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

The Danab Brigade: Somalia’s Elite, US-Sponsored Special Ops Force

In 2013, Somalia’s federal government wanted to create a counter-terrorism combat force to take on Islamist militants al-Shabab, which seeks to overthrow the government. After negotiations with the United States, an elite special forces unit was created in 2014: the Danab (“Lightning”) Brigade.

Broken Justice

Can an attorney handle more than 100 criminal cases at a time? That's the reality for a public defender like Jeff Esparza, who represents defendants unable to afford their own lawyers in Kansas City.

Is Israel a Dying Democracy?

The famous line about Israel is that it's "the only democracy in the Middle East." But the foundation of its liberal democracy are crumbling — and may be in worse shape than most people understand.

Southeast Asia in the Strongman Era

The "new authoritarianism" is on the rise in Southeast Asia, personified by Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and Thailand's Prayuth Chan Ocha. Are they not just the present, but the future as well?

Renovating Villa 31

Forty thousand people live in substandard conditions in downtown Buenos Aires' Villa 31. With property deeds and infrastructure upgrades, can authorities finally resolve the eyesore on their front doorstep?

The Silent War

The rivalry between 'Democratic Taiwan' and the 'China Model' has lasted for seven decades. Has it now reached a tipping point?

He Did the Crime, She Did the Time

Reporter Allison Herrera explores a law in Oklahoma called "Failure to Protect," meant to decrease the number of abused children. Sometimes, it's the woman and not the abuser who does more time.

Meet the Journalist: Jackie Spinner

Jackie Spinner spent three months in Morocco exploring the ways in which the country has become a moderate Islamic hub in the North Africa and to examine the contrast between image and reality.

Meet the Journalist: Wes Bruer

A freelance journalist based in Brooklyn, Wes Bruer received a Pulitzer Center grant to pursue a story of a unique counterterrorism program being implemented by the U.S. State Dept in Mumbai, India.

Meet the Journalist: Yepoka Yeebo

For over a decade, there existed a fake U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana. When the news broke, there were more questions than answers and some officials are convinced it didn't happen.