Speak Your Mind
By Speak Your Mind
Speak Your MindSep 10, 2020
Techno-Nationalism and the New War
Techno-Nationalism: What Is It? How Will It Change World Order and Nature of Warfare?
The new form of mercantile warfare links technological innovation and capabilities to a state’s security, economic prosperity and social stability. The states have chosen to counter China's rejuvenation by restricting access to its technology and products. Techno-nationalism is the new game in town, and the world faces a difficult choice.
So to find out more about Techno-Nationalism and the New Form of War, listen to the 13th Episode of Speak Your Mind.
Speakers: Suvechchha Chapagain, Suchita Gurung, Sandhya Nepal, Ankur Shrestha, Prakash Maharjan, Manish Jung Pulami
Is Identity Politics A New Threat To The World?
Unfortunately, the term “identity politics” has been weaponized. It is most often used by leaders to describe politics as practiced by members of historically marginalized groups. But if you’re black and you're worried about police brutality, that’s identity politics. If you’re a woman and you’re worried about the male-female pay gap, that’s identity politics. With a quick sleight of hand, identity becomes something that only marginalized groups have.
It has also been used to diminish and discredit the concerns of the weaker groups by making them look self-interested, special pleading in order to clear the agenda for the concerns of stronger groups, which are framed as more rational, proper topics for political debate.
So, to know about the growing identity politics in the world which has become a new threat, please listen to the 12th episode of our podcast.
Speakers: Suvechchha Chapagain, Ankur Shrestha, Manish Jung Pulami, Suchita Gurung, Sandhya Nepal, Prakash Maharjan
Israel - Palestine And The Middle East Crisis
Some say: “If every single Jew born anywhere in the world has the right to become an Israeli citizen, then all the Palestinians who were chucked out of Palestine by the Zionist Government should have the same right, very simple.” And others argue: "A solution to the Palestinian statehood question would bring an end to Muslim, and call the Palestinian liberation fighters- an Islamist Fanatics."
The Israel-Palestine conflict have involved several regional and extra-regional actors, and have gone through many peace deals and agreements, but the crisis doesn't seem to have an end in the near future as well.
So, to find out about the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Middle East Crisis, please listen to our 11th episode of the podcast.
Speakers: Manish Jung Pulami, Suchita Gurung, Sandhya Nepal, Suvechchha Chapagain, Prakash Maharjan, Ankur Shrestha
Coronavirus Vaccine and International Relations
"Will we have a [COVID-19] vaccine or vaccines by the end of the year? Likely. But the question is, what does that mean? Will it be rushed in terms of its evaluation such that people lack confidence in it? How long will it protect for, even if it is adequately evaluated and the safety issues around it elucidated? We just don't know that yet." Questions that we used to ask few weeks ago.
But Russia became the first country to approve a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. Now, the new questions have risen among the analysts and scholars: "Has it enhanced Russia's soft power diplomacy? Will this vaccine diplomacy be as effective as Russian Oil diplomacy? And what will the world competition look like after this discovery of the coronavirus vaccine?"
For the answers, Please listen to our Podcast.
Speakers: Suchita Gurung, Suvechchha Chapagain, Sandhya Nepal, Prakash Maharjan, Manish Jung Pulami, Ankur Shrestha
China's Increasing Forays in The Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal is a theater for strategic and economic implications where regional and extra-regional actors, and even the non-state actors are present to secure the Sea Lines of Communications.
China to escape the Malacca Dilemma and for other significant reasons, is increasing its influence in the waters and littoral states through BRI and heavy infrastructural investments.
To counter China, India has combined its Act East Policy and Neighborhood policy, whereas USA has been increasing maritime security cooperation.
So to understand the China's increasing influence in the Bay and about other regional and extra-regional actors, listen to the 9th Episode of Speak Your Mind.
US-China Scrimmage
US-China diplomatic scrimmage dominates current discussions of foreign policy, primarily because both poses the greatest challenges to each others' national interests. Nearly spontaneous and seemingly unconnected incidents such as closing a consulate, imposing sanctions on a few officials, tweaking tariffs or sanctioning individual companies, US-China bilateral relations are under question.
Is there a new Cold War? Where is the International Order heading?
For answers, listen to 8th Episode of our Podcast.
Indian Soft Power in Nepal
“This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendour and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition”- Mark Twain
Nepal as India's neighbour and with socio-cultural, religious and economic homogeneity. How much Nepal has been charmed by India's soft power? Has India's soft-power influenced a common Nepali only or foreign policy of Nepal as well?
Let's listen to our podcast for the answers and how India's soft power transformed from a latent to a "strong" soft power.
Aid Politics
We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.- Henry David Thoreau
So what should countries choose, a foreign aid for the development of their countries or they should be strategically smart enough and decide which aid to take and which not.
For answers: Listen to our sixth episode.
Rise of Economic Nationalism in COVID-19
The drive toward economic nationalism is only part of the general revival of nationalism. Economic nationalism is a tenacious and potent enemy of world order or a need of current COVID-19 world situations? Is rise of the Economic Nationalism inevitable in the post-COVID world or it is just a foe for the liberal world order?
To find out, please listen to fifth episode of our podcast.
Contemporary India-China Relations
India and China: Two supreme actors for creating an Asian Century. They are the futures of Asia. But the recent border disputes have shattered the dreams for an Asian lead in the international order.
What is the way forward? What are the factors escalating and deescalating the tensions?
For the answers: Listen to our Podcast.
Media Sensationalism
Are the mass media on the side of the power in the manipulation of the masses, or are they on the side of the masses in the liquidation of meaning, in the violence perpetrated on meaning, and in fascination? Is it the media that induce fascination in the masses, or is it the masses who direct the media into the spectacle?
Protest and Beyond
Youths came to the streets all over Nepal. Why did they protest in the streets? What was the purpose? Was the protest against the Lockdown, or for PCR Tests, or for the economy? Does protest means only criticizing the government or helping the government as well? Will there be any protests in the near future in Nepal? For answers please listen to our podcast.
#protest #Nepal #government #PCRtest #covid19
Petroleum Economy
NEA is more than doubling its current generation capacity by adding another 1,300MW of hydro-power in the coming fiscal year, of which peak consumption has dropped to 700MW, with night time consumption as low as 450MW.
The Government of Nepal has risen the excise tax to 30-80% depending on the peak power capacity of the car, and the customs duty also to 80%.
So, Where is the policy going?