The paper discusses Henry Fox Talbot's method of picture-making along with his outstanding book 'The Pencil of Nature' and their significance to Photography.
Many academics, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and other observers of the North America relations have been historically critical of the Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and especially of the rules of Chapter 11. It is widely... more
Many academics, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and other observers of the North America relations have been historically critical of the Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and especially of the rules of Chapter 11. It is widely believed that the inclusion and implementation of Chapter 11 ‘opened the floodgates’ for foreign investors to sue national and sub national governments when the policies of the latter affect the economic interests of the former. However, these critiques are not well-founded. As the outcome of the case vs. Apotex United States demonstrates, the rules and arbitration mechanisms of Chapter 11 have strengthened, not weakened, the ability of North American national and sub national governments to create, maintain and improve public policies aimed at ensuring public welfare.
General David Petraeus attempts to lessen our concerns about the state-of-affairs of regional integration in North America and be cautiously optimistic about its future. I argue, however, that this might be a counterproductive position.... more
General David Petraeus attempts to lessen our concerns about the state-of-affairs of regional integration in North America and be cautiously optimistic about its future. I argue, however, that this might be a counterproductive position. It might prevent us from realizing that the limited institutional framework that sustains growing trade and investment in North America is not suitable for addressing the socioeconomic impact and environmental externalities that have resulted from such increased exchanges.
This article discusses and compares the foreign policy actions of Mexico and Singapore in response to the Food Crisis in the Horn of Africa in 2011. (In Spanish)
The United Kingdom seems to be interested in boosting its moral credentials on the global promotion of freedom and self-determination by taking part in this alleged dispute on Crimea. Staying out of the issue could actually better serve... more
The United Kingdom seems to be interested in boosting its moral credentials on the global promotion of freedom and self-determination by taking part in this alleged dispute on Crimea. Staying out of the issue could actually better serve such purpose.
Emilian Kavalski's book joins a number of excellent textbooks providing an accessible route into the study of IR. It provides an overview of the major theories and debates in the discipline, with a particular focus on those covered in... more
Emilian Kavalski's book joins a number of excellent textbooks providing an accessible route into the study of IR. It provides an overview of the major theories and debates in the discipline, with a particular focus on those covered in undergraduate programs. The book's content is clear, and incrementally and logically organised, enabling readers to follow the development of discipline from its outset to the emergence of the complex topics at the top of the current global agenda.
In The Fence and the Bridge: Geopolitics and Identity Along the Canada-US Border, Heather N. Nicol adds to growing analyses of the functioning and perception of borders by focusing on the historical development of the Canada-US... more
In The Fence and the Bridge: Geopolitics and Identity Along the Canada-US Border, Heather N. Nicol adds to growing analyses of the functioning and perception of borders by focusing on the historical development of the Canada-US border-security relationship, tracing it from the present post-9/11 era back into the preceding centuries. While the book does tend to assume Canada as a country subject to US dominance, thereby inhibiting consideration of the growing harmonisation of North American security policies, this a worthy contribution to studies into the contested meanings of borders in the specific context of US-Canadian relations.
Numerous scholars argue that the rules, mechanisms, and bodies established under NAFTA's Chapter 11 for the settlement of foreign direct investment disputes have undermined the policy-making capabilities of governments in the U.S.,... more
Numerous scholars argue that the rules, mechanisms, and bodies established under NAFTA's Chapter 11 for the settlement of foreign direct investment disputes have undermined the policy-making capabilities of governments in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada for promoting public welfare in their countries. This article argues that Chapter 11 has instead contributed to reaffirming governments' power to enact and uphold social-oriented domestic laws. It demonstrates that Chapter 11's dispute settlement mechanisms were created and operate according to the interests of the national governments in facilitating and increasing the flows of trade and investment capital between their countries without compromising their sovereignty and policy-making powers.
This opinion article briefly discusses Mexico's most likely objectives at the North American Leaders’ Summit to take place on 29 June, 2016, in Ottawa, Canada, and the complexities the country will face to reach its intended goals at the... more
This opinion article briefly discusses Mexico's most likely objectives at the North American Leaders’ Summit to take place on 29 June, 2016, in Ottawa, Canada, and the complexities the country will face to reach its intended goals at the Summit. It discusses the ambitious proposals on the future of the regional integration project that President Enrique Peña Nieto will probably introduce at the Summit and concludes that he is unlikely to reach his intended objectives.
This is a report on a visit by students from the University of Birmingham's Department of Political Science and International Studies to Amnesty International UK’s Human Rights Action Centre in London, which took place on 28th March 2012.... more
This is a report on a visit by students from the University of Birmingham's Department of Political Science and International Studies to Amnesty International UK’s Human Rights Action Centre in London, which took place on 28th March 2012. Students from the undergraduate second-year POLS 214 IR Theory and first-year POLS 105 Introduction to IR modules, as well as PhD students and GTAs from POLSIS, listened to a presentation by Hannah Shaw, AI’s Student Manager, and Bethan Cansfield, AI’s Women’s Human Rights campaigner, on the work of Amnesty International for the defence of human rights in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Si bien Reino Unido y Estados Unidos comparten una lengua, cultura e historia comunes, hasta hace poco parecían existir amplias diferencias entre las preferencias políticas de los británicos y estadounidenses. En recientes meses, sin... more
Si bien Reino Unido y Estados Unidos comparten una lengua, cultura e historia comunes, hasta hace poco parecían existir amplias diferencias entre las preferencias políticas de los británicos y estadounidenses. En recientes meses, sin embargo, ambos electorados parecen haberse acercado ideológicamente, tras el surgimiento de dos movimientos que han sacudido las bases de la cultura política angloestadounidense: Vote Leave y Donald Trump.
While the UK and the United States share a language, culture, and common history, there seemed to be wide differences between the political preferences of Britons and Americans. In the last few months, however, both electorates seem to... more
While the UK and the United States share a language, culture, and common history, there seemed to be wide differences between the political preferences of Britons and Americans. In the last few months, however, both electorates seem to have come ideologically closer after the emergence of two movements that have shaken the foundations of Anglo-American political culture: the Vote Leave campaign, who called for Brexit in the referendum on European Union membership and the Presidential campaign of Republican Party nominee Donald J. Trump.
In Free Speech After 9/11, Katharine Gelber compares three liberal democracies –the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia– to consider the ways in which Western governments have placed new restrictions on freedom of speech since... more
In Free Speech After 9/11, Katharine Gelber compares three liberal democracies –the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia– to consider the ways in which Western governments have placed new restrictions on freedom of speech since the 9/11 attacks. This book is a worthy, unique and timely contribution that shows these governments to be deliberate transgressors of the principles they often claim to be defending.
That Sci-Hub’s activities are illegal is not disputed. However, the issue at the core of the debate is the current publishing and knowledge dissemination system and how it widens socioeconomic inequalities in academia and constrains its... more
That Sci-Hub’s activities are illegal is not disputed. However, the issue at the core of the debate is the current publishing and knowledge dissemination system and how it widens socioeconomic inequalities in academia and constrains its collective progress.
Many of us, political scientists, failed to anticipate, and some to even acknowledge, the resurgence of nationalism and xenophobia in the 21st century in Europe and North America. These regions, which used to be considered the global... more
Many of us, political scientists, failed to anticipate, and some to even acknowledge, the resurgence of nationalism and xenophobia in the 21st century in Europe and North America. These regions, which used to be considered the global beacons of freedom, tolerance and liberalism, have now become some of the most visible discontents of economic globalisation and political liberalism. Our collective obsession with analysing even the smallest policy- and decision-making mechanisms in the most advanced industrial democracies prevented us from seeing the big changes that were destroying their very essence.
Nach den jüngsten Anschlägen in München, Reutlingen und Ansbach scheinen einige Sektoren der Gesellschaft zu glauben, dass die Grenzen Deutschlands, Polizei und Streitkräfte sie nicht ausreichend vor globalem Terrorismus und organisierter... more
Nach den jüngsten Anschlägen in München, Reutlingen und Ansbach scheinen einige Sektoren der Gesellschaft zu glauben, dass die Grenzen Deutschlands, Polizei und Streitkräfte sie nicht ausreichend vor globalem Terrorismus und organisierter Kriminalität schützen können. Migranten und Flüchtlinge in Deutschland gelten zunehmend als eine Gefahr, die angesprochen und kontrolliert werden muss. Daher hat sich die Priorität der Regierung rasch auf die Regulierung der Einwanderungsströme und die strikte Verwaltung und Durchsetzung ihrer Grenzen verlagert. Diese unglücklichen Ereignisse, die alle als Teil der jüngsten Welle terroristischer Angriffe auf Europa gesehen werden, haben die Kritik an der offenen Asylpolitik erneuert, die die deutsche Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel vehement verfolgt und verteidigt hat.
