Kai E Lehmann | Universidade de São Paulo (original) (raw)
Papers by Kai E Lehmann
Corruption is such a problem in Honduras, already one of the poorest countries in the Western Hem... more Corruption is such a problem in Honduras, already one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, that some call it the “operating system” in the country. Years of initiatives to resolve this problem have not had much impact.
Conjuntura Internacional, 2014
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender qual tipo de crise esta sendo enfrentada na Eur... more O presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender qual tipo de crise esta sendo enfrentada na Europa. O argumento central é que a crise europeia tem motivações mais profundas e estas podem ser mais bem interpretadas por duas linhas de pensamento. Este artigo será dividido em três seguimentos: na primeira parte será feito um panorama da corrente situação e sua adaptação no contexto histórico; na segunda parte, o corrente cenário será analisado e será demonstrado a crise de liderança política; por fim, serão feitas sugestões para auxiliar a emergência da Europa desta crise.
Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 2011
Foreign policy crises have traditionally been seen as turning points. Avoiding crises or, if they... more Foreign policy crises have traditionally been seen as turning points. Avoiding crises or, if they occur, resolving them has been a key objective of international politics. Historically, responses to crises have followed clear and predictable patterns: power centralizes around the leader of the executive, who, in turn, uses such power to formulate a seemingly unambiguous response that should lead to a clear end, the resolution of the crisis. This framework has been applied to events ranging from world wars to short-term events and is enshrined in many state constitutions, as well as built into national bureaucratic systems. It is based on order, reductionism, predictability and determinism. In this work, it will be argued that such responses are based on a misconception of what crises represent. It will be shown that crises represent complex adaptive systems. Political leaders should respond to crises by quickly decentralizing the policy process in order to enable a process of self-organization. Suggestions will be made on how this should be done.
JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies
Contexto Internacional, 2013
As shown by Williamson (2009), there is a long-standing and, in many ways, obvious political and ... more As shown by Williamson (2009), there is a long-standing and, in many ways, obvious political and economic connection between
Cooperation and Conflict, 2012
Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fie... more Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fierce debate has been taking place both in the academic and the political world about the problems traditional concepts and theories of international relations and foreign policy have in explaining change in international politics. Complexity as a conceptual framework for explaining international politics emerged as a result of this debate and has been making important contributions to it. This article is intended to assess the impact complexity has had on this debate over the last 20 years. It is argued that one can identify three distinct phases of complexity's emergence into the field of international politics. Whilst the framework has been quite successful in explaining change in international politics and developing concepts to adjust foreign policy to the existence of self-organising complex-adaptive systems, the framework still has some way to go in developing clear alternative strategies for the development of foreign policies processes which not only take account of the complexity encountered by policy-makers but use this complexity to improve policy-outcomes. To this end, the article concludes by suggesting areas for further research.
Revista de Sociologia e Política, 2014
It is common today, even in the European media, to treat the current crisis of the European Union... more It is common today, even in the European media, to treat the current crisis of the European Union almost exclusively as an economic crisis. The present article pretends to show that such a focus is not only wrong but is indeed dangerous for the future development of the European Union as a whole. The article will argue that the present economic crisis simply aggravated – and a lot – a crisis of legitimacy through which the European Union has been passing for some time. Showing that the anti-European tendencies which are spreading throughout the countries of the continent threaten the very future of the European project, the article will make suggestion on reforms for the future development of the EU, alerting to the necessity to finally elaborate once again a coherent argument for the continuation of the European integration process which puts the European population at the heart of the political process instead of just austerity.
For the last 20 years Brazil pursued an activist foreign policy both in relation to its own regio... more For the last 20 years Brazil pursued an activist foreign policy both in relation to its own region and the wider world. Yet, in recent years, many Brazil's initiatives have stalled or collapsed. The argument put forward is that this inertia is largely due to the almost total absence of Brazilian political leadership, especially in South America. Yet, such leadership is urgently needed in the face of multiple regional and international challenges, with the political and economic crisis serving here as an illustrative case study. Particular attention here will also be paid to the role of UNASUR in this crisis. Using the conceptual framework of Complexity and Human System Dynamics (HSD), it will be argued that Brazil cannot assume the leadership role that is needed because its foreign policy is marked by a lack of overarching objective, muddled foreign policy execution and a lack of clear channels through which to formulate such a coherent policy which has the chance to achieve its strategic objectives. The article will propose ways for Brazil to redefine its foreign policy approach and objectives to become the dynamic leader the region needs.
Article in 'Ciência Hoje' on President Santos of Colombia receiving the Nobel Peace Prize
Latin America is one of the most peaceful regions on earth in terms of conflict. Yet, it is, at t... more Latin America is one of the most peaceful regions on earth in terms of conflict. Yet, it is, at the same time, the world's most violent region in terms of crime, accounting for a third of all homicides, is one of the world's key corridors for drug trafficking and is marked by continuous political instability, as can currently be witnessed in Venezuela as well as parts of Central America. Bearing this apparently contradictory scenario in mind, the paper will ask what role regional organizations and institutions can and do play in addressing the challenge of providing a minimum of security to Latin America's population. Taking Honduras as a representative case study, the paper will use Complexity Theory and Human System Dynamics as a conceptual framework in order to reinterpret the role regional organizations play in Latin American security management and suggest an innovative new approach to deal with this problem. 2
The Americas are amongst the most peaceful regions in the world when it comes to armed conflicts-... more The Americas are amongst the most peaceful regions in the world when it comes to armed conflicts-even taking into account the ongoing civil conflict in Colombia. Particularly in Central America, regionalism has been credited for making a significant contribution towards this transformation towards an apparently peaceful region. Yet, this absence of conflict does not mean the absence of violence. In fact, Central-and South America account for almost 40% of the world's recorded homicides, a trend sustained, amongst other things, by the international drugs trade, corruption and a general weakness of the state. Taking the European Union's role in Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela as comparative studies, the proposed paper seeks to answer the question why it has not been possible to transform the absence of conflict into an absence (or, at least, reduction) of violence in the Americas? Based on the evaluation of an emerging new literature on the subject as well as interviews with key policy actors, the paper will end by making concrete policy proposals on how the EU can contribute to dealing with violence in the Americas.
Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fie... more Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fierce debate has been taking place both in the academic and the political world about the problems traditional concepts and theories of international relations and foreign policy have in explaining change in international politics. Complexity as a conceptual framework for explaining international politics emerged as a result of this debate and has been making important contributions to it. This article is intended to assess the impact complexity has had on this debate over the last 20 years. It is argued that one can identify three distinct phases of complexity's emergence into the field of international politics. Whilst the framework has been quite successful in explaining change in international politics and developing concepts to adjust foreign policy to the existence of self-organising complex-adaptive systems, the framework still has some way to go in developing clear alternative strategies for the development of foreign policies processes which not only take account of the complexity encountered by policy-makers but use this complexity to improve policy-outcomes. To this end, the article concludes by suggesting areas for further research.
Corruption is such a problem in Honduras, already one of the poorest countries in the Western Hem... more Corruption is such a problem in Honduras, already one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, that some call it the “operating system” in the country. Years of initiatives to resolve this problem have not had much impact.
Conjuntura Internacional, 2014
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender qual tipo de crise esta sendo enfrentada na Eur... more O presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender qual tipo de crise esta sendo enfrentada na Europa. O argumento central é que a crise europeia tem motivações mais profundas e estas podem ser mais bem interpretadas por duas linhas de pensamento. Este artigo será dividido em três seguimentos: na primeira parte será feito um panorama da corrente situação e sua adaptação no contexto histórico; na segunda parte, o corrente cenário será analisado e será demonstrado a crise de liderança política; por fim, serão feitas sugestões para auxiliar a emergência da Europa desta crise.
Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 2011
Foreign policy crises have traditionally been seen as turning points. Avoiding crises or, if they... more Foreign policy crises have traditionally been seen as turning points. Avoiding crises or, if they occur, resolving them has been a key objective of international politics. Historically, responses to crises have followed clear and predictable patterns: power centralizes around the leader of the executive, who, in turn, uses such power to formulate a seemingly unambiguous response that should lead to a clear end, the resolution of the crisis. This framework has been applied to events ranging from world wars to short-term events and is enshrined in many state constitutions, as well as built into national bureaucratic systems. It is based on order, reductionism, predictability and determinism. In this work, it will be argued that such responses are based on a misconception of what crises represent. It will be shown that crises represent complex adaptive systems. Political leaders should respond to crises by quickly decentralizing the policy process in order to enable a process of self-organization. Suggestions will be made on how this should be done.
JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies
Contexto Internacional, 2013
As shown by Williamson (2009), there is a long-standing and, in many ways, obvious political and ... more As shown by Williamson (2009), there is a long-standing and, in many ways, obvious political and economic connection between
Cooperation and Conflict, 2012
Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fie... more Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fierce debate has been taking place both in the academic and the political world about the problems traditional concepts and theories of international relations and foreign policy have in explaining change in international politics. Complexity as a conceptual framework for explaining international politics emerged as a result of this debate and has been making important contributions to it. This article is intended to assess the impact complexity has had on this debate over the last 20 years. It is argued that one can identify three distinct phases of complexity's emergence into the field of international politics. Whilst the framework has been quite successful in explaining change in international politics and developing concepts to adjust foreign policy to the existence of self-organising complex-adaptive systems, the framework still has some way to go in developing clear alternative strategies for the development of foreign policies processes which not only take account of the complexity encountered by policy-makers but use this complexity to improve policy-outcomes. To this end, the article concludes by suggesting areas for further research.
Revista de Sociologia e Política, 2014
It is common today, even in the European media, to treat the current crisis of the European Union... more It is common today, even in the European media, to treat the current crisis of the European Union almost exclusively as an economic crisis. The present article pretends to show that such a focus is not only wrong but is indeed dangerous for the future development of the European Union as a whole. The article will argue that the present economic crisis simply aggravated – and a lot – a crisis of legitimacy through which the European Union has been passing for some time. Showing that the anti-European tendencies which are spreading throughout the countries of the continent threaten the very future of the European project, the article will make suggestion on reforms for the future development of the EU, alerting to the necessity to finally elaborate once again a coherent argument for the continuation of the European integration process which puts the European population at the heart of the political process instead of just austerity.
For the last 20 years Brazil pursued an activist foreign policy both in relation to its own regio... more For the last 20 years Brazil pursued an activist foreign policy both in relation to its own region and the wider world. Yet, in recent years, many Brazil's initiatives have stalled or collapsed. The argument put forward is that this inertia is largely due to the almost total absence of Brazilian political leadership, especially in South America. Yet, such leadership is urgently needed in the face of multiple regional and international challenges, with the political and economic crisis serving here as an illustrative case study. Particular attention here will also be paid to the role of UNASUR in this crisis. Using the conceptual framework of Complexity and Human System Dynamics (HSD), it will be argued that Brazil cannot assume the leadership role that is needed because its foreign policy is marked by a lack of overarching objective, muddled foreign policy execution and a lack of clear channels through which to formulate such a coherent policy which has the chance to achieve its strategic objectives. The article will propose ways for Brazil to redefine its foreign policy approach and objectives to become the dynamic leader the region needs.
Article in 'Ciência Hoje' on President Santos of Colombia receiving the Nobel Peace Prize
Latin America is one of the most peaceful regions on earth in terms of conflict. Yet, it is, at t... more Latin America is one of the most peaceful regions on earth in terms of conflict. Yet, it is, at the same time, the world's most violent region in terms of crime, accounting for a third of all homicides, is one of the world's key corridors for drug trafficking and is marked by continuous political instability, as can currently be witnessed in Venezuela as well as parts of Central America. Bearing this apparently contradictory scenario in mind, the paper will ask what role regional organizations and institutions can and do play in addressing the challenge of providing a minimum of security to Latin America's population. Taking Honduras as a representative case study, the paper will use Complexity Theory and Human System Dynamics as a conceptual framework in order to reinterpret the role regional organizations play in Latin American security management and suggest an innovative new approach to deal with this problem. 2
The Americas are amongst the most peaceful regions in the world when it comes to armed conflicts-... more The Americas are amongst the most peaceful regions in the world when it comes to armed conflicts-even taking into account the ongoing civil conflict in Colombia. Particularly in Central America, regionalism has been credited for making a significant contribution towards this transformation towards an apparently peaceful region. Yet, this absence of conflict does not mean the absence of violence. In fact, Central-and South America account for almost 40% of the world's recorded homicides, a trend sustained, amongst other things, by the international drugs trade, corruption and a general weakness of the state. Taking the European Union's role in Colombia, Honduras and Venezuela as comparative studies, the proposed paper seeks to answer the question why it has not been possible to transform the absence of conflict into an absence (or, at least, reduction) of violence in the Americas? Based on the evaluation of an emerging new literature on the subject as well as interviews with key policy actors, the paper will end by making concrete policy proposals on how the EU can contribute to dealing with violence in the Americas.
Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fie... more Ever since the end of the Cold War and, in particular, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a fierce debate has been taking place both in the academic and the political world about the problems traditional concepts and theories of international relations and foreign policy have in explaining change in international politics. Complexity as a conceptual framework for explaining international politics emerged as a result of this debate and has been making important contributions to it. This article is intended to assess the impact complexity has had on this debate over the last 20 years. It is argued that one can identify three distinct phases of complexity's emergence into the field of international politics. Whilst the framework has been quite successful in explaining change in international politics and developing concepts to adjust foreign policy to the existence of self-organising complex-adaptive systems, the framework still has some way to go in developing clear alternative strategies for the development of foreign policies processes which not only take account of the complexity encountered by policy-makers but use this complexity to improve policy-outcomes. To this end, the article concludes by suggesting areas for further research.