Sycamore Institute at American University

01/18/2022

Fueled by historical animosity, a deep-seated dispute over Kashmir, and allegations of cross-border terrorism, the nations of India and Pakistan have spiraled into 74 years of near-constant conflict. Both states' possession of nuclear weapons elevates this heated dance into a potentially catastrophic global security threat. Despite the severity of the conflict, the international community has played a passive role, with no serious long-term effort to establish a peace process between the two countries. Since bilateral negotiations have repeatedly failed, Ali Siddiqi argues within his op-ed “The U.S. Must Take an Active Role in Resolving the Indo-Pakistani Conflict” how the international community, specifically the United States, must play an active and intermediary role in the conflict. READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/the-u-s-must-take-an-active-role-in-resolving-the-indo-pakistani-conflict

11/30/2021

The Biden administration has, in recent months, started repairing the Transatlantic relationship. Co-chaired by the US Secretaries of State and Commerce, Trade Representative, and their respective counterparts in the European Union, the TTC is designed to create trade standards for the two Atlantic powers, addressing the economic challenges of our time. In this op-ed “Bringing Markets Closer Together: The Significance of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council”, Eduardo Castellet Nogués shines light into the Transatlantic relationship. READ HERE:

The Significance of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council By Eduardo Castellet Nogués The Biden administration has, in recent months, started repairing the Transatlantic relationship. This year, in the latest EU-US Summit in Brussels, American President Joe Biden pledged to “rally America’s al...

11/30/2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has a caused a global supply chain crisis unlike anything ever seen before but if previous episodes prove anything, the world will continue to function and move forward. I argue Globalization will continue to remain a prominent aspect of our society despite recent setbacks thus is still the best solution to solve global problems. Finn McGovern discusses these ideas in his new op-ed “An Optimistic Approach to Globalization Amid the Trade and Supply Chain Crisis” READ HERE:

By Finn McGovern The Coronavirus-19 pandemic has not been kind to the World. Almost five million people have died, 730,000 of those in the United States. This is nothing short of heartbreaking. In addition to the death toll, the World has taken a significant hit to its economic health as well. The g...

11/17/2021

Advocates for tighter regulation of big tech need to consider the corporate position of companies like Facebook. Social media companies make no effort to prevent public panic; this chaos makes for a steady stream of shares, comments, and likes while simultaneously pressuring regulators to act regardless of haste, leaving competitive principles to the wayside. John Burzawa discusses platform censorship in his op-ed “After Regulation: The Facebook Panic” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/after-regulation-the-facebook-panic

11/11/2021

In the wake of WWII, insurgent movements have become critical actors in modern-day international affairs due to an increase in civil wars as well as the diffusion of state power. Insurgent actors such as the ELN, Houthi movement, ISIS, and the Zapatistas all control territory and exert sizable sociopolitical control over the people they govern. Thus, governments must learn to work with insurgent groups that are present within their territories, as well as in zones that governments are intervening in. Lola Macy explores the necessity for governments to leverage the presence of insurgencies in her op-ed “Utilizing Insurgents to Exert Political Control” READ HERE:

By Lola Macy In the wake of WWII, insurgent movements have become critical actors in modern-day international affairs due to an increase in civil wars as well as the diffusion of state power. Insurgent actors such as the ELN, Houthi movement, ISIS, and the Zapatistas all control territory and exert....

11/09/2021

When Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula in early 2014, it sent shockwaves throughout the trans-Atlantic security establishment... It came as part of a trend of increasingly aggressive moves by Russia to reassert itself on the world stage and undermine the West. Since then, NATO has been left scrambling to find a way to adapt its outdated deterrence posture to work in a rapidly changing security landscape. Christopher Trazaska puts forth ideas for NATO to establish an effective deterrence posture in the 21st century in his op-ed titled “Back to the Basics: Reshaping Deterrence on NATO’s Eastern Flank” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/back-to-the-basics-reshaping-deterrence-on-nato-s-eastern-flank

11/02/2021

“... facts point to an investment opportunity for the U.S.--and also for other strategic competitors like China. While the U.S. has pivoted towards Asia and has mainly neglected to see Africa as a major region of investment, China has undergone major investment in the region which has implications for the U.S. in its strategic competition with China.” Jessica Bakas explores the rising stakes for U.S. investment in Africa in her op-ed “Africa as an Investment Opportunity: China vs. the US” READ HERE:

By Jessica Bakas Africa is an investment opportunity. The continent is a developing region: according to official 2021 HDI scores all but 2 African countries, Somalia and the Republic of Congo, are developing. Meanwhile the continent has been increasingly engaged in international affairs, holding cu...

10/30/2021

Quantum Computing (QC) is the most dangerous threat to cybersecurity that the world doesn't know about yet. As the advancements of technology continue to push the world forward in many positive ways, there are also drawbacks to these ameliorations that pose security risks to all sovereign states. The development of quantum computing poses many cyber security threats for the modern state. Jude Braithwaite’s Op Ed “Cybersecurity Threats of Quantum Computing” takes a deeper look in to how dangerous this technology could be when quantum computing is fully developed. READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/cybersecurity-threats-of-quantum-computing

10/29/2021

Two months ago, Chinese regulators passed an extensive series of legislation cracking down on the trade and operation of cryptocurrency. Earlier this year, the CCP instituted a ban on the sale of all crypto miners in China, citing environmental concerns and uneven energy distribution. In the U.S, policymakers have proposed legislation to limit the sale of crypto, with states such as Alabama indicating security concerns with the currency’s volatility. Such actions add to a growing trend of the role global regulators and governments play in the rapidly emerging cryptocurrency market, raising questions of whether or not government involvement in the emerging industry is justified. Andrew Xiao discusses the dangers of an over regulated industry and how governments should go about cryptocurrency regulations in his op-ed “Cryptocurrency Regulation - What’s Next For Governments?” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/cryptocurrency-regulation-what-s-next-for-governments

10/28/2021

The recent coup in Guinea has highlighted the growing instability of governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, fueled by ineffective aid policies and a rise in non-democratic regimes supported by China and other foreign actors. A change needs to be made in how The United States addresses African challenges, and the threat China poses to democratic interests on the continent. John Cassidy discusses these ideas and more in his op-ed “Coup in Guinea- Rethinking American Influence in Africa” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/coup-in-guinea-rethinking-american-influence-in-africa

10/12/2021

If you’ve been following the news lately you’ve likely seen the latest installment of the whiplash-inducing tax evasion paradigm. Recent events revealed the extent to which countries like the U.S. become complicit in the schemes of kleptocrats as they funnel their money into protective assets. If genuine progress is to be made on preventing the wealthy and powerful from hiding financial dealings, the Biden administration will need to galvanize financial regulation at home and pursue more action. Alfred DiLissio explores solutions in his new Op-Ed titled “Auditing Pandora’s Papers: Addressing Money Laundering at Home and Abroad.” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/auditing-pandora-s-papers-addressing-money-laundering-at-home-and-abroad

10/06/2021

The legitimacy of the United States at home and abroad is under attack by an army of Chinese bots. These attacks are no longer attacks in the physical realm but on the digital battlefield of information. Chinese bots continue to spread falsehoods online in an effort to disrupt U.S. interests at home and abroad. To counter this, the U.S. Government must impose regulations on social media companies that require them to police their sites aggressively. In order to keep within proposed regulations, social media companies can use modern tools such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to stop the spread of misinformation. Kai Yuen Suherwan explores these ideas in his Op-Ed titled “How to Fight Back Against an Army of Chinese Bots” READ HERE: https://sycamoreinstitutea.wixsite.com/my-site/post/countering-chinese-misinformation-how-to-fight-back-against-an-army-of-chinese-bots