Comparing the policy narratives of Angela Merkel and Boris Johnson during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has required citizens to adhere to strict restrictions to help tackle infection rates. Drawing on a new study, Michael Mintrom, Maria Rost Rublee, Matteo Bonotti and Steven T. Zech compare the effectiveness of the policy narratives used by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to encourage citizens to follow their advice

Race and Racial Exclusion in Security Studies: A Survey of Scholars

Increased attention to racialized knowledge and methodological whiteness has swept the political science discipline, especially international relations. Yet an important dimension of race and racism continues to be ignored: the presence and status of scholars of color in the discipline. In contrast to other fields, there is little research on (under)representation of scholars of color in security studies, and no systematic studies of race and racial exclusion that center their voices and experiences. Building on scholarship that contends with the fundamental whiteness of academia and knowledge creation, we present results from a 2019 survey of members of the International Security Studies Section of the International Studies Association. The data show that scholars of color and white scholars experience the field in dramatically different ways; scholars of color report at greater rates feeling unwelcome, experiencing harassment, and desiring more professional development opportunities. Dozens of studies across academia support these findings

Distribution and Activity of Bacteria in the Headwaters of the Rhode River Estuary, Maryland, USA

Abstract: A transect along the axis of the headwaters of a tidal estuary was sampled for microbial, nutrient, and physical parameters. Chlorophyll a averaged 42 μg 1 -1 and phytoplankton comprised an estimated 80% of the total microbial biomass as determined by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Bacterial concentrations ranged from 0.3-53.9 × 10 6 cells ml -1 and comprised about 4% of the total living microbial biomass. Bacterial production, determined by 3H-methyl-thymidine incorporation was about 0.05-2.09 × 10 9 cells 1 -1 h -1 , with specific growth rates of 0.26-1.69 d -1 . Most bacterial production was retained on 0.2 μm pore size filters, but passed through 1.0 μm filters. Significant positive correlations were found between all biomass measures and most nutrient measures with the exception of dissolved inorganic nitrogen nutrients where correlations were negative. Seasonal variability was evident in all parameters and variability among the stations was evident in most. The results suggest that bacterial production requires a significant carbon input, likely derived from autotrophic production, and that microbial trophic interactions are important. Article: Introduction Coastal and estuarine systems are sites where competition for nutrients by microorganisms and remineralization of photosynthetically fixed carbon are important processes. High rates of bacterial activity have been found in such systems for both inorganic nutrients and organic compounds Utilization of carbon fixed by primary production is a primary role of heterotrophic microorganisms, and recent studies suggest that the magnitude of this role has been underestimated Estuarine systems may exhibit even greater dependence upon trophic links through microheterotrophs tha

Co-operation, Contestation and Complexity in Post-Conflict Security Sector Reform

Security Sector Reform (SSR) remains a key feature of peacebuilding interventions and is usually undertaken by a state alongside national and international partners. External actors engaged in SSR tend to follow a normative agenda that often has little regard for the context in post-conflict societies. Despite recurrent criticism, SSR practices of international organisations and bilateral donors often remain focused on state institutions, and often do not sufficiently attend to alternative providers of security or existing normative frameworks of security. This article provides a critical overview of existing research and introduces the special issue on “Co-operation, Contestation and Complexity in Post-Conflict Security Sector Reform”. We explore three aspects that add an important piece to the puzzle of what constitutes effective SSR. First, the variation of norm adoption, norm contestation and norm imposition in post-conflict countries that might explain the mixed results in terms of peacebuilding. Second, the multitude of different security actors within and beyond the state which often leads to multiple patterns of co-operation and contestation within reform programmes. And third, how both the multiplicity of and tension between norms and actors further complicate efforts to build peace or, as complexity theory would posit, influence the complex and non-linear social system that is the conflict-affected environment

The Future of Japanese Nuclear Policy; Strategic Insights, v. 8, issue 2 (April 2009)

This article appeared in Strategic Insights, v.8, issue 2(April 2009)Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited