Informed by Image theory, this paper aims to understand how Iran has been imagined by prominent parts of the Australian media during the course of the Iran Nuclear Deal. It is revealed that Iran is most commonly imagined as a barbarian nation, meaning it holds goals that are incompatible with Australia's strategic interests, is perceived as relatively superior in terms of military strength and ability to influence the international political environment, but is perceived as culturally inferior. These imageries, which are often provided in the context of discussions about the Syrian War and Israel's ongoing security, have significant implications for how Australians think about and engage with the world in general and Iran and Iranians in particular. More...

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The Liberal International Order (LIO) is facing enormous challenges in the wake of growing populism in western democracies, rise of non-western powers, institutional hurdles, relative decline of the US hegemony, and numerous other inherent problems. This scenario throws an intellectual debate on the viability of liberal order. Amidst the debate, this paper tries to claim the perpetual endurance of the order. Drawing on structural liberalism, this commentary justifies the arguments on liberal order's durability-solidity of the foundations of liberal order, viability of rising powers' accommodation, universal appeal for liberal values, legitimacy of liberal order, and the relative primacy of the US' position. The paper assumes that the crisis of the order is inevitable but manageable. In order to rectify the flaws and meet the growing challenges, certain realities and policy directives need to be accepted, particularly on the part of the US. These are in respect of accepting and accommodating rising powers, avoiding flawed US hegemonic role such as democracy promotion, reforming existing institutions, ensuring regulated economy, checking uncontrolled surrender of sovereignty to institutions, and keeping provisions of social protection. Nevertheless, the underlying structure, foundations, principles and values of LIO remain resilient. More...

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Refugee is a legal term used to illustrate a person who fulfils the definition set out in the Geneva Convention of 1951 relating to the status of refugees. On the other hand, the definition of the notion of refugee should be based upon that minimal legitimate state rather than in an expansive way to cover any malfunction/failure in society being the basis for refuge. Therefore, this author considers that the award of asylum to people that in fact they are economic immigrants shrinks the asylum space because globalization improves economic conditions rather than increasing the factors of peoples' oppression/harassment. Have terrorists entered Europe, US, Canada, etc. hidden behind the award of asylum? How many thousands of economic immigrants have entered Europe pretending to be refugees? Refugee law is narrow legally to deal with the many forced migrants who do not fit the formal definition of "refugee." It seems that politico-economic rationales are behind the latest movement of thousands of people from their homelands towards the supposedly economic havens notwithstanding any persecution. More...

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