How Social, Political, And Environmental Impacts Of Climate Change Jeopardize The Protection Of Human Rights In The African Sahel, Camden R. Malone

Dissertations and Theses

Climate change is a threat multiplier by its driving forces of environmental stress and scarcity. In the developing world, countries are hit hardest and most frequently by the effects of climate change, such as severe floods, droughts, and desertification. In this thesis, I argue that existing models for the umbrella-term of climate-security underemphasize dimensions of human security through exclusion of HR violations linked to climate such as subjection to food/water stress, compromised health, displacement, and violent conflict. Therefore, the climate-security paradigm should be recast to pay closer attention to its consequences related to human rights protection, which I refer to …

The Moralist International: Russia In The Global Culture Wars, Kristina Stoeckl, Dmitry Uzlaner

Politics

The Moralist International analyzes the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian state in the global culture wars over gender and reproductive rights and religious freedom. It shows how the Russian Orthodox Church in the past thirty years first acquired knowledge about the dynamics, issues, and strategies of Right- Wing Christian groups; how the Moscow Patriarchate has shaped its traditionalist agenda accordingly; and how the close alliance between church and state has turned Russia into a norm entrepreneur for international moral conservativism. Including detailed case studies of the World Congress of Families, anti-abortion activism, and the global homeschooling …

Economic Interdependence And Conflict: An International Relations Theory Analysis, Sam M. Arkin

Glatfelter Gazette

Theories of International Relations are constructed to help make sense of how power is divided amongst international actors. Three prominent theories: Realism, Liberalism, and Neo-Marxism, interpret international phenomena differently based on their assumptions about structures of global power. Economic interdependence is seen by each theory to impact who has power and how that power is maintained. These theories diverge in interpreting how economic interdependence impacts forms of conflict. These pieces do not interpret which theory is correct but work to emphasize the contextual foundations and analytical framework for how each theory perceives the entanglement of economic interdependence and conflict.

The Church And Ethnopolitical Conflict In Kenya: 1982-2013, David Tarus

The Journal of Social Encounters

The chapter examines the role of the church in addressing the problem of ethnopolitical conflict in Kenya from 1982 to 2013. Though ethnocentrism within the Kenyan Christian community goes beyond the years cited to the colonial period and the immediate years following independence, the intensity of the problem after 1982 calls for special attention. The single event that marks political change in Kenya is the 1982 attempted coup. Although this was not successful, the coup heightened opposition against Moi’s rule and thus, 1982 marks the beginning of the recent history of Kenya, a history in which three phases may be …

Allow Them To Take The Reins: Why Central Asian States Need To Lead In Afghanistan, Brandon Angel

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

No abstract provided.

How Biden Wants Us To Think About Ukraine’S Conflict, Rainer Shea

Communication 300 Papers

President Joe Biden’s rhetorical style when talking to the American people about the conflict in Ukraine is one which can be compared to that of President George W. Bush in regards to the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 attacks. During Biden’s speech about Ukraine in March of 2022, he conveyed an idea parallel to that which Bush conveyed: an enemy of the United States has committed a transgression which can’t go unpunished, and the “free world” needs to fight back at any cost. In order to make this case, Biden used the speech to counter Putin’s arguments for a …