Tag: sociology

SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND SECURITY

The Role of Arts in Countering Violent Extremism

This article was originally published by “NATO Association of Canada” on March 25, 2019. By Kagusthan Ariaratnam After five years of brutal fighting, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by several world powers left ISIS with all but a few hundred square meters near Syria’s border with Iraq. On Saturday, the long-awaited announcement came from the SDF that it had captured the last piece of … Continue reading The Role of Arts in Countering Violent Extremism

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counterterrorism

Unintended Intelligence Consequences: How Yesterday's Proxy Insurgents turned into Today's Terrorists

This article was originally published on “The Modern Diplomacy” on March 7, 2017. By Kagusthan Ariaratnam Introduction During the Cold War, nations were increasingly sponsoring and/or supporting insurgencies. For instance, the United States of America supported Afghan-Mujahedin, Nicaraguan Contras, and Tibetan Buddhist fighters. The Soviet Union supported communist guerrillas in Angola, Greece, and South Africa. China supported insurgents in Vietnam. India supported Sri Lankan Tamil … Continue reading Unintended Intelligence Consequences: How Yesterday's Proxy Insurgents turned into Today's Terrorists

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Smart power

Recognizing Outdated Power and Eliminating the Divide: Countering Terrorism through Smart Power

  By Kagusthan Ariaratnam Introduction Countering terrorism through “smart power” is a concept deliberated on creative thinking to combat one’s enemy, especially terrorists. This essay will examine the reconceptualization of traditional approaches toward counterterrorism, and discuss how ideologies from a western liberal democracy can respond to an unconventional terrorist ideology. To begin, the term “power” will be defined. Following, conventional “hard power” strategies and more … Continue reading Recognizing Outdated Power and Eliminating the Divide: Countering Terrorism through Smart Power

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Causes of Civil War

Understanding the Causes of Civil War in Iraq and Syria

  By Kagusthan Ariaratnam Introduction The civil wars in Iraq and Syria are the most catastrophic and worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. The two main causes of civil wars in Iraq and Syria are authoritarianism and sectarianism. This essay will examine the causes and comparative analysis between two contemporary civil wars: The Iraqi civil war from 2006 to 2008 and the Syrian civil … Continue reading Understanding the Causes of Civil War in Iraq and Syria

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