The Ghost of King Leopold: Should Belgium Apologize to Congo?
An uglier side of Belgium’s history has once more made its way into the country’s national debate. On February 12, 2019, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of More
The 2019 Munich Security Conference: Europe Puts America Second
The 2019 Munich Security Conference (MSC) promised to be a telling display of rising U.S.-European tensions and it did not disappoint. The summit concluded its 55th annual meeting on Sunday, More
What the Stories of “Escapees” Reveal About the Gulf Monarchies, and Why They Won’t Change
The enduring alliance between the world’s liberal democracies and the Gulf monarchies has grown vexatious. The Gulf monarchies are beacons of stability in a region wracked with instability and they More
Putin’s New Game of Chess: Russian Interference in Venezuela
Russia’s foreign policy decisions as of late have kept many speculating as to what Vladimir Putin’s next move might be – where his next transgression would take place and when More
Macedonia’s Name Change: Western Consolidation Continues in the Balkans
On February 6, Macedonia was formally invited to join NATO after resolving a decades-long dispute with Greece over the use of the name Macedonia. The disagreements between the two countries More
Fighting Fire With Fire: Europe’s Protectionist Lurch
China and the United States are engaged in a trade war over technological superiority. China’s “Made in China 2025” industrial plan seeks to transform its economy from a low-cost manufacturer into More
Local Issues, Global Audience
The seemingly paradoxical relationship between globalization and localism is well-known. On the one hand, the intermixing of cultures, products, values, and ideas wrought by globalization can sometimes feel homogenizing, especially More
A Free Pass for Trump: David Malpass and the Future of the World Bank
Former World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, stepped down in early January of this year, leaving open a highly influential position for a Trump nominee to fill. After about a More
The E3+1pire Strikes Back: Europe’s New Financial Channel to Save the Iran Nuclear Deal
On January 31st, the E3+1 (UK, France, and Germany, and the European Union) announced that they will be setting up a special trade channel with Iran in order to counter More
What China’s Economic Slowdown Means for the Global Economy
China has long been one of the fastest growing countries in the world, becoming increasingly influential in finance and trade. For over three decades, China’s export industry alone grew on More