Demystifying the Islamic State
Over the past several weeks, the Islamic State group has suffered major tactical defeats on the battlefield, including the loss of a major logistics route into the caliphate, Manbij, and being driven from what was considered its strongest external foothold outside of Iraq and Syria, Sirte. And while…
The G20 Hangzhou Summit: Making Globalization Work
On September 4-5 President Barack Obama attends his final annual summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in Hangzhou, China. The event is a fitting bookend for his presidency. The very first G20 summit took place in Washington just days after Obama’s election, meaning that his administration and the G20 hav…
Cities for Migrants
In many countries, particularly in Europe, immigration is increasingly framed as a security issue. Mainstream politicians, bowing to pressure from fear-mongering populists, are calling for tighter restrictions, and some countries are openly flouting their legal obligation and moral respons…
Why study Sustainability and Environmental Sciences
The Brundtland Report defines the word ‘sustainable’ as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Ultimately, it’s about maintaining the Earth’s natural resources to ensure the wellbeing of our children, our…
Oil Wells South of Mosul Burn Days After Key Town Retaken
QAYARA, Iraq — The skies above this small northern Iraqi town are black with smoke and ash rains down from around a half dozen oil wells that Islamic State group fighters set ablaze as Iraqi troops moved in to retake Qayara last week. The apocalyptic scene underscores the sort of destruction that th…
Microprojects can give rise to larger-scale programs
The construction and equipment of a school, the drilling of a well, training in agro-ecology for farmers, the development of a health center… these are all examples which reflect the wide variety of microprojects. These projects provide simple and sometimes innovative solutions for improving the qua…
Civil War Within Nigerian Islam
There is a leadership struggle underway within Boko Haram, the violent, extremist movement that has claimed more than 20,000 lives since 2011 and destabilized the secular Nigerian state and its neighbors. The personal struggle between Abubakar Shekau and Abu Musab al-Barnawi reflects in part the riv…
Why Electric Cars Will Be Here Sooner Than You Think
In 2015, about one in every 150 cars sold in the U.S. had a plug and a battery. But mass adoption of electric vehicles is coming, and much sooner than most people realize. In part, this is because electric cars are gadgets, and technological change in gadgets is rapid. One big leap is in batteries. …
Off-Grid Solar Lighting Up Ethiopia
For the millions of people living in remote rural areas of Ethiopia who lack access to the power grid or cannot afford electricity, solar energy represents an important first step on the energy access ladder. Instead of relying on kerosene, candles, dry cell batteries and other fossil fuel-base…
Everything You Need To Understand the Niger Delta Avengers and Their Quest for Secession
On the morning of the 1st of October 1960, Nigerians celebrated their freedom from British colonial rule. Now, 56 years later, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) group hopes to recreate this for the Niger Delta region by seceding from the rest of Nigeria. How they intend to do this r…