Interdependence Journal of International Studies

Serangan Rusia ke Ukraina Tahun 2022: Perspektif Dilema Keamanan

Nur Fadila — 2025-11-09

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations between Russia and Ukraine have fluctuated, encompassing a period of cooperation that began in 1997 and a period of tension that began in 2004. In 2022, tensions between the two countries reached their peak due to Russia's attack on Ukraine. The research aimed to explain Russia’s attack to Ukraine in 2022 and the reasons behind it. This research is a qualitative and case study research using secondary data extracted by reviewing the literature. The research concept employed in this study was the Security Dilemma concept. The results show that the reason for Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022 is Russia's security dilemma due to Ukraine's desire to join NATO. If Ukraine joins NATO, Russia feels that its national security will be threatened due to the possibility of building NATO military bases in Ukraine and the loss of Russian influence over Ukraine.

China's Mediation Efforts In Resolving Afghanistan's Internal Conflict In 2016-2021

Dhy'vab Yusuf Madjid — 2025-11-09

This research examines China's mediation efforts in resolving Afghanistan's internal conflict between 2016 and 2021, emphasizing the strategic national interests driving its involvement. Employing a qualitative explanatory method, the study utilizes secondary data gathered from scholarly literature, official reports, and policy documents. The data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman's interactive model, involving data collection, reduction, display, and conclusion.

The findings demonstrate that China's mediation is primarily motivated by its economic and security interests, notably its intent to safeguard investments and curb the spread of extremism into Xinjiang. Additionally, China seeks to promote regional stability to support the broader objectives of its Belt and Road Initiative. By engaging in bilateral dialogues and multilateral platforms—including collaboration with both the Afghan government and the Taliban—China has established itself as a pragmatic and influential actor in Central Asia’s peace process. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of China's foreign policy approach, regional engagement strategies, and conflict resolution diplomacy.

Analisis Kepentingan Indonesia Dalam Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN

Arif Wicaksa — 2025-11-09

This study describes the factors inhibiting the optimization of Indonesia's interests within the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), employing Keohane and Nye's theoretical framework of Asymmetric Interdependence. Utilizing a qualitative library research method, the study examines Indonesia's position across four key areas: trade structure, investment flows, skilled labor mobility, and integration into Global Value Chains (GVCs). The findings reveal that Indonesia's relationship with fellow MEA member states is fundamentally asymmetrical. Indonesia remains locked into the role of a raw material supplier, a destination for extractive-consumptive investment, and an exporter of informal labor, while simultaneously being a net importer of high-value manufactured goods, a user of foreign skilled labor, and a consumer of final products. This pattern creates long-term structural vulnerabilities, weakens Indonesia's bargaining position, and hinders its economic transformation. The study concludes that Asymmetric Interdependence is a fundamental inhibiting factor that constrains Indonesia's ability to optimally leverage the MEA, necessitating strategic and long-term-oriented corrective policies.

Strategi Taliban dalam Mengambil Alih Pemerintahan Afghanistan

Braily Diaz Nizardi Bhakti Nizardi Bhakti — 2025-11-09

The establishment of the Taliban in Afghanistan led to significant conflict and upheaval after the withdrawal of the Soviet Union on February 15, 1989. Initially, the presence of the Taliban was seen as a source of hope for the Afghan community, who longed for stability after the Soviet conflict, which had resulted in a prolonged power struggle. However, that hope faded when the Taliban imposed repressive rules on the Afghan people. In 1996, the Taliban successfully took control of the Afghan government for the first time but collapsed in 2001 due to the US invasion following the 9/11 attacks. During this period, the Taliban faced destruction but eventually regained strength, and in 2021, it once again took control of Afghanistan.This paper aims to explain the strategies used by the Taliban to take over the Afghan government. The author uses Bruce Hoffman's concept of terrorism, supported by the views of other experts, to address the question of what strategies the Taliban employed. The results show that suicide bombings, symbolic violence, and the use of media and propaganda were key elements of the Taliban’s strategy. These approaches contributed to the loss of government credibility and ultimately paved the way for the Taliban to regain control of Afghanistan.

Keywords: Taliban, Afghanistan, Taliban Strategy, Terrorism

Propaganda Budaya sebagai Moral warfare: Musik Populer dan Resistensi Etik di Era Peperangan Asimetris

Muhammad Ridwan Al Fauzi — 2025-11-09

Entering the era of asymmetric warfare signifies that power is no longer confined to military capability but to the construction of moral legitimacy and cultural narratives. This transformation defines moral warfare, a conflict fought through values, ethics, and symbols that shape public consciousness. This research examines how cultural propaganda, particularly popular music, functions as an instrument of moral warfare and ethical resistance to ideological hegemony. Using integrative qualitative analysis of literature (2020–2025) on war ethics, soft power, and cultural hegemony, the study reveals that popular music influences collective moral awareness through artistic representation, lyrics addressing social issues, and digital dissemination. As a form of counter-hegemonic moral discourse, music integrates ethical, aesthetic, and communicative dimensions, enabling cultural transformation and serving as a non-military defence strategy based on moral persuasion and shared human values.