South African NGOs and the public sphere: between popular movements and partnerships for development.

This article examines the widespread notion that post-apartheid democracy can be deepened and civil society strengthened by NGO activities in the sphere of public debate and participation. I focus on a number of interrelated processes which I argue may compromise NGOs' ability to expand the public sphere: first, donors' overwhelming focus on NGOs as the sole representative of civil society may contribute to a homogenous and institutionalised public sphere; second, the tendency for NGOs to be drawn into partnerships with government bodies and corporate sponsors casts doubt on their ability to open up spaces for critical public debate. By directing attention to popular movements as potentially offering a site for the production of critique, NGOs' relationships to such movements are examined. It is argued that attention must be paid to the processes of NGO-isation and reformism by which NGOs themselves come to define what civil society should be and may consequently contain counterpublic spheres

What can Europe do in Iraq? : recommendations for a new U.S.-European collaboration

The Heinrich Böll Foundation has commissioned and published a compilation of policy papers covering a number of topics by international experts. “The Dilemma of Political Uncertainties” is one paper from this collection. Author Faleh Jabar takes a comprehensive look at sociological dynamics and the role of different levels of identity in Iraq. The process of stabilization and democratization of Iraq is of key importance to the region, to global security, and to the transatlantic alliance

The economics of nuclear power: an update

A review of the economics of new nuclear power plants worldwide. Steve Thomas, the author shows the true cost of nuclear power and makes it clear that nuclear energy in the free market economy without government support is not competitive

Bearing witness: a report on the impact of conflict on women in Nagaland and Assam

To say that women have faced violence in situations of conflict is to state the obvious but what this means in terms of impacts is something that is still being studied. While the most obvious impact is physical or sexual violence, the psychological scarring as a result of prolonged exposure to brutality has an even deeper impact on their well-being. Women find themselves at the receiving end of violence from three fronts: the state, the militants and a corresponding escalation of domestic violence. The effects of violent acts like rape, sexual abuse and assault lead to emotional trauma and what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The major aim of this project is the documentation of the impact of conflict on women in the two states of Nagaland and Assam. The project seeks to place these issues in the larger context of the challenges of nation building, regional growth and also look at broader issues of just laws, the use of state power and the rights of citizens, especially women... The core of the project is the field survey in the two states with specific and detailed questionnaires that were administered to households. The research teams felt it was important to look at individual cases as well as collective fears and tensions that had accumulated in the collective psyche of communities faced with years of armed conflict and insecurity. The subtext of denial, defiance and trauma needed to be especially noted... Besides quantitative presentation of data in the tables, qualitative method of research has also been employed to bring out a fuller understanding of the research topic. A discussion of the experiences and observations of the interviewers/ fieldworkers has also been included