POLICY BRIEFS
October 6, 2008
The 2008 Index of African Governance
By Robert Rotberg, Director, Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution and Rachel Gisselquist, Research Director, Ibrahim Index of African Governance
Small states, island states, and Botswana, and South Africa are the best governed countries in sub-Saharan Africa according to this year’s Index of African Governance
AP Photo
July 10, 2008
"Indo-Israeli Relations: Key Security Implications"
By Ronak D. Desai and Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Following more than forty years of diplomatic estrangement, the last decade has witnessed India and Israel embark on a new multidimensional "strategic partnership." What are the implications of growing ties between these two countries for India and the United States?
May, 2008
Generative Infrastructural Urbanism in Dubai
By Stephen J. Ramos, Research Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
In a policy brief published by the Dubai School of Government in May 2008, DI fellow Stephen Ramos gives his recommendations on how the most recent round of infrastructure planning in Dubai will spatially impact the city's form and functionality, and how the Emirate can best prepare for these changes.
AP Photo
April 7, 2008
"India's Key Foreign Policy Issues"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
In recent years, India's military, diplomatic and economic energies have expanded far beyond Nehru's Non-Aligned position. But what does that mean for India, its region, and the United States?
AP Photo
March 24, 2008
"India-Iran Relations: Key Security Implications"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Ronak D. Desai
While India and the United States have embarked on a campaign to strengthen their bilateral relations, as symbolized by the proposed US-India civilian nuclear deal, it appears as though New Delhi has similarly begun to pursue a more robust relationship with another major power: Iran. The two states have recently expanded cooperation in a number of key areas, including counterterrorism, regional stability, and energy security. What are the implications of this "New Delhi-Tehran Axis" for the United States, and how should Washington respond to growing ties between India and Iran?
soldiersmediacenter, Flickr Commons
March 2008
Saving Afghanistan
By General (ret.) James L. Jones, USMC, Senior Advisor, Preventive Defense Project and Kristin Krohn Devold
This issue brief warns that without urgent policy changes U.S. and international efforts may fail in Afghanistan. The brief addresses the current situation in Afghanistan and offers several policy recommendations to ensure future success there.
AP Photo
February 11, 2008
Pakistan Political Stability
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Since March 2007, tensions in Pakistan have been rising: the political instability surrounding both the presidential and parliamentary elections is commingling with the increase in militant activity within Pakistan proper, which led to around 60 suicide attacks in Pakistan in 2007. Following Benazir Bhutto's assassination on December 27, the extremists have upped the ante, perhaps hoping to disrupt the February 18 elections. Is Pakistan becoming the world's "most dangerous nation"?
January 2008
"Results Based Government in Arab States: Drivers, Barriers and Tensions"
By Nesrine Halima, Former Research Associate, The Dubai Initiative, 2006-2007
The transnational movement of goods, services and ideas-the
process known as globalization-has had profound impact on national
government structures and how their administrations are managed.
In many respects, globalization has dissolved both material and
immaterial economic, social and even cultural boundaries. The
interplay between both these factors has made globalization an area of
interest and concern within the area of public administration. This policy
brief examines the relationship between globalization and resultsbased
government, and how global processes and trends have affected
the public sector in Arab states. The brief concludes that the variance
between the levels of progress in adopting and applying these tools of
public administration across the Arab world cannot be attributed to lack of political commitment alone, but also resides within the specific institutional and sociocultural histories of Arab states.
parivartan111
December 6, 2007
"U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Deal"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The United States and India have, in the words of U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, made the civil nuclear deal the “symbolic centerpiece” of the bilateral relationship. However, India’s coalition politics have created an obstacle to completing the deal. How important is this deal really and how should we move forward?
December 2007
"Speaking about the Unspeakable: U.S.-Israeli Dialogue on Iran's Nuclear Program"
By Chuck Freilich, Senior Fellow, International Security Program
Despite the longstanding and ever-evolving "special relationship" between the United States and Israel, the two allies do not appear to have engaged in substantive discussions on key facets of their most pressing mutual concern, the Iranian nuclear threat. Specifically, there has been little if any dialogue on the possibility of military action if the diplomatic route comes to a dead end, nor on the possible means of living with a nuclear Iran should both countries decide to refrain from military action.
