Neutrality Studies

Neutrality and Nonalignment in International Relations

We Support Switzerland’s Neutrality Initiative

Neutrality Studies is an international academic research project, for the study of neutrality as a concept in international relations, sociology, international law, diplomacy, political science, security, and history.

The research group organizes conferences, workshops, and publications for a scholarly understanding of neutrality.

Upcoming Seminars and Talks

Analysis

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Past Seminars

Oman as a Neutral State

June 12, 2023. A seminar by Pascal Lottaz at Waseda University, Building 3 Room 602.
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Books

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YouTube Channel

Once upon a time, becoming an EU member-state came not only with the hope of rapid economic development, but also the believe in a common European future on a peaceful and respectful continent. But the EU has radically changed. Today, Brussels is more concerned with how to force member states into compliance with its centralist visions than with the prosperity of its members. Ask Greece about this experience. Today, I'm discussing with Ian Proud about whether or not the EU still has an economic argument going for itself that should motivate states to join it. Is it worth for states like Georgia, Ukraine, or Moldova to strive for full-membership? The short answer is no. Ian was a British Diplomat from 1999 until 2023. He worked in Thailand, Afghanistan, and Russia. About the last posting I already did an episode with him, I will link that in the description, and add a link to his most recent book “A Mistfit in Moscow: How British Diplomacy in Russia Failed” Article: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/georgia-elections-eu/ Book: https://www.prouddiplomat.com
The EU Is Not Worth It Anymore | Former UK-Diplomat Ian Proud
Today I’m hosting a panel of experts to discuss the Future of the European Monetary and Economic System. I am delighted to have with me three former central bankers who agreed to share their professional insights. First, we have with us Professor Dejan Šoškić, who was the head of the National Bank of Serbia from 2010 until 2012. Next we are also joined by Miroslav Singer, who served as governor of the Czech National Bank from 2010 until 2016. And last but not least we’ve got Ardian Fullani with us who was the Governor of the Bank of Albania for 10 years, from 2004 until 2014.
Is The European Economy Doomed? 3 Central Bankers Discuss Europe's Struggles
This documentary by the Turkish Harici Studio investigates the state of the USA before the 2024 presidential election. One nation and many shattered dreams. Follow Harici Media: https://harici.com.tr/en/
Awakening from the Dream | The Documentary
Soon we will release on this channel the English version of "Awakening from the Dream" a documentary film by the Turkish media initiative "Harici". In today's interview I'm talking to the creator and director, Tunç Akkoç, about the motivation for this film, his experiences in the US, and the learning outcome from it. Read and support Harici in English: https://harici.com.tr/en/ Full movie will follow soon.
USA Documentary: "Awakening from the Dream" | Making-Of Interview With Tunç Akkoç
Follow us on Rumble to stay connected: https://rumble.com/c/NeutralityStudies. And on Substack if you want to read more: https://pascallottaz.substack.com The 16th BRICS meeting that took place from October 22-24 in the Russian city of Kazan was a resounding success not only for the BRICS movement but Russia in particular. The participation of 35 states an the presence of the UN General Secretary as well as the extensive outcome document are testimony to the shift in global power balance. However, BRICS went out of its way to make it clear that it's not trying to be an adversary to the West, it simply doesn't care about Europe and the US anymore. "The Rest" is not so much working against "The West", it simply is leaving it behind. Dr. Michael Rossi is a lecturer at Rutgers University in New Jersey where he teaches political science and international relations. He is also the host of a YouTube channel “Michael Rossi Pol Sci” on which he keeps publishing very valuable primary sources in the form of uncommented speeches and press releases from Russia. Most recently, he has been working on publishing the documents and interviews coming out of the BRICS meeting in Kazan of last week. Follow Michael's channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelRossiPoliSci
BRICS Kazan Meeting DESTROYS Western Hegemony Once And For All | Dr. Michael Rossi
The new battle of ideologies is in full swing, argues Nicolai N. Petro at the 2024 Neutrality Conference in Kyoto. Watch his remarks and analysis which he entitled "Neutrality, Security, and Civilizational Realism: A Conundrum with Lessons for Russia and Ukraine" From his remarks: "This liberal civilizational identity is no longer limited to the cultural confines of Europe. It is assumed to extend globally, which makes the expansion of NATO “to include Japan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, and any other democratic country that, like Argentina, expresses a wish to join,” as suggested in a recent open letter signed by more than a hundred former and current political and military officials, the reincarnation of what Francis Fukuyama once termed "the end of history." Meanwhile, the BRICS+ countries are promoting a very different view of the relationship between sovereignty and security, one that offers more space for both political and values neutrality. Whereas NATO presumes that the cultural and political ideals of states must conform, lest global security be undermined, the BRICS alliance is premised on the idea that it is political and cultural diversity, rather than unanimity, that enhances global security. We can now grasp why the struggle between Russia and the West over Ukraine has global significance. It is a conflict of visions. NATO assume that its outcome will determine the fate of its core ideology—the belief that the expansion of liberal values will lead to global peace and prosperity. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, this has become NATO's defining belief and core mission. BRICS also assumes that the outcome of this war will determine the fate of its core ideology—the belief that cultural and political diversity are key to global peace and prosperity. Its defining belief and core mission increasingly lie in the institutionalization of civilizational multipolarity. I argue that Civilizational Multipolarity—which I call the BRICS ideology—is more sophisticated than most analysts assume, since it borrows much from the concept of Sovereign Democracy that Russia has pursued domestically since the early 2000s. At first there was no foreign policy component to sovereign democracy, since Russia was at that point committed to integrating into the West. The hope that sovereign democracy might serve as a means of anchoring Russia in the West survived for a decade, but when it was abandoned, it was the emphasis on sovereignty that allowed Russia to transition smoothly from a pro-western foreign policy, to a policy of civilizational multipolarity. Since 2022, Russia has, in addition, begun to define itself as a “civilization-state.” The meaning of this term is still evolving, but one scholar who has thought deeply about the relationship between civilizations, multipolarity, and security is Moscow State University Professor, Boris Mezhuev. Mezhuev makes the case that Liberal internationalism is philosophically at odds with foreign policy Realism, and that this incompatibility is preventing the resolution of many conflicts around the globe. The challenge facing world leaders is how to prevent this tension from escalating into a conflict that consumes the entire globe. Mezhuev suggests that there is a framework within which this conflict need not become existential. He calls this framework Civilizational Realism." (...) Watch the video for the full speech.
The REAL War: BRICS Multipolarity VS NATO Hegemony | Prof. Nicolai Petro
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