Global Issues

What is at stake in a US presidential election in terms of American foreign policy? How might the temperament and world-views of the respective candidates be interpreted? In this paper Dr Michael Fullilove compares and contrasts the foreign policies of Barack Obama and John McCain in the 2008

In this piece for the East-West Center, Washington, International Security Program Director Rory Medcalf argues that Australia and India are hesitating at the brink of real partnership in their strategic relations. It will take sustained political will on both sides over the next few years to bring

To mark the recent passing of Russell Trood, the Lowy Institute is proud to present his 2008 Lowy Institute Paper on Australian foreign policy in the 21st century

In this Policy Brief, Malcolm Cook and Mark Thirlwell make the case for a greater role for the G-20 in the international economic architecture

In a new Lowy Institute Analysis, John Bowan looks at the progress of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On the technical side all looks good. 

This Working Paper in International Economics by David Pearce and Warwick McKibbin explores two issues that have emerged in recent policy discussions on the need for price signals to encourage efficient abatement of greenhouse gases. 

After years of economic underperformance, the Indian economic model has been transformed, and with it, India's growth performance. So much so that the last two years have brought both a widespread rethink on India’s prospects and a wave of foreign portfolio investment. 

In this Lowy Institute Paper, Dr Michael Fullilove argues that national diasporas are like ‘“world wide webs”’, with dense, interlocking strands spanning the globe and binding different individuals, institutions and countries together. The Paper follows those strands and describes the webs

The unrest in Honiara of 18-19 April underlines the fragility of Solomon Islands as well as the sheer difficulty of rebuilding weak states. The background to and key features of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) were set out in this March 2006 Analysis by Dr

This Issues Brief assesses the relationship between the United Nations and Asia – both the UN's activities in Asia and the behaviour of Asian states at the UN. 

In this Lowy Institute Paper, Dr Michael Fullilove and Dr Chloë Flutter argue that the community of Australian expatriates is a great asset for this country. 

John Bowan, a former senior Australian foreign policy official, and consultant to Beijing's successful Olympic bid, examines how Beijing and China won the 2008 Games and what this will mean for China and its position in the world.The 2008 Olympics will open China to unprecedented international