International Stance Research Articles

DIREITOS HUMANOS E LIMITES À JURISDIÇÃO DOMÉSTICA

Work presented with the goal of examining the relationship between Human Rights and Sovereignty from a different approach to the the principles of sovereignty and nonintervention. Beyond that, it has been discussed the possibility to deal with the human rights subject from an international stance in as much as it has not been an issue to be dealt with as an internal affair of a state anymore. From the study, it might be concluded that a new interpretation of human rights laws and principles of international law, such as the nonintervention might strenghten the human rights protection system. The deductive method was adopted through the content exam and bibliographic review of books and articles and analysis of decisions International Courts related to the topic addressed.

International political aspects of OPEC+ activities in the context of energy diplomacy of Russia and Saudi Arabia before and after the start of the special military operation

The growing interstate rivalry sweeps more and more areas of international relations, including energy issues. While the ‘traditional’ oil and gas exporters are trying to maintain or even strengthen their current positions, new players in the oil and gas market are trying to challenge the status quo. The changing situation on the oil market due to the ‘price war’ between the United States and OPEC countries serves as a clear manifestation of this trend and encourages the OPEC members to coordinate their policies more closely with external partners. This paper aims to identify the prerequisites and assess the dynamics of cooperation between Russia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) within the OPEC+ framework. The first section of the paper examines the logic behind the OPEC+ agreement in the context of the development of energy cooperation between the Russian Federation and the KSA before the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis. The authors note that the new format demonstrated stability within the first years of its existence and generated closer cooperation between the hydrocarbon exporting countries. The second section examines the development of OPEC+ in the face of increased geopolitical pressure from the United States and its allies. The authors conclude that the efforts of Washington and oil importing countries to undermine energy cooperation within the OPEC+ format have not succeeded, on the contrary the international stance of the group members has only strengthened. In conclusion, the authors emphasize that OPEC+ not only contributes to the stability of energy prices, but also brings tangible political benefits to its members. At the same time, according to the authors, the future of this format largely depends on the dynamics of international environment and, particularly, on the scale of the US-Russian confrontation.

Public Discourse on the Israel‐Hamas War 2023: A Comparative Analysis of Lithuania and the United Kingdom

AbstractThe conflict between the Israeli government and Hamas escalated on 7th October 2023, with the media playing an unprecedented role in shaping the perceptions and narratives surrounding the ongoing tensions. The portrayal by the media, often mirroring global viewpoints and biases, has significantly influenced public opinion and international stances, serving as a catalyst for political, diplomatic, and humanitarian interventions. The aim of the study is to analyze the formation of discourse on the Israel‐Hamas war (2023) within the media landscapes of Lithuania and the United Kingdom, emphasizing the role of national broadcasters and uncovering the primary disparities in the information provided by online news portals lrt.lt and bbc.com. Employing the qualitative content analysis method, the study provides comprehensive insights into the subject matter. Moreover, it highlights the approaches of the Lithuanian and UK governments towards security discourse in Europe and their concerns regarding humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. The study is relevant to shed light on how political decisions and public opinion influence the international community's support for various actors in the conflict, including the manifestation of Islamophobic and antisemitic sentiments.

Agroecology beyond the statist quo? Transforming U.S. imperial agricultural policy

Agroecology—with its diverse, multifaceted, and liberatory principles, methods, and commitments—seems incommensurate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with its settler colonial origins, imperial histories, racist legacies, neoliberal hegemonies, and contemporary reproduction of the unjust and ecocidal agricultural status quo. And yet, is it possible to make use of what the behemoth department has to offer, in its attempts, albeit paltry, at reform and restitution? More pressingly, can we engage and demand more from the non-monolithic ministry—call for it to stave off further corporate capture of markets, land, germplasm, data, and water? Can we pressure the USDA to protect farmworkers from exploita­tion, animals from abuse, cooperatives from corpo­rate co-optation, and small-scale farmers from farmgate price degradation? Is abandoning the USDA tantamount to ceding its resources to agro-industries intent on dispossessing Black, Indige­nous, and other essential agricultures? Shouldn’t we at least attempt to obstruct the USDA’s obstruc­tionist international stance, as it thwarts the right to food, climate justice, labor rights, and redistributive reforms globally? . . .

Argentina and the Ukraine War: Between pragmatism and values

AbstractThis article examines Argentina's stance regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the administration of President Alberto Fernández (2019–2023), Argentina condemned the invasion at the United Nations but maintained a relatively low diplomatic profile and criticised Western sanctions against Russia. However, since President Javier Milei took office in late 2023, Argentina has shifted its foreign policy orientation towards greater alignment with Western powers, leading to a more unequivocal support of Ukraine. As a significant development, President Zelensky responded by attending Milei's inauguration. The evolution of Argentina's position results from a combination of strategic calculation and principles across administrations of different ideological orientations, contradicting simplistic views of the international stance of Global South countries.

Living in a fragmented world: India’s data way

ABSTRACT This article examines India’s treatment of data and its relationship with sovereignty. In the absence of international norms or standards, the article draws on the various data-related rules, regulations, and policies, the country’s international stance on data, and the developments in its ongoing journey to a privacy law to infer how the Indian government seeks to exercise sovereign control over Indian data. The article shows that India’s treatment of data is a lot more nuanced and mobile than otherwise suggested. Instead, it is driven by more by economic and security imperatives rather than the need for control over Indian data.

The EU Public Diplomacy in the United States under the D. Trump Administration: Challenges, Key Projects and Outcomes

Public diplomacy is one of the key foreign policy instruments of the European Union for strengthening its international stance. In that regard, Brussels pays special attention to ensuring trust-based relations with the United States, which traditionally acts as the EU’s leading trade and military partner. The apparent cooling in transatlantic relations provoked by harmful rhetoric and practices of D. Trump administration forced the EU to focus on non-traditional channels of interacting with the American audience. In this context, the analysis of the EU’s attempts to adapt its public diplomacy programmes in the United States to the new realities is of particular interest. The first section outlines the political, economic, administrative, and image risks faced by EU diplomats in this area during the presidency of D. Trump (2017−2020). The second section examines the main thematic priorities, mechanisms and projects of the EU public diplomacy aimed at the American audience. The author argues that during the period under review the EU placed special emphasis on advocacy, cultural diplomacy, and exchange programmes for young people. The author concludes that, although European diplomats failed to achieve a qualitative improvement in transatlantic relations during D. Trump’s tenure, the EU public diplomacy demonstrated resilience and flexibility in the face of adverse circumstances. Indeed, the EU diplomats proved their creativity in developing innovative programmes which can be instrumental for future development of the EU public diplomacy in general.

THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR AS A MODEL

The emergence of nuclear capabilities and technology at the end of World War II and its uses in the field of lethal weapons led to the emergence of new risks at the global level. The actions of the major countries that possess this technology and their dealings with the issue of trading and exchanging this technology with a number of countries wishing to obtain it, whether for peaceful or military purposes, have varied depending on on strategic, bilateral or economic positions. The paper deals with different stances on its topic, the spread of nuclear technology, and different opinions and positions on this subject. It also deals with, for example, the Iranian nuclear program and the international stance towards it, especially the position of the United States of America on it, and some future possibilities and options if Iran continues with this program. The paper also deals with how the nuclear countries provide assistance for nuclear expertise, which is considered a form of international contribution to achieving the proliferation of nuclear weapons. It will also address some countries that are based on the transfer of nuclear expertise and the extent of its impact on the development of international relations and the effects of the proliferation of nuclear weapons. It also deals with hypotheses. On the conditions that provide for the provision of nuclear assistance and then addresses the potential strategy and characteristics of nuclear suppliers and the most important factors determining the provision of nuclear assistance and emphasize the importance of economic motives.

French diplomats and the military on Soviet Russia and the balance of power in Central-Eastern Europe in 1922

The consolidation of the Soviet state in 1922 and the activities of Soviet diplomacy in the key international forums had a direct impact on the strategic situation in Europe. The eventual strengthening of Soviet Russia/the USSR was both a threat and an opportunity for France as one of the leading European powers of that period, which had obligations and interests in Central and Eastern Europe. The author aims to identify the main approaches of French diplomats and the military to a set of issues related to the possible development of Soviet Russia in 1922 and its place in the European balance of power. The study is based on a wide range of primary sources from the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, the National Archives of France, the Historical Service of the Ministry of the Armed Forces of the Fifth Republic, as well as on recently published French diplomatic and military documents. The author concludes that the French elites had a rather ambiguous attitude towards the process and the first results of political consolidation and socio-economic development of the Soviet state. On the one hand, the formation of the USSR was an obvious manifestation of the growing Soviet power that somewhat diminished the hopes of French officials for the imminent fall of the Bolsheviks. At the same time, diplomats and the military both in Paris and on-site were often skeptical about the prospects for the development of the Soviet economy, noting the catastrophic consequences of hunger, economic and financial ruin. Moderate optimism about the opportunity to intensify trade and economic contacts with Soviet Russia as its economy recovers coexisted with pronounced pessimism. The French assessments of the military potential of the Soviet state were marked by the same ambivalence. The acknowledgement of the current limited capabilities of the Red Army and the Red Fleet was accompanied by the growing recognition that the basis of the military power of the Soviet state had not been undermined. All this could help Moscow improve its international stance in the future, which would inevitably affect the balance of power in Europe. Under these circumstances, the French elites debated the prospects for the ‘normalization’ of the Bolshevik regime and its incorporation into the Versailles order. The author argues that all these contradictory attitudes, views and assessments that surfaced in 1922 to a large extent predetermined the overall direction and specific content of the French policy towards the USSR in the following years.

Does endovascular duration impact clinical outcomes in aortic arch repair? The RELAY™ branched international stance.

BackgroundThe high mortality and morbidity rates in surgical aortic arch repair are a barrier to therapy for a considerable proportion of patients with aortic arch aneurysm or dissection. There is hence a demand for the development and adoption of a minimally invasive alternative to aortic arch repair, such as thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Procedural duration is a key factor in the pathogenesis of complications in surgical aortic arch repair. Herein, we evaluate whether endovascular duration impacts neurological outcomes, target vessel patency, and reintervention rates in aortic arch TEVAR with RELAY™ Branched (Terumo Aortic, Inchinnan, UK), which is specifically developed for on-label use within the aortic arch.MethodsProspective data was collected between January 2019 and January 2022 on the clinical outcomes of TEVAR for aortic arch dissection and aneurysm with RELAY™ single-, double-, and triple branched endoprostheses from centers across Europe. They were then retrospectively analyzed with descriptive and distributive analysis. Follow-up data on the incidence of disabling stroke (DS), target vessel patency, and reintervention from 30 days and 6-, 12-, and 24 months postoperative was included in the analysis.Results147 (99.3%) of all 148 cases were successful. Over the 24 month follow-up period, in total 6 (4.1%) patients suffered DS, 24 (16.3%) required reintervention, and target vessel patency was exhibited in 118 (80.2%) patients. The modal endovascular duration was 100–150 min (in 64.6%, n = 95 cases). Analysis revealed that endovascular duration was associated with a lower likelihood of reintervention at 30 days, 6-, and 12 months (P = 0.011, P = 0.019, P = 0.037), a greater likelihood of target vessel patency at 6- and 24 months (P = 0.032, P = 0.035). No relationship between endovascular duration and DS was revealed.DiscussionThe data demonstrates that RELAY™ Branched is associated with promising clinical outcomes for on-label aortic arch TEVAR. The underlying mechanism linking endovascular duration and reintervention rates, or target vessel patency is likely multifactorial and complex. Given that TEVAR is carried out under general anesthetic only, it is unlikely that prolonged procedural duration has any major effect over neurological outcomes for arch TEVAR.

Should the Food and Drug Administration Limit Placebo-Controlled Trials?

Should the Food and Drug Administration Limit Placebo-Controlled Trials?

China’s Approach to International Law: From Traditional Westphalianism to Aggressive Instrumentalism in the Xi Jinping Era

Abstract China has been expanding its engagement with the international legal order for decades,1 yet its general approach to international law remains mysterious or at least hard to understand. This article provides a preliminary examination of China’s contemporary international legal stance. It argues that, although China has appeared to be a follower of the traditional Westphalianism, it is at heart an instrumentalist in terms of complying with international law. In the Xi Jinping era, China’s approach to international law can be characterized as ‘aggressive instrumentalism’, though Xi Jinping’s ‘Community of Shared Future for Mankind’ concept has arguably also demonstrated a certain degree of idealism.

PAKISTAN IS AT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RISK AFTER TALIBAN TAKEOVER OF AFGHANISTAN

The change in Afghanistan always affected the whole region of Central Asia and especially Pakistan because both countries have a unique relationship. They have religious, cultural, and ethnic connections. They were described as inseparable brothers by former Afghan leaders like Hamid Karzai. So as far as peace and security of the region is concerned stability among both sides of borders is important. After 21 years of insurgency the recent takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban, who are known as Pashtun Islamic fundamentalists, has brought significant changes in the region. This research is focused on the political and economic impacts of Pakistan’s Afghan Policy on Pakistan after Taliban takeover of Kabul. It is also looking into the strength and weaknesses, irritants and multipliers of Pak- Afghan policy to make suggestions for improvement. The primary purpose of this study is to identify the ways through which Pakistan can overcome its Political and economic crises after Taliban in Afghanistan and to give a new direction to Pak-Afghan relations for peace and Stability in the region. The article also tries to analyze the international political stance on Current Pak-Afghan relations and is divided into four parts, 1) Pakistan’s Afghan policy after August 15, 2021(Taliban take over) 2). International Political Stance on Pakistan’s Perspective of Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan 3). Impact of Taliban rule on Pakistan’s economy 4). Way out…. Suggestions and recommendations Keywords: Taliban, Policy, Economy, Afghanistan, International Politics, Institutions, Governance, militancy.

A Perspective for Japan: Fukuzawa Yukichi’s “Theory of Civilization”, 1875

This paper discusses the thought of Fukuzawa Yukichi, probably the most influential Japanese intellectual of the late nineteenth century, with particular reference to his attempt to develop a theory of civilization. For him, the civilizational approach was a framework for reflection on Japan’s situation in the world after the great changes of the 1850s and 1860s. He saw the preservation of national independence and the reform of Japanese society as primary goals, but they necessitated extensive learning from the experience and achievements of more advanced societies, especially those of Western Europe and the United States. However, he did not advocate a purely imitative Westernization. Japan’s distinctive identity and autonomous international stance were to be maintained. To clarify the reasons for transforming Japan in light of Western models without capitulating to them, he outlined an evolutionary conception of social change, understood in terms of an advance towards civilization. That kind of progress was not only a matter of technical and organizational development; it also involved the mobilization of whole peoples. On this basis, Fukuzawa articulated a more democratic vision of Japan’s future than the road subsequently taken by the Meiji government.

La correspondencia entre el Gran Oriente Nacional de España y la United Grand Lodge of England: Un estudio del reconocimiento entre Grandes Logias

Bilateral relations between grand lodges were intensifying from the middle of the nineteenth century onwards. Spanish freemasonry was expanding during the Glorious Revolution, which would last until the end of the century, with multiple grand orients competing for the same jurisdiction. During this period the Gran Oriente Nacional of Spain (GONE) requested the recognition of the most important Masonic power, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), but was rejected in all its attempts. This article presents the approaches made by the GONE and studies the reasons for the UGLE’s rejection. In addition, it also analyses English Freemasonry’s international stance, which led to the decision, and especially its stance with regard to continental Freemasonry.

War and negotiations. How Vietnam defeated the American Colossus

Over the course of the prolonged US war in Vietnam, the bloodiest one after World War II, it became obvious that there was no alternative to a negotiation process. Important reasons were the impossibility for Washington to win the battlefield and the rise of anti-war sentiment in the United States. The author tried to show how certain psychological characteristics of US leaders led to the war and then eventually to negotiations. When started negotiations were accompanied by military action. The course of the war and negotiations was influenced by Soviet military assistance to the DRV, as well as by relations in the triangle of the USSR - USA - China. The time of detente between the USSR and the USA coincided with war in Vietnam, which influenced the behavior of the Soviet leaders, as evidenced by the recollections of the USSR ambassador to the United States A. Dobrynin.The Politburo of the Central Committee had disagreements regarding Vietnam and detente with the United States. But the war weakened US international stance and contributed to the achievement of strategic agreements with the USSR.The main objectives of the DRV in the negotiations were to stop US bombings and then withdrawal of US troops. The United States sought to maintain the Saigon puppet regime for some time after the withdrawal of its troops from South Vietnam. Washington’s main goal was to “save its face”, declaring defeat a “victory”. To achieve this goal the war and negotiations dragged on for years, and on the eve of the signing of the agreements, the most fierce bombing of the DRV was carried out.Thanks to the powerful air defense created with the help of the USSR, the DRV won the “air Dien Bien Fu”.The United States was forced to sign a peace agreement, which provided for the complete cessation of all US military operations in Vietnam, the withdrawal of all American troops, but left the North Vietnamese forces in South Vietnam together with the armed forces of the National Liberation Front along with the decaying and doomed to death Saigon regime. In 1975 its army was defeated the regime capitulated, which ensured the subsequent reunification of South and North Vietnam.The Vietnamese people defeated the American colossus, having suffered terrible sacrifices themselves, but achieved the national goal - the withdrawal of the Americans and the unification of the country. The full support of Vietnam can be seen as a successes story of Soviet foreign policy.

ReThinking the Future of Energy: Scenarios for 2050

The global energy market is going through the unprecedented change. Ability to identify what driving forces will be transforming the markets in coming decades and shape the future of energy is a key for policymakers and industry in developing better working strategies. At the same time, the volatile context, complexity, and interdependence of the driving forces make the future energy landscape so uncertain and ambiguous that forecasts and predictions do not work. With this in mind, we have applied a scenario approach that in our view provides a viable alternative to predictions. Scenarios not only help in mapping the possible futures but also get better prepared to act accordingly. The paper provides four possible scenarios of the future of energy and discusses challenges and opportunities in each one of them, suggesting implications for business and policymakers. The pace of innovations in energy and digital technologies alongside with the severeness of the international stance on the climate change will eventually define whether conventional business models can dominate in the future and what will be different in energy systems of the developed and the emerging economies.

Psychedelics and the media in the Visegrad countries

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der offentlichen Meinung in den Visegrad-Landern zu psychedelischen Substanzen und beleuchtet die Rolle der Medien bei der Kultivierung ebendieser. Die Studie konzentriert sich auf die vier Staaten der Visegrad Gruppe, deren Mitglieder gleichzeitig die Unabhangigkeit von der Sowjetunion erlangten und der Europaischen Union beitraten. Infolgedessen gelangten ominose Substanzen im selben Zeitraum erstmals in die nationalen Drogenmarkte und in weiteren Gesellschaften. Nichtsdestotrotz ist die Drogenpolitik und internationale Haltung zu drogenbezogenen Themen in den genannten Landern derzeit sehr unterschiedlich. Die These argumentiert, dass die sogenannte psychedelische Renaissance in den wohlhabenden westlichen Welt zwar sichtbar und mediatisiert ist, der Zustand der psychedelischen Wissenschaft aber, aufgrund des harten Stigmas welches psychedelische Drogen im ehemaligen Ostblock umgibt, hier hinter ihrem Potenzial zuruckgeblieben ist. Bis jetzt hat die Diskrepanz zwischen der vielversprechenden medizinischen Nutzbarkeit psychedelischer Substanzen auf der einen Seite und der negativen Medienberichterstattung auf der anderen, noch kein akademisches Interesse an der Untersuchung dieses Stigmas ausgelost. Das gegenwartige Projekt will diese Forschungslucke mit Hilfe von qualitativen und quantitativen Methoden, sowie primarer und sekundarer Datenerfassung schliesen. Die Auswirkungen der Massenmedien sowie, der jeweiligen kulturellen und rechtlichen Kontext jedes Landes werden mit linearen Regressionen sowie Mediation- und Moderationsanalysen verglichen und analysiert. Parallel zu fruheren Studien zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass Menschen die haufig fernsehen, weniger Informationen und eine negativere Einstellung zu psychedelischen Substanzen haben. Dies stellt eine wichtige institutionelle, finanzielle und reputative Herausforderung fur den Fortschritt der Wissenschaft dar. Das Ziel dieser Studie ist es, einen ausgewogenen offentlichen Diskurs zu fordern, in dem aktuelle, reale und relevante Risiken angehen werden konnen.

Developing E-cigarette friendly smoking cessation services in England: staff perspectives

BackgroundPublic health leadership in England has taken a distinctive international stance by identifying the potential public health benefit of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. This includes the development of a ground-breaking set of national guidelines for developing e-cigarette friendly stop smoking services. However, little is known about the views of staff engaged within these services and whether or how such services are becoming e-cigarette friendly. This study aimed to investigate the uptake and usage of e-cigarette guidance, from the perspective of those enacting tobacco cessation interventions ‘on the ground’.MethodsQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 cessation service staff, including advisors (n = 15), managers (n = 5) and commissioners (n = 5) from eight different services in the South-West of England, UK. A thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted using NVivo software.ResultsAlthough some stop smoking services labelled themselves e-cigarette friendly, there was no consensus over what this should entail. For some, this meant active engagement, such as working with local vape shops, and in the case of one service, offering e-cigarettes through a voucher scheme to disadvantaged groups. For others, an e-cigarette friendly service was conceptualized in a passive sense, as one which welcomed service users using e-cigarettes. Many services did not use the ‘e-cigarette friendly’ claim in their branding or promotional material. Several discursive themes underlay differing staff attitudes. Those more reluctant to engage framed this in terms of their ‘duty of care’, with concerns focusing on the addictiveness of nicotine, lack of medically licensed product and ongoing scientific controversy. Those motivated to engage drew on a discourse of social justice goals and ‘doing things differently’ in relation to lower socio-economic status smokers, those with mental health issues and other vulnerable groups. Strong public health leadership was also identified as a key factor in changing staff attitudes towards e-cigarettes.ConclusionsOn-the-ground enactment of e-cigarette friendly services is varied as well as reflective of the wider policy and regulatory environment. Although the context of English stop smoking services is one of austerity and change, there are opportunities for active engagement with e-cigarettes to achieve overall cessation goals. For this to occur, training, policy consistency and sharing best practice are needed.

NATO, Russia and Private Military and Security Companies

In this article, Christopher Spearin examines Russian private military and security companies (PMSCs) operating in the so-called ‘grey zone’ and highlights their offensive character. Regarding a potential NATO response, the article contends that advancing an international normative stance such that PMSC employment should be viewed in an undeniable and defensive manner would be a positive approach.