by Daniel Warner | 4 Feb 2022 | Politics, Ukraine
Reminiscent of tensions during the Cold War, the Ukraine crisis represents the most serious East-West confrontation since the end of the Soviet Union. A Ukrainian guard patrols the border with Russia near Hoptivka village, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 2 February 2022. (AP...
For a deeper dive into the history leading up to the war in Ukraine, consider this report from Daniel Warner, a political scientist, lecturer and expert in international organizations. While diplomatic negotiations have failed, the article provides an overview to decode historic ties between Russia and Ukraine, NATO’s actions, the potential impact on energy supply chains and thoughts on the future of the security architecture of international alliances.
Exercise: This article was written three weeks before the conflict began. Ask students to compare the theoretical discussion of conflict to what is happening in reality. What do they think was the tipping point for Russia to invade?
by Barry Moody | 1 Dec 2020 | Africa, Decoders, Educators' Catalog
A military conflict has broken out in Ethiopia, raising fears of instability and a humanitarian crisis in the strategic Horn of Africa. Tigray refugees in eastern Sudan, 22 November 2020 (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) A military conflict in northern Ethiopia has raised...
Your students may have noticed news stories about Ethiopia of late. But most accounts skip the background and context that enable young people to understand why conflict there matters to them. Barry Moody, one of News Decoder’s most experienced correspondents, explains how fighting between federal forces and rebels is raising fears of a humanitarian crisis in one of the world’s most strategic regions. Can your students think of other repressive regimes that, when overthrown, yielded chaos and conflict? Led by a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ethiopia is a cautionary tale for those seeking quick, democratic reforms in ethnically diverse countries.
by Harvey Morris | 14 Oct 2019 | Decoders, Middle East
The Kurds are the world’s largest nation without a state. Yet, when thrust onto the world agenda, questions over the group’s identity invariably arise. Supporters of Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party dance during Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year, in Istanbul,...
by Robert Hart | 11 Mar 2019 | Europe, Nationalism, Spain
A far-right party has emerged in Spain and is gaining strength as the European Union struggles with Brexit and euro-sceptics in other member states. Opposition protesters wave Spanish flags during a rally in Madrid, 10 February 2019 (EPA-EFE/Luca Piergiovanni) Still...
by Robert Hart | 12 Jun 2018 | Europe, Spain
Spain has been hit by a political earthquake that has sent shock waves around the country and through Europe and financial markets. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the swearing-in ceremony of his cabinet, Madrid, Spain, 7 June 2018 (EPA-EFE/Javier Lizon/pool)...
