Suchergebnisse

Examines the foreign policy interests of groups that represent Canadian Muslims who are becoming increasingly active in political circles. Data were obtained from an analysis of the press releases & subscriber e-mails of two leading Canadian Muslim groups -- the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) & the Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada (CAIR-CAN) -- for the period from 2000 to 2005. The results indicated that there was a greater emphasis on domestic issues than foreign policy. However, the foreign policy interests of both groups were similar & tended to focus on events or issues that involved Muslims. Considerable attention was given to terrorism & conflicts, especially in Iraq & Israel/the Palestinian territories. Both organizations seemed to be more influenced by international events than by Canadian foreign policy debates & ethnic composition appeared to have only a minimal impact on foreign policy views. Although the Muslim identity of CIC & CAIR-CAN contributes to defining their interests to some degree, their foreign policy interests are also shaped by other international, domestic, community, & organizational factors.

Across politics and public discourse, feminism is experiencing a global renaissance. Yet feminist academic work is divided over the burgeoning use of the term, particularly in reference to economic and international development policy. For some, feminism has been co-opted for neoliberal economic ends; for others, it remains a critical force across the globe. This article explores the nascent feminist foreign policies of Sweden and Canada. Employing a discourse analysis of both states' policy documents, it asks what the term "feminist" meant in preliminary attempts at constructing a feminist foreign policy. It argues that although both use the term "feminist," they understand the term very differently, with Sweden centering it in domestic and international commitments to change, while Canada places greater emphasis on the private sector. This suggests that this policy agenda is still developing its central concepts, and is thus ripe for intervention on the part of policymakers and civil society organizations.

Examines implications of the Jan. 1996 completion of the customs union with the European Union, the status of financial and institutional cooperation, and prospects for membership in the European Union.