history & theory

Federal Republic participated with paramedics in the UNTAC mission (1991-1993): For the first time since the end of World War II, German soldiers were on a military operation abroad. On October 3, 1993, full diplomatic relations were re-established. Until the 1990s, both states had a rather aloof relationship – a fact that finally emerged as a huge advantage.

Young Chinese, including those in Hong Kong, must learn from history if they truly want to make the world a better place, says the founder of Shanghai’s first “comfort women” museum that opened at the weekend. “It’s always important to learn from history,” said Professor Su Zhiliang of Shanghai Normal University, who spent more than two decades researching the issue of comfort women 

Since his election in October 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been focusing on the re-branding of Canadian soft power and has concentrated on returning to the “international mediator” position it had held at the end of the 20th century. The strides he has made towards this has been reflected in his shuttle diplomacy with governments and organizations across the world.

Filipinos are the second largest Asian Pacific Islander group in Washington state. This year, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) established “1946: A Turning Point” as its theme, marking the 70th anniversary of the 1946 laws that brought us the Filipino American community that we know today.

This week brings celebrations to mark a momentous event not just for Germany but also for Europe and the world. Yesterday, October 3, saw festivities all over the country and abroad to mark the 26th anniversary of Germany’s reunification. [...] These events paved the way for German reunification and marked the end of the Cold War and European division.

Although China lacked the creativity to produce a soft power hit like the popular Disney movie, it seems to have the vision to shape something bigger: the “One Belt, One Road” initiative – the supreme mixture of soft and hard power, something similar to Joseph Nye’s idea of smart power. China has the power, now can ‘One Belt, One Road’ take it down the path to glory?

Those in charge of foreign policy, be they the president of the United States or the prime minister of Great Britain, face situations their predecessors never experienced. Literally every important event around the globe is instantaneously reported, most of the time on television. 

Expos, the quinquennial display of national, corporate and cultural hegemony started as commercial fairs more like today’s trade shows than the theme parks they are today. [...] Subsequent expos evolved into highly branded affairs in which participants sought a revivified international identity as nations and did so with increasingly bombastic pavilions.

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