Globalaffairs

Issue 17/October-November 2009
By Andrea Bonzanni

The United States does not seem to have much hope about the chances to strike a deal with Iran on the nuclear programme. In spite of the historic resume of negotiations with the 5+1 on 1st October in Geneva, the Obama administration is already working on a possible tightening of economic sanctions. At the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, President Obama denounced with unusual harsh tones the existence of a secret nuclear site in Qom, signaling a shift in US attitude towards the Islamic Republic.

The change of paradigm had already emerged on 9th September, when leaked intelligence reports to the White House and a statement by the American ambassador at the IAEA publicly acknowledged that Iran possessed the technology and the know-how to produce a bomb within a short time. These positions may be linked to a revaluation of the threat due to new information from recent intelligence activities. However, analysts interpret them as a way to put pressure on allies (in particular China and Germany, respectively the first and third exporter towards Iran) and to convince them to accept a stricter sanction regime against Iran.

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Issue 16/August-September 2009
By Alexandre Calvo Cristina

Proliferation and Non-proliferation, or why states seek nuclear weapons

The development of nuclear weapons led to two different views of their nature, with some claiming the fundamental nature of warfare had not been affected (1), and others seeing them as marking a new era in the field of human conflict. The main argument in favor of the latter view is that due to their sheer effects, a country possessing them would not be attacked by other nuclear powers for fear of retaliation, leading to the so called MAD (mutually assured destruction). It was precisely in order to guarantee this equilibrium of terror and avoid the perceived potential destabilizing effects of missile defense systems (which, by allowing a country to attack another without or with a lessened risk of retaliation might make it an attractive proposition, or at least provide incentives for a first strike in the event of a crisis) that the US and the USSR signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 1972 (2).

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Issue 15/June-July 2009
By Glen Ruffle

The people of Europe have voted, and shown that the separation between them and the elite is bigger than ever. Given this, and how the elite will not listen to the people, the only way forwards for the EU is to reduce in size.

Europe is now looking at the aftermath of the European Parliament elections, where 350 million people were able to have their say choose some of the people who will make laws that rule and govern their lives.

With the lowest ever voter-turnout, the election of explicitly anti-EU MEPs, and gains for far-right parties across Europe, only Jose Manuel Barrosso could say “Overall, the results are an undeniable victory for those parties and candidates that support the European project and want to see the European Union delivering policy responses to their everyday concerns” [1].

That the President of the Commission could conclude such a fantastical and outrageously wrong conclusion is symptomatic of the plight facing the EU. Quite simply, the elite of Europe are not listening, and don’t want to listen.

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Issue 14/April-May 2009
By Monica Díez

18th November was officially inaugurated the UN Human Right Room cupola, headquarters in Geneva, made by the Mallorcan artist Miquel Barceló.

We are not discussing the artistic value of the work, after analyzing many people opinions, most of them have labeled it as “shameful” and “ugly” or “colorful shits” (that should make the artist think about his art goals). Also its financing was controversial because it is contradictory that a person cooperating with NGOs helping Saharawi, Mozambique, Mali or Bolivia should not take FAD funds for his own profit. But for sure Barcelo belongs to the artist group supporting Zapatero, it seems that we have returned to the political art sponsors which are in any tyrannical regime (as the Nazi regime where it was an official art and the rest was forbidden because it was considered immoral). The difference is that in this case artists joined under democracy for climbing up regardless of their works quality.

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Issue 13/ February-March 2009
By Neha Rajan

26 November 2008 cited the day of the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The onslaught was conducted tenfold, violence striking the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, Leopold Café, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House, Metro Cinema, a lane behind the Times of India building, the Mazagaon Docks, and Vile Parle (1). For fifteen years Mumbai has been the target of terrorist hostility, while India has experienced terrorism for decades (1). The former Chinese ambassador to the United States, Hu Shih, has been credited with saying: “India conquered and dominated China culturally for twenty centuries without sending a single soldier across her border”. The nonchalance and cleverness with which India has controlled other countries, mindful and intangible, has survived until today. Why is this military strategy not quid-pro-quo?

India has been controlled by the British, invaded by Persians, Dutch, French, and Chinese alike, and has warred with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Foreign soldiers have infringed on Indian soil on many occasions, whereas Indian forces have seen the sun rise at the same time for centuries. This incongruity lives, courtesy the inconsistencies and shortcomings that are housed by the Indian government. The Indian subcontinent, despite lax military policy and permissive border patrols, has achieved phenomenal economic success in the past decade. If the pacifism is to be reciprocated, if there is to be a dearth of foreign military influence in India, the indiscretion in its legislative system must be resolved. The problem areas lie in the two global arenas: the intercontinental and the domestic.

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Issue 12/December-January 2009
By Sushil Srivastava

The two words art and investment taken together create an intellectual contradiction and force us to think as to how an art object is termed as an investment.

An art object is a soulful expression of the artistic sensibilities that has an intrinsic value. Which is not just because of the interlaced creative and aesthetic juices but also because of it’s relevance in the time frame of an era. And it is due to these attributes that an art object acquires a financial value.

And since art is very subjective it needs deeper understanding with regard to its financial aspect.

The Indian art is today being recognized on the global platform and at home the Indian art market is annually growing at 30-35%. It is being predicted that this trend would continue. It is not just because of the surge in Indian economy that has had a trickle effect and triggered the boom in Indian art market but also because Indian art has a long way to go. It is far behind if one was to draw a comparison with others in Asian art market itself. Thus with a potent economy to support, international exposure, the ever growing awareness and the knowledge of art just a click away, it all mounts to the long awaited big bang in Indian art industry. And since our art industry is still in an emerging state those who understand this transition will benefit the most.

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Issue 11/October-November 2008
By Sushil Shriwastwa

The two words art and investment taken together create an intellectual contradiction and force us to think as to how an art object is termed as an investment. An art object is a soulful expression of the artistic sensibilities that has an intrinsic value. This is not just because of the interlaced creative and aesthetic juices but also because of its relevance in the time frame of an era. And it is due to these attributes that an art object acquires a financial value. And since art is very subjective it needs deeper understanding with regard to its financial aspect.

Investment in the art market requires not only the knowledge of the markets for individual artists but also the risks associated with such investment. The art market is less volatile compared to the stock markets. The art market is far less sensitive to economic crises and geographical events than other assets. Art was already one of the lucrative options for investment but due to riskier stock market and real estate, new collectors and investment funds are showing interest in new areas of investment like art. These investors are inclined towards the contemporary art, one of the most volatile but liquid market now-a-days.

Looking at 2007 auction results it is clear that the art is particularly attractive for speculators and the appetite of sellers has been growing with each new sale. To meet this appetite and simultaneously create some of their spectacular sales, the two rivals Sotheby’s and Christie’s have been playing the bidding game however both companies have realized the inward movement towards the sellers and offering guaranteed sales price. Looking at the top line of this incredibly competitive market, we find that Christie’s generated the largest global fine art fund followed by its rival Sotheby’s. In order to increase their market share, the auction houses have already entered the emerging markets like China, India and UAE. Firms like Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonham’s, Art curial and Koller have made a major investment in a view to consolidate their international footprint particularly in China.

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Issue 10/August-September 2008
By Héctor Felipe Balbontin Cruz

They keep fire in cages, as if it might otherwise fly away, kept alive as they don’t know how to recreate it, how to substitute it. It is a special, rare resource.

When the Ulam lose the fire that they were feeding day and night, desperation falls on them. “The Quest for Fire” by J.H.Rosney 1981, set in 80,000 B.C.

82,008 years after the fire crisis, a petrol crisis is emerging; desperation is falling upon 21st Century mankind. The European winter is very harsh without heating; food is rare as transport is delayed; unemployment is high as factories have to close; only war machinery is maintained; news shown at certain times of the day tells of nuclear threats, terrorism, tidal waves, natural disasters, hunger, meteors and comets that are falling from the skies, of the urban tribes that fight for drugs, the most religious survive the fear by drinking their tears because water is running short.

Fact or fiction?

In the European edition of Deutsche Welle on the 14th of July 2008, in an article entitled “World financial crisis: the worst is yet to come,” it says:
“Banks going bankrupt, rescue operations, crisis meetings, Europe cannot ignore the serious problem of the North American economy.”

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Issue 9/June-July 2008
By Kim Young

The United States is in the midst of an exciting Presidential campaign 2008 to nominate the next President of the United States. He or she, will be inaugurated in January of 2009. Up to press time Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hilary Clinton and Senator John McCain were still in a heated contest ahead of the Democratic National Convention and the GOP (Republican) Convention due in summer.

An interesting but not entirely new and important consideration in the process of campaigning is the use of rich, new media to reach a wider target audience and thus garner more support which translates into votes for the upcoming general election. All three senators have been using social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, iGoogle, Del.icio.us, LinkedIn, Digg and You Tube among others to reach their various target audiences. Importantly, for future purposes, name recognition on the global scale is an advantage using these methodologies which include also blogs, vlogs, podcasts and twittering. Web 2.0 is largely responsible for this exciting new shift to empowering citizen journalist in the process of political enfranchisement.

Users who do not frequent the official websites of the candidates can join informal but active advocacy groups on any social network sites which include RSS feeds and widgets, mashups and Ajax, APIs and can not only share their comments, but can actively engage in discourse about and participate in grassroots political campaigning on behalf of their candidate without being officially a part of “The Campaign”.

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Issue 8/April-May 2008
By Eva Díez Ajenjo

The aim of this article is to suggest several proposals wherein peaceful coexistence among different cultures, religions and identities is possible and to debate their plausibility. The common underlying assumption is the rejection to the idea that cultural and religious differences lead to inescapable conflict. The proposals are classified according to the area that they tackle: challenge to the concept of democracy, state policies over immigration, cultural dialogue and education, establishment of common principles, and the role of global communications and technology.

Immigration integration

As to state policies over immigration Hofstede (2001: 420) suggests that policies of integration rather than assimilation are preferable in order to deal with immigrants. Assimilation policies have as a target to equal migrants to natives by losing their distinctiveness. On the other hand, integration policies allow minority citizens, although accepted as full members of the host society, to retain links with their roots and their cultural identity. However, Hofstede (2001: 429) argues that policies aiming at integration have led to better adaptation of migrants than have assimilation policies. States which adopt integration policies have a big cultural values spectrum within the country, which could lead to tolerance and respect among different ideologies and cultures, therefore it should be easier to coexist and cooperate because states are aware of the others’ values.

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