Wolves in sheep clothing or victims of times? Discussing the immoderation of incumbent Islamic parties in Turkey,Egypt, Morocco,and Tunisia

This article discusses the “immoderation” of incumbent Islamic parties – defined by the pursuit of a moral agenda and by an unwillingness to compromise with the opposition – through a comparative study of four incumbent Islamic parties in the socio-politically different regimes of Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. Building on literature from religion and politics, social psychology, sociology of religion, and on the inclusion-moderation hypothesis, this study argues that (1) Islamic parties’ strong organizations resulted both in their success and in the absence of internal pluralism and that (2) their dominant status in the party system consolidated their majoritarian understanding of democracy. Through its discussion of “immoderation” this study aims to contribute to the interdisciplinary literature on religion and politics.     

The right to commemoration and “ideal victims”: the puzzle of victim dissatisfaction with State-led commemoration after 9/11 and 3/11

This article explores the puzzle of victim dissatisfaction with State-led commemoration following 9/11 and 3/11 by offering a cross-national case study through which to view key areas of theoretical debate in the sociology of human rights, cultural trauma and collective memory, and the politics of victimhood. Although State-led commemorative processes are often highly contested, we would expect them to be less so in the cases of 9/11 and 3/11, given broad social consensus about the victims’ right to commemoration and the traumatic nature of the events, and especially the “ideal nature” of the victims who as symbolic representatives of the State are conferred with great moral authority. Drawing on primary and secondary data on the commemoration of the attacks of 11th September 2001 and 11th March 2004 we find that despite sharp differences between commemorative processes, three common key areas of contestation and dissatisfaction for victims emerge: political instrumentalisation, hierarchies of worth and exclusion. We show how the status of ideal victimhood for victims of transnational terrorism carries within it an inherent paradox which provides the key to their dissatisfaction, namely the moral authority conferred on them as representatives of the State simultaneously depersonalises them, excluding them as individuals with rights and needs.     

Murder in Mexico: are journalists victims of general violence or targeted political violence?

Journalists in Mexico face hundreds of attacks each year, ranging from online harassment and physical intimidation to outright murder. The official narrative typically claims that murdered journalists are the victims of general criminal violence. This article finds that despite the rampant violence in Mexico, the murder of journalists cannot be attributed to the country’s general criminal violence problem alone. Instead, the evidence points to the targeting, and even political targeting of journalists. First, journalists are at a much higher risk of being murdered than the general population. Second, the divergence between homicide rates among the general population and among journalists varies considerably between Mexican states. While recent scholarship has shown that subnational governments can successfully remain authoritarian despite democratization at the central or federal level, this literature has largely ignored the use of political killings in subnational undemocratic regimes. This article attempts to understand the murder of journalists not just as a problem of criminal violence, but also of political violence, and thereby connects the findings to the existing scholarship on subnational authoritarianism.     

Feeling the Pulse of the World

Dizziness from preoccupation with the 20th century robbed us of the time to contemplate the 21st century. This is a well-known dictum early back in the 1960s by the late French strategist Raymond Aron. Now the new century is upon us. What were believed to be irrelevant then have turned out into hot topics these days. An early warning for the unfolding century, the September 11 events represent but only a prelude     

Features of the International Situation at the Turn of the Century

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Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations

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Reflections on the Return of the China-Japan Relationship to the Normal Track

The China-Japan relationship has swung between deterioration and improvement in the 21st century while Japanese leaders'cognition and Japanese public opinion remain operative at a deep level.The return of the bilateral relationship in 2018 to the normal development track was aided by Japan's shift toward coordination,China's re-shaped policy,and a boost by the Trump administration.Though the China-Japan relationship will continue improving in the short run,it is unlikely“deterioratiomimprovcment”cycles will end since too many glaring structural contradictions exist.While memories of their intense history and today's territorial issues linger,the fluctuation of Japan*s diplomatic options and weak Japanese public opinion for improved relations with China will continue the same cyclical,but not forward,momentum.     

Strengthen the Communication Among the Youth and Enhance the Mutual Understanding and Trust

AttheinvitationoftheInternationalInitiativesofChangeAssociationofJapanIICAJIaccompa-niedMr.LiYangCouncilMemberofChineseAs-sociationforInternationalUnderstandingCAFIUonthevisittoJapanfromJune10to18andat-tendedthe27thInternationalConferenceoftheInitiativeofChangeinOdawara.DuringourstaythereweseparatelymetwithTutomuHataAdvi-sortotheIICAJandformerPrimeMinisterofJapanSomaYukikaHonoraryPresidentofIICAJToruHashimotoPresidentofIICAJandAdvisortotheJapanMizuhoFinancialGroupandD…     

Policy Measures for the Implementation of the Development Strategy of the Western Region

Editorial note: The State Council of the People's Republic of China has published the Circular of the State Council on Policy Measures for the Implementation of the Development Strategy of the Western Region on December 27, 2000. The following is the full text (unofficial translation).The implementation of the development strategy of the western region for speeding up development of the central and western regions, is an important component of the modernization strategy in China. It is …     

Diversity of the Model of Development and the Choice in the Harmonious Development

Since the end of the cold war, the world has undergone extensive, complex and profound changes. The features of such changes are multi -polarization, globalization and diversification. These three features are interconnected and closely linked. They influence each other and promote each other. Muhipolarization, globalization and diversification are still in the process of development, and are therefore fluid and constantly changing. Generally speaking, the development of the world situation is in favour of world peace and stability. But in the process of multi-polarization, globalization and diversification, various unprecedentedly complicated contradictions and new problems crop up, so we still need to jointly and appropriately handle the situation.     

America''''s Difficulties after the War and the International Political Consequences of the War

The U. S. A will succeed militarily in the Iraq war. However, it is far away from the true meaning of victory in war defined by distinguished strategic thinker B. H. Liddell Hart, even inaccessible. Using Hart's own word, the true victory in war is to attain a better state of peace and improve the quality of life for the survivors after the war is over. What await America after the basic success in Iraq are grave military and political difficulties. Moreover, there may be bigger economic and financial troubles as well.     

Walking on the Other Side of the Sea

From December 12 to 18, a seven people publication delegation of the Chinese Association for International Understanding, led by Mr. Song Zude, visited Japan with the focus on the publication industry and other cultural industries at the warm invitation o…     

Sino-American-Russian Triangle at the Turn of the Century

On the verge of the new century, the renewed triangular relations between China, the United States and Russia are of significance to the international relations as the world's three big powers have readjusted their ties in recent years.rather long time to come, the state that the United States is strong, Russia re-mains weak, and China is rising will remain unchanged by and large, and so willthe triangle. Readjustments of the Triangle Since the end of the Kosovo war, China, America and Russia, with differentstrategic considerations in mind, have stepped up restoration of mutual relations     

Welcome the Friends from the Japan Anti-War Alliance

Invited by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), theDelegation of Japan Anti- War Alliance (JAWA) came to Beijing to attend the assembly celebrating the60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggressionand the World Anti- Fascist War. On Sept. 2, the delegation visited the Chinese Association for Inter-national Understanding(CAFIU) and was met by Mr. Li Chengren, Executive Vice- Pre…     

Graceful Bearing of the Pearl of the Orient

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The Turnaround of the DPRK Nuclear Issue and the Prospect of the Six-Party Talks

The Korean nuclear issue has entered a phase of substantive settlement. Neither the DPRK nor the United States wanted the     

After the Tsunami

In D ecem ber 2004, a how ling ocean disasterwhirled away the year-end happiness, leaving am em ory ofdam ages and sadness and an expectationofrebuilding on ruins.O n the Eve ofChristm as,the threatfrom the naturedidn't dim inish w ith the bell, and the tsunam i,caused by the deadly earthquake in Indian O cean,struck deep wounds along ever-beautifulseashores.In this disaster, several hundred thousand peoplefrom 26countries died orw ere m issing,and justin asingle night the econom y and devel…     

The dragon in the room: the China factor in the development of US–India ties in the Cold War

ABSTRACT

In recent years, as China has continued to rise as an economic, political and military power, there has been increasing consideration of its role in shaping US–India relations over the last two decades. However, this article, considering the period 1949–1979, shows that American and Indian perceptions of and policy toward China shaped the US–India relationship even during the Cold War. In doing so, the article seeks not just to bring China back into the story of past US–India relations, but also shed light on the China–India–US triangle of today and of tomorrow.     

Putting the nation back into ‘the international’

Alex Callinicos and Justin Rosenberg have both drawn on the concept of uneven and combined development to resolve what they see as deficiencies in international relations theory: in the case of the former, the absence of a non-realist explanation for the persistence of the states system; in the case of the latter, the absence of a sociological dimension to geopolitics. However, Callinicos omits any consideration of the ‘combined’ aspect of uneven and combined development, while Rosenberg ascribes characteristics of transhistoricity and internationality to uneven and combined development which it does not possess. Against attempts to either restrict or over-extend use of the concept, I will argue that its theoretical usefulness depends on understanding the limits of its spatial and chronological reach. An alternative, if still partial, explanation for the continued existence of the states system will emphasize the continuing indispensability of nationalism as a means of both containing class conflict within capitalist states and mobilizing support for ‘national capitals’ engaged in geoeconomic and geopolitical competition.     

Following the Tide to the Future in Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Sino-Japan Ties

There were both good times and bad times in the history of SinoJapanese relations.And the single most important lesson we could draw from it is that cooperation 1eads to a in-win situation,while conflict lose-lose.The purpose of reviewing and contemplating on this part of history is to look forward to the future.