Essays

Long-form writing from leading scholars and commentators on history, statecraft, warfare, philosophy and culture.

A print of a First World War Imperial German Navy battlecruiser, the SMS Goeben.
essays

The geopolitics and grand strategy of Alfred Thayer Mahan

Alfred Thayer Mahan's writings on naval warfare have overshadowed his contributions to geopolitics. His theories, however, are clearly playing out today.

John H Maurer March 21, 2022
A burning building after bombing in Kyiv, Ukraine, 3rd of March 2022. Credit: manhhai via Flickr
essays

Crisis, settlement, or containment — what is to be done on Russia?

The West’s Russia problem is going to be protracted; now is the time for a strategic decision as to what ends to pursue.

Jack Watling March 19, 2022
American power and the end of the end of history
essays

The end of history ends

The era in world history that began with the fall of the Soviet Union is drawing to its close. The post-Cold War Eurasian settlement that the United States and its allies imposed a..

Walter Russell Mead March 18, 2022
Attempted coup 1991 Moscow
essays

Russian history rhymes — from Soviet collapse to Putin’s folly

The Soviet collapse pointed to the possibility of great reversals and historic surprises. In invading Ukraine Putin may have sealed the demise of his political enterprise.

Vladislav Zubok March 11, 2022
An American map of the West Coast of Africa from Sierra Leone to Cape Palmas, 'including the colony of Liberia'.
essays

Rethinking geopolitics

Geography and politics are closely intertwined, although that no more means that all geography is political than that all politics is geographical.

Jeremy Black March 8, 2022
Swedish protesters hold Ukrainian flags and anti-war banners during a demonstration to protest the Russian invasion in Ukraine
essays

Four steps to surviving the Russia crisis

The atrocities committed against Ukrainians and the fear of further invasions is leading many to call for drastic action to contain Russia. However, should the West put its foot on..

Patrick Porter March 4, 2022
An English map of the Russian empire, 1562.
essays

Outside in, inside out: Russia as an empire on the periphery

Although comparisons between the fall of the USSR and other empires may be useful to a degree, they will eventually fall flat.

Dominic Lieven February 28, 2022
The god Varuna on his vehicle a Makara (crocodile-like sea monster). Varuna plays a crucial role in establishing order in the universe through the separation of the heavens and the earth, and the earth and the sea. Credit: CPA Media Pte Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo.
essays

Order and chaos in ancient Indian thought

Ancient Vedic conceptions of order and disorder echo though Indo-European religions and have clear implications on the structure of society.

Julius J. Lipner February 22, 2022
A section of The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh.
essays

Playing with demons — how thought experiments guide scientific innovation

Science’s demons began with Descartes and still thrive in our age of reason – but these thought-experiments can enhance our understanding of the universe.

Jimena Canales February 18, 2022

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