by Charles Aldinger | 17 Jun 2019 | History, Politics, World
The U.S. has pulled out of a major arms control treaty amid tensions between Washington and Moscow. Weapons treaties are out of favor — but they matter. When U.S and Russian warships nearly collided in the Philippine Sea recently, the world received a stark...
by David Schlesinger | 7 Jun 2019 | Asia, China, Nationalism, Personal Reflections
It’s been 30 years since China’s army crushed protests in Tiananmen Square. Can Beijing come to terms with its past without remembering? A man tries to pull a Chinese soldier away from his comrades as citizens confront troops heading to Tiananmen Square,...
by Deborah Charles | 28 May 2019 | Decoders, Government, United States
U.S. President Donald Trump calls it the “I-word”. It has lawmakers in Washington in a quandry. So what is impeachment and how does it work? Depiction of the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson in 1868 (Harper’s Weekly, Wikimedia Commons)...
by Paul Radford | 27 Mar 2019 | Economy, Politics, Sports
Soon, even breakdancing may be an Olympic sport. My reflections on how the inclusiveness of sport may help to counter rising populism. A member of Japanese team ‘The Flooriorz’ competes in a breakdancing match during the ‘Battle of the Year World Finale 2017’ in...
by Feizal Samath | 20 Mar 2019 | Asia, China, Economy, Politics
China has dramatically increased its presence in Sri Lanka in the past decade. But so has India. Are the two giants in a race neither wants to lose? A Buddhist monk and villagers clash with police during a protest against the seizure of private land for the...
by Ella Steinhilber | 19 Mar 2019 | Europe, Nationalism, Politics, School Year Abroad, Student Posts
“Yellow vests” protests have rocked France for months. We watched angry demonstrators march in Brittany — proof the movement is national in scope. Saturday after Saturday since last November, France has seen protesters take to the streets in...
by Robert Hart | 11 Mar 2019 | Europe, Nationalism, Spain
A far-right party has emerged in Spain and is gaining strength as the European Union struggles with Brexit and euro-sceptics in other member states. Opposition protesters wave Spanish flags during a rally in Madrid, 10 February 2019 (EPA-EFE/Luca Piergiovanni) Still...
by Mohammed Ehsan Saadat | 5 Mar 2019 | Asia, Human Rights, Politics, Terrorism, Women
After years of conflict, Afghanistan yearns for peace. The best forum would bring the government and Taliban together in a grand assembly. Members of the Afghan national consultative council known as the Loya Jirga in Kabul, Afghanistan, 24 November 2013 (AP...
by David Schlesinger | 26 Feb 2019 | Asia, China, Decoders, Nationalism
Taiwan is an economic powerhouse caught between China and the United States, facing an uncertain future: Independence, subjugation or status quo? Soldiers hoist Taiwan’s national flag in Taipei, Taiwan, 1 February 2019 (EPA-EFE/David Chang) Who would have thought that...
by Barry Moody | 25 Feb 2019 | Europe, Nationalism
Populists are riding high in Italy’s uneasy governing coalition and challenging Europe’s status quo. Meanwhile, Italy suffers from inertia and policy drift. Italian Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini holds a press conference in Rome, 11 February 2019 (Angelo...