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Deepfakes: The Implications of this Emerging Technology on Society and Governance

12.11.21

​Luke Seow argues that Singapore is currently not well positioned to deal with the emergence of deepfake technology, and that this poses significant risks for national security and social cohesion. He highlights gaps in the current legislative framework, as well as lessons that can be drawn from other countries’ approaches to combating this emerging challenge. He then makes policy recommendations for Singapore to mitigate the potential dangers of deepfake technology.

International Relations and Security

Kuwait’s Position in the Gulf-Lebanon Diplomatic Row

12.6.21

Giorgio Cafiero analyzes the diplomatic row between four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members and Lebanon and how it represents new challenges and severe complications for Beirut.

Photo of al-shabab

Like Afghanistan, U.S. withdrawal from Somalia signals conflict fatigue, with potentially serious consequences for East Africa

12.3.21

By Kevin Uniacke Former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker recently led a Zoom speaking engagement at the Harvard Kennedy School. The Ambassador discussed the consequences of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience as a Foreign Service Officer for over 37 years and an Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, […]

Turkey-West Relations: The Escalating Crisis of Trust and Path Dependency

11.23.21

Oya Dursun-Özkanca examines the post-2019 developments in Turkey-West relations and argues that there is increasing use of boundary-breaking intra-alliance opposition process, creating a dangerous path dependency.

Open Letter: Against the Sale of U.S. Arms to Saudi Arabia

11.22.21

As a candidate, Joe Biden promised a values-based U.S. foreign policy towards Saudi Arabia. Less than a year into his presidency, Biden’s administration has abandoned that promise by resuming arms sales to Saudi Arabia, justifying the decision by saying the weapons do not support Saudi “offensive operations.”

How to Save the Planet: Stop Economic Growth

11.19.21

After decades of inaction, humanity faces potential extinction through an ecological collapse of its own making.1 Climate change, ocean acidification, mass extinction, soil depletion, acid rain, rising seas, extreme weather, unstoppable wildfires, pollution, deforestation, and desertification would each be immense challenges for global governance individually—thecombination seems insurmountable, but because all share an underlying cause, there […]

COVID-19 Pandemic: Digital Financial Inclusion as Public Health Tool in Africa

10.11.21

Financial inclusion is a particularly serious issue in Africa.  In 2018, only 43 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa was financially included.1 The rate of financial exclusion is highest among the most marginalized communities: women, young people, and those with low levels of education, low-income and rural populations.   The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (henceforth, Covid-19) […]

Healthcare

#EndSARS, #EndEverything and the Bitter-sweet Experience of Being a Young Nigerian in Nigeria

10.2.21

Background Nigerian youths have for too long been heartbroken, marginalized and ignored by the very system they elected to keep the peace, ensure progress, protect their lives, and promote their common interests. The #EndSARS movement which really began in 2017 took a dramatic turn in 2020, for several reasons, chief of which was the irresponsiveness […]

Human Rights

Narrowing the Divide: Addressing Inequities in California’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

08.28.21

Abstract: Electric Vehicles (EVs) provide environmental benefits to society while simultaneously providing direct health and financial benefits to drivers who adopt them. While California’s progressive state policies have accelerated EV adoption, historic bias continues to be embedded in California’s “CALGreen” building code — effectively delivering the most benefits of EV driving to already-affluent single-family homeowners, […]

Environment and Energy

Syrians need more than a compassionate plea to renew cross-border humanitarian aid

07.6.21

Over the past weeks and months, numerous think tanks and individuals have published reports and briefs on the looming humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria. [[1]] This déjà vu moment has not been lost on actors and agencies focused on aid in Syria. In mere weeks, the last remaining entry-point for humanitarian aid into northwest Syria […]

Syria Needs Cross-Border Aid. Washington Needs Focus.

07.2.21

The war in Syria continues to constitute one of the most complex contexts in the Middle East today, with few realistic policy solutions available to end the conflict. That said, the upcoming July 10 debate over the renewal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2533 (UNSCR 2533) concerning cross-border humanitarian aid marks a flashpoint that […]

The United States Is Not Safe for LGBT Refugees: A Call to Abandon the Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement

06.11.21

The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) between the United States and Canada has recently appeared in public debate once again.[i] The Agreement was negotiated between the two countries as part of a series of post-September 11, 2001, measures and went into effect in 2004. The logic of this treaty is that each country judges the other […]

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