top of page
A Conditional Embrace: The China-Russia Relationship and the Geopolitical Limits of Anti-American Solidarity
China and Russia have deepened their strategic partnership since 2022, driven by a shared opposition to the US-led global order. The partnership has weathered geopolitical headwinds, with trade soaring and joint diplomatic statements emphasising a “no limits” relationship. Despite asymmetries, their coordinated efforts span multilateral platforms, energy, and military affairs. Persistent tensions and divergent regional ambitions remain, but common grievances ensure the partne
Zorawar Singh Gill (Guest Writer)
Dec 415 min read
Between East and West, Al Sharaa's Dangerous Diplomatic Game of Equilibrium over the Dust of Damascus
On the morning of December 8, 2024, the world woke up in shock and disbelief as the latest news from Damascus arrived. In only eleven days, the rebel jihadist forces of Hayat Tayir al Sham (HTS) successfully concluded their assault on Damascus, forcing Assad to flee towards Moscow. What would become a new international figure, an Islamist under the fighting name of Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, marched on the empty presidential palace as the allied forces were liberating the priso
Gabriel Breil (Staff Writer)
Dec 111 min read
How well was Sea Power Integrated into the Strategic Interests of the United States in the Twentieth Century?
When Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote Influence of Sea Power Upon History in 1890, he argued for a ‘theory of security’ that provided a grand strategic initiative and ‘greater wealth through global engagement.’ [1] Embraced by the U.S. Navy and the White House, there’s no question that the Influence of Sea Power Upon History shaped US strategic thinking in the 20th century. Yet, as President Eisenhower said, ‘farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousa

Augustine Acuña III (Staff Writer)
Nov 119 min read
Is Politics Today Simply About Communication, or is Digital Media One Tool in the Broader Political Strategy?
The strategic use of digital platforms has transformed political engagement by enabling candidates to appear relatable and forge emotional connections with voters. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign marked a turning point, moving digital outreach from the margins to the heart of electoral strategy.
Alexandra Greenfield (Guest Writer)
Oct 3015 min read
What was the Impact of the Sino-Soviet Split on China's Strategic Thinking and Doctrinal Development in the 1960s-1980s
The Sino-Soviet Split was the culmination of ideological tensions between the Soviet Union and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Chairman Mao Zedong, having cut ties with the USSR, embarked on a path towards establishing China as the centre of international communism. This paper assesses the impact of the Sino-Soviet split on China’s strategic thinking and doctrinal development, focusing primarily on the 1960s. The split radically changed ho
Reece O'Halloran (Staff Writer)
Oct 3012 min read
Is The Putin Regime's Foreign Policy Informed More by Pragmatism or by Ideology?
Before one can delve into whether or not the Putin’s Regime’s foreign policy decisions are more informed by ideology or informed by pragmatism, one must first define what “ideological” and what “pragmatism” mean. In this context, one can define ideological actions as actions based around “a set of closely related beliefs or ideas, or even attitudes, characteristic of a group or community.”

Samuel Lee (Staff Writer)
Oct 1716 min read
Economic Coercion in the Liberal International Order - Russia's Non-Military Strategy
The trajectory of the liberal order from its theoretical inception in Adam Smith to its triumphant universalised realisation in the post Cold War order has been paralleled by a developing discourse concerning the inherent capability of economic coercion embedded in foreign trade relations.
Ania Munteanu (Guest Writer)
Oct 810 min read
Baghdad to San Antonio: A Marine Corps & Law Enforcement Story: An Interview with Brian Curtis
Listen to the audio on Spotify *The transcript has been edited for readability and clarity by Declan Browne & Augustine Acuna III....
Augustine Acuna III, Declan Browne, Samuel Lee, & Brian Curtis
May 1723 min read
Industrial Warfare, International Finance, and International Politics in the Russo-Japanese War
1914 witnessed the outbreak of the seminal catastrophe of the twentieth century, a global conflict resulting in seismic international consequences that remain felt to the present....
James Yu (Guest Writer)
May 214 min read


Interview with Her Excellency Judit Pach
I'm Judit Pach. I'm the Hungarian ambassador to Singapore and also to Brunei Darussalam and Hungary’s governor to the Asia-Europe Foundation
Liliana Beck and Her Excellency Judit Pach
Apr 413 min read
Echoes of the Hammer and Sickle: Soviet Legacies in Modern Russian Intelligence
When the Soviet Union’s hammer and sickle flag was lowered for the last time off the Kremlin and was superseded by the Russian white,...
Luben Daynov (Guest Writer)
Apr 314 min read


From Policy to Practice: Advancing Labour Rights Through Tripartism: An Interview with Mr Oktavianto Pasaribu, Deputy Director of the ILO in Southeast Asia
An interview with Mr. Oktavianto Pasaribu, Deputy Director of the International Labour Organization in Southeast Asia.
Samuel Lee, Peerajit Phasitthanaphak, Viandito Pasaribu, and Mr. Oktavianto Pasaribu
Mar 1238 min read
Have the Last Two Years Brought a "Zeitenwende" in Germany's Foreign and Defense Policy?
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sent shockwaves through Europe...
Chloe Logan (Guest Writer)
Mar 117 min read
Why is the Alternative Für Deutschland Disproportionately Successful in Eastern Germany?
Decades after German reunification, significant political, cultural, and economic divides between the East and West persist.
Chloe Logan (Guest Writer)
Mar 115 min read
How is the United States Responding to BRICS' Efforts of Expansion and De-dollarization?
“The idea that BRICS countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER,” Trump stated, addressing a...
Yusra Khan (Staff Writer)
Mar 313 min read
The Importance of East Asia as a Region for Foreign Policy Decisions in Northeast and Southeast Asia
Possessing the world’s most populated countries and some of the oldest civilizations, Eastern Asia, Northeast, and Southeast Asia have...
Yusra Khan (Staff Writer)
Feb 1215 min read
The Foreign Policy of the New Trump Administration
When you focus on Trump’s foreign policy you will notice that it has protectionism and hawkish views on China as its main tenets. As...

Declan Browne (Staff Writer)
Feb 37 min read
Who, Not How: Rethinking Sanctions
The case of North Korea raises critical questions about the effectiveness of sanctions, and how a contextual sanctions approach can lead...
Ishaan Pandey (Guest Writer)
Dec 10, 202412 min read


Rice & Wagyu: An Interview with Former Second Secretary Rosanne Costin on Trade and Diplomacy
Listen to the audio on Spotify *The transcript has been edited for readability Hosted by Samuel Lee and Declan Browne. Special thanks to...
Samuel Lee, Declan Browne, Rosanne Costin, & Raphael Dillon
Dec 9, 202423 min read
Political Parallels: Incumbency and Palestine in the 2024 US and UK Elections
In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s poll defying victory in the US election....
Kai Michael Nixon (Guest Writer)
Dec 3, 20248 min read
bottom of page