Using theories of mediation studies Osiur Rahman examines the prospect of a series of recent initiative taken by Bangladeshi civil society who are trying to resolve a deadly stand off between Bangladesh’s two major political parties. Osiur argues that there is little hope for Bangladeshi civil society as these civil society members do not have necessary instruments to resolve the crisis.
The development of new technologies and modes of production have always facilitated changes in political systems. Today, on the back of developments in cyberspace, a new class of global citizenship is emerging which will help reshape the present political system across the developed and developing world. This is the first of the four-part series written by Dr. Jon Kofas.
In this long essay David Whitehouse traces the origin of the modern day police force. He argues that “the authorities created the police in response to large, defiant crowds. That’s–strikes in England, riots in the Northern US, and the threat of slave insurrections in the South. So the police are a response to crowds, not to crime.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been alerting the American people since August 2014 that the incidents involving police and minorities in America are symptomatic of a militarized police force that reflects a broader mindset on the part of the government. Other media outlets have expressed concerned about the militarized role of the police in a democratic society, and even the Department of Justice has raised concerns about how to deal with the brutal force of police toward minorities. Taking the long view, Jon Kofas argue that the militarized police is a reflection of the evolution of government toward a police state model. Although it is rooted in the early Cold War, this phenomenon evolved gradually after 9/11 in America and it reflects the convergence of foreign and domestic policy of dealing with “potential enemies as terrorists
Dr. Mark Beeson, a Professor of International Politics explains why we should take Russell Brand seriously. He argues “It’s easy to sound condescending about Brand’s book–Revolution. There is much that sounds naïve and entirely out of touch with what passes for reality. But that’s Brand’s point.”
In this analysis, Brett Elmer discusses whether Chinese president Xi Jinping has the both the willingness and the ability to bring a lasting calm to Xinjiang.
Alochonaa (Dialogue) 