When adults in the United States are arrested and charged with a crime, they have the right to be released on bail. The 8th amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that “excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, or cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” It is a right given to every adult offender no matter the age or nature of the offense.
Read moreSalami tactics, or conquering an enemy piece-by-piece, is a well-known strategy in international relations used to overcome opposition and weaken enemy states. The People’s Republic of China and India faced tensions earlier this year in what was their second faceoff since 2020. In May 2020, a clash between the troops of both countries along the Sino-Indian border resulted from India’s infrastructure plan in the bordering region near Ladakh. Both the countries engaged in cross-border-firing on September 7, 2020, the first time in 45 years.
Read moreBoth India and Pakistan have characterized the residents of Kashmir as pawns in their never-ending political and religious games of chess. Kashmiri women, in particular, bear the brunt of the conflict’s consequences. Among other things, they are subjected to sexual violence with little recourse for justice, and the battle for national and religious superiority in the region only worsens the physical impact on women.
Read moreSince the fall of the Soviet Union, competing world orders and clashing national interests increasingly sparked fears of new conflicts erupting. The concept of ‘hybrid warfare’, or military actions existing in the liminal space between peace and war through various non-military strategies, has been consistently identified as a cause for tension since 2014.
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Thucydides’ Trap posits that when a great power’s hegemony is threatened by a rising power, there is a high likelihood of war between the two nations. This proposition is relevant when examining the relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States. Allison coined this term precisely to characterize increasing U.S.-China tensions, worrying that it would eventually result in a war between the world’s two greatest powers.
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When a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in August 2021, countries and international organizations from around the world expressed their concern and sent aid in the form of donations and emergency relief. However, many Haitians fear that aid from international organizations and governments will not effectively help those in need.
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Texas’ new abortion laws, which ban abortions six weeks post-conception with no exceptions for rape or incest, were signed into effect by Governor Greg Abbott on September 1, 2021. The laws are setting a dangerous precedent in the U.S., causing other states like Florida to propose increasingly restrictive laws. Meanwhile, Mexico’s laws are prohibiting judges from charging women who receive abortions, even in regions where abortion has not yet been decriminalized. The contrasting approach toward abortion between Mexico and Texas shows a dangerous trend that could lead the U.S. down a rabbit hole of restricting reproductive rights.
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Following the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, on August 15, countries around the world are bracing for another mass migration of refugees. However, some leaders of Western European countries, such as, Germany and France—two of the most sought-after destinations by asylum seekers—are refusing to allow another migrant wave that resembles the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015.
Read morePoliticians have long wielded American exceptionalism – the idea that the United States’ identity, values, and culture must be protected at all costs – for citizen mobilization throughout the country’s history. It has been used during foreign interventions, the war on terror, President Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, and, more recently, mass vaccination campaigns. President Biden now has an opportunity to arm climate policy with American exceptionalism to achieve ambitious climate goals.
Read moreAs countries across the globe are racing vaccinate their populations, vaccine diplomacy has now become a key component of geopolitics. Several countries such as China, Russia, and India are engaging in vaccine diplomacy. This new diplomacy tool will have a substantial impact, given the unequal global distribution of vaccines.
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