Essays Research
What is a Nation ?
What are the two tenets on which rests the concept of nation? Are nations eternal? Are they linked to notions of race, language, religion, interest or geography?
Research
A Short History of Russia
Twelve centuries of Russian history to discover how Russia has built its identity under the Mongols, Ivan the Terrible, the Romanov, the Soviet Union and now Vladimir Putin.
Essays Research
Humiliation in International Relations
How can globalisation and Western modernity be both desired and rejected? What are the humiliating ways in which the West sustains its global domination? How does humiliation fuel national narratives? How have wars changed in a way that humiliation has become systematic?
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CHINA in AFRICA, a “shared future”?
Is it a “win-win” relation? Does China help Africa develop? Does it use “debt-trap diplomacy”? How does China play the big brother? What challenges will it face?
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RUSSIA, a predator in AFRICA
What is Russia’s strategy in Africa? How does it use the Wagner group? What’s happening in CAR, Mali, Sudan and SAF? What can limit Russia’s influence?
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From Clinton to Biden: a look back on 30 years of US leadership
Delve into Bill Clinton’s pragmatic Wilsonianism, George W. Bush’s “America First”, Barack Obama’s smart power, Donald Trump’s unilateralism and Joe Biden’s Cold War mentality…
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TURKEY and RUSSIA : a strategic alliance ?
Do past rivalries impact their relations? Why is Turkey annoying NATO? How complementary are their economies? How compartmentalised are their interests?
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UGANDA: the “Pearl of Africa”
Presentation of Uganda’s History, culture, politics, economy, security situation and so much more !
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Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Africa
What are the various African terrorist groups? How different are al-Qaeda and Daesh’s targets, strategies and images? How will the threat evolve in Africa?
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A short History of the Iran-US relationship
How was the Iranian regime before/after 1979 ? Who was the Ayatollah Khomeini ? How did the US-Iran relationship evolve ? What is the Iranian nuclear deal ?
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The French Intervention in Mali since 2013
Why and how did France intervene? What were its motivations? Does the recent French withdrawal from Mali represent a defeat? What role are Russians playing?
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Conflicts in Yugoslavia in the 1990’s
Background information since WW1, summaries of the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, and explanations on how crimes were judged in the aftermath of the wars.
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The European Union: how does it work ?
What is the history of the EU? Why didn’t the UK adopt the euro? How do EU institutions work? What challenges does the EU face?
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[French] Renforcer le Lien Armée-Nation en France
Qu’est ce que le lien armée-nation? Comment s’est-il manifesté depuis 1789? Quel rôle joue la réserve? Quelles politiques pour renforcer le lien armée-nation?
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South-East Asia in the Middle of a Superpower Rivalry
Has the US achieved its “Pivot to Asia” ? How does China expand its influence ? Is the ASEAN a united bloc ? Will it align itself with one side or the other?
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[Part 3] Why did the US fail in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
What military and diplomatic strategies did the US adopt? What mistakes did they make? Who is in good terms with the Taliban? How will they govern?
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[Part 2] The War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)
Why and how did the US intervene in Afghanistan? How was Osama bin Laden killed? What role did Pakistan play? Why did the US leave in 2021?
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[Part 1] Wars in Afghanistan (1979-2001)
What happened during the Soviet-Afghan war and the ensuing civil wars?
What was Pakistan’s role? Who are the mujahideen? Who are the Taliban?
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West Africa, a Hotbed of Narcoterrorism
What definition for narcoterrorism? How do South-American cartels and West-African terrorist groups collaborate? How governments fight both drug and terrorism ?
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Daesh’s Statehood and Caliphate
What are the ideological, political, social and economic basis of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)? Is Daesh a caliphate ? Is it a state proper ?