Germany’s Landmark Syrian State Torture Trial
April 23 marks the beginning of one of the most important international human rights cases in recent memory, the first criminal trial regarding state-sanctioned torture in Syria. However, it is not Syria or the United Nations adjudicating the case, but Germany. Syria’s military conflict began in 2011, sparked by a series of protests against President […]
Nutritious, Delicious, Auspicious: Cuisine, Power, and International Affairs
What is the only British contribution ever made to European agriculture? If you had asked former French President Jacques Chirac, he would have told you that it was mad cow disease. Following this attack on the defenseless (and indefensible) Britain, Chirac pulled Finland directly into the crossfire, punctuating the most daring French offensive since the […]
Designed in China
Innovation is critical for high-tech manufacturing. Firms and governments constantly seek cutting-edge design and advanced manufacturing capabilities to produce the latest consumer goods and machinery. High-tech manufacturers drive economic growth—especially in advanced economies—and enable a country to compete in the global economy. China is seeking to dominate high-tech manufacturing. While China has made massive economic […]
The Special One? Why Abe Could Defy the Odds and Run for a Fourth Term
The idea of a “rule-breaking” fourth term for the incumbent leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been floating around for some time. Under party rules, the leader “may only serve up to three consecutive terms (nine years).” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reach that limit in September 2021, fueling rumors as to who […]
The “Deal of the Century” and the Death of the Two-State Solution
In late January of this year, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally unveiled “Peace to Prosperity,” a proposal by the Trump administration to resolve the Arab–Israeli conflict. The so-called “Deal of the Century” plagiarizes a forty-year-old plan by the World Zionist Organization, envisions a disjointed Palestinian state, and loosely promises […]
Are Cold Sino–American Relations Solely Trump’s Fault?
Trump leads America in an era of poor relations with China, but have relations with China ever been good? Donald Trump’s foreign policy has been rightfully criticized by many Americans. American prestige and credibility has taken an extraordinary nosedive since Trump came into office. There is, however, one relationship Trump has perhaps taken unjustified criticism […]
The New Yellow Peril? — Anti-Chinese Sentiment in the West
On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) a pandemic. Since the outbreak began in December 2019 in China’s Wuhan city, the number of reported cases has increased daily, so it’s no wonder that people are bombarded with news about it every day. While recent news about COVID-19’s mortality […]
Modern Maoism Prevails: Xi Jinping and the Use of “Red Memory”
In recent years, worldwide authoritarianism has been exposed to a new sort of “nostalgic nationalism,” where leaders increasingly rely on extreme loyalism and patriotic sentiment to promote an agenda. Within this genre of civic manipulation is a concerning phenomenon: heads of state reverting to tactics of bygone eras and rose-tinted propaganda to fuel support and […]
The Egypt–Ethiopian Nile Conflict: A Dam(n) Shame
In 2019, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize. Now, he might lead Ethiopia to war with Egypt over a dam. The conflict started in 2009, when Ethiopia announced that it would construct the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, without prior consultation with Egypt or Sudan. The Blue […]
Brexit: Fissures within the Kingdom
On September 19, 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron and other world leaders expressed their relief and approval of Scotland’s decisive vote to remain in the United Kingdom (UK), but it would not take long for Scottish leaders and citizens to regret the results. In 2016, Cameron’s government asked the citizens of England, Wales, Scotland, and […]