Monday 28 February 2011

"Liberal Militarism and the US National Security State: Revisiting the 'Liberal Moment'"

Dr Bryan Maybee, Queen Mary, University of London
Title: "Liberal Militarism and the US National Security State: Revisiting the 'Liberal Moment'"

Thursday 3rd March, 18:00-20:00, Westminster Forum, 5th Floor, 32-38 Wells Street.

All welcome; drinks and nibbles provided.

Abstract: That a ‘national security state’ was built in the post-World War II period is a commonplace characterisation of the postwar US state. While there are differing interpretations of exactly what this means, all demonstrate that the US national security state was distinctive in its particular version of militarism. The paper focuses on such claims in order to theorise specific varieties of militarism that emerged in postwar period, demonstrating that the US version was a species of militarism characterised as ‘liberal militarism’, that emerged due to a particular ideology of national security that triumphed in the postwar period. The importance of liberal militarism is not only in its external manifestations, but in how a broad ideology of national security implied a particularly liberal ordering of state and society, both internally and externally.

Bio: Dr Bryan Mabee is Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Queen Mary, University of London. He is the author of 'The Globalization of Security: State Power, Security Provision and Legitimacy', and co-editor of 'Mercenaries, Pirates, Bandits and Empires: Private Violence in Historical Context'.

Organiser contact: Dr Aidan Hehir, DPIR. A.Hehir@westminster.ac.uk

Sunday 20 February 2011

What Makes Bahrain Different?

While the Bahraini national population remains resolute in continuing their protests, the success of their revolt looks a lot less assured than the successful revolutions which took place in Tunisia and Egypt, or that are currently taking place in Libya and Yemen.



The horrors that the Bahraini population have faced at the hands of the Al-Khalifa monarchy are comparable to those faced by Egyptians under Mubarak, or by Tunisians under Ben Ali.

Friday 18 February 2011

"Sovereignty as Responsibility": Video of Professor Welsh's seminar

Hi,
Last night's Intervention and Statebuilding seminar with Professor Welsh was a great sucess and once again very well attended; apologies to those who didn't get seats!
A video of her presentation is available here.
Thanks to Professor Welsh and all who attended and hope to see you at the next seminar in the series...
All the best,
Aidan

Thursday 17 February 2011

Born Posthumously: Rethinking the Shared Characteristics of the ICC and the R2P

Born Posthumously: Rethinking the Shared Characteristics of the ICC and the R2P[1]

David Chandler (University of Westminster) d.chandler@wmin.ac.uk

Introduction

This paper argues that both the ICC and the R2P have had to overcome immense difficulties as they were born out of the retreat of a certain global perspective of international regulation that, in short, could be understood within a liberal governing rationality. [2] The post-interventionist world no longer counter positions external intervention to sovereignty as if this was a zero-sum game, or articulates intervention in the language of a clash of rights or as a problem which needs a legal solution, but rather sees the internationalisation of state forms as a process of empowerment, of capacity- and capability-building. Despite the increased regulatory engagement, the discourse is one of prevention and the building of sovereignty, not of intervention and the denial of sovereignty.[3] In their attempts to come to terms with this different – post-interventionist - framing of the international sphere both institutions have adapted, with the R2P leading the way and the ICC following more slowly as it has more formal institutional baggage. The forms of adaptation illustrate clearly how our understanding of the international sphere, and intervention within this, has shifted from the 1990s, when these institutions were initially conceived, to the 2010s were it appears that these institutions are finding their feet and regaining international credibility, articulating the modes of reasoning of a post-interventionist world.

Wednesday 16 February 2011

‘Sovereignty as Responsibility: Assertive Liberalism in International Society’

Hi all,
 
Below are details about this Thursday's Intervention and Statebuilding Series seminar.
 
Professor Welsh is a world renowned academic and this promises to be a very interesting seminar.
 
All the best,
 
Aidan
 
‘Sovereignty as Responsibility: Assertive Liberalism in International Society’
Professor Jennifer M. Welsh
Somerville College, University of Oxford
17th February 2011    
18:00 - 20:00 in the Westminster Forum, 5th Floor, 32-38 Wells Street

Friday 11 February 2011

Forthcoming Event: The Winds of Change in the Middle East: Alternative Perspectives

The Winds of Change in the Middle East: Alternative Perspectives
Tuesday 15th of February, 18:00 - 20:30
Room: 152 (Cayley Room) Regent St Campus


With the sudden eruption of Arab uprisings across the Middle East, the revolutions of Egypt and Tunisia and

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Protests in Egypt



 

As the situation in Egypt develops, talk of elections and democracy are widespread and seeming increasingly irresistible.