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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Oil Price and Russia’s Economy

The coronavirus crisis has hit the Russian economy at one of the worst possible times. As this graphic illustrates, since 2014/15, it has been impacted by low oil prices and Western sanctions and has recorded only moderate growth rates over the past three years.

For more on how the coronavirus crisis is a strain on the Russian economy and constitutes a stress test for the popularity of the regime, read Jeronim Perović’s CSS Analysis in Security Policy here.

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Südostasien und das China-Dilemma: Corona-Politik verstärkt geopolitische Trends

Bild: Lawrence Broadnax/DVIDS

Dieser Blogbeitrag gehört zur Coronavirus-Blog-Reihe des CSS, die einen Teil des Forschungsprojektes zu den sicherheitspolitischen Implikationen der Corona-Krise bildet. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf der CSS-Sonderthemenseite zur Corona-Krise.

Südostasien ist ein Brennpunkt in der strategischen Rivalität zwischen China und den USA. Was sich auf globaler Ebene abzuzeichnen beginnt, ist in dieser Weltregion bereits Realität: In einem wachsenden Konflikt konkurrieren China und die USA mit wirtschaftlichen, diplomatischen und teils militärischen Mitteln um Einflussnahme und versuchen die Machtbalance zu ihren Gunsten zu verändern. Dabei fördern sie kollidierende politische Initiativen und Ordnungsvorstellungen. Auch die Möglichkeit einer militärischen Auseinandersetzung rund um die Krisenherde im Südchinesischen Meer scheinen beide Seiten zunehmend in Kauf zu nehmen. In Südostasien verstärkt die Corona-Krise geopolitische Machtverschiebungen und politische (Neu-)Ausrichtungen.

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Contact Tracing Apps in Selected Countries

In the context of the global efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, digital technologies are taking on a role that is both visible and controversial. This graphic maps Contact Tracing Apps in selected countries and offers details on some of its features, such as data storage and technology used for device detection.

For more on the use of digital technologies during the coronavirus crisis, read Sophie-Charlotte Fischer, Kevin Kohler and Andreas Wenger’s CSS Analysis in Security Policy here.

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Cyber CSS Blog

The Failure of Academic Progress in Cybersecurity

Image courtesy of andrew_t8/Pixabay.

This article was originally published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on 20 July 2020.

Academic progress in cybersecurity studies from a social sciences perspective has been slow. In order to develop as a field, it needs a methodological framework, more developed theories, and collaboration that transcends disciplinary boundaries.

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CSS Blog

The Belt and Road Initiative in Eurasia

For transit between China and Europe, railway links are paramount. Albeit at least three times more expensive than shipping, overland rail transport can cut transportation times in half to around two weeks. This graphic maps several infrastructure and extraction projects, including railroads and pipelines, in Eurasia that have been labeled as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

For an insight into the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Eurasia, read Benno Zogg’s chapter in Strategic Trends 2020, which can be found here.