Issue

Governance

The balance of power between strong states was for decades the dominant issue in discussions of international security. But today, it is fragile states that are seen by many as posing potentially greater threats. Weak infrastructures, internal conflict, and lack of economic development provide fertile ground for trafficking, piracy, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, disease pandemics, regional tensions, and even genocide.

As a result, there is a growing movement in the international community to find comprehensive ways to promote stronger states, as well as more effective solutions to deal with those that are already on the brink of failure.

In Governance, you'll find reporting from around the world—from East Timor to Haiti, from Guinea Bissau to Afghanistan. The reporting demonstrates the dangers weak states pose—and also the international interventions that appear to be making a difference.

 

Governance

Law and Order in Afghanistan

Pro-government militias are being lauded as a bulwark against rising insurgency, even while some stand accused of extrajudicial killings and running remote districts as fiefdoms.

Polio's Last Stand

After dozens of vaccination workers were killed in Afghanistan, polio once again began to spread into the borderlands. The same strain is now re-surfacing in Syria.

Central African Republic: Hidden Heart of Africa

The Central African Republic is one of the last truly wild places on earth, a sparsely populated country that until recently remained quietly anonymous. So why did it descend into chaos?

When Militiamen Rule

Less than three years after independence, South Sudan collapsed into civil war. Thousands have died and famine looms on the horizon. Can rebel-leaders-turned-politicians lead the way to peace?

The Power of Poetry

In this lesson, students investigate educational resources using diverse media in order to understand how poetry can be used as a means of communication.

Refugees and The Island of Lesbos

This lesson explores the Greek Island of Lesbos, which has taken in thousands of refugees despite its small population. The island has been a focal landing point for migrants and refugees.

Cuban Youth

Students investigate and discuss the impacts of recently restored relations between the United States and Cuba by analyzing reporting from journalist Tracey Eaton’s project “Cuban Youth: A New Dawn?”

How do you do, Timbuktu?

The following lesson plan and educational resources asks students to analyze the effectiveness of online reporting that covers the ancient city of Timbuktu using a diversity of media.

This Week: Stumbling Toward Nuclear War

This week: rising nuclear tensions through North Korea's eyes, refugees converting to Christianity, and how the exotic pet trade enables illegal wildlife practices in China.