Public Policy Commons^™

Subnational Diplomacy As 'Positive Fragmentation': Our Best Hope For A Peaceful Collapse Of The Nation-State?, Alison R. Holmes

New England Journal of Public Policy

The current phase of globalization is one of fundamental erosion in the efficacy of the territorial nation-state and slow implosion of traditional sovereignty-based models of the state system. Combined with the breakdown of the rationalist-universalist ‘consensus,’ sub-state entities up and down the “vertical axis” of diplomacy are increasingly asserting mutually exclusive concepts of power and self-determination that could lead to a potential fragmentation of the basic structures of governance. Linear theories of state development and traditional definitions of sovereignty, with its consequent forms of recognition, urgently need to be revised or the likelihood of a continued disruption of international collaboration, …

Understanding The Underlying Motivations Of The Russia-Ukraine War, John Bell

New England Journal of Public Policy

Conflict resolution often focuses on material interests or trust building rather than the core psychological needs of the sides. Mapping the key emotional red lines of parties and addressing them creatively may offer new opportunities for peace. This article examines such an approach for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with reflection on the Middle East where such a mapping of needs has begun. This approach leads to the concept of mutual needs satisfaction, where all sides’ critical red lines are addressed, if imperfectly. This is discussed regarding Russia, Ukraine, and the West today. As former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat demonstrated by going …

What Future For Peace In A World Characterized By Uncertainty And Fear?, Cedric De Coning, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

After World War II the leading victorious powers put in place a series of structures that became known as the ‘rules-based international order.’ Its purpose was to prevent another global conflict, and for Western countries the method was the promotion of liberal democracy. During succeeding decades, the commitment to building and securing a more peaceful world order saw the establishment of political, security, and economic institutions and civil society organizations that worked to implement it. However, the last decade has seen the increasing fragmentation and dissolution of this rules-based order and those who worked to develop it are having increasing …

Play The Players For Winning Peace: Complexity Analytics With The Uk-Ireland Good Friday Agreement As A Case Study, Bilal M. Ayyub

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article presents an innovative framework for analyzing and resolving intractable conflicts through the lens of complexity analytics. By conceptualizing conflicts as complex adaptive systems with fractal properties, we introduce a multifaceted methodology that integrates game theory, network analysis, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence (AI) to comprehend and influence conflict dynamics across multiple scales. The approach emphasizes ‘playing the players’ rather than focusing solely on the immediate conflict situation, drawing insights from poker strategy and AI-driven decision-making processes. This strategy involves understanding the psychological profiles, risk attitudes, and decision-making patterns of key actors, allowing for more nuanced and effective interventions. …

Gerald Templer's Leadership In The Malayan Emergency (1948-1960): Its Enduring Relevance, Kumar Ramakrishna

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article explores the leadership contributions of General Sir Gerald Templer, who was both High Commissioner and Director of Operations, during the counterinsurgency campaign waged by the British colonial authorities in Malaya against the Malayan Communist Party, between 1948 and 1960. This campaign has become known as the Malayan Emergency. The article explores how Templer’s leadership—marked by a combination of high intellect, sound practical nous, and the ability to galvanize governmental action and ultimately inspire the population to eventual victory—was instrumental in transforming the nature of the problematic initial British response to the Communist insurgency. The article suggests that Templer’s …

How Gaza Sees The 2023-2025 War And The Future Of The Israel-Palestine Conflict, Scott Atran, Laura Rodriguez-Gómez, Kamil Yilmaz, Ángel Gómez

New England Journal of Public Policy

In political science and international relations, as in foreign policy and military circles, a debate is ongoing between “realists” and “moralists” regarding the importance of material factors (territory, economy, security, etc.) versus value-laden factors (justice, ideals, identity, etc.) in motivating, sustaining, and ending wars. An early 2025 representative survey of Gaza’s population considers both sets of factors in how Gazans perceive the present and future states of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Comparisons with our previous studies in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe aim to extend this survey’s relevance beyond the current Israel-Palestine theater. The survey suggests that after waging …

Preventing War As Ending War: The European Network Remembrance And Solidarity On Channeling Potential Conflict Through Dialogue On History, Rafal Rogulski

New England Journal of Public Policy

Dialogue about history is an important element in the processes of ordering social and international reality. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Europe alone, we have experienced so many dramas that virtually every country and its citizens have issues in their history that call for prolonged and consistent dialogue, often in an international setting. Colonialism, wars, totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, genocide, forced displacement—we have a lot to talk about in Europe when it comes to history. The establishment and activities of the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity provide an example of how international discourse on history can be conducted …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

New England Journal of Public Policy

Front matter and table of contents for Volume 37, Issue 1 of the New England Journal of Public Policy.

Introduction, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

Introduction for Volume 37, Issue 1 of the New England Journal of Public Policy.

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

This issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy, again with Lord John Alderdice as guest editor, examined how wars end. The articles complement those in the previous issue on the Changing Character of War and Peacemaking.

Ending Wars In Times Of Uncertainty: Moral Leadership, Memory, And The Cost Of Peace, Eva Grosman

New England Journal of Public Policy

In our era of ‘liquid modernity,’ ending wars requires more than ceasing hostilities—it demands ethical frameworks that address the deeper wounds of conflict. This article examines how peace processes frequently abandon those who sacrificed most, creating narratives of betrayal that undermine future stability. Using Poland’s post–World War II experience as a case study, it demonstrates how prioritizing geopolitical expediency over justice creates lasting damage to international order. Drawing on Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of liquid times, Anne Applebaum’s work on memory and abandonment, and Jonathan Sacks’s vision of moral leadership, the article argues that sustainable peace requires attention to dignity, inclusion, …

Ending War, But Beginning Peace?, Alain Tschudin

New England Journal of Public Policy

The end of war, conventionally marked by the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, is popularly celebrated and politically lauded in the aftermath of extreme violence. However, the so- called “silencing of the guns” is regarded only as “negative peace” or first steps away from direct violence. What about beginning Peace? Johan Galtung, esteemed for his life work in peace studies, suggests that the situation after the cessation of hostilities might be worse than the status quo ante. With reference to contemporary violent conflict in the Middle East, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Palestine, I suggest that pursuing lasting “positive …

Solving Global Problems Requires Global Cohesion, Harvey Whitehouse, John, Lord Alderdice, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Peter Gluckman, Hakima El Haité, Lukas Reinhardt

New England Journal of Public Policy

A growing body of evidence from evolutionary anthropology and social psychology suggests that group cohesion can be scaled up beyond the level of nations and even regional blocs and transnational religions to encompass humanity at large. This article brings together insights from globally renowned political leaders, activists, and academics by arguing that this scaling up is not only possible but necessary to address the most pressing collective action problems facing our planet today. Drawing on evidence from experiments, longitudinal studies, and multi-country surveys, along with extensive practical experience—from serving as a head of state to playing leading roles in climate …

Examining Shifts In Group-Based Motivations For Civil Conflicts In Libya, Michael D. Buhrmester, William B. Swann Jr., Brian Mcquinn, Alexis Everington, Layal Hafid, Harvey Whitehouse

New England Journal of Public Policy

This study examines shifting group alignments in Libya from 2011 to 2019, exploring their impact on continued conflict. Following up on our original research into group bonding among insurgents during the 2011 revolution, we conducted two surveys in Benghazi: first in 2015, during the aftermath of Operation Dignity, and again in 2019, as General Khalifa Haftar’s forces waged war against Tripoli. Our results show that the previously very strong group bonds with 2011 revolutionary fighters had dissipated by 2015, replaced by allegiance to Haftar’s militias. By 2019, this alignment extended to Haftar himself, reinforcing an “us versus them” mentality that …

Political And Psychological Effects Of Political Public Art In Conflict Zones, Leora Sotto, Caryl Sibbett

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article will explore the topic of conflict-related visual-political media displayed in public in Israel and Northern Ireland, such as posters, banners, and murals. We will discuss examples of such political public art, looking at graphic characteristics as well as several multi-faceted topics that tend to appear: first, the topic of victim / victimizer, art expressing feelings of aggression, blaming, injustice, or pain; second, cross-cultural similarities and differences in the art expression; third, art promoting peace. We will reflect on these from a psychotherapy perspective, noting themes of trauma and dis/empowerment. We will discuss visual art and war, their interaction, …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

New England Journal of Public Policy

Front matter and table of contents for Volume 36, Issue 1 of the New England Journal of Public Policy.

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

This issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy, with Lord John Alderdice as the guest editor, examines how, with the advent of sophisticated technologies and AI, the conduct of wars and peacemaking in the opening decades of the twenty-first century has changed, with implications for the future of both and society at large.

Introduction To The Special Issue, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

This issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy, with Lord John Alderdice as the guest editor, examines how, with the advent of sophisticated technologies and AI, the conduct of wars and peacemaking in the opening decades of the twenty-first century has changed, with implications for the future of both and society at large.

New Technologies In Wars, Old And New, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

Wars are often marked by technological advances and while the front line in the confrontation in the Russia-Ukraine War is between the two countries concerned, many other countries are also involved in bringing a range of weapons to bear. Some, such as drones and satellite communications, are not entirely new, but are playing a greater role than before. They are also being combined with more definitively new technologies such as artificial intelligence. However, the older ways of warfare are still center stage. Not only has there been a return of war in Europe between major powers, but even the trench …

The Psychological Risks Of War Between The United States And China, Eugen Koh

New England Journal of Public Policy

The relationship between the United States and China has deteriorated over the past two decades and fears of escalating risks of war are regularly reported in global media. This article explores the psychological factors that contribute to the two superpowers shifting from a collaborative relationship to a competitive relationship, seeing each other as enemies, feeling increasingly threatened by each other, failing to consider the heightened sensitivities that arise from their respective traumatic pasts, triggering the collapse of thinking and unleashing of uncontainable emotionality, escalating accidents to conflict, and escalating conflict to war. It highlights the dangers of ignoring heightened trauma-related …

The How And Why Of Visual Practice At Un Climate Negotiations, Stéphanie Heckman

New England Journal of Public Policy

In this article Stéphanie Heckman examines the process and outcomes of her graphic recording work and other forms of visual practice in the context of UN climate negotiations, reflecting on three years of collaboration with the UN Climate Change Secretariat, particularly during the eighteen-month Global Stocktake process. After a review of the history and science behind visual storytelling, she analyses one of the graphic recordings made for the third meeting of the Technical Dialogue of the Global Stocktake through the lens of Kelvy Bird’s ‘Levels of Scribing’ model. Drawing on comments from delegates at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and …

Results Of Cop27 And Expectations For Cop28, Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Fareed Yasseen

New England Journal of Public Policy

Since 1995, government representatives from around the world have gathered nearly every year for the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) to advance work on multilateral agreements and to provide a way forward in tackling the significant challenges of climate change. The last of these conferences took place on November 6–20, 2022, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

COP27 brought together more than 35,000 people from across the globe to deliberate on important actions for addressing the climate. Hailed as the “African COP” and “Implementation COP,” it raised expectations that decisions from previous conferences, reflecting the needs and priorities of the …

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley, Adanna C. Kalejaye

New England Journal of Public Policy

To coincide with COP28 in Dubai, this issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy published a series of articles on climate warming.

Joint Global Responsibility Fund For Climate, Conservation, And Communities: A Proposed Innovative Tax-Based Funding Mechanism, Tamar Ron

New England Journal of Public Policy

Nature-based solutions address biodiversity loss, climate change, and societal challenges at the local, national, regional, and global levels. The costs of their conservation, however, are mostly local and national in nature. Confronting the rolling dual crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change requires us to recognize nature’s intrinsic value. Moreover, we must find practical ways for their monetary valuation to be channeled as payment for the services of conservation custodians. It is suggested here to translate the value of natural assets and the understanding of the local costs and global benefits of their conservation, into an innovative and ambitious funding …

Cop27 And The New Rise Of The Global South, Janice Golding

New England Journal of Public Policy

Developing countries require direct and indirect financial and non-financial assistance to address the climate crisis. The COP27 announcement of a new Loss and Damage Fund as well the unveiling of the Bridgetown Initiative collectively hold substantial promise to alter the course of climate multilateralism. The outcome of COP27 has presented unprecedented opportunities for the Global South to build global solidarity for climate justice, but the path ahead will not be easy. Materialization of support to developing countries may be, at best, not sustainable, or at worst, unforeseeable without consistent application of principles and values enshrined in historic, moral accountability for …

The Perfect Is The Enemy Of The Good: Carbon Credits And Funding For Decarbonization In Developing Countries, Andrew A. Bernstein

New England Journal of Public Policy

Carbon credits issued in the voluntary carbon market are an important source of funding for projects in developing countries designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as forest preservation and renewable energy. Beyond their potential to provide billions of dollars of private sector financing for decarbonization, carbon credits can generate economic opportunity, employment, and biodiversity. But they are controversial, mainly (but not only) because it is difficult to confirm and to quantify their emissions benefits. This article argues that policymakers should nonetheless support voluntary carbon market growth, so long as companies use carbon credits to mitigate emissions they cannot avoid …

Solar Radiation Modification Governance In The Context Of Temperature Overshoot, Janos Pasztor

New England Journal of Public Policy

As the climate crisis escalates, governments—and recently even those in the wealthier countries in the Global North—are struggling to manage the impacts we are experiencing around the world in frightening abundance, including record-setting temperatures, fires, floods, and glacial and ice melt. Behind closed doors, policymakers are concerned as they contemplate the increasing likelihood, even under the most ambitious emission reduction pathways, that the world will overshoot the goal agreed upon in the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature rise to 1.5oC beyond pre-industrial levels.

It is in this “overshoot context” that interest is growing in an emerging, potentially supplementary …

The Gulf: An Appeal For More Coordinated Action On Climate Change, Fareed Yasseen

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article seeks to provide the rationale behind Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s call at the United Nations for the formation of a negotiating group within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process that brings together all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, and Iran. This article argues that these countries would benefit doubly from such an arrangement, because it would help them better address the direct effects of climate change, on the one hand, and to better address the effects of the measures taken to address climate change, which will affect them as fossil fuel producers, …

The Role Of Carbon Management Technologies In Meeting Net Zero, Ali Al-Saffar

New England Journal of Public Policy

The pathway toward implementing the changes necessary in the energy sector to keep global temperature rises from breaking through catastrophic barriers is narrow and tenuous and will require a range of zero- and low-carbon technologies to be dispatched at a speed and scale that is virtually unprecedented. Decarbonization through renewables, matched with the more efficient use of energy in the end-use sectors will play a large part. But there is growing realization that there will be residual fossil fuel use long into the future, and that the emissions from the burning of these fossil fuels in power plants and factories …

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

The articles in this issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy primarily interrogate the challenges facing democracy and democratic peacebuilding in divided societies.