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How DOGE could affect U.S.-Japan cyber intelligence sharing, and what Japan can do about it
The large-scale DOGE layoffs are leading to a weakening of the U.S. cyber intelligence system. This administrative upheaval conducted in less than 100 days into the second Trump administration is eroding operational effectiveness. In response, Giulia Saccone writes, Japan must move with similar urgency to acquire sufficient cyber capabilities and set up cyber intelligence institutions to offset the vulnerabilities created by the weakening of the U.S. cyber defense apparatus. While the Active Cyber Defense (ACD) already provides the grounds for greater resilience against cyberattacks, its implementation has to be accelerated and paired with the institution of a state-level cyber intelligence body, writes Saccone. She further argues that together, these initiatives would position Japan to sustain and expand its cyber diplomacy efforts, especially with Indo-Pacific actors. By employing bilateral agreements as bases for collective ones, and CBMs for enhancing predictability and transparency, Japan can facilitate better crisis management. This would not only boost regional cyber intelligence flows but also contribute to a stable regional order in the Indo-Pacific, writes Saccone. Read this piece here.
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Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea
This issue brief by Josephine Ørgaard Rasmussen and Tove Jalmerud covers the rising cases of digital sex crimes in South Korea, a trend likely linked to the growing number of young men expressing anti-feminist and sexist views toward women. Fueled by online forums known as the “manosphere,” groups of men, including a significant number of boys aged 10 to 14, congregate in these spaces to share misogynistic sentiments. Some users exploit the anonymity of the internet to commit digital sex crimes against women. These offenses vary in severity, ranging from voyeurism to sextortion, write Rasmussen and Jalmerud. They argue that the emergence of advanced AI technologies has further enabled such crimes, presenting new challenges for authorities in Seoul. As South Korea grapples with the escalating threat of digital sex crimes, this issue brief by Rasmussen and Jalmerud discusses how Seoul must go beyond strengthening legal and investigative measures and also implement systemic societal reforms and proactive prevention strategies. They further write that to prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place, Seoul must address the underlying social attitudes and misogyny that enable them, as well as take steps to raise public awareness and establish social intolerance towards such gender based violence. Read and download this issue brief here.
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Climate and Environment in CCP’s Control Strategy in Tibet
The Tibetan Plateau is warming rapidly, leading to significant ecological changes and threatening water security for millions. This issue brief by Jonathan Ping examines the impact of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) governance on Tibet’s environment and the global environment. Rooted in Marxism-Leninism, the CCP’s governance model prioritizes Party control, resulting in policies that often neglect environmental and global concerns. The CCP’s development projects exacerbate these issues, causing habitat fragmentation and pollution. Social and cultural impacts include the erosion of Tibetan identity and traditional lifestyles, writes Ping. China’s global initiatives, such as the 'One Belt, One Road' Initiative, further extend its development model, financing coal projects while resisting zero-emission initiatives. He further argues that despite pledges to combat climate change, China remains heavily reliant on coal. Effective global governance requires a realist approach, as the CCP’s unilateral actions hinder collaborative efforts. Addressing these challenges necessitates sustainable development policies to protect Tibet’s unique ecosystems and mitigate global emissions, writes Jonathan Ping. Read and download this issue brief here.
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Politics in the Courtroom: Lawfare and Impeachment in South Korea’s Post-Martial Law Era
Synne Norseth writes on the need for urgent legal and political reform in South Korea. She argues that while political-judicial tension is not unique to Korea, its current intensity underscores the urgent need for reform. Ambiguities in legal statutes have fostered confusion and inconsistent rulings, making the impeachment process vulnerable to political misuse. To maintain its function as a tool of public accountability, impeachment should be based on clear and objective standards, specifically limited to significant constitutional violations or severe misconduct, writes Synne Norseth. She further argues that political actors should refrain from court-packing and undue pressure on judges, instead prioritizing protections for judicial independence. Any structural reform to the judiciary should be pursued through bipartisan consensus or independent review to ensure the preservation of institutional integrity and the maintenance of democratic balance, writes Norseth. Read this piece here.
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Armenia and the Belt and Road Initiative: Perspectives from Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia
This co-edited book analyses the opportunities and challenges enabled for Armenia by China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the framework of economic cooperation, policy diversification, social inclusion, and regional cohesion. Structured in five parts, the chapters outline the economic, geopolitical, and legal agenda for Armenia in order to formulate policy diversification and risk mitigation principles for participation in BRI projects. Experiences from Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus are included in the discussion. Offering international and Armenian perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, the book also suggests an alternative for Armenia: A deepening of its cooperation with democracies in the EU and India. A critically timed study, this book is an important addition to the literature of the South Caucasus region, the Indo-Pacific, and China studies. It will be of interest to policymakers and researchers in the field of international relations, security studies, and area studies. You can refer to and obtain a copy of this book here.
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Securing Food Futures: Imperative of Diplomacy in Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience
The science of food supply chains focuses on designing, managing, and optimizing the entire ecosystem that enables food production, processing, distribution, and consumption. Understanding the behaviour of foodborne pathogens under different environmental conditions is crucial for designing effective control strategies throughout the supply chain. Aniruddha Inamdar and Sanjay Pattanshetty write that as global food systems face growing pressures from climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical shifts, building resilient, safe, and equitable supply chains is more urgent than ever. Diplomacy and the ESG framework together can ensure that food safety and supply chain resilience become a global priority and shared responsibility in transforming food systems to deliver safe, sustainable, accessible, and affordable food for all. Read this piece by Inamdar and Pattanshetty here.
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Is Central Asia Stable? Conflict Risks and Drivers of Instability
In this Silk Road paper, Svante E. Cornell analyses a series of potential factors that impact the risk of renewed instability in Central Asia. He argues that internal to the region, these include the economic difficulties the region has experienced in the past decade. In addition, the remarkable resistance to reform that post-Soviet institutions in the region have shown in the past three decades has become increasingly unsustainable in the face of new communication technologies and an emerging post-Soviet generation. Among state institutions, the region’s security services can be identified as the most unreformed and retrograde power centers, and they played influential roles in most of the episodes of violence in the region. Cornell further writes that aggravating these risk factors are the growing disparity between states of the region and the continued malign role of Russian influence, whose array of instruments to undermine stability have only intermittently been deployed across Central Asia. Read and download this Silk Road paper here.
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How DOGE could affect U.S.-Japan cyber intelligence sharing, and what Japan can do about it
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Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea
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Climate and Environment in CCP’s Control Strategy in Tibet
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Politics in the Courtroom: Lawfare and Impeachment in South Korea’s Post-Martial Law Era
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Armenia and the Belt and Road Initiative: Perspectives from Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia
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Securing Food Futures: Imperative of Diplomacy in Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience
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Is Central Asia Stable? Conflict Risks and Drivers of Instability
Latest Publications
Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea
South Korea is experiencing a rise in digital sex crimes, a trend likely linked to the growing number of young men expressing anti-feminist and sexist views toward women. Fueled by […]
Climate and Environment in CCP’s Control Strategy in Tibet
The Tibetan Plateau is warming rapidly, leading to significant ecological changes and threatening water security for millions. This issue brief examines the impact of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) governance […]
Is Central Asia Stable? Conflict Risks and Drivers of Instability
In 2022, violence erupted in four different areas of Central Asia. These episodes of violence were very different from each other, and all were contained within days or weeks. The […]
- From Foe to Partner? Russia's Rapprochement with the Taliban and its Regional Implications
- Mongolia’s Pivot to Central Asia and the Caucasus: Strategic Realignments and Regional Implications
- Has the West "Lost" Azerbaijan?
- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Resolve Final Border Dispute: A Historic but Fragile Peace
Books
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Arabs, Turks and Persians: Geopolitics and Ideology in the Greater Middle East
For decades, the Greater Middle East has been a leading challenge to American foreign policy. This vast region – ranging from North Africa in the west to Afghanistan in the […]
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The US and EU, and the Emerging Supply Chain Network: Politics, Prospects, and Allies
The Global Supply Chains have evolved from simply logistical achievements to being the bedrock of the global economy. Driven by technological advances and geopolitical shifts, this transformation underscores the critical […]
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IN DEFENSE OF THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER
In recent years, the geopolitical fight for global economic, diplomatic, and institutional control has acutely intensified, accentuating the crisis in the existing post-World War II Liberal International Order (LIO), championed […]
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Quad Plus and Indo-Pacific: The Changing Profile of International Relations
This book explores how the Quad Plus mechanism is set to reshape the global multilateral economic and security co-operations between Quad partner countries and the rest of the world. With […]