Student Dissertations and Theses
All students of the Master, Executive Master and Doctorate level have to submit and successfully defend their final academic paper before an expert panel.
Herewith are examples of research areas covered in Master dissertations and Doctorate theses by students of the Geneva School of Diplomacy.
MIR Dissertations
Butler-Payette, André: Small Island States: Geoeconomic and Geopolitical Strategies and their Vulnerabilities in the International System with Specific Reference to the Republic of Seychelles
The dissertation deals with the geopolitical and geoeconomic motivations of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in an increasingly globalised international system. As such the dissertation seeks to determine what impact a micro state has in shaping international policy and what guarantees the state has if any in maintaining its sovereignty and protecting its territorial borders. Furthermore, the work discusses how established global organisations such as the United Nations can be utilised to achieve various ends for such states. This is achieved by banding together and incorporating the adage of 'in numbers security' into the mantras.
Finally, the paper deals with the issues facing SIDS in terms of their security, their isolation, their leverage with regards to mightier nations and their both economic and social factors which may hinder their development.
Chakravartti, Suddha: India’s Energy Security - Planning and Policy Considerations
India’s growing economy, coupled with its ever increasing appetite for energy has become an increasing concern for many across the spectrum, both domestically as well as internationally. In its rise through what it calls “enlightened self-interest,” India needs to secure its energy needs for obvious reasons. India’s limited self sufficiency in energy resources, coupled with an increasing reliance on fossil fuels (primarily coal and oil), pose serious questions for policy makers regarding the future availability of these sources, keeping in mind its depletion globally, and its steady and affordable supply - as India continues to depend on regions which are socio-politically unstable. The dissertation examines existing scenarios and policies and tries to underscore and suggest possible solutions for India’s planning and policymaking which is integral towards securing its energy needs. The study conducted reveals how India as a net importer of energy can find reliable and affordable solutions towards meeting its future energy concerns that would not only be economically sound, but would promote overall sustainable development.
Exarchou, Joanna: The Kurdish Question – Geopolitical Analysis of the Kurdish Question in Iraq and Turkey
Numerous geopolitical and geo-economic factors link the Kurdish Question to Middle Eastern and world politics. The Kurds, a large non-Arab population, inhabit gas and water-rich areas. Kurdish nationalism has been rising over recent decades; however there is lack of unanimity among Turkish and Iraqi Kurds. Amidst the Iraqi state transition, Iraqi Kurds seized the opportunity to form a strategic alliance with the US, establish their ethnic minority rights and reinforce Kurdish autonomy in Northern Iraq. However, a stable KRG can be a threat to stability in the Kurdish inhabited areas of Turkey, where PKK also operates. Moreover, American strategic interests in the region often conflict with Turkish policies. The adoption of a federal or regional autonomy state model in Iraq and Turkey may prove a viable solution for stability and territorial integrity of these states. The final determination of the status of Kirkuk and an agreement on Iraqi Kurdistan’s borders and revenue sharing are prerequisites to that. Federalization or regional autonomy could prevent Kurdish secessionist tendencies by guaranteeing respect of Kurdish rights within a democratic system.
Moric, Hrvoje: Information Warfare, Color Revolutions and Geopolitical Stakes
This paper examines the use of information warfare and democracy promotion in color revolutions and the geopolitical stakes behind non-violent regime change. An early form of democratic transition is analyzed in Mongolia followed by the proper color revolution of Georgia. Finally, Iran is examined as both a target of direct regime change and indirect non-violent regime change. The determination that color revolutions are covert methods to achieve regime change to gain geopolitical influence and to assure cultural, political and economic hegemony is made. This is further suggested by the level of intimacy between the civil apparatus behind running color revolutions and the military arm of Western governments. I conclude that the model of neoliberal world order color revolutions seek to augment are a detriment to peace and are based on the use of force and violence, a world view incompatible with true humanistic values. The ultimate goal of the paper is to draw correlations between civil and military government operations and the accelerating integration thereof. These carry enormous consequences for society as a whole.
Muniz, Renata: Brazilian Leadership in the Integration Process in South America: The Case of UNASUL
This master’s dissertation analyses the process of South American integration through the lens of the Brazilian perspective, an attempt to find the role for Brazilian Leadership in the region without impinging on other countries’ sovereignty. Theories of integration and regionalization are used as mechanisms to find challenges faced by a successful integration program in South America. The case of MERCOSUL and UNASUL are used as examples of how the Brazilian Foreign Policy should behave to foster a process of integration that results in actual development and in the elimination of the asymmetries of the region.
Nair, Shabarinath: Human Rights of Unskilled Indian Migrant Workers: The Case of Qatar
The objective of this study is to analyse the human rights of unskilled Indian migrant workers in Qatar. From South East Asia to Latin America, from Scandinavia to Oceania, the notion of human rights should remain the same irrespective of the geography of labour migration. However being an Islamic country that has differing views from Western perspectives of human rights, it is important to understand every aspect of human rights associated to this category of the migrant Indian population in Qatar. The author attempts to chart a course by examining the various factors including historical, socio-economic and developmental that led to the migration of unskilled Indian workers to Qatar. Each right that is applicable to this group of migrant workers is then analysed under international laws, regional processes, bilateral agreements and domestic policies. Upon having provided the necessary background information, the author analyses the current situation in Qatar and the applicability of four chosen settings that puts these rights into practice. This study therefore attempts to examine some of the important factors that are relevant to the enjoyment of the human rights of Indian migrant workers in Qatar.
Ninkovic, Nina: Energy Security to 2030 - The future with biofuels
The dissertation looks at the current energy outlook which projects a sobering picture of how the global energy system is likely to evolve from now to 2030. If policy makers adhere with the current policies, the net world’s energy demand will be almost 60% higher in 2030 than they are now. Fossil fuels will continue to dominate the global energy mix, meeting most of the increase in overall use, although many would have peaked production. This diversification of sources from non renewable to renewable sources of energy would be important in the light of securing supplies, cost benefits and environmental sustainability and relieving the planets addiction to hydrocarbons. Biofuels, especially ethanol from sugar and starch based sources, have been proposed as a solution to several pressing global concerns, viz energy security, climate change and rural development , but lately, there is growing concern about the role of biofuels in rising food prices, accelerating deforestation, water scarcity and doubts about the climate benefits. This has led to serious questions about their sustainability and extensive campaigns against higher targets. It is concluded that there is a pressing need for an ethical approach towards future biofuels production. The future for a sustainable biofuels industry would depend largely on the fact that feedstock production must avoid agricultural land that would otherwise be used for food production. These challenges are complex and will take time to overcome.
DIR Theses
Deak, Gabor: New Media – Curse or Blessing for Democracy? Postmodern Idealistic Utopia versus Orwellian Nightmare assisted by Technology
The recent development of new media could possibly usher in a brave new world, where the internet will be responsible for a new era of participatory democracy and a revitalization of the public sphere. There is also the very likely scenario of the World Wide Web could ultimately create and Orwellian future, where complete censorship and ultimate surveillance and the surreal idea of the rule of the machines become a very likely scenario. The researcher has attempted to study whether the future with the introduction of today’s participatory cultures will lead to the reform of the public sphere and a new form of democracy, or whether the current technological development will ultimately lead to a complete form of total control of the individual. After an extensive study, the researcher concluded that the near science fiction vision of Kurt Kurzweil for humanity’s future is actually becoming reality. The researcher considers the excitement about social media and its promise and intermediate phase in the long term development of technology as a form of control. The implementation of nanotechnology and articifial intelligence in everyday life is just around the corner and the researcher is convinced that our civilization is not prepared for the changes all these new applications will ultimately bring to our lives.
Dimitrijevic, Nebo: Living between Colossuses: Buffer states, South-East Europe and the Atlantic Community
The thesis offers the blending of geography, history and politics in south-eastern Europe during many defining moments, from a probably atypical perspective. It is an attempt to look into the realities in places perceived as conventional buffers, following the line that there is the truth, in spite of large gaps that remain in our understanding of events and decisions made. The author provides an insight into the buffer concepts and underlines that in reality all states - buffer and non buffer - must operate as viable partners in contributing to the maintenance of peace in good condition. If not, they may seize to exist, and this may be particularly true in cases of multi-ethnic and multi-religious political entities.
It also provides an account of the previous bi-polar divisions in international politics and describes how after its end, two decades ago, the global political changes stem not only from human culture and strength of institutions, but also from the new geopolitical realities. The author asks what the leaders and commanders of nations in those places did well or did wrong during and after the passage of this era, and offers the notion that in regard to transition from nationalist authoritarianism to democracy, the new states have to provide capacity in generating stability and prosperity in the balance of interests, in a common European space.
Amb. Lumbanga, Matern: Global Poverty: The Case for sub-Saharan Africa
Global Poverty is one of the major global risks affecting humanity today living in extreme or moderate poverty across the globe. The problem is worst in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which is one of the three remaining regions where the poor live below US $ 1.25 per person per day. The other two regions are South Eastern Asia and the Americas. Together, this group of countries has been designated by the United Nations as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). They are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the world with their economies characterized by high levels of poverty, and highly susceptible to external shocks. The world economic and financial crisis including effects of climate change and natural or man-made disasters compound the problem even more. In these regions poverty is endemic, systemic and pervasive, making its eradication without outside assistance extremely difficult.
In the book a background is provided to research conducted on poverty worldwide and specific to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which shows the complexities involved in dealing with poverty. Issues covered in the introduction include the problem posed in defining poverty accurately as it means different things in different places and times in terms of purchasing power parity. A survey of the recent global trends of poverty has been conducted which confirms that a one-size fits–all approach cannot apply in all situations. Instead, a different approach may be needed to deal with poverty in different instances. Using a STEEP analysis the study discusses the underlying deep causes of poverty which contribute to the high levels of extreme poverty in SSA and suggests policy options that can systematically address the underlying causes of poverty and how they can be addressed.
Identification of key stakeholders and which multi-stakeholder approaches to eradication of poverty are also recommended with emphasis being put on participation of the poor themselves as key in the success of any poverty eradication programmes. The roles of national and foreign governments, international financial institutions, the private sector and non-governmental organizations have been emphasized too as very crucial.
Several frameworks are developed in the dissertation to demonstrate how poverty eradication can indeed be applied with reasonable success in the region as has been the case in other regions which had experienced poverty within their ranks.
