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Each organization represents a means to achieve a particular set of goals. That is why each organ... more Each organization represents a means to achieve a particular set of goals. That is why each organization is structured in a way that, given its understanding of cause and effect, leads to the best possible path toward these goals. As this understanding can change and depends on a number of variables, we cannot assume that a particular organization is the only possible or best structure to achieve these goals.
It is widely believed that democracy is the best social order for the developed world. The system... more It is widely believed that democracy is the best social order for the developed world. The system may have deficiencies, but nevertheless it is considered the best option.
International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy, 2014
This article argues in favour of a coherent and active European Union foreign policy based on the... more This article argues in favour of a coherent and active European Union foreign policy based on the idea of 'geopolitical ethics'. In the first part of the article, the situation of the international system since 1990 is outlined. It seems that after the financial crisis of 2008 the world has lost its global governor - the USA - and thus plunged into a non-polar structure. The second part of the article will present the concept of 'geopolitical ethics'. Namely, analogical to the personalistic 'ethics of responsibility', in which an individual is the primary focus, 'geopolitical ethics' considers the nation as the constituent unit in the international system. In the final section, two case studies, both involving the internal (policy making) and external (policy implementation) dimensions of the EU's grand strategy - 'geopolitical ethics', are presented.
This chapter outlines material sources of grand strategy, such as the relative power of a state, ... more This chapter outlines material sources of grand strategy, such as the relative power of a state, the polarity of the international system, the regional balance of power, geography, and technology. It argues that these material factors, reflecting the material environment within which states interact, set the table for grand strategy construction and, therefore, have a profound impact on grand strategy, although they do not completely determine grand strategy. The material setting sets the parameters within which national leaders make decisions and prioritize goals within a given set of national institutions and in a particular cultural context. Furthermore, we provide concrete empirical examples of the mechanisms through which these factors impact state grand strategy.
The idea of declinism of the US had emerged in every decade after the World War Two and so it was... more The idea of declinism of the US had emerged in every decade after the World War Two and so it was as well after the end of the Cold War. The article argues that such a phenomenon may be attributed to the nature of the international system, where through the globalization the US enables ‘the rest’ to grow on its expense. China and other export led economies, made great benefit of the US open market that is functioning as a ‘big vacuum cleaner’. The focal question of article is two-folded: first, is ‘the raise of the rest’ causing the geoeconomic centre of power to shift from the Atlantic to Pacific; second, is the US in decline? Article presents economic data that show that there are no economic incentives for the geoeconomic shift. The geopolitical centre may indeed by shifting, but not due to the geoeconomic reasons, but rather due to military, political, and ideological power factors. The US has been in relative decline since the end of the WW2—other international actors seized the chance that the international system created by the US provided. Thus, the relevant question about declinism is—is the US in absolute decline? The article argues that the 2008 financial shock was not cyclical in nature, but rather systemic. It is the first time since the WW2 that the US was unable to answer to the challenge adequately. The main reason for that is not external, namely, the relative decline of the US—G8 was replaced by G20—but internal—the US is not tackling the core of its systemic economic problem. This suggests that the US is marching towards an absolute decline. To avoid its demise, the US has to change its Keynesian pragmatic short-sighted economic mentality and do the well needed structural reforms.
The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior i... more The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Looking at both stages of the UPR mechanism, we pose two questions: what best explains states issuing human rights recommendations and what best explains states accepting those recommendations? Our model controls for a variety of alternative explanations—state capacity, international structure, and international institutions. The results show that the closer the states are, the more likely it is that they will issue each other recommendations; however, the closer the states are, the less likely it is that they will accept recommendations from one another. We also find an important caveat: the logic of issuance and acceptance of recommendations is reversed when it comes to neighboring states. The latter speaks against general international relations literature, where sharing a border and geographic proximity are both associated with increasing the li...
The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior i... more The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Looking at both stages of the UPR mechanism, we pose two questions: what best explains states issuing human rights recommendations and what best explains states accepting those recommendations? Our model controls for a variety of alternative explanations—state capacity, international structure, and international institutions. The results show that the closer the states are, the more likely it is that they will issue each other recommendations; however, the closer the states are, the less likely it is that they will accept recommendations from one another. We also find an important caveat: the logic of issuance and acceptance of recommendations is reversed when it comes to neighboring states. The latter speaks against general international relations literature, where sharing a border and geographic proximity are both associated with increasing the likelihood of conflict. La investigación identifica la proximidad geográfica como la fuerza crucial que impulsa el comportamiento del Estado en el Examen Periódico Universal. Al analizar las dos etapas del mecanismo del Examen Periódico Universal (Universal Periodic Review, UPR), nos planteamos dos preguntas: ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados emiten recomendaciones sobre los derechos humanos? y ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados aceptan dichas recomendaciones? Nuestro modelo controla una serie de explicaciones alternativas: capacidad estatal, estructura internacional e instituciones internacionales. Los resultados indican que cuanto más cerca están los Estados, más probable es que se emitan recomendaciones entre sí; sin embargo, cuanto más cerca están los Estados, menos probable es que acepten las recomendaciones de los demás. Además, descubrimos una advertencia importante: la lógica de emisión y aceptación de las recomendaciones se revierte cuando se trata de Estados vecinos. Esto último contradice la literatura general de las Relaciones Internacionales, en la que compartir una frontera y la proximidad geográfica se asocian con el aumento de la probabilidad de conflicto. Cette recherche identifie la proximité géographique comme force motrice cruciale motivant le comportement des États lors de l'Examen périodique universel (EPU). Nous étudions deux étapes du mécanisme d'EPU et posons deux questions: quelle est la meilleure explication du fait que les États émettent des recommandations en matière de droits de l'homme, et quelle est celle du fait que des États les acceptent? Notre modèle contrôle diverses explications possibles: capacité des États, structure internationale et institutions internationales. Nos résultats montrent que plus des États sont proches, plus il est probable qu'ils s'adressent mutuellement des recommandations; en revanche, plus ils sont proches, moins il est probable qu'ils acceptent les recommandations les uns des autres. Nous constatons également une antinomie importante: la logique d’émission et d'acceptation de recommandations est inversée lorsqu'il s'agit d’États voisins. Ce dernier point va à l'encontre de la littérature générale sur les relations internationales dans laquelle le partage d'une frontière et la proximité géographique sont tous deux associés à une augmentation de la probabilité de conflit.
Each organization represents a means to achieve a particular set of goals. That is why each organ... more Each organization represents a means to achieve a particular set of goals. That is why each organization is structured in a way that, given its understanding of cause and effect, leads to the best possible path toward these goals. As this understanding can change and depends on a number of variables, we cannot assume that a particular organization is the only possible or best structure to achieve these goals.
It is widely believed that democracy is the best social order for the developed world. The system... more It is widely believed that democracy is the best social order for the developed world. The system may have deficiencies, but nevertheless it is considered the best option.
International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy, 2014
This article argues in favour of a coherent and active European Union foreign policy based on the... more This article argues in favour of a coherent and active European Union foreign policy based on the idea of 'geopolitical ethics'. In the first part of the article, the situation of the international system since 1990 is outlined. It seems that after the financial crisis of 2008 the world has lost its global governor - the USA - and thus plunged into a non-polar structure. The second part of the article will present the concept of 'geopolitical ethics'. Namely, analogical to the personalistic 'ethics of responsibility', in which an individual is the primary focus, 'geopolitical ethics' considers the nation as the constituent unit in the international system. In the final section, two case studies, both involving the internal (policy making) and external (policy implementation) dimensions of the EU's grand strategy - 'geopolitical ethics', are presented.
This chapter outlines material sources of grand strategy, such as the relative power of a state, ... more This chapter outlines material sources of grand strategy, such as the relative power of a state, the polarity of the international system, the regional balance of power, geography, and technology. It argues that these material factors, reflecting the material environment within which states interact, set the table for grand strategy construction and, therefore, have a profound impact on grand strategy, although they do not completely determine grand strategy. The material setting sets the parameters within which national leaders make decisions and prioritize goals within a given set of national institutions and in a particular cultural context. Furthermore, we provide concrete empirical examples of the mechanisms through which these factors impact state grand strategy.
The idea of declinism of the US had emerged in every decade after the World War Two and so it was... more The idea of declinism of the US had emerged in every decade after the World War Two and so it was as well after the end of the Cold War. The article argues that such a phenomenon may be attributed to the nature of the international system, where through the globalization the US enables ‘the rest’ to grow on its expense. China and other export led economies, made great benefit of the US open market that is functioning as a ‘big vacuum cleaner’. The focal question of article is two-folded: first, is ‘the raise of the rest’ causing the geoeconomic centre of power to shift from the Atlantic to Pacific; second, is the US in decline? Article presents economic data that show that there are no economic incentives for the geoeconomic shift. The geopolitical centre may indeed by shifting, but not due to the geoeconomic reasons, but rather due to military, political, and ideological power factors. The US has been in relative decline since the end of the WW2—other international actors seized the chance that the international system created by the US provided. Thus, the relevant question about declinism is—is the US in absolute decline? The article argues that the 2008 financial shock was not cyclical in nature, but rather systemic. It is the first time since the WW2 that the US was unable to answer to the challenge adequately. The main reason for that is not external, namely, the relative decline of the US—G8 was replaced by G20—but internal—the US is not tackling the core of its systemic economic problem. This suggests that the US is marching towards an absolute decline. To avoid its demise, the US has to change its Keynesian pragmatic short-sighted economic mentality and do the well needed structural reforms.
The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior i... more The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Looking at both stages of the UPR mechanism, we pose two questions: what best explains states issuing human rights recommendations and what best explains states accepting those recommendations? Our model controls for a variety of alternative explanations—state capacity, international structure, and international institutions. The results show that the closer the states are, the more likely it is that they will issue each other recommendations; however, the closer the states are, the less likely it is that they will accept recommendations from one another. We also find an important caveat: the logic of issuance and acceptance of recommendations is reversed when it comes to neighboring states. The latter speaks against general international relations literature, where sharing a border and geographic proximity are both associated with increasing the li...
The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior i... more The research identifies geographic proximity as the crucial driving force behind state behavior in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Looking at both stages of the UPR mechanism, we pose two questions: what best explains states issuing human rights recommendations and what best explains states accepting those recommendations? Our model controls for a variety of alternative explanations—state capacity, international structure, and international institutions. The results show that the closer the states are, the more likely it is that they will issue each other recommendations; however, the closer the states are, the less likely it is that they will accept recommendations from one another. We also find an important caveat: the logic of issuance and acceptance of recommendations is reversed when it comes to neighboring states. The latter speaks against general international relations literature, where sharing a border and geographic proximity are both associated with increasing the likelihood of conflict. La investigación identifica la proximidad geográfica como la fuerza crucial que impulsa el comportamiento del Estado en el Examen Periódico Universal. Al analizar las dos etapas del mecanismo del Examen Periódico Universal (Universal Periodic Review, UPR), nos planteamos dos preguntas: ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados emiten recomendaciones sobre los derechos humanos? y ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados aceptan dichas recomendaciones? Nuestro modelo controla una serie de explicaciones alternativas: capacidad estatal, estructura internacional e instituciones internacionales. Los resultados indican que cuanto más cerca están los Estados, más probable es que se emitan recomendaciones entre sí; sin embargo, cuanto más cerca están los Estados, menos probable es que acepten las recomendaciones de los demás. Además, descubrimos una advertencia importante: la lógica de emisión y aceptación de las recomendaciones se revierte cuando se trata de Estados vecinos. Esto último contradice la literatura general de las Relaciones Internacionales, en la que compartir una frontera y la proximidad geográfica se asocian con el aumento de la probabilidad de conflicto. Cette recherche identifie la proximité géographique comme force motrice cruciale motivant le comportement des États lors de l'Examen périodique universel (EPU). Nous étudions deux étapes du mécanisme d'EPU et posons deux questions: quelle est la meilleure explication du fait que les États émettent des recommandations en matière de droits de l'homme, et quelle est celle du fait que des États les acceptent? Notre modèle contrôle diverses explications possibles: capacité des États, structure internationale et institutions internationales. Nos résultats montrent que plus des États sont proches, plus il est probable qu'ils s'adressent mutuellement des recommandations; en revanche, plus ils sont proches, moins il est probable qu'ils acceptent les recommandations les uns des autres. Nous constatons également une antinomie importante: la logique d’émission et d'acceptation de recommandations est inversée lorsqu'il s'agit d’États voisins. Ce dernier point va à l'encontre de la littérature générale sur les relations internationales dans laquelle le partage d'une frontière et la proximité géographique sont tous deux associés à une augmentation de la probabilité de conflit.
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Papers by Igor Kovac
La investigación identifica la proximidad geográfica como la fuerza crucial que impulsa el comportamiento del Estado en el Examen Periódico Universal. Al analizar las dos etapas del mecanismo del Examen Periódico Universal (Universal Periodic Review, UPR), nos planteamos dos preguntas: ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados emiten recomendaciones sobre los derechos humanos? y ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados aceptan dichas recomendaciones? Nuestro modelo controla una serie de explicaciones alternativas: capacidad estatal, estructura internacional e instituciones internacionales. Los resultados indican que cuanto más cerca están los Estados, más probable es que se emitan recomendaciones entre sí; sin embargo, cuanto más cerca están los Estados, menos probable es que acepten las recomendaciones de los demás. Además, descubrimos una advertencia importante: la lógica de emisión y aceptación de las recomendaciones se revierte cuando se trata de Estados vecinos. Esto último contradice la literatura general de las Relaciones Internacionales, en la que compartir una frontera y la proximidad geográfica se asocian con el aumento de la probabilidad de conflicto.
Cette recherche identifie la proximité géographique comme force motrice cruciale motivant le comportement des États lors de l'Examen périodique universel (EPU). Nous étudions deux étapes du mécanisme d'EPU et posons deux questions: quelle est la meilleure explication du fait que les États émettent des recommandations en matière de droits de l'homme, et quelle est celle du fait que des États les acceptent? Notre modèle contrôle diverses explications possibles: capacité des États, structure internationale et institutions internationales. Nos résultats montrent que plus des États sont proches, plus il est probable qu'ils s'adressent mutuellement des recommandations; en revanche, plus ils sont proches, moins il est probable qu'ils acceptent les recommandations les uns des autres. Nous constatons également une antinomie importante: la logique d’émission et d'acceptation de recommandations est inversée lorsqu'il s'agit d’États voisins. Ce dernier point va à l'encontre de la littérature générale sur les relations internationales dans laquelle le partage d'une frontière et la proximité géographique sont tous deux associés à une augmentation de la probabilité de conflit.
Books by Igor Kovac
La investigación identifica la proximidad geográfica como la fuerza crucial que impulsa el comportamiento del Estado en el Examen Periódico Universal. Al analizar las dos etapas del mecanismo del Examen Periódico Universal (Universal Periodic Review, UPR), nos planteamos dos preguntas: ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados emiten recomendaciones sobre los derechos humanos? y ¿de qué manera se puede explicar mejor el hecho de que los Estados aceptan dichas recomendaciones? Nuestro modelo controla una serie de explicaciones alternativas: capacidad estatal, estructura internacional e instituciones internacionales. Los resultados indican que cuanto más cerca están los Estados, más probable es que se emitan recomendaciones entre sí; sin embargo, cuanto más cerca están los Estados, menos probable es que acepten las recomendaciones de los demás. Además, descubrimos una advertencia importante: la lógica de emisión y aceptación de las recomendaciones se revierte cuando se trata de Estados vecinos. Esto último contradice la literatura general de las Relaciones Internacionales, en la que compartir una frontera y la proximidad geográfica se asocian con el aumento de la probabilidad de conflicto.
Cette recherche identifie la proximité géographique comme force motrice cruciale motivant le comportement des États lors de l'Examen périodique universel (EPU). Nous étudions deux étapes du mécanisme d'EPU et posons deux questions: quelle est la meilleure explication du fait que les États émettent des recommandations en matière de droits de l'homme, et quelle est celle du fait que des États les acceptent? Notre modèle contrôle diverses explications possibles: capacité des États, structure internationale et institutions internationales. Nos résultats montrent que plus des États sont proches, plus il est probable qu'ils s'adressent mutuellement des recommandations; en revanche, plus ils sont proches, moins il est probable qu'ils acceptent les recommandations les uns des autres. Nous constatons également une antinomie importante: la logique d’émission et d'acceptation de recommandations est inversée lorsqu'il s'agit d’États voisins. Ce dernier point va à l'encontre de la littérature générale sur les relations internationales dans laquelle le partage d'une frontière et la proximité géographique sont tous deux associés à une augmentation de la probabilité de conflit.