This Week at ISN

2 - 6 April 2012 In part two of our editorial plan we will examine shifting international power dynamics. This week we start by exploring different views of power ranging from traditional views to constructivist, Marxist and post-structuralist theories.

Theories and Views of Power

Power and the Westphalian System: Goodbye to All That
02 April 2012 / ISN Podcast

The ISN's Peter Faber considers whether traditional conceptions of power offer an adequate explanation for the changes shaping our world. More The Social Construction of Power Politics
03 April 2012 / ISN Podcast

Stefano Guzzini from Uppsala University discusses the constructivist view of power, using the examples of 'rising' China, 'posturing' Russia and 'bluffing' France. More Power A Natural Phenomenon or a Form of Hegemony?
04 April 2012 / ISN Feature

Marxist-inspired views offer an alternative to traditional realist and liberal conceptions of power. More Power as Truth Unmasking the Relationship
05 April 2012 / ISN Feature

For post-structuralists, power is everywhere; it operates at the level of the individual, through language and through 'truth' itself. More Power and Recognition Among the Maasai
05 April 2012 / ISN Insights

The Maasai of Kenya are a patriarchal society, leaving women with limited opportunities for development though this is slowly starting to change. Maasai activist Mary Simat shares her story. More A Case Study The Biopolitics of Security
06 April 2012 / Podcast

Luis Lobo-Guerrero from Keele University discusses the 'biopolitical' approach to power and security. More

Other Topics
South Sudan Runs Out of Time for Oil Transit Alternatives
02 April 2012 / ISN Insights

Ongoing border and oil disputes and the halting of oil production by South Sudan has led to renewed clashes between Khartoum and Juba, the specter of another war and the buckling of South Sudan's underdeveloped economy, writes Jen Alic. More Syria: Appeasement in Disguise?
04 April 2012 / ISN Blog

Andrew Jillions argues that Kofi Annan's humanitarian mission disguises a depressing reality: Short of appeasement, the international community has no good strategy for responding to a well-protected regime intent on committing crimes. More Israel the Oil Power?
02 April 2012 / ISN Blog

Israel is sitting on reserves of an estimated 250 billion barrels of oil shale. If the country's Energy Initiative is successful, it could have a huge impact on the global oil market, predicts Rene Fisher. More Good News from Moldova
05 April 2012 / ISN Insights

After a long waiting period, Moldova's political stalemate is over and the country's integration with Europe is once again pressing onward, writes Olga Shumylo-Tapiola. More The Resolution of the UN-Swiss Paradox
05 April 2012 / ISN Blog

The Swiss government announced its aspiration gain a seat on the UN Security Council a mere ten years after joining the UN. Gina Menghini looks back in history to explain Switzerland's paradoxical relationship with the organization. More Government Vs Protester: The Year Ahead
03 April 2012 / ISN Blog

From elections to high-profile summits, 2012 will be a busy year for protesters from the Occupy movement. US authorities are gearing up for a year of civil unrest, writes Chrisella Sagers. More

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