Benson Cheung Global Horizons

How to DIY a Free (or Cheaper) “Degree” in IR, Part 3: Conflict and Other Thematic Concentrations

This is the third installment of an ongoing series on creating a DIY IR “degree” through free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and academic resources. Building on the foundational materials in Part 1 and the regional concentrations in Part 2, this part will suggest thematic concentrations in particularly salient issues in international relations.   War Read More…

Film Reviews Kelsie Chasse

In Review: My Son the Jihadi; How one family’s experience with extremism is not extreme.

My Son the Jihadi is a short documentary about Thomas Evans, a UK born man who travelled to Somalia to fight for Al Shabaab in 2011 at the age of 21. The film focuses heavily on the tremendous grief that the Evans family faced when they lost their son and brother to the Al Qaeda Read More…

Canadian Armed Forces Jayson Derow

Peacekeeping Promises Little Peace: The Realities of 21st Century Conflicts

Canada was once viewed as a leader of UN peacekeeping missions. However, this role has shifted with the changing nature of global conflicts. Jayson Derow discusses why it would be more effective for the Liberal government to devote military resources to the battle in Iraq and Syria, instead of fragmenting the Canadian Armed Forces to various ineffective missions in Africa to fight the same enemy.

Canadian Armed Forces Jayson Derow

Was it Worth it? Canada’s Intervention in Afghanistan and why we Left too Soon

The decision to endure the fight in Afghanistan was difficult for Canada to make, and this country did so at a relatively substantial cost. Jayson Derow discusses the triumphs of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan and why a sustained commitment of troops is needed in order to ensure the success of Canada’s three signature projects.