Essays

essays

The rise of the great power carve up

The peace that followed European wars was once framed by a congress of belligerents, both winners and losers. Conflicts, in Europe and elsewhere, now tend be resolved by one or two..

Adam Zamoyski May 13, 2024

essays

How East Germany lost the battle for technology

East Germany’s struggle to catch up with the West in technological innovation prompted some remarkable successes but also expanded the oppression of its mass surveillance apparatus..

Katja Hoyer May 9, 2024

essays

Undersea cables and the vulnerability of American power

Undersea cables are the soft underbelly of American power and history demonstrates the critical importance of protecting them.

Aaron Bateman May 7, 2024

essays

How to do statecraft

The study of statecraft would profit by spending less time on ‘should’ and more time on ‘how’.

Philip Zelikow May 2, 2024

essays

China and Russia: forever brothers?

The tumultuous relationship between Red China and the Soviet Union hints at an uncertain future for the Sino-Russian partnership.

Sergey Radchenko April 30, 2024

essays

The history of sport contains multitudes

Historical awareness fosters a healthy appreciation for the infinite variety and depth of modern sport.

Lincoln Allison April 26, 2024

essays

‘We were there with the history makers, really finding out what they thought and felt’ – in conversation with Norma Percy

EI's Angus Reilly talks to Norma Percy, the celebrated documentary film-maker, whose work, over more than three decades, offers the most extraordinary insights into the workings of..

Angus Reilly April 25, 2024

essays

The psychedelic renaissance

Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception heralded an interest in psychedelics that peaked in the 1960s. A new generation of researchers, inspired by his writings, are exploring what may..

Christopher Harding April 24, 2024

essays

Tony Blair and the tragedy of liberal interventionism

In April 1999 Tony Blair delivered a speech in Chicago on the principles of liberal interventionism. It captured the idealism of the period, but also contributed to the invasion of..

William D. James April 23, 2024