Apr'20
The IUP Journal of International Relations
Focus
Politics, which includes international politics or relations, can be seen essentially as a convention inextricably linked to the birth of diversity and conflict, but it can also be seen as a willingness to cooperate and act collectively.
Of the three papers in the current issue, Rohan Davis's "Pro-Israeli Forces: Occupying Australian Minds" provides a snapshot of the composition and function of pro-Israeli forces in Australia, their working for Jewish organizations and the Australian
media which represent the Palestinian plight to the world. The pro-Israeli forces are seeking public support and help for justifying their occupation of the land by using linguistic techniques.
"Culture and Religious Identity as Tools for State Development and Conflict" by Paul T Carter, is about the internal dilemma that every state faces-cultural, ethnic and religious questions, particularly during war. The paper discusses the use of cultural and religious tools by the Royal Thai Government (RTG) to win over the ethnic rural population.
And finally, Niccolo Caldararo's paper, "Democracy, Thucydides, China or Ideology?" is about the confused perspective of Greek history that Anglo-American politicians and journalists hold. He reasons out, based on Graham Allison's paper, that in any historical context, a rising economic region or nation will come into military conflict with earlier social entities. The paper makes a study of Thucydides, Athens, Sparta and the current situation with regard to China and the effects of colonialism.
Consulting Editor
Pro-Israeli Forces: Occupying Australian Minds
This paper provides a snapshot of the composition and function of pro-Israeli forces currently operating in Australia, specifically with regard to how its intellectuals working for self-professed Jewish organizations and the mainstream Australian news media, have gone about representing the Palestinian plight to audiences. It is revealed that the pro-Israeli Movement Intellectuals have sought to garner public support and help ensure the ongoing Australian government support for the occupation by utilizing linguistic techniques that challenge the characterization of Palestinians as refugees, cast doubt about the existence of Palestine as a place, claim Palestinians want to emigrate and represent the right of return as fantasy.
Culture and Religious Identity as Tools for State Development and Conflict
Each nation faces cultural, ethnic, and religious questions, particularly during the time of internal conflict or war. During the Thai communist insurgency (1965-84), the Royal Thai Government (RTG) employed an array of cultural and religious tools to win the loyalty of its ethnic, rural population. These tools were intended to culturally assimilate the ethnic rural population into the greater Thai State, winning their loyalty. Adding to the complexity, the RTG embarked upon economic development for its rural population. This paper discusses the techniques the RTG employed and some of the moral questions it raises, and evaluates the effectiveness of the campaign.
Democracy, Thucydides, China or Ideology?
A confused idea of Greek history has become a policy concept for many Anglo-American politicians and journalists. Based on an article by historian Graham Allison, the idea asserts that in any historical context, a rising economic region or nation will come into military conflict with the earlier social entities. Allison argues that he extracts this idea from the historian Thucydides and that this was the underlying cause of the Peloponnesian Wars. This is an incorrect assertion and gross distortion of Greek history. Such deterministic ideas are simplistic and dangerous if they become models for policy. Athens was a mercantilist political entity that extended its power by conquest creating an empire. Sparta was an agriculturalist polity that formed alliances to balance Athens' aggression. The nature of power and how it is used is key to understanding history, and in the case of Athens, power led to aggression, conquest and challenge. The current political situation, especially with China, is discussed in this paper as well as the effects of colonialism.