Living in the Smog: Life in Ulaanbaatar, The World’s Most Polluted Capital

If asked to imagine Mongolia, you might think of Genghis Khan and his mighty Mongol hordes galloping across the Central Asian steppes, or you might think of rural yurts and large herds of horses and cattle. What you most likely would not think of is an urban city filled with smog that contains 45% of the nation’s population. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is currently considered to be … Continue reading Living in the Smog: Life in Ulaanbaatar, The World’s Most Polluted Capital

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A Little Overview Of The Upcoming Australian Elections

After looking through the archives of The Consul (before we renamed to the Penn International Relations Journal), there has been a lack of news or analysis regarding Australia. This is simultaneously strange and depressing, since there is actually a lot to talk about regarding the country (and its neighbor, New Zealand, and honestly, more articles should be written about that country as well). Between its … Continue reading A Little Overview Of The Upcoming Australian Elections

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The Price of Lives: The Indonesian Tsunami

How much money represents the value of a human life?  In Indonesia this number rests around 69,000 US dollars.  This was clearly expressed on Friday September 28, 2018 when the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia was hit with an 18 foot tsunami with little to no warning.   Indonesia is one of the most densely populated nations in the world with a population of 261 million … Continue reading The Price of Lives: The Indonesian Tsunami

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A Quick Overview Of Park Geun-Hye’s Spectacular Fall From Grace

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Written In Late 2016. It Is Being Re-Published. After all that she has been through, there is now a nude painting of Park Geun-hye. After the past three months, the beleaguered Korean president has been through a self-imposed hell. Ever since it was discovered that her closest confidante was engaged in massive corruption, President Park and the rest of South Korean politics has been in upheaval, ranging from mass protests in … Continue reading A Quick Overview Of Park Geun-Hye’s Spectacular Fall From Grace

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Rama IX Dead, Thailand Potentially Left In Vulnerable Position

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Written In Late Fall 2016. It Is Being Re-Published. Last week, the Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej died after years of prolonged illness. Given the king’s reputation, the massive outpouring of grief was unsurprising. Government employees have been ordered to wear black for a year, the infamous red light district in Bangkok has all but shut down, and the mourning has gotten so severe that there is a shortage in black clothing. The … Continue reading Rama IX Dead, Thailand Potentially Left In Vulnerable Position

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A Brief Overview Of Some Populist Right Parties In Europe

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Written In December 2015 For The Fall 2015 Issue Of The Consul. This Article Is Being Republished. The past decade has seen a massive increase in migration and refugees within Europe. The Syrian Civil War, the disintegration of order in Libya, and the crisis brought about by the Islamic State. This had led to a degree of upheaval within parts of Europe. Within the Mediterranean, thousands have died trying to cross to Southern Europe in over packed, shoddily-built boats. For … Continue reading A Brief Overview Of Some Populist Right Parties In Europe

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Tsai Ing-Wen And Her Party Defeats Kuomintang, Becomes First Female Taiwanese President

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Originally Written In January 2016 For The Old Consul Website. It Is Being Re-Published. In a near-unprecedented event, an East Asian nation had elected a woman to the presidency. The nation: the Republic of China. The woman: Tsai Ing-Wen. In an equally unprecedented move, the Taiwanese elected Tsai’s party, the Democratic Progressive Party into the majority of the Legislative Yuan at the same time. Many on the island see the January elections as a referendum … Continue reading Tsai Ing-Wen And Her Party Defeats Kuomintang, Becomes First Female Taiwanese President

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Despite Predictions Of Instability, Kim’s DPRK Surprisingly Stable

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Originally Written In August 2015, And Used For The Fall 2015 Issue. It Is Being Re-Published Online Yesterday was the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the dominant party in North Korea: the Workers’ Party. The massive amount of pomp and propaganda are juxtaposed with the precarious position that the reclusive nation is in. The nation is facing the worst drought it has encountered in a century, with much of its … Continue reading Despite Predictions Of Instability, Kim’s DPRK Surprisingly Stable

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In Shocking Reversal, Abe Curbs Japan’s Post-War Pacifism

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Originally Written In September 2015 For The Old Consul Website. It Is Being Re-Published Last week, in a move that reversed a seventy-year-old precedent, the Japanese Diet, led by Premier Shinzo Abe, curtailed its constitutionally-mandated pacifism. On September 18, 2015, late in the evening, the Diet passed legislation expanding the ability for the nation to engage in war for “collective self-defense.” Under the planned changes, Japan can now assume combat roles to aid their allies, … Continue reading In Shocking Reversal, Abe Curbs Japan’s Post-War Pacifism

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After Paris Massacre, Le Pen Uses Tragedy To Mobilize For Regional Elections

Editor’s Note: This Article Was Originally Written In November 2015 For The Old Consul Website. It Is Being Re-Published Amid the aftermath of massacre in Paris on Saturday, some French politicians have decided to politicize the tragedy in time for December’s regional elections. The main culprit: Marine le Pen and the National Front, the far-right party she leads. In the last three weeks of the campaign season, Le Pen and her party has called for the immediate halt of all intake … Continue reading After Paris Massacre, Le Pen Uses Tragedy To Mobilize For Regional Elections

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