Good to Know: Hostage taking and the rise in hostage diplomacy Danielle Gilbert - January 17, 2024 Media stories spotlight the high stakes – and the pressure to bring hostages home.
Report exposes U.N. camp abuses, but research shows justice is elusive Audrey L. Comstock - September 28, 2022 Analysis of U.N. peacekeeping missions highlights the obstacles to justice facing sexual abuse victims
Nannie Helen Burroughs, trailblazing Black teacher and labor organizer Danielle Phillips-Cunningham - August 31, 2022 During Jim Crow, she forged career paths for Black girls.
How the U.S. census ignores Afro-Latinos Michelle Bueno Vásquez - June 2, 2022 Afro-Latinos are the most vulnerable to discrimination, but their official invisibility makes them harder to serve
Biden called Putin a ‘war criminal.’ That’s risky. Daniel Krcmaric and Alexander Downes - March 24, 2022 Here’s the downside to prosecuting former leaders
American missionaries were kidnapped for ransom in Haiti. What happens in these cases? Danielle Gilbert - October 23, 2021 Here’s the research on hostage-taking and recovery
WHO workers are accused of sexual exploitation and abuse. That hurts everything the U.N. does. Jasmine Westendorf - October 5, 2021 As one official told me: ‘The U.N. is not a superpower. It has only its moral authority, and if you undermine that, you’re finished.’
Democratic and Republican administrations have long agreed on one thing — discriminating against Haitian refugees Niambi M. Carter - September 23, 2021 The U.S. special envoy resigned to protest the deportations.
Haiti needs international help — even though past help has often made things worse Henry (Chip) Carey - August 17, 2021 A presidential assassination, an earthquake and a tropical storm are beyond what the country can handle on its own
Will Haitians get the chance to determine their future — without foreign interference? Robert Fatton - July 22, 2021 The current crisis could push Haitians to seek a more democratic society.
A Florida security company is entangled in the assassination of Haiti’s president. How is that possible? Deborah Avant - July 19, 2021 An increasing number of clients and providers in the private security market are dodging the rules
Morocco ‘weaponized’ migration to punish Spain. That’s more common than you think. Kelly M. Greenhill - June 1, 2021 My research identified four different approaches to creating ‘weapons of mass migration’
Biden is pursuing a pathway to citizenship. He will face two key challenges. Romelia M. Solano - January 29, 2021 One challenge: inclusion of immigrants who don’t fit prevailing norms of deservingness.
Only Congress has the authority to declare war. Can it take that power back from the presidency? Saikrishna Prakash - September 30, 2020 Here are some possible courses of action — if the legislature wants to do more than signal its displeasure.
Latin American democracy may be in trouble. The protests are a symptom of increasing mistrust. Dinorah Azpuru - December 8, 2019 Citizens are unhappy both with their own representatives and with democracy in general.
Is China’s influence at the United Nations all it’s cracked up to be? Courtney J. Fung - October 6, 2019 Here are five things to know
This inflammatory ad reveals why Republican women of color have a hard time getting elected Catherine Wineinger - October 4, 2019 What we can learn from how former lawmaker Mia Love upheld the GOP’s racial narratives — until she didn’t.
Treating immigrants like criminals has a long history in the United States Melina Juárez Pérez - July 18, 2019 “Crimmigration” started well before the Trump administration.
In Liberia, the U.N. mission helped restore confidence in the rule of law Robert A. Blair - April 30, 2019 When civil war ended in 2003, few Liberians trusted the government to protect them.
Sudan’s upheaval is the latest example of a ‘gray-zone coup’ Nandita Balakrishnan - April 17, 2019 Autocrats learned “coup-proofing” — and militaries learned negotiating.
A few NGOs are getting a lot of bad press. What’s the overall track record? Rachel Robinson, Jennifer Brass, and Allison Schnable - December 4, 2018 [caption id="attachment_80998" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Rescue workers rest during a search
Democracy is in crisis in Latin America. Brazil may be the next trouble spot. Scott Mainwaring and Luis Schenoni - October 22, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79199" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man yells after listening to
By ending ‘temporary protected status’ for half a million people, Trump has probably increased illegal migration David Leblang, Ankita Satpathy, Alexa Iadarola, Ben Helms, Kelsey Hunt, Eric Xu, Rebecca Brough, and Mahesh Rao - August 7, 2018 Since taking office, President Trump has shown a firm commitment
What will happen to El Salvador when the U.S. ends the protected status of Salvadoran immigrants? Jesse Acevedo - February 22, 2018 [caption id="attachment_69559" align="aligncenter" width="960"] CASA de Maryland, an immigration advocacy
The Oxfam scandal shows that, yes, nonprofits can behave badly. So why aren’t they overseen like for-profits? Sirindah Parr, Nives Dolšak, and Aseem Prakash - February 19, 2018 [caption id="attachment_69402" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The British government is reviewing its
What the ‘s—hole’ debate gets wrong about Africa Christopher Day and Beth Whitake - January 18, 2018 [caption id="attachment_68183" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump and Sen. Dick Durbin,
White racial resentment has been gaining political power for decades Jamil Scott - January 15, 2018 [caption id="attachment_68134" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump at a White House
Development aid isn’t reaching the poorest. Here’s what that means. Ryan Briggs - December 13, 2017 [caption id="attachment_57776" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A woman carries a bag of rice
What went wrong for Mugabe? Most aging dictators don’t get toppled by coups. Erica Frantz and Andrea Kendall-Taylor - November 22, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66568" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People gather outside Harare's airport to
Are Sri Lankan officers ordering soldiers to sexually assault Tamil detainees? Kate Cronin-Furman - November 16, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66336" align="alignleft" width="960"] A Sri Lankan soldier stands at
Federal disaster aid for Puerto Rico isn’t foreign aid — but Trump acts that way Jessica Trisko Darden - October 13, 2017 Puerto Rico was back in the news Thursday — this
Responding to Puerto Rico’s disaster is uniquely complex. But Trump is still falling short. Jeremy Konyndyk - September 29, 2017 [caption id="attachment_64261" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Marta Sostre Vazquez reacts as she
It’s not just Venezuela. Elected governments don’t necessarily defend democracy or protect human rights. Jimena Galindo and Christopher Sabatini - August 11, 2017 On Aug. 8, 12 countries in Latin America raised their
There’s little evidence that dictators are toppling democracies Jason Brownlee - June 1, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59157" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, shakes
Americans love to hate foreign aid, but the right argument makes them like it a lot more Taylor Tidwell, Reuben Hurst, and Darren Hawkins - May 4, 2017 [caption id="attachment_57776" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A woman carries a bag containing
Why presidential candidates (like Trump) campaign as isolationists but (like Trump) govern as hawks Verlan Lewis - April 18, 2017 [caption id="attachment_56963" align="alignleft" width="960"] A missile is fired from the
Trump wants to cut U.N. funding — but peacekeeping saves money, as well as lives Lise Howard - March 31, 2017 [caption id="attachment_56002" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeepers from Senegal on an
Is U.N. peacekeeping under fire? Here’s what you need to know. Anjali Dayal - February 1, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53427" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeeping forces on patrol during
Where do ousted dictators go? Fewer countries now offer a warm welcome. Daniel Krcmaric and Abel Escribà-Folch - January 30, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53276" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Gambia's defeated president, Yahya Jammeh, left
5 things to know about the new U.N. secretary general Michael Schroeder - October 13, 2016 [caption id="attachment_47703" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António
Is electoral violence in sub-Saharan Africa overreported? This new book looks at the data. Stephanie Burchard and Kim Yi Dionne - August 12, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45073" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Supporters of President Edgar Lungu gather
Yes, Central African Republic is a real country. But it’s a very different kind of country. Tatiana Carayannis and Louisa Lombard - June 17, 2016 [caption id="attachment_42268" align="aligncenter" width="303"] (Courtesy of the authors)[/caption] When ousted
Thousands died when the U.N. brought cholera to Haiti. Here’s why it’s getting off scot-free. Michael Barnett, Mara Pillinger, and Ian Hurd - March 28, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38062" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Lemaguel Alejuste grimaces in pain after
Will the E.U. suspend Poland? Here are 3 reasons that’s unlikely. von Borzyskowski and Felicity Vabulas - January 21, 2016 Is Poland still a liberal democracy – or is it
Free and fair elections attract investment, no matter who’s elected. Here’s why. Mike Touchton - January 8, 2016 [caption id="attachment_32114" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Campaign posters of opposition presidential candidate
Every new U.S. president faces a surprise international crisis. So in the primaries, should foreign policy experience matter? Tony Lucadamo - November 17, 2015 Every president in U.S. history possessed some form of government
The U.N. reviewed its peacekeeping. It ignored the 3 things that most need to change. Songying Fang and Michael Barnett - October 14, 2015 [caption id="attachment_30441" align="aligncenter" width="908"] U.N peacekeepers in Lebanon wear masks
This is why the two leading candidates for Guatemala’s presidency came to the U.S. to campaign Michael Paarlberg - September 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29244" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Why is television comedian and Guatemalan
This is why the two leading candidates for Guatemala's presidency came to the U.S. to campaign - September 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29244" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Why is television comedian and Guatemalan
How the West selectively promotes democracy through sanctions Michael Wahman and von Soest - January 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20012" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro
5 things you should read before saying the IMF is blameless in the 2014 Ebola outbreak Kim Yi Dionne and Adia Benton - January 5, 2015 Last week, Chris Blattman asked in his post, “Did the
Burkina Faso and the growing vulnerability of autocrats to revolt Erica Frantz and Andrea Kendall-Taylor - November 12, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17975" align="alignnone" width="620"] Troops face protestors on October 30,
Was Obama wrong to withdraw troops from Iraq? Jason Brownlee - June 26, 2014 [caption id="attachment_12361" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Smoke billows from an area controlled
Hillary in 2016? Not so fast Farida Jalalzai - May 13, 2014 [caption id="attachment_3629" align="aligncenter" width="606"] (Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)[/caption] Kim Yi Dionne:
All this has happened before … and it will happen again: Syria, US “outside options,” and the Security Council James Fearon - September 14, 2013 The path to where the U.S., Russia, and Syria are
The Media Pounds the President: Does it Matter? Andrew Rudalevige - September 12, 2013 President Obama's speech on Syria has received mostly harsh grades
Does Peacekeeping Reduce Violence Against Civilians? Erik Voeten - August 14, 2013 Most of the recent news regarding UN peacekeepers has been
The Study of Conflict Mediation by Political Scientists Joshua Tucker - November 21, 2012 As Hilary Clinton arrives in Israel to attempt to negotiate
Executive Privileges Andrew Rudalevige - June 20, 2012 As I start this post, news is breaking that President
Why Did Russia and China Veto? Erik Voeten - February 6, 2012 Last weekend Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council
From the Political Economy Newsletter: Earthquake Mortality and Damage Joshua Tucker - July 30, 2011 Continuing "our relationship":http://tmc.org/blog/2011/01/10/collaboration_with_the_apsa_po/ with the Political Economy Section of the
Should We Take Trump Seriously? Joshua Tucker - April 18, 2011 Now that you've "finished with your taxes":https://themonkeycage.org/2011/04/happy_tax_day.html and have some
The Domestic Politics of the UNSC Resolution on Libya and R2P Erik Voeten - March 21, 2011 One of the many important questions about last week's UN
Call for Election Reports Joshua Tucker - December 9, 2010 Last year we started a Monkey Cage initiative to provide
Watching Haiti Disappear from the News John Sides - April 30, 2010 My second contribution to Salon's The Numerologist is here. It
Kyrgyzstan as a “Rotten Door” Transition Joshua Tucker - April 9, 2010 More from Professor "Lucan Way":http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/polsci/faculty_staff/ourfaculty/way_lucan.html: bq. The nature of the
More Expert Commentary on Kyrgyzstan Joshua Tucker - April 9, 2010 Professor "Lucan Way":http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/polsci/faculty_staff/ourfaculty/way_lucan.html, last seen at the Monkey Cage "writing
Politics Everywhere: Aid and Disaster Relief Edition Henry Farrell - February 4, 2010 The "Financial Times":http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e7813460-07bf-11df-915f-00144feabdc0.html had a piece a few days ago
Hubris, Development, and David Brooks John Sides - January 17, 2010 bq. I’m slightly terrified now that Bill Clinton, special envoy
How do you say “Pat Robertson” in Spanish? Joshua Tucker - January 15, 2010 According to "Typically Spanish":http://www.typicallyspanish.com, my current source for English language
Sign of the times Andrew Gelman - October 19, 2009 Robin Blackburn in Port-au-Prince: The conference was opened by the
Some Data on Latin American Coups John Sides - July 1, 2009 In earlier post, I passed along this query from a
Just What is Iran? Joshua Tucker - June 12, 2009 As Iranians head to the polls today for presidential elections
Is the American Public Realist? John Sides - April 4, 2008 bq. For more than half a century, realist scholars of