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

Iraq: A Life After Slavery

Amsha Ali Alyas was one of the first Yazidi women enslaved by ISIS who managed to escape. Nearly one year later, a look at how she and her young family are trying to move on.

Pakistan: The Road to Bannu

A Pakistani military offensive uprooted 900,000 tribesmen from areas under Taliban-control, giving health workers in Bannu a rare opportunity to vaccinate people beyond their reach.

This Week in Review: Lessons in Failure

“Americans love success stories,” writes grantee Sam Loewenberg in a thought-provoking article that appeared in The New York Times this week. But failure can also serve a purpose.

This Week in Review: Game Changer

On the surface, Poland would not seem to have much in common with Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. But dig beneath the surface in both places and you find shale gas, a potential source of cheap energy.