Strife

The Academic Blog of the Department of War Studies, King's College London

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Announcement

BA Internship Scheme – Apply now

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Are you an ambitious King’s College London final year BA student who wants to learn more about academic research, editing, and publishing? If so, we’ve got a great opportunity for you.

This year, we have decided to create three positions for single term interns at Strife Blog and Journal. These internships are open to final year students at KCL who would like to gain experience in the day to day running and development of an academic publication such as Strife.

The positions, like all Strife staff jobs, are voluntary. Taking part will give you an opportunity to develop your transferable and soft skills whilst gaining insight into editorial processes and publishing within academia. The positions, as follows, are remote and part-time, requiring no more than five hours per week for eight weeks:

Strategic Communications Assistant

Based within our Communications Team and reporting directly to the Communications Manager, this position will assist in the developments of Strife’s strategic communications planning and network for the academic year 2020/2021.

Commissions Assistant

Under the management of the Managing Editor – Blog and working with the Social Media and Outreach Coordinator, this position will help in building Strife’s network of contributors and contributions profile.

Operations and Development Assistant

Under the management of the Editor-in-Chief this position will assist in the overall operational running of Strife Blog and Journal gaining insight into how the dual publication functions behind the scenes. This position will work with the EiC in a variety of tasks linked to the overview and management of Strife.

If you’re interested, apply at this link and then send in your CV and a short cover letter to outreach@strifeblog.org by 26 October 2020 – we’re looking forward to reviewing your applications.

 

 

 

 

 

Strife Journal: Fourth Call for Papers for 2020

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Strife is pleased to announce the opening of the fourth round of Call for Papers for 2020.

Strife publishes articles on the theme of conflict, broadly defined. Submissions may include studies of conflict in history, art and media, of the relationship between war and state, of the interrelation of war and society, analyses of strategy, operations and military tactics, diplomacy and international relations, as well as more narrowly defined subjects. There is no restriction as to period or geographical focus.

Articles should be between 4000–5000 words and include an abstract of 100 words. Submitted articles must meet the outlined submission guidelines, articles that do not meet referencing and formatting guidelines risk being rejected for publication.

If you are interested in submitting an article for publication in 2020 please submit your paper to the following email address: journal.submissions@strifeblog.org by 24 October.

Strife is committed to working with its contributors throughout the publishing process should you have any queries or wish to discuss a potential piece for publication please contact our editorial team at the above address. Papers are accepted on a rolling basis.

We look forward to receiving your submissions,

Strife Journal

Women in Writing Mentoring Scheme – Apply Now!

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Too often, the voices of women on issues of conflict and security are marginalised or go unheard, despite the critical role they play in conflict, development, peacebuilding and international security. We want to support you to write your own chapter in the history of conflict.

The team at Strife is extremely proud to present the first year of our Women in Writing Mentoring Scheme.

Strife is an internationally recognised blog and peer-reviewed academic journal, led by doctoral and graduate researchers based in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. We study all aspects of ‘conflict’, combining political, historical, literary, and philosophical approaches to conflict to provide thought-provoking and unique perspectives for our readers. We have over 3.5 million readers a year, with strong engagement from governmental and academic institutions.

Upon joining our Women in Writing Mentoring Scheme, you will be assigned a mentor who will help guide you through every step of the writing process—from the generation of ideas, to editing, to publication. A companion on your year-long journey, your mentor will be your open door to the world of writing, so that you will be able to confidently walk through and shine on your own. Later, you may then lend a hand to the women following in your footsteps.

You will write two pieces for the Strife Blog over the course of the year (one in each term). You will also be invited to two dedicated and exclusive WiW Mentoring events per term, where you will have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field who have paved the way. It will be a unique opportunity for networking, community building, and growing your confidence as a writer.

Women currently undertaking an MA at KCL are welcome to apply; all events and meeting will take place online.

You are in control: you will get as much out of the scheme as you put in. The only thing you have to ask yourself is what do I want to do?

Applications are open until Monday 5th October. Apply now by completing the application form at this link. 

Strife Editorial Board are Recruiting – Apply Now!

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Strife is an internationally recognized dual format publication, led by doctoral and graduate researchers based in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. We study all aspects of ‘conflict’, combining political, historical, literary, and philosophical approaches to conflict to provide thought-provoking and unique perspectives for our readers. We have over 3.5 million readers a year, with strong engagement from governmental and academic institutions.

Strife is comprised of an academic blog, as well as the peer-reviewed academic journal, Strife Journal, which is published quarterly. Both platforms, as well as their complementary events such as conferences, issue launches, and presentations, are centred thematically on conflict in all its shapes and forms. We are continuing to grow and expand, and we want you to join us to be a part of the editorial board.

Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, Strife continues to grow, offering our readers regular new scholarship. This year all events and guidance will be fully delivered online to safeguard our staff. This has opened the exciting possibility for postgraduate students, from any country, anywhere in the world, to become a part of the Editorial Board.

Joining Strife presents a unique opportunity to work alongside a diverse group of postgraduate students, building expertise in conflict studies. Teamwork is a key component of Strife, as is the sense of community we have built over the years. Recruits will also avail of contact with professors and leading academic experts through our events, publications, and networking opportunities.

The following positions are open for recruitment, and each of these rewarding roles is open to international applications from all over the world —

Please apply by 5 October 2020.

Senior Editors (PhD only)

The Senior Editors work directly with the two Managing Editors and the Coordinating Editors to ensure a high-quality and timely review process of pieces submitted for consideration for publication in the blog the Journal. This will include reviewing submitted works for content, clarity, and adherence to the Strife style guide and referencing rules. It will be the Senior Editor’s responsibility to liaise and coordinate with the relevant author assigned to him/her as necessary regarding issues to be clarified, amendments, and any other details necessary for the production of the final draft within the assigned deadlines.

Copy Editors (MA and PhD)

Working exclusively on the blog, the Copy Editor will assist the Managing Editor of the blog and the Senior Editors during the editing process. This will include reviewing submitted works for content, clarity, and adherence to the Strife style guide and referencing rules, particularly during the second round of editing—a key aspect of the editorial process.

Series Editors (MA and PhD)

Series Editors will coordinate, with the prior approval, support, and direction of the Managing Board, the preparation for publication of a singular subject-themed series of articles to be featured on Strife blog. The Series Editor will be responsible for writing the series introduction, and  should aim to include high quality contributions from a diverse, and preferably senior (PhD, faculty), range of contributors and will be responsible for conducting the first edit of each piece in the series. Series Editors are responsible for selecting contributors.

External Representatives (PhD only)

This is a dual role, consisting of both editing and promotional responsibilities. As Strife continues to grow and expand, we look forward to building our presence in Universities beyond King’s College London through our dynamic External Representatives. This will include encouraging new writers to contribute to Strife and harnessing other opportunities to promote Strife amongst the students of the Representatives’ universities, expanding the audience of Strife, and additionally helping to raise the profile of the organization. Examples of initiatives to increase visibility could include posting in specific Facebook groups, sharing with research groups, or engaging with other student bodies. The External Representative will also assist in the editing of blog pieces, in coordination with the Managing Editor of the blog.

Staff Writers (MA and PhD)

Staff Writers are responsible for the creation of regular content for Strife blog They will liaise with the Managing Board on core areas of focus for publication. This will include, but is not limited to, contacting, organising, and transcribing interviews with senior academics and persons of interest for the blog, and reviewing events and publications (within the Department of War Studies at KCL and beyond). Staff Writers are also encouraged to keep up to date with current issues and write topical articles through the year.

 

To apply to the Strife Editorial Board:

Strife Series on Human Rights, Security, and Diplomacy in the Asia Pacific – Introduction

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by Anna Tan

(Image Credit: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

 

Editorial 

In recent years, the world has seen a rising number of civil protests and movements globally. The eruption of the Hong Kong crisis in mid-2019, where mainstream political dialogues reached a new level of fixation on the increasingly looming authoritarian power of China that pervades well beyond its mainland territories, shook many of us. The rise of China has been overwhelmingly redefining the overall regional security of the Asia Pacific, and how that development influences the shift in the nature of international relations is undoubtedly dependent on the alliance of the Asian countries with the West, especially with the United States.

Reflecting on Müllerson’s theory on the relationship of intrastate human rights and international security[1}, it is indisputable that China under Xi Jinping’s Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a very strong authoritarian state, and its overtly aggressive policies against Hong Kong’s mass civil resistance not just made headlines for an incredibly sustained period of time throughout the year, but also threatens the international stability by means of possible similar aggressions. It threatens liberal democratic values that are upheld by many free and democratic nations from across the world, especially in a time where American influence has been on a rapid decline since the assumption of the Trump administration. In the Asia Pacific, while nations such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea face new challenges in manoeuvring through the changing dynamics of international security now jeopardised by the “America first” policy of the United States, other countries such as Myanmar welcome the rising Chinese hegemony. Why and how does this happen?

This Strife Series explores the interplay between human rights and security through diplomatic exchanges in the Asia Pacific. The series analyses how in some countries, addressing human rights, democratic freedom and maintaining status quo national and/or regional security seem to be mutually exclusive at times instead of being mutually reinforcing, despite sharing the common factor of China’s domineering economic leverage.

Publications:

In the first article (12/2019) “China’s Turbulent Year: 2019”, Professor Kerry Brown analyses how China’s aggression in response to the Hong Kong protests and its draconian policies to the Uighur population in Xinjiang have both comparable ‘tit-for-tat’ elements that the Chinese leadership may not have thought through carefully, but will have detrimental consequences to the international opinion on China’s usually very cautious and deliberate efforts on maintaining its diplomatic image.

In the second article (01/2020) “China, Myanmar, War Crimes and the Issue of National Sovereignty”, Anna Tan looks at how Myanmar under Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership, has strangely shifted from being a Western ally during the landmark victories of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the 2015 elections to an even stronger adherence to China’s orbit than ever before. She describes how the Sino-Burmese relations have evolved dramatically under the light of the Rohingya conflict in Rakhine and Myanmar’s subsequent genocide trial at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The third article (03/2020) “Taiwan Elections: Continuity, Change and the Cross-Strait Conundrum”, Evita Liagka explores what the victories of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under the leadership of Tsai Ing-wen could mean for the future of Taiwan and its cross-strait relations. She points out that the China-Hong Kong crisis came in a convenient timing for DPP’s mobilisation of garnering greater support than ever before and since the public consensus on maintaining the status quo international diplomatic status of Taiwan has remained largely unchanged, we might not see a drastic shift in DPP’s policies from its previous term. However, KMT’s recent decision to swerve away from its pro-China stances might pose newer challenges for Taiwan in the years ahead.

The final articles are contributed by Yeseul Woo, analysing North Asia’s security issues from the perspective of South Korea.

  • In Part 1 (02/2020) “South Korea’s Dangerous Silence on Human Rights Abuses in North Korea”, Yeseul Woo argues why the US lack of sponsorship in the UN Security Council meeting on the discussion of North Korea’s human rights issues should not mean that South Korea should remain silent. Ms Woo explains why, in fact, South Korea’s silence justified by the importance of the nuclear security framework would actually be counterproductive in regional security in the long run.
  • In Part 2 (03/2020) “The First Tech War? Why the Korea-Japan Tensions are about US-China Competition on AI”, Ms Woo further explains that South Korea’s silence on North Korea’s human rights issues for the sake of North Asia’s nuclear security (described in Part 1) is actually the result of the deterioration of Korea-Japan relations which has led to South Korea withdrawing from the GSOMIA pact. Though Seoul retracted its decision last minute, Ms Woo argues that the tensions between Seoul and Tokyo are less about the debate surrounding comfort women and wartime forced labour, and is actually influenced by the US-China competition on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in nuclear surveillance technology.
  1. Müllerson, R. (1997). “Human Rights Diplomacy.” Routledge.

Anna Tan is a postgraduate student for MSc Global Affairs at King’s College London. Her research is focused on how Western human rights diplomacy affects democracy and authoritarianism in Asia Pacific. She has previously worked for UNDP Myanmar and the American Red Cross, and is a member of the Programme Committee of the Conflict, Security and Development (CSD) Conference 2020 hosted by the Department of War Studies and the Department of International Development (DID). Anna holds a BSc in Neuroscience. You can follow her on Twitter: @AnnaTanGTW.