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The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs is published six times a year.
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Contributions on these themes, to the Editor are particularly welcome.Malaysia: The 15th general election and its implications
From the Archive
Seventy-five years ago, in April 1949 the Commonwealth was transformed by the London Declaration, which agreed that India would continue to be a member of the Commonwealth despite its intention to become a republic: the King was thereby transformed into ‘Head of the Commonwealth’. In this editorial (written by Dermot Morrah, a pronounced monarchist and sometime Arundel Herald) the Round Table welcomed the change as, in effect, very little change, and merely formalising what was inherent to the Commonwealth relationship. ['From the Archives' curated by Alex May and Paul Flather]
In this article from 25 years ago, the eminent political theorist Bhikhu Parekh (since 2000 Lord Parekh) considered the question of how a multicultural society comprising different cultural communities could develop a common sense of belonging in such a way that differences could be not only unthreatening but positive. He found the answer in constitutional accommodation of diversity, justice, a multiculturally constituted common culture, and a shared sense of loyalty to the political community.
This article from 25 years ago starts with the startling fact that of the 42 independent developing countries with populations below 1.5 million at that point, 29 were members of the Commonwealth. The author goes on to show how small states are peculiarly vulnerable to economic, environmental, political and social shocks, and therefore deserving of special and differential treatment in the areas of trade and finance. The author proposes a ‘Commonwealth Vulnerability Index’ as a measure of small states’ vulnerability.