Papers by Hanna S . Kassab
Objective: What do earthquakes in Syria share with wildfires in the mountain west of the United S... more Objective: What do earthquakes in Syria share with wildfires in the mountain west of the United States? The article's objective is to show how disasters serve as recruiting events for anti-government and militia movements. Methodology: The methodology uses a comparative case study alongside discourse analysis to demonstrate how disaster response serves as a recruiting tool. The comparative approach for this paper first establishes how anti-government movements use the provision of social services to establish trust, gain legitimacy, and recruit members. Discourse analysis analyzes texts and other media as it relates to the social and political context of a particular time and place. Results: We find Hezbollah and American militias are driven by different ideologies but share seven post-disaster recruitment strategies. First, both rely structural violence to use their social programs to expand their legitimacy; second, both cooperate with the state to expand legitimacy; third, both try to persuade society of their goodness; fourth, reshaping identity expands recruitment opportunity; fifth, the state fails to deliver social programs opening an opportunity for recruitment; sixth, both actors cooperate with the state to further their ends, not just a source of legitimacy, but a process of learning for the eventual collapse of the state as per group ideology; last, both actors rely on and hope for state failure to justify existence. Conclusion: We conclude that disasters can serve as recruiting events for anti-government and militia movements.
Wisdom, 2024
In Skopje, there are many statues of heroes and patriots controversially claimed by Greece and Bu... more In Skopje, there are many statues of heroes and patriots controversially claimed by Greece and Bulgaria. One statue now labeled ‘warrior on the horse’ due to Greek pressure was designed to be Alexander the Great. People still refer to the statue as Alexander, a testament to the persistence of nationalist beliefs. In Yerevan, the Mother Armenia statue looks upon Mount Ararat in modern day Turkey. She wields a sword, as if to say “it’s not over”. The same might be said about the graffiti in both states as both are heavily nationalistic in nature. These acts of graffiti/vandalism communicate a message of disorder and dissatisfaction against the state. These official and unofficial nationalist sentiments are expressed because of the need to recover, in North Macedonia’s case, a long suppressed sense of national identity, and in the Armenian sense, a nationalism under attack. Nationalism in this sense is an expression of cultural revitalization, an essentially Postcolonial need to recover notions of self. This theoretical underpinning will serve as a baseline from which to apply the ethnographic findings of my trips to these locations.
Contexto Internacional, 2024
Post-Colonialism has proved to be challenging for students studying the Global South especially i... more Post-Colonialism has proved to be challenging for students studying the Global South especially in the United States. Books like Edward Said's Orientalism have proved difficult to read. Bringing in Sci-Fi movies would assist students in their search for understanding. This article hopes to illustrate the Post-Colonial themes in three movies: Soylent Green, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Planet of the Apes. These movies discuss the process of colonisation and decolonisation: invasion, domination, exploitation, self-governance, and then revitalisation. The movie Planet of the Apes shows the process of colonialisation through dehumanisation. For instance, the character Taylor is given the name 'Bright Eyes' , a name you give to a pet. Here, the colonizer alters the environment, culture, beliefs, and identity of the colonized through a process of dehumanisation. Similarly, in the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, humans must join the alien race as a way to advance themselves. This 'civilization process' is the justification for colonisation and leads to the destruction of earth's entire indigenous population by destroying their identity. Lastly, Soylent Green is about the recovery of self, exercising cultural revitalisation through ceremony. Specific scenes that display this is the sharing of a meal using ingredients from a past life as well as Saul's assisted suicide. Recalling the past in this manner helps to find, and then retain, an identity ostensibly lost to changes in power relations brought on by colonialisation. Thorn, the main character, then exposes the fact that soylent, the main food supply for the poor, is human meat. Hence, revitalisation and resistance are tied together, as working to recover a lost identity is a clear threat to the prevailing Eurocentric order. Thus, bringing in Sci-Fi movies might help facilitate the process of teaching Post-Colonial perspectives.
In this book, Hanna Samir Kassab develops a theoretical framework that explains the formulation o... more In this book, Hanna Samir Kassab develops a theoretical framework that explains the formulation of power vacuums and examines their impact on the international system. A power vacuum is the fundamental absence of legitimate state authority over a geographic territory, and it is a space free of governance. With no state authority governing a geographical region, opportunistic states and organized criminal and terrorist networks may attempt to control that space. Using a variety of historical examples and centering his analysis on ungoverned spaces rather than great powers, Kassab uncovers neglected areas of great power competition. Part 1 discusses state actors: specifically, the strategic space of the Arctic, the Middle East and Africa, and Afghanistan and Central Asia. Part 2 examines non-state actors, such as terrorist networks and organized criminal networks, and the formulation of paramilitaries. Power Vacuums and Global Politics is the perfect volume for both undergraduate and graduate courses in international relations, security studies, political science, comparative politics, international political economy, and war and peace.
Palgrave Macmillan eBooks, Jul 29, 2015
Democracy and Security
This article analyzes the impact of the changing international order on the subjugation of state ... more This article analyzes the impact of the changing international order on the subjugation of state citizens. The increased need for security brought on by great power competition has led states to become more authoritarian. Citizen freedom may decrease as states seek security. With the advancement of facial recognition software, data collection and censorship, the state is encroaching on the rights and freedoms of citizens right to privacy. Authoritarianism is a significant part of a state’s motivation to remain independent and secure as the international order changes from American unipolarity to a multipolar one given the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia. The three traits described, absolutism, organicism, and irrationalism, point to rising authoritarianism providing useful analysis to understand the zero-sum relationship between liberty and security.
Weak States in International Relations Theory, 2015
In an article titled “Thinking Outside the Bloc: Explaining the Foreign Policies of Small States,... more In an article titled “Thinking Outside the Bloc: Explaining the Foreign Policies of Small States,” Gvalia et al. attempt to explain away the abnormality of Georgian action as against the supposition that small states are limited to bandwagoning. They argue that Georgia balanced against Russia due to elitist nationalist and Western ideology that constructed Georgian foreign policy after the Rose Revolution (Gvalia et al. 2013, 99). Ideas about identity and the purpose of the state combined to form Georgian reaction to the breakaway regions of South Ossetia, despite their deep economic relationship with, and close proximity to, Russia at the time (Ibid., 100). They did so because “The European idea is based on the long-term development of the country. If we are with the West, Georgia will mature as a state and society” (Ibid., 113). This Westward movement for development’s sake led Russia to support separatist movements in Abkhazia and South Ossetia as a way to counter Georgian foreign policy. All this occurred as Georgia’s economic dependence on Russia increased between 2003 and 2006, even during the Rose Revolution. What does all this mean? More importantly, was Georgian military action in 2008 simply an effort to retake Georgian lands, depending on Western support to counter Russian responses, given their simultaneous relationship with these two rivals?
Cyberspace and International Relations, 2013
Deterrence theory states that world stability can be maintained if the costs of war far out-weigh... more Deterrence theory states that world stability can be maintained if the costs of war far out-weigh its benefits. Weapons and strategies that make defense cheaper and offense more costly decrease the likelihood of conflict. Nuclear weapons may have thereby helped create the stability of the Cold War via the costs associated with launching first; according to this argument, war between the US and USSR never occurred because the price of war (i.e. mutual destruction) was too high. This theoretical paper will extend this argument to cyber-attacks and suggest that in order to maintain the security of a nation’s information technology, cyber-defense systems that correspond with Deterrence theory must be introduced. Cyber-attacks can be deterred if the proper system, a virus wall, is in place to counter any infiltration of a nation’s defense systems. This proposed virus wall would be a way to achieve stability from nation state cyber-attacks. Theoretical advancements of International Relations will also be proposed, specifically considering the area of Security Studies.
The International History Review
Post-Cold War literature was a historicist effort to remake the international order and prolong A... more Post-Cold War literature was a historicist effort to remake the international order and prolong American hegemony. Major works by Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington describe a world of conflict and disorder while Francis Fukuyama and Thomas Friedman showed that the world was headed toward unstoppable progress. Some were critical of these efforts. John Mearsheimer, Michael Hardt, and Antonio Negri saw the world as a product of power, albeit from different ontological standpoints: the state versus unseen forces, respectively. The first section defines historicism and highlights how literature can be considered historicist, what Karl Popper would deem pseudoscientific. One goal of historicism is the transformation of the world to fit a specific vision. Antonio Gramsci refers to this as praxis. The second section will summarize the Post-Cold War literature and highlight historicism.
The RUSI Journal, 2024
This article discusses the impact of the Armenian-Azeri conflict on regional insecurity and a str... more This article discusses the impact of the Armenian-Azeri conflict on regional insecurity and a strategic partnership between Turkey and Russia in the South Caucasus. Like the Ottoman and Russian Empires of old, Russia and Turkey continued to have conflicting interests in the region after the end of the Cold War. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 turned this confrontation into a partnership between Moscow and Ankara, as both Russia and Turkey exploited opportunities to expand their control and influence in the region. Lilia Arakelyan and Hanna Kassab argue that Russia and Turkey’s prestige-seeking behaviour is based on reciprocated recognition of greatness through cooperation and mutual support.
Routledge eBooks, Jul 1, 2020
This chapter focuses on gangs and counter-gang strategies and how they have contributed to violen... more This chapter focuses on gangs and counter-gang strategies and how they have contributed to violence. It begins with a conceptualization of gangs. After an examination of the different elements that constitute a gang, the chapter discusses the structure of gangs, focusing on the differences between vertical and horizontal structures. It then turns to an examination of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street gangs. It analyzes the origins of these organizations and the different factors that resulted in the expansion of these street gangs throughout Central America. The chapter focuses on the role of tough on crime strategies as well as the consequences of such initiatives. Next, it explores the relationship between Central American street gang members and the penitentiary system. It also explores the relationship between these gangs and the United States and analyzes the policies of the current administration. The chapter concludes with some policy recommendations.
This chapter focuses on the global superstructure and states that facilitate demand and supply. L... more This chapter focuses on the global superstructure and states that facilitate demand and supply. Looking specifically at weak and fragile states of the international system, the chapter illustrates the role of corruption, underdevelopment, and political/institutional weakness that enable global crime and violence. Some fragile states produce the goods and services (e.g., drugs) that are then marketed and ultimately sold to other countries. This means the United States and states of the European Union are the target of illicit suppliers; and as long as people in those states demand those goods, organized criminal networks will thrive. The chapter encourages more coordination through already established regimes like Interpol.
Throughout history, human beings have used violence for survival, to achieve goals, for pleasure,... more Throughout history, human beings have used violence for survival, to achieve goals, for pleasure, and to neutralize past wrongs. At times, mankind detests war but may also praise war. In today's world, some people even seek to hurt others with whom they disagree with politically. Some individuals, like Andre Malraux, even praise violence rather than finding it regrettable, saying it is the "most profound experience of brotherhood." 1 This chapter hopes to further conceptualize violence, looking at the many types of violence and what it hopes to achieve. It looks at physical violence and its many forms as well as structural violence and the lack of economic security and its ramifications. We will look at political violence, especially when coupled with a religious belief or fervor. This includes political beliefs as we have seen after the election of Donald Trump. This chapter will also explain the relationship between state-sponsored crime and violence as well as terrorism.
Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks, 2015
Weak states are not the exception; like any other state, they operate within the international sy... more Weak states are not the exception; like any other state, they operate within the international system as described by Structural Realism. According to this theory, while the structure of this system is not made up of weak state capabilities, they are certainly impacted by it. However, the system’s fundamental attribute presents different states with differing capabilities and the ability to behave in very different ways. Thus, the primary mover of all international politics is the structure of the international system. Great power security behavior creates the international system. Hence, great power behavior forms my key independent variable.
Chinese Political Science Review
Language is a clear indicator of political change. As China continues to rise and expand its infl... more Language is a clear indicator of political change. As China continues to rise and expand its influence in the South China Seas, threatened neighboring states will balance against it. One step in this process is the formulation of persuading language and concepts to accept the threat posed by China. This is demonstrated by the invention and use of the term Indo-Pacific, an area from the eastern part of Africa in the west to the United States in the east. This article traces the genealogy of the term Indo-Pacific as it relates to the securitization of this region given the rise of China. The article will first trace the genealogy of the term Indo-Pacific to then highlight the processes of securitization given changes in the structure of international relations.
Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022
Editorial Perspectivas Internacionales continúa con su meta de estimular el conocimiento político... more Editorial Perspectivas Internacionales continúa con su meta de estimular el conocimiento político en la academia, y con ello trae en su nueva edición artículos que abordan temas diversos desde el ámbito internacional hasta el local, producto del trabajo investigati-vo y cognoscitivo de los autores, sobre el cual se expondrá a continuación una breve reseña con el fin de incentivar al autor a explorar cada uno de ellos con disposición aplicada y exvoto. Así, THE POWER OF EMOTION: EXAMINING THE SEL-FIMMOLATION OF MOHAMAD BOUAZIZI, THE ARAB REVOLUTION AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS pone sobre el escenario el acto suicida como estrategia de comunica-ción con un Estado arbitrario, bajo el fundamento de que es posible ostentar el poder en una cabeza subordinada, con repercusión política no solo en el ámbito nacional sino también interna-cional; e intentar desde la comunidad configurar la estructura estatal contra-diciendo la el ejercicio del poder inmi-nente de la misma sobre su constructo soc...
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Papers by Hanna S . Kassab
A power vacuum is the fundamental absence of legitimate state authority over a geographic territory, and it is a space free of governance. With no state authority governing a geographical region, opportunistic states and organized criminal and terrorist networks may attempt to control that space. Using a variety of historical examples and centering his analysis on ungoverned spaces rather than great powers, Kassab uncovers neglected areas of great power competition. Part 1 discusses state actors: specifically, the strategic space of the Arctic, the Middle East and Africa, and Afghanistan and Central Asia. Part 2 examines non-state actors, such as terrorist networks and organized criminal networks, and the formulation of paramilitaries.
Power Vacuums and Global Politics is the perfect volume for both undergraduate and graduate courses in international relations, security studies, political science, comparative politics, international political economy, and war and peace.
It puts forward the following hypotheses: (1) if China and Russia are expanding their military, political, and economic influence into weaker states globally, then the unipolar American order is unraveling; and (2) if the international system is multipolar, then great power balancing may enhance international security. However, balancing may be made difficult because of weak state aid-seeking behavior. When weak states engage competing great powers, they become spheres of competition. This book delves into these states. Whether in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, or Eastern Europe, great powers hope to establish some control over weaker units for security, economic, and at times, prestige purposes.
by Bruce M. Bagley (Editor), Dina Moulioukova (Editor), Hanna S. Kassab (Editor), Nashira Chavez (Contributor), Eric Farnsworth (Contributor), Edward Glab (Contributor), Jr., Christian Gómez (Contributor), Roger Kanet (Contributor), Chris Kraul (Contributor), Maxime Larive (Contributor), Vladimir Rouvinski (Contributor), Diana Soller (Contributor), John Twichell (Contributor), Gonzalo Vazquez (Contributor), Harrie Vredenburg (Contributor), Wenyan Wu (Contributor), Lilian Yaffe (Contributor), Marcelo Zorovich (Contributor)
Authors: MARÍA BELÉN AHUMADA; TED GALEN CARPENTER; KHATCHIK DERGHOUGASSIAN; RALPH H. ESPACH; EDUARDO A. GAMARRA; JEAN-CLAUDE GARCIA-ZAMOR; VICTOR J. HINOJOSA; ATHANASIOS HRISTOULAS; MARIA ILCHEVA; HANNA SAMIR KASSAB; BARNETT S. KOVEN; CYNTHIA MCCLINTOCK; BRADFORD R. MCGUINN; DARIO MORENO; ORLANDO J. PÉREZ; CHRISTA L. REMINGTON; JONATHAN D. ROSEN; OLIVER SANTÍN PEÑA; DIANNE WILLIAMS AND ROBERTO ZEPEDA MARTÍNEZ