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The symposium is motivated by the question of how the war in Ukraine is ‘framed’ and ‘narrated’ in media outside the West. It aims to shed light on the diverse ways in which information is manipulated and disseminated to serve political interests. The emphasis on developing an interdisciplinary conceptual prism is particularly noteworthy. Integrating insights from International Relations, Geopolitics, and Media and Communication studies offers a holistic understanding of the complex dynamics at play. Moreover, by highlighting the influence of foreign propaganda and disinformation campaigns, the symposium underscores the importance of critically analysing media representations in shaping public perceptions and potentially influencing foreign policies. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for mitigating the impact of misinformation and fostering informed public discourse on global conflicts. The symposium promises to contribute significantly to the scholarly understanding of the nexus between conflict and communication, while also offering valuable insights for policymakers and media practitioners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of simulations as an active learning tool and explores their suitability in International Relations (IR) studies, involving different student populations. Previous negotiation experiences are used to describe Game of Peace, a negotiation model, developed by the author, for encompassing students in taking on the role of several factions involved in a civil war. By assessing students' feedbacks, it is here sustained that simulations are extremely functional to IR courses, in improving learning abilities, encouraging skills and relational capacities, and in bringing theories and concepts to real life. The article consists of three parts. Firstly, the most recent literature on simulations is assessed in order to reflect on the suitability of simulations; secondly, the Game of Peace experience is presented in its major steps, roles and interactional features. Lastly, its main outcomes are used for assessing its pedagogical impact and envisaging further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue which includes topics the way in which international organisations fight against the crime-terror nexus, role of globalisation in flourishing crime-terror nexus and exploring the development of the nexus in Western European democracies.

Transnational organized crime (TOC) is dramatically increasing its ability to perform at a global level. There is not yet, however, a common definition of organized crime, nor a common strategy to fight it. Even though it is currently included in the political agenda on a global level and often associated with transnational terrorism and security issues, organized crime is not an exclusive policy priority. The differences in position among the most important political actors – the US, the EU, the EU member states and the UN – are significant and confused. The EU, in particular, has developed an advanced strategy based either on single member states' experience or on shared principles and perceptions. The main assumption here is that in the broader context of multilateralism and by respecting the leading global actors' view (that of the UN and the US), the EU has built its own strategy, which constitutes an added value to the global struggle against TOC. In the first part of this article, TOC will be analysed as a global threat and towards other challenges as global terrorism, ethnic wars and failed states. In the second part, the EU strategy will be analysed and compared to the most important positions and strategies developed by the leading political actors. The most important changes introduced through the Lisbon Treaty will be stressed as well. The last part of the article presents some conclusions on the perceptions of organized crime within political agendas at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Professor Marcello Saija is the director of the Department of European and International Studies at the University of Messina; Dr Daniela Irrera is a researcher at the Department of European and International Studies of the University of Messina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]