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A Pinpoint Politics article by Martina Čičáková

Greece, a country referred to as the ancient cradle of democracy, is now standing before a decision crucial for the future of Europe. The two options between which the Greek people need to decide are both problematic in their seeming simplicity: either the continuance of the “draconian” austerity measures or a so-called , a term coined by Citigroup economists Willem Buiter and Ebrahim Rahbari referring to Greece’s exit from the EU. The second round of the Greek parliamentary election which will take place on June 17th is widely perceived as “,” since the results are going to influence not only Greece’s performance as a European Union (EU) member, but also the future of the currency and the other Eurozone countries.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Scott Edwards

Since the 2004 coup which ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the UN peacekeeping taskforce has been charged with a multidimensional mandate, with a focus on providing security and a stable environment to Haiti’s civilian population, as well as promoting human rights and contributing to the political process. The division of MINUSTAH into three components – one military and two civilian – demonstrates the broader structural commitment of the mission and, similarly to most contemporary UN missions, its stronger focus on economic and social problems. The combined duration and breadth of the UN presence in Haiti has been dependent on significant resource and personnel mobilisation from a variety of UN member nations. In particular, the involvement of Brazil has been highlighted as indicative of the South American nation’s growing global presence and the country’s attempts to pursue a more active foreign policy.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Lena-Sophie Demuth and Andrew Kelly

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Indo-German diplomatic relations, which by most accounts has been reliable and stable. This June the Goethe-Institute together with the Indian foreign ministry have organised a circus-esq "StadtRaume-Cityspaces Mela" that traverses the golden quadrilateral of India cities (New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta) with a series of public showings that focuses on all facets of urban development; mobility, migration, water, energy, sustainable development, architecture, engineering, education, cultural infrastructure, social issues and many more. Given India's increasing urbanisation and rural-urban migration, coupled with its emerging power status along with the BRICS, one can begin to understand the pertinence of such issues.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Helen Jane Martin

An abyss for the lost and stolen, and a refuge for the takers, failed states are characterized as the black holes of the international system. Somalia, the archetypical failed state, is condemned by policy makers who maintain that it incubates terror, breeds crime, facilitates piracy and infects regions; with stereotypical images of pirates in tiny skiffs, or an unyielding insurgent and terrorist campaign from al Shabab, it is seen as a land ruled by dangerous warlords. Their problems are not just their own but a menace to everyone, or so the story goes.

On the 24^th of February world leaders convened in London, in a meeting described by British Prime Minster David Cameron as “the largest and most influential gathering that has ever come together,” to seek a lasting solution to the problem of Somalia. This two-day long conference was aimed at ending the civil strife in the country, which consistently tops the ranks of the Failed State Index, and to enhance the level of ‘stateness’ in order to curb the international ramifications that this deviant threatens. However, it seems that this conference, in labelling the country as ‘failed’, was labouring under a set of misapprehensions rather than focusing on what is actually affecting Somalia itself.

A Pinpoint Politics article by Neil Dooley

Reaction to austerity in Europe has been varied. In Greece, measures have frequently been met with forceful opposition, prompting political outrage, mass demonstrations, incidents of violence and civil disobedience. In marked contrast, The Republic of Ireland has been applauded as the ‘poster child for austerity’, implementing its reforms with no apparent social unrest. It is in this context that the events surrounding the recent ‘household charge’ have seemed so surprising to many.

The new annual tax is the latest austerity measure launched by the Irish Government. Temporarily, it requires each household in the state to pay a levy of one hundred euro. In response, aided by a successful campaign organised by political and community activists, at the time of writing, almost 50% of households have refused to pay the household charge.