It has been five years since the European Union last debated its security strategy. Twelve years have passed since the adoption of the so-called 2003 Solana Strategy “A Secure Europe in a Better World”. The… [Read more]
TV Shows and Public Administration – A Watching List
Should I watch TV or read literature on public management, politics and governance? This choice seems to be getting harder every week, what with new TV shows popping up at an increasing rate. Not to… [Read more]
Smart Commitments in Europe
Our “things” are becoming smarter — smart phones, smart cars, and smart meters. Smart technology has extended its reach to almost every corner of the modern lifestyle, whether it be communication, travel, or providing these… [Read more]
Change of Roles: The Weakness of the Developing World
World markets are going through a period of uncertainty. The struggle of the financial market in China is harming the expectation of growth in developing economies. Subsequently, the risk aversion of investors has risen, and… [Read more]
Why is Open Government Data Needed to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
Adopted on September 25th 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) drive an ambitious post-2015 development agenda for the coming 15 years. Building on the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 2000, the SDGs go… [Read more]
TTIP and its Discontents: Mapping the Way Forward for Sustainable Investment Agreements
Recently, investment and trade agreements have been highlighted in popular discourse as controversial. The proposed Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States has cultivated tremendous public opposition, despite… [Read more]
Curbing Obesity Rates in Australia: Where is the Way Forward?
Jane Martin, Executive Manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition in Australia, examines the challenges faced in tackling the obesity epidemic in the context of a lax regulatory framework and a constant stream of junk food… [Read more]
The Value of a Master of Public Administration
I recently graduated from the Executive Master of Public Administration at the Hertie School of Governance. Almost immediately after graduation, I was offered a consulting contract to manage a project with the mandate to establish… [Read more]
Franchising Violence: How Boko Haram Became the Local ISIS Affiliate
On January 8th 2015, reports of the killing of some 2000 civilian Nigerians started to trickle in from the northern Nigerian state of Borno. The Sunni Islamic insurgency, Boko Haram, was blamed in what has… [Read more]
Should German Foundations be Operative and Innovative?
Recently, I have found myself reflecting on an interesting phenomenon that I observed interacting with various German foundations and listening to the various discourses in this sector. Foundations in Germany seem to nurture an ambition… [Read more]