Brokers have long been scrutinised for their purported disloyalty, but brokers' own attachments and expectations remain largely neglected. This article contributes to scholarship by shifting from the ...much‐discussed betrayal by brokers, to betrayal of brokers. It maps three forms of betrayal—interpersonal, institutional and ideological—drawing on unique empirical material, including interviews with Afghan interpreters who worked for western armies. It argues that the betrayal of brokers is facilitated by conditions of reduced demand and weak social ties in an unequal global order. When brokers' remit is largely dictated by their patron, brokers stand more to lose than to gain.
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As Phillipson warned, "linguistic imperialism is alive and kicking" and has become even more subtle in an era when English has become the global
. With this, this conceptual paper aims to propose ...features of linguistic neo-imperialism by describing how English has continuously spread and retained its power in various domains particularly in periphery countries, whether ex-colonies or non-colonies. Broadly, we highlight these features from the aspects of communication, business, academia, and education. The features of English linguistic neo-imperialism are interrelated and interactive in these fields, reinforcing the current dominant position of English. We then proceed with drawing implications for the local languages, particularly in their preservation and use alongside English and other dominant
s.
The growing success of far-right political parties like Vox in Spain has attracted multiple studies that try to analyse this phenomenon. This article takes an intersectional approach to analyse the ...neo-imperial nature of Vox’s discourses and symbology together with the public construction of Santiago Abascal’s hypermasculinity. Thus, employing a decolonial theoretical framework, this study examines the triumph, symbology and construction of hegemonic masculinity in Vox, not only from an identity perspective derived from the patriarchal system but also from the post-imperial condition of contemporary Spain. Through close readings of Abascal’s social media posts, this article examines the instrumentalization of an imperial imaginary for the construction of an anti-Catalan and neo-colonial nationalism. Ultimately, the post-imperial images used by Vox function as affective devices for the construction of masculinity through appealing to the hero and his conquering enterprise that entails a violent ontology of domination of an Other.
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The book under review is a new research by Cameroonian scholar Francois Xavier Noah Edzimbi ‘Russia and the West in Central Africa: How African countries can adapt to the challenges of the ...post-bipolar era’ (‘La Russie face aux Occidentaux en Afrique centrale: Pour un arrimage des Africains aux enjeux de puissance post-bipolarite’), published in France in 2022. The reviewer emphasizes that in the context of a new exacerbation of great power rivalry on the African continent this research is particularly relevant since it shows how the situation is perceived directly in Africa, which in turn can help Russia better understand the worldviews of Central African partners and develop a more balanced policy in the region. The book under review synthesizes the elements of realist and constructivist approaches in order to provide a comprehensive view of interactions between African states and extra-regional powers, their respective interests and values. The research focuses on the reasons for Russia’s growing presence in Central Africa. It is in this context, and in order to illuminate the specifics of Russia’s foreign policy in the region that the author addresses the approaches of other actors (namely, the United States and France) towards the relations with African states in the post-bipolar era. According to N. Edzimbi, Russian foreign policy in Central Africa is rather ambiguous: on the one hand, Russia counterbalances the influence of the United States and France, but, on the other hand, it pursues its own pragmatic goals and in this sense differs little from other leading powers. The author argues that despite seemingly friendly rhetoric, all global actors regard Central Africa as yet another arena of interstate rivalry, and suggests that the African countries should develop an independent foreign policy strategy, including, among other things, a force component. At the same time, the Cameroonian researcher emphasizes that this issue can be addressed if African states overcome the ‘learned helplessness syndrome’ and abandon the subordinate role in favor of developing their own power policy. The reviewer concludes that this work may be of interest to a wide range of readers, but it will be especially useful for specialists in African studies and international relations experts who specialize on the challenges faced by Africa and on the Russian-African relations.
This article introduces the discipline of International Relations (IR) to the ideas of Che Guevara and their legacy in world politics. As one of the most famous revolutionaries of all time, Che's ...legacy is complex, multifaceted, and deeply political. His thought carries across many concerns central to IR theory, especially decolonialism and anti-imperialism, offering a unique radical Marxist-humanism focused on revolutionary praxis. This paper explores Che's writing and speeches, arguing that the most important aspects of Che's legacy do not reside in his contemporary romanticization but in Che's emphasis on class analysis as a means to interrogate neo-imperialism in world order and thereby expose the possibilities for a genuinely internationalist (or cosmopolitan) politics of emancipation leading to a decolonized, self-determining world.
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This research presents a postcolonial analysis of Tariq Ali’s non-fictional work. The ‘Extreme Centre’ focusing mainly on the Marxist and Althusserian theoretical perspectives of the self and the ...other. The notions of Marxist social divide between the bourgeoisie and the proletarians, and the Althusser’s Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses have been applied to decipher Tariq Ali’s standing as a postcolonial writer. The strong impact of the imperial and neo-imperial Ideology has been influencing the subjectivities of the masses around the world, including the masses in the West through the spread of imperial and neo-imperial Ideology. The interpellated subjectivities of the western proletarians are constructed by making them believe that the Western ideological and physical supremacy over the world would herald a golden age. However, the illusion of growth, opulence, and liberty is blemished by the outcomes of the imperial wars and capitalist greed. A critical reading of Ali’s work reveals that heralding of a Global revolution is indispensable yet not imminent, until the initiation of dissent from within the Empire.
This research presents a postcolonial analysis of Tariq Ali’s non-fictional work. The ‘Extreme Centre’ focusing mainly on the Marxist and Althusserian theoretical perspectives of the self and the ...other. The notions of Marxist social divide between the bourgeoisie and the proletarians, and the Althusser’s Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses have been applied to decipher Tariq Ali’s standing as a postcolonial writer. The strong impact of the imperial and neo-imperial Ideology has been influencing the subjectivities of the masses around the world, including the masses in the West through the spread of imperial and neo-imperial Ideology. The interpellated subjectivities of the western proletarians are constructed by making them believe that the Western ideological and physical supremacy over the world would herald a golden age. However, the illusion of growth, opulence, and liberty is blemished by the outcomes of the imperial wars and capitalist greed. A critical reading of Ali’s work reveals that heralding of a Global revolution is indispensable yet not imminent, until the initiation of dissent from within the Empire.
Getting solidarity right, as West Papuans struggle against a colonial genocide, is crucial. Distilling a non-Papuan UK citizen's experience of several years working with the West Papuan liberation ...movement, this article offers a historical, anti-imperialist framework for thought and action in solidarity with West Papua. Counter-posing its approach to the depoliticised framework of leading Western human rights organisations, the article places three terrains of the struggle - the Indonesian settler colonial state, the West Papuan liberation movement, and Western solidarity networks - in a global historical perspective, examining the dynamic interactions between them in order to unravel the ties that bind the Indonesian state to West Papua. The collaborations and connections between Indonesian elites and dominant Western sections are counter-posed to the possibility of an alliance between West Papuans and poorer Indonesians - but only if Western solidarity organisers are attentive to the role Western (neo)imperialism plays in structurally determining the genocidal form Indonesia's colonisation takes.
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Clint Eastwood's American Sniper (2014) and Alba Sotorra's Game Over (2015) explore the inculcating pull of pop myths on soldiers. Eastwood's biopic focuses on Chris Kyle, American military history’s ...most lethal sniper. Sotorra's documentary Game Over considers Djalal, an Iranian Catalan youth who moves from being an America-idolizing gamer to a sniper in Afghanistan. Initially, they see themselves as Western cowboys and perfect soldiers. War, however, leaves them disillusioned and traumatized. Via distinct generic formats (documentary v. feature film) and nationally determined political frameworks (US v. Spain), they ask: can mythologies fueling the post-9/11 war machine empty it of its force? Mobilizing postcolonial, disability, and trauma studies, this comparative analysis theorizes how objects of soft power can both harden a soldier’s mind and liberate it from the battlefield’s thrall. Ultimately, the article reveals contrasting, potentially limited strategies subjects across cultures deploy to break the hold of American visions of power.
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This introductory article to the volume Che Lives! provides a general primer to Che Guevara's thinking and practice in world politics. Situating Che's historical significance as a radical agent and ...thinker in the 1960s, it canvasses the various politicised readings of his legacy, suggesting focusing on shared textual evidence and widely agreed thematic areas can limit this problem for analysis. The article argues that, despite some apparent changes to world order, that Che's thought remains highly relevant because the so-called 'philosophy of plunder' still dictates much of the global economy and relations between states just as it did in Che's time. Focusing on Che's dialectical method that brings together class exploitation and the operations of neo-imperialism, the chapter shows how Che is of continued relevance for contemporary social movements fighting for a just world. The article concludes with a chapter summary of each contribution to the volume.
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