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International Institute of Social Studies

ISS is an international graduate school of policy-oriented critical social science. It brings together students and teachers from the Global South and the North in a European environment.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 26 articles

People walk past a currency exchange office screen in Moscow displaying the exchange rates of the U.S. dollar and the euro and to the Russian ruble a few days after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Economic sanctions have caused the currency to plummet, causing hardship to citizens. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Economic sanctions will hurt Russians long before they stop Putin’s war in Ukraine

As the world rightfully fears for the Ukrainian people, we must not turn a blind eye to Russians who are also Putin’s victims and will suffer the most from economic sanctions.
Kwame Nkrumah favoured continental federalism but worked against its practice in Ghana. Wikimedia Commons

How Ghana lost its federalism – and lessons for others

Ghana lost its federalism due to mistaken political choices and missed opportunities, suggesting that other federations in Africa might well be at similar risk.
Predictions about the death of globalization were, in hindsight, grossly exaggerated. Recovery efforts took hold early compared to two other major economic crises of the past 100 years, suggesting global trade is much more resilient than anticipated. NASA/Unsplash

COVID-19 has shone a light on how globalization can tackle inequality

The outbreak of COVID-19 could be used as a building block in the future to reinforce international co-operation and strengthen the pillars of globalization.
Un grupo de mujeres se manifiesta en Bogotá durante la jornada de huelga general del 29 de noviembre de 2019 en Colombia. Sebastián Barros / Shutterstock

Tras la guerra y la violencia, Colombia reclama derechos e igualdad

Sindicatos, estudiantes, campesinos e indígenas se movilizan contra el ‘paquetazo’ del Gobierno de Duque y el asesinato de líderes sociales.
Pancarta de apoyo a Evo Morales durante una manifestación ante la Embajada de Bolivia en Buenos Aires el 11 de noviembre de 2019. Laura Rivas / Shutterstock

Ruido, redes sociales y democracia: el caso boliviano

El uso de las redes sociales para justificar el reciente golpe de estado en Bolivia enfatiza cómo tales herramientas pueden ser manipuladas para apoyar salidas menos institucionales.
Police protect a judicial complex where former FARC rebel leader Seuxis Hernandez was standing trial on May 20, 2019. The former peace negotiator has been arrested on drug charges and is now fighting extradition to the United States. AP Photo/Ivan Valencia

Violence climbs in Colombia as president chips away at landmark peace deal with FARC guerrillas

Colombia’s new president opposes the 2016 peace deal with the FARC guerrillas. As trust between the government and militants erodes, at least 1,700 former insurgents have returned to armed struggle.
Colombia ended its 52-year conflict with the FARC guerrillas in late 2016. The next president must decide whether to uphold the deal. AP Photo/Ivan Valencia

Colombia’s presidential runoff will be a yet another referendum on peace

Two candidates from Colombia’s May 27 presidential vote will face off on June 17. One is a former guerrilla. The other is a hard-liner. Their views for the nation’s future couldn’t be more different.
While some argue globalization has been bad for the environment, the move towards deglobalization could spell serious trouble for climate. This photo from 2014 shows smoke streams from the chimneys of a coal-fired power station in Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Globalization may actually be better for the environment

Some experts argue globalization has been bad for the environment. But moving away from globalization could have other consequences that could be even more devastating for the environment.
Peasant activists in rural Colombia have been under fire since the signing of the country’s 2016 peace plan, which will bring intensive economic development to these areas. Jaime Saldarriaga/Reuters

Colombia’s murder rate is at an all-time low but its activists keep getting killed

Nearly 300 community organizers and activists have been killed in Colombia since the country’s 2016 peace accord. Who’s behind these targeted assassinations?
Colombians look on as House of Representatives prepares to vote on transitional justice framework after 10 months of delays. Jaime Saldarriaga/Retuers

The latest threat to peace in Colombia: Congress

Conservative congressional reps in Colombia have been stalling votes on key parts of the country’s peace accords through endless petitions and nonstop debate. In short, they’re filibustering.
A ceasefire with the ELN rebel group is another big step toward peace in Colombia, but the road ahead is long. Reuters/Federico Rios

Peace makes strides in Colombia, but the battle is far from won

A court decision securing last year’s peace deal and a new ceasefire have invigorated Colombia’s peace process, but there are plenty of ways it could still go wrong.
Supporters listen as Colombia’s disarmed Marxist insurgency, the FARC, publicly launches its new political party, also called the FARC. Jaime Saldarriaga/Reuters

Colombia’s FARC rebels have rebranded as a political party – now they need a leader

Meet the Commoners’ Alternative Revolutionary Force, Colombia’s newest political party. To move beyond its violent past, the new FARC will need a charismatic leader who can win over voters.

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