The recent events in Ukraine have shattered the security architecture of Europe, as the world watches Russia defy all warnings from the West concerning the sovereignty of its smaller neighbour. In this article, Matthew argues that despite the shocking nature of Putin’s attack, it has not come out of nowhere: the invasion is “the latest chapter in Russia’s increasingly ruthless and reckless raucous resurgence
With Russia invading Ukraine and NATO on standby should Putin’s aggression escalate, the threat of nuclear warfare could become a terrifying reality. In this article, Daniel points out that mutually assured destruction has historically made wars unwinnable. But, he argues, Putin’s recent threat to use nuclear weapons against any state that becomes militarily involved in Ukraine “is a significant challenge to this status quo, with potentially terrifying consequences for global peace”
With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing much of our lives online, many scholars wondered if diplomacy would also transform into a digital phenomenon. In this article, Eva questions whether multilateral summits are still fundamental to diplomacy, arguing that these in-person occaisons are essential for harmonious international relations as they “trigger the mass public’s attention and can be strategically used as a means of public diplomacy
With Xi Jinping’s growing grip on absolute power in China, the country seems to be transitioning from a one-party authoritarian state to a personal dictatorship, firmly under Xi’s thumb. This may sound like splitting hairs, but the ramifications are crucial. In this article Matthew demonstrates how Xi’s grip on absolute, and perpetual, power will affect the West, looking at three major sticking points: The Climate Emergency, the stability of Sino-Western relations, and the Taiwan question.
“China is not rising, as such; it has risen”. Whether we in the West like it or not, China is a global power. To focus on unempathetic and belligerent critiquing of China will only lead to a new Cold War. In order to productively engage and compete with this adversarial powerhouse we must understand the key tenets of its power: historical authority, stability, and prosperity.
How does the widespread presence of nuclear weapons shape international defence politics? Almost 76 years since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, Niamh revisits the logic of nuclear deterrence theory and challenges the patriarchal status quo it has been built on.
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