Societies
The existence of an international civil society is the subject of theoretical debate. But beyond these debates, the study of societies remains essential to understanding how the world works.
A Sino-Congolese Scandal. Illegal Exploitation of Minerals and Forests by Chinese Companies in South Kivu
Since 2020, the exploitation of gold from mining sites in the Wamuzimu chiefdom in the South Kivu province by Chinese companies has aroused great discontent among the population.
Russia’s Islam: Balancing Securitization and Integration
Russia’s Islam has been much more than the two Chechen wars, and regular terrorist actions that have shaken the Russian territory. Islam constitutes an integral part of Russia’s history and culture, and the Putin regime regularly celebrates Islam’s contribution to the country and its great power reassertion.
Franco-German Civil Society: Object and Actor of Bilateral Relations. Balance and Perspectives after the Signing of the Treaty of Aachen
The treaty signed by France and Germany in Aachen on January 22, 2019 highlights the role of civil society in bilateral cooperation and aims to contribute to "bringing societies [and citizens in both countries] closer together".
The Peuls Mbororo of North Cameroon: Insecurities of a Pastoral Society and Limits of a Hybrid Security Response
The Mbororo are Fulani who, unlike the Fulbe, have not become sedentary and have practiced nomadic herding for a long time. However, over the past several decades, they have been undergoing a sedentarization process in northern Cameroon (Septentrion), to the point that many of them have become semi-sedentary and agro-pastoralists.
This community of herders faces environmental, land, fiscal and criminal insecurities.
New Africa France Summit : the Concealed Continuation of Emmanuel Macron's Africa Policy
A “New Africa-France Summit” was held on October, 8 at Arena Sud de France in Montpellier.
Germany’s Africa Politics: Renewal of an Unequal Cooperation?
In recent years, Germany’s Africa politics have been characterized by proactive international initiatives and the claim for a "partnership at eye level". However, a look at the power constellations of its cooperation indicates that inequalities are – contrary to Germany’s own claims – rather reproduced than reduced.
Corruption in Kenya. Understanding a Multifaceted Phenomenon
In Kenya, corruption results from a confusion of public and private interests that is specific to the neo-patrimonial logic in place since British colonization. The strong moral and political ethnicity that characterizes the country fuels an ambiguous relationship between the population and the elite.
From Friends to Partners? The Changing Nature of Sino-Tanzanian Relations
Since the post-colonial period, China and Tanzania have maintained a close diplomatic relationship. This note offers a subtle analysis of the changing relationship between both countries since the 1960s. It assesses the economic ties and studies the collaboration of both countries in the agriculture, health, education and security sectors.
75 millions de nouveaux pauvres en Inde: le modèle de développement indien à l’épreuve du COVID-19
The pandemic has revealed the fragility of the Indian economy.
La Guerre de vingt ans. Djihadisme et contre-terrorisme au XXIe siècle
La Guerre de vingt ans was awarded the Prize for the best book on geopolitics in 2021.
American Student Loans: Debt, Reform, and the True Cost of Higher Education
This piece is the first in a series of four Chroniques américaines on education in the United States, published this week.
The Distinctive Features of China's Middle Classes
This study seeks to lay the foundations for a better understanding of the Chinese middle classes. It goes beyond the traditional classification by revenue and identifies the distinctive features of China’s middle classes by taking into account relevant historical events, current sociopolitical and economic contexts, and key expectations of the population.
Obama announces "Opportunity Ladder"
There are moments in life when you receive an unmistakable sign that the game is over. That it’s time to fold your tent, to pull up stakes, to pack it in, to furl the flag, to trim the sails, to let go of a lost cause. At best, to wait for next year. In the extreme, to write it off permanently. And if one chooses to breast the tide, to do so stoically.
European States and their Muslim Citizens
Beyond the Arab awakening: Policies and Investments for Poverty Reduction and Food Security
This report aims to inform and stimulate the debate on key policy priorities for poverty reduction and food security in light of the Arab Awakening.
Youth Unemployment in Europe
On an initiative of the IP-Journal of the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP), the Study Committee for Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) and the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) are regularly publishing short contributions on a common subject, written by three experts of these institutes. The purpose of these “Weimar Triangle Analyses” is to give the French, Polish and German views on central questions of European politics and European integration.
The Sahel: A Crossroads between Criminality and Terrorism
Besides the ongoing political conundrum in Mali, it is the entire West African region, from Guinea Bissau to Mali, which is under threat of destabilization. Indeed, for many years now, terrorists and drugs traffickers have been synergizing their respective illegal activities, transforming the Sahel into a narcoterrorist zone. As a result, the Sahel has become a dangerous crossroads for drugs, crime, terrorism and insurgency.
Germany and the Arab Spring
Much of the analyses of German reactions to the Arab Spring uprisings have focused on Germany’s contentious decision relating to Libya. By siding with the critics of military intervention in abstaining from UNSC 1973, Germany vexed its allies and arguably displayed an astonishing lack of geostrategic foresight and moral rectitude.
Religion and Politics in Egypt Today: Ideological Trends and Future Prospects
The dynamics of Muslim-Copt relations and how they are managed by the Church and the State are part and parcel of Egypt’s transition post-Mubarak because they underlie the discussions concerning Egypt’s future as a civil State. The treatment of Copts and other religious communities under a new government will be a key indicator of the maturity of Egypt’s democratic transition.
Is Omar Sy an Uncle Tom? Race relations in America and France as seen through "Les Intouchables"
The Intouchables tells the story of a young Senegalese immigrant named Driss, who has been hired to be the caretaker of Philippe, a rich tetraplegic. The feel-good comedy has been a smashing success in France and across the world, grossing over $350m worldwide. While reviews of the film both in France and abroad have been mostly positive, there is a contingent of American critics that thinks that The Intouchables highlights racial stereotypes.
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