At the zoo the sign reads, “It’s absolutely forbidden to throw anything into the crocodile-enclosure! Someone has to take it out. Do you want to be that someone!?” We are seeing a significant level of irresponsibility in international affairs - the equivalent of throwing something into the crocodile enclosure, creating a situation that needs to be sorted out and cleaned up, almost certainly not by the offender. Dan Smith uses years of experience and research to explore three key points. He identifies the indicators of danger and we best characterise the perils. He explains how has the present situation come about. And he presents ideas for how to reduce and perhaps eliminate the dangers, and how to mitigate and perhaps solve the problems they produce.
Preface: Explaining the basic metaphor
Chapter 1: The Crocodile Enclosure
Indicators of risk
Chapter 2: Human security and international stability
Linking two often separated areas of concern
Chapter 3: Our fraying web of connectedness
The underlying problems: Destructive progress, deficient institutions
Chapter 4: The persistence of armed conflict
Drivers and the problem of response
Chapter 5: When crocodiles are restless
Transformation in the global balance of power generates too much opportunity
Chapter 6: The good news
SDGs, Paris Agreement, Migration agreement 2018, awareness
Chapter 7: The volcano
What would happen if there were a super-eruption?
