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Endorsements
"Chris Abbott is a rising star of the peace and security field. Within a short time he has established himself as a distinctive and influential voice, capable of deep analysis, and the vision to drive this analysis home where it counts." Dr John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group and Iraq Body Count
"Chris Abbott's much-valued contribution to the developing concept of sustainable security is crucial in helping us construct a much-needed and wise response to the challenges we face."
Professor Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
"Chris' expertise in national security and climate change made him the perfect choice for editorial work on our risk management report. He was uniquely able to understand the issues and context and quickly turn around top-notch editorial work with helpful substantive questions and comments."
Dr Nick Mabey, Chief Executive, E3G
Open Briefing
“The concept of this new think tank – to collect, collate and interpret information on peace and security issues for NGOS and interested members of civil society – is most timely. Open Briefing potentially will be a great force for good in helping to make transparent areas of activity that are often shrouded in secrecy and where misinformation is common place. In the long term it could have an important impact on policy. Chris Abbott is uniquely well qualified for taking on the important task of establishing Open Briefing.”
Bevis Gillett, Trustee, Marmot Charitable Trust
“With its rational, thorough and transparent approach, Open Briefing has the potential to become an important corrective to often speculative media coverage.” Magnus Nome, Editor-in-Chief, openDemocracy
“If information is power, Open Briefing has the potential to equip campaigners with the information they need to expose wrong-doing and to identify alternative solutions.”
Gemma Mortensen, Executive Director, Crisis Action
“Issues of security and defence are often the least transparent to the public. Open Briefing is an important contribution to ensuring democratic oversight of governments and armies.”
John Feffer, Co-director, Foreign Policy in Focus
“Open Briefing is an excellent project with great possibilities for empowering the peace movement and wider civil society. It is typical of Chris Abbott that he should develop it. Moreover, he is one of those rare people who could take it forward and realise its considerable potential.”
Professor Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
“The disconnect between people and information in the security realm severs the formulation of policy from the winning over of informed public consent. Open Briefing has the potential to bridge this information gap.”
Dr Ian Davis, NATO Watch
“There is no shortage of interesting comment being published. The problem is finding the useful material in the daily deluge. What is needed are trusted mediators, to select, contextualise, and make it easily accessible in one place. Open Briefing has the potential to add very considerable value for hard-pressed progressive organisations and individuals at very modest cost.”
Dr John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group and Iraq Body Count
Bevis Gillett, Trustee, Marmot Charitable Trust
“With its rational, thorough and transparent approach, Open Briefing has the potential to become an important corrective to often speculative media coverage.” Magnus Nome, Editor-in-Chief, openDemocracy
“If information is power, Open Briefing has the potential to equip campaigners with the information they need to expose wrong-doing and to identify alternative solutions.”
Gemma Mortensen, Executive Director, Crisis Action
“Issues of security and defence are often the least transparent to the public. Open Briefing is an important contribution to ensuring democratic oversight of governments and armies.”
John Feffer, Co-director, Foreign Policy in Focus
“Open Briefing is an excellent project with great possibilities for empowering the peace movement and wider civil society. It is typical of Chris Abbott that he should develop it. Moreover, he is one of those rare people who could take it forward and realise its considerable potential.”
Professor Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
“The disconnect between people and information in the security realm severs the formulation of policy from the winning over of informed public consent. Open Briefing has the potential to bridge this information gap.”
Dr Ian Davis, NATO Watch
“There is no shortage of interesting comment being published. The problem is finding the useful material in the daily deluge. What is needed are trusted mediators, to select, contextualise, and make it easily accessible in one place. Open Briefing has the potential to add very considerable value for hard-pressed progressive organisations and individuals at very modest cost.”
Dr John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group and Iraq Body Count
21 speeches that shaped our world:
The people and ideas that changed the way we think
"Chris Abbott introduces and pulls together a fascinating gallery of speakers and turning points in recent history... Interesting concept, well executed." New Internationalist
"An interesting selection of speeches... Throughout, Abbott provides a thorough historical context and argues convincingly for the relevance of the ideas expressed." Tim Souster, Financial Times
"The choice of speeches is original and unexpected, with the voices of both the powerful and the ordinary person. The analysis and discerning commentary reflects an enormous depth of knowledge, and the writing is thoughtful and reflective but never hectoring. I am full of admiration for this endeavour."
Gabrielle Rifkind, Director, Middle East Programme, Oxford Research Group
"21 Speeches is a brilliant idea. Chris Abbott takes some of the most significant speeches of the last one hundred years and frames them in a perceptive analysis, providing a narrative that illuminates many of the most important trends of our times." Professor Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
"A unique compilation of catalytic speeches which have reflected or hastened tipping points in global politics. Chris Abbott persuasively demonstrates how these speeches are relevant to some of the biggest choices that face humanity in the 21st century." Dr John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group and Iraq Body Count
"In this era of information overload and de-personalised mass internet communication, we risk losing sight of the fact that inspired individuals emerge from time to time to turn the course of human history by the sheer force of their ideas and eloquence of their language. Chris Abbott has done a great service in reminding us of of these people and of their continuing relevance for today's world."
Rosie Houldsworth, Founder and Director, TalkWorks
"An interesting selection of speeches... Throughout, Abbott provides a thorough historical context and argues convincingly for the relevance of the ideas expressed." Tim Souster, Financial Times
"The choice of speeches is original and unexpected, with the voices of both the powerful and the ordinary person. The analysis and discerning commentary reflects an enormous depth of knowledge, and the writing is thoughtful and reflective but never hectoring. I am full of admiration for this endeavour."
Gabrielle Rifkind, Director, Middle East Programme, Oxford Research Group
"21 Speeches is a brilliant idea. Chris Abbott takes some of the most significant speeches of the last one hundred years and frames them in a perceptive analysis, providing a narrative that illuminates many of the most important trends of our times." Professor Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
"A unique compilation of catalytic speeches which have reflected or hastened tipping points in global politics. Chris Abbott persuasively demonstrates how these speeches are relevant to some of the biggest choices that face humanity in the 21st century." Dr John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group and Iraq Body Count
"In this era of information overload and de-personalised mass internet communication, we risk losing sight of the fact that inspired individuals emerge from time to time to turn the course of human history by the sheer force of their ideas and eloquence of their language. Chris Abbott has done a great service in reminding us of of these people and of their continuing relevance for today's world."
Rosie Houldsworth, Founder and Director, TalkWorks
An uncertain future: Law enforcement, national security and climate change
"Chris Abbott's paper is one of the very few studies that go into the political and strategic consequences of the problem systematically. Everybody knows that global warming will have major impacts in these areas, but most studies content themselves with what amounts to a list of the anticipated problems. In a serious but unhysterical way, Abbott delves deeper." Dr Gwynne Dyer, broadcaster and author of Climate Wars
"Abbott should be commended for repeatedly eschewing alarmist responses to climate change's security challenges and instead urging a pragmatic and humane approach."
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
"Abbott should be commended for repeatedly eschewing alarmist responses to climate change's security challenges and instead urging a pragmatic and humane approach."
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Beyond terror:
The truth about the real threats to our world
"This incisive study is radical in the proper sense; it penetrates beneath the surface of the debate in the West over its security to demonstrate that the real threat to global peace and stability lies in our failure to recognise our interdependence." Archbishop Desmond Tutu
"Outstanding… It is a joy to come across a book that is truth telling and myth breaking on the subject of our security. It will change the way you look at the world and, once informed, I challenge anyone not to move into action." Anita Roddick
"This brilliant and lucid book is the single most important contribution to understanding and coping with the future that I have ever read." Brian Eno
"Powerful and well-presented... The argument it makes is hard to fault. Anyone who claims to be interested in security would be foolish not to read it." George Monbiot, The Guardian
"An important book… At every level of decision-making, all policy-makers should have a copy of this study on their desk." HRH Prince Hassan of Jordan
"A truly illuminating book...The world's senior politicians should be made to read this, and read it now. It shows the war on terror to be a war of error and gives the clearest picture yet of an alternative way forward."
Tom Clifford, Gulf News
"There is a glorious simplicity in the prose which is very persuasive. The writing is clear - like George Orwell's - and employs jargon only where absolutely necessary... This book makes every effort to be reasonable and understanding every time it tiptoes near a controversial topic." Tribune
"This is a succinct and cogent argument for an approach to international security that acknowledges interdependence." Neil Davison, Times Higher Education
"Outstanding… It is a joy to come across a book that is truth telling and myth breaking on the subject of our security. It will change the way you look at the world and, once informed, I challenge anyone not to move into action." Anita Roddick
"This brilliant and lucid book is the single most important contribution to understanding and coping with the future that I have ever read." Brian Eno
"Powerful and well-presented... The argument it makes is hard to fault. Anyone who claims to be interested in security would be foolish not to read it." George Monbiot, The Guardian
"An important book… At every level of decision-making, all policy-makers should have a copy of this study on their desk." HRH Prince Hassan of Jordan
"A truly illuminating book...The world's senior politicians should be made to read this, and read it now. It shows the war on terror to be a war of error and gives the clearest picture yet of an alternative way forward."
Tom Clifford, Gulf News
"There is a glorious simplicity in the prose which is very persuasive. The writing is clear - like George Orwell's - and employs jargon only where absolutely necessary... This book makes every effort to be reasonable and understanding every time it tiptoes near a controversial topic." Tribune
"This is a succinct and cogent argument for an approach to international security that acknowledges interdependence." Neil Davison, Times Higher Education
Global responses to global threats:
Sustainable security for the 21st century
"A truly inspirational report… The younger generation in particular desperately need its imaginative and hopeful ideas for sustainable alternative security strategies."
Commander Robert Green, New Zealand Peace Foundation
"A serious, profound, thought-provoking report. This valuable study will greatly benefit the common efforts to build a better world."
Niu Qiang, Secretary General, Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament
"Important, profound, up-to-date… a must read."
Dr Mariano Aguirre, Director, Norwegian Peacebuilding Centre
"If we are to reverse the deepening crisis, a global approach to security in all its aspects is needed. The authors offer a compelling starting point." Air Marshal Lord Garden
Commander Robert Green, New Zealand Peace Foundation
"A serious, profound, thought-provoking report. This valuable study will greatly benefit the common efforts to build a better world."
Niu Qiang, Secretary General, Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament
"Important, profound, up-to-date… a must read."
Dr Mariano Aguirre, Director, Norwegian Peacebuilding Centre
"If we are to reverse the deepening crisis, a global approach to security in all its aspects is needed. The authors offer a compelling starting point." Air Marshal Lord Garden
