Two Pop Audio interviews – from Rich Thorstein and Karen Seto – joined the top 10 last month (measured by unique pageviews), as well as the launch of Brahma Chellaney’s new book, Water: Asia’s New Battleground, a look at “land grabs” in the context of water access, a crosspost from Edward Carr on food security maps, and Shannon Beebe’s event from last year on his book, The Ultimate Weapon Is No Weapon.

August brought a crop of newcomers to the top 10 (measured by unique pageviews). Joining Richard Cincotta’s popular look at Tunisia’s demographics and the Mr. Y white paper launch at the Wilson Center were ECSP’s “Backdraft” event; PRB’s new population data sheet; interviews with Aaron Wolf and Alecia Fields; and guest contributions from Lukas Rüttinger, Moira Feil, and Jim Duncan.

July was a great month for NSB: we launched the blog anew with a new design and better functionality, with the aim of making content better organized, easier to find, and just plain nicer looking. We also continued to see some great traffic on a number of posts, including Richard Cincotta’s dive into Tunisia’s demographics and the Mr. Y “National Strategic Narrative” launch at the Wilson Center.

Newcomers to the top 10 (according to unique pageviews) were posts on the Nature article detailing rare earth finds in the Pacific, the role of water in “land grabs,” profiles on the climate-vulnerability of the Philippines and an ecological tourism outfit in Cambodia, and Geoff’s look at the UN Security Council’s debate about the security threat of climate change.

Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen joined his former staffers (see “In Search of a New Security Narrative“) on the New Security Beat top 10 list last month after speaking at the Wilson Center in the inaugural Lee Hamilton lecture. Richard Cincotta’s look at Tunisia’s demographics also remained popular, joined by several posts on climate, security, and development, including ECSP’s “Yemen Beyond the Headlines” event.

1. In Search of a New Security Narrative: The National Conversation at the Wilson Center

2. Tunisia’s Shot at Democracy: What Demographics and Recent History Tell Us

3. Connections Between Climate and Stability: Lessons From Asia and Africa

4. Admiral Mullen: “Security Means More Than Defense,” Inaugural Lee Hamilton Lecture at the Wilson Center

5. Climate Adaptation, Development, and Peacebuilding in Fragile States: Finding the Triple-Bottom Line

Climate vulnerability, water access, the role of family planning in U.S. foreign policy, and the UN’s latest population projections joined the top ten list last month, while Captain Wayne Porter and Colonel Mark Mykleby’s new national strategic narrative, Tunisia’s demography, and India’s Maoists remained popular.

1. In Search of a New Security Narrative: The National Conversation at the Wilson Center

2. India’s Maoists: South Asia’s “Other” Insurgency

3. Tunisia’s Shot at Democracy: What Demographics and Recent History Tell Us

4. Eye on Environmental Security: Where Does It Hurt? Climate Vulnerability Index, Momentum Magazine

5. Population and Environment Connections: The Role of Family Planning in U.S. Foreign Policy

The launch of the “Mr. Y” national security narrative here at the Wilson Center topped the list of most popular stories last month, but IFAD’s latest rural poverty report, two interview features on population and development, and Richard Cincotta’s predictions on Tunisia also made the top 10.

1. In Search of a New Security Narrative: The National Conversation at the Wilson Center

2. Rural Poverty: The Bottom One Billion

3. Watch: Roger-Mark De Souza on the Scaling Advantages of Population, Health, and Environment Integration

4. Watch: David Lopez Carr and Liza Grandia on Rural Population Growth and Development in Guatemala

5. India’s Maoists: South Asia’s “Other” Insurgency

South Asia – from the Mekong to India’s Maoists – was popular last month, along with continuing interest in Tunisia’s demography, the recent rise in staple food prices, and ECSP’s on-the-ground reporting from Ethiopia:

1. Managing the Mekong: Conflict or Compromise?

2. Tunisia’s Shot at Democracy: What Demographics and Recent History Tell Us

3. Eye on Environmental Security: Mapping the Hot Spots of the 2010/11 Food Crisis

4. India’s Maoists: South Asia’s “Other” Insurgency

5. From Ethiopia: The Continuing Challenges of Integrated Development

Continuing turmoil in the Middle East helped keep Richard Cincotta’s political-demographic analysis on Tunisia’s chances of achieving democracy at the top this month, with Bryan McDonald’s piece on food price shocks, comments from demographers on “the age of revolution,” and a look at Pew’s latest iteration of its report on Muslim population growth following close behind:

1. Tunisia’s Shot at Democracy: What Demographics and Recent History Tell Us

2. Guest Contributor Bryan McDonald: Food Price Shocks and Instability Highlight Weaknesses in Governance and Markets

3. The Age of Revolution? Demography Experts Comment on Tunisia’s Shot at Democracy

4. Eye on Environmental Security: Mapping Muslim Population Growth

5. Book Preview: The Future Faces of War: Population and National Security