The ORG Blog

Saving the Stateless? Myanmar, the Rohingya and R2P

The Responsibility to Protect, founded on a particular discourse of sovereignty, has limited usefulness and could even exacerbate the crisis in Myanmar.Read more

The US Congress understands the importance of Special Forces oversight, why doesn’t the UK Parliament?

As special forces are increasingly used in actions overseas, and face growing questions about accountability and resources, it is time for the UK government to abandon its outdated attitude and allow for the democratic oversight of special forces in Parliament.Read more

Still Flying Blind: Peace Operations and Organised Crime

Despite organised crime being recognised as a serious threat to international peace and security, UN missions still lack clear mandates to tackle the problem.Read more

Counterterrorism in Kenya: An Interview with Oscar Mwangi

Oscar Mwangi, a Lesotho-based expert on conflict and security, discusses the recent attack by Al-Shabaab in Nairobi and the problems with Kenya's counterterrorism efforts.Read more

SAS Injured in Syria: Shouldn’t We Understand What Went Wrong?

If a discussion around special forces does not open, there is a clear risk that their deployment will risk contributing to the short-term-ism of Western engagements that have hugely detrimental long-term effects on places where the UK engages militarily.Read more

The Evolution of the Radical Right: An Interview with Matthew Feldman

Matthew Feldman, a specialist on fascist ideology, looks at how the radical right has changed over time.Read more

Violent Borders: An Interview with Reece Jones

Award-winning political geographer Reece Jones discusses the militarisation of borders by states and the detrimental consequences of this practice.Read more

Should An International Climate Crimes Tribunal Be Established?

Given the urgency of effective action on climate change, the idea of an international environmental court warrants careful consideration.Read more

Latest

Improving the UK offer in Africa: Lessons from military partnerships on the continent

Based on field research conducted in Africa with British and international military personnel, this brief focusses on the military contribution to UK efforts in Kenya, Mali and Nigeria.

Populism and Social Media: A Global Perspective

To understand the link between social media and the recent rise of populism we need a global, comparative approach that carefully scrutinises claims about the direct effects of new media technologies on political change.

Saving the Stateless? Myanmar, the Rohingya and R2P

The Responsibility to Protect, founded on a particular discourse of sovereignty, has limited usefulness and could even exacerbate the crisis in Myanmar.

The US Congress understands the importance of Special Forces oversight, why doesn’t the UK Parliament?

The Role of Youth in Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities

Young people are frequently ‘othered’ in discussions about conflict. This is a dangerous practice as youths can play a very positive role aiding peacebuilding in societies recovering from conflict.

Making Bad Economies: The Poverty of Mexican Drug Cartels

Some stories say that local economies benefit from cartels in Mexico. But research suggests that the areas most plagued by drug-related violence have seriously suffered economically.

ORG's Vision

Oxford Research Group (ORG) is an independent organisation that has been influential for over 35 years in pioneering new, more strategic approaches to security and peacebuilding. Based in London since 2006, ORG continues to pursue cutting edge research and advocacy in the United Kingdom and abroad while managing innovative peacebuilding projects in several Middle Eastern countries.

Remote Warfare: Lessons Learned from Contemporary Theatres

This report is a first attempt to identify some of the factors that have helped or hindered the UK’s current approach to remote warfare.

Weavers of Peace: The Higaonon Tribe in the Philippines

The Higaonon, an indigenous tribe in Northern Mindanao in the southern Philippines, have preserved an ancient system of conflict resolution which has enabled them to be a truly peaceful community. However, there is a need to ensure that this knowledge is not lost in the future.

The Cyprus Problem: Why Solve a Comfortable Conflict?

Several diplomatic efforts have been made both domestically and internationally to enhance peaceful unity since the start of the Cyprus Problem. Despite the shortcomings of past efforts, it is still desirable not only to resolve the issue, but also to do so in a timely manner.

Why Does UN Humanitarian Intervention Remain Selective?

Over the past two decades, the United Nations Security Council has responded more strongly to some humanitarian crises than to others. This variation in Security Council action raises the important question of what factors motivate United Nations intervention.