Essays Archive

Shi'ite Houthi rebels drive a truck past an Ansar al-Sharia flag painted on the side of a hill in Almnash, the main stronghold of the local wing of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Rada, Yemen.

essays

The war for hearts and minds: the evolution of al-Qaeda’s media strategy

While the Islamic State's savvy media presence may have overshadowed that of al-Qaeda over the past decade, the efforts of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operating in war..

Elisabeth Kendall January 11, 2022

The Arc de Triomphe in December 2018 during the gilets jaunes

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Modern France and the ghosts of the past

France, like all countries, is haunted by events and mistakes of times past. These ghosts will guide modern policy until they are overridden and laid to rest.

Peter Ricketts January 4, 2022

'History? It's just one thing after another'. Credit: Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo.

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History while it’s still smoking

There are clear pitfalls in writing the first draft of history but that doesn’t mean that historians should shy away from the challenges of doing so.

Charlie Laderman January 1, 2022

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Best of Engelsberg Ideas in 2021

This year at Engelsberg Ideas we've published analysis and observations from leading thinkers and writers. Here are some of our favourite pieces.

Mattias Hessérus & Iain Martin December 27, 2021

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For the love of wine

Wine has been enriching the human experience since the beginnings of civilisation. From ancient Jordan or a wedding at Cana to 1960s Cambridge or South Africa, wine remains a const..

Bruce Anderson December 24, 2021

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Living with the Great Plague of 1665

London's response to its last plague epidemic involved close collaboration between crown, City and parish.

Vanessa Harding December 21, 2021

hippopotamus by jesuit in china flora and fauna

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The story of the Jesuits — how the Society of Jesus charted the world

As Jesuit missionaries spread further across the globe, the order's founder wanted to ensure that its members remained connected. The result of this was an unparalleled network of ..

M.Antoni J. Ucerler, S.J. December 20, 2021

Anti-government protesters celebrate on a tank in Tahrir Square, Cairo, on the first full day of the square's occupation in January 2011.

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How US policy failure post-9/11 undermined international order

The US once enjoyed the esteemed position of being the 'city on the hill', a beacon of hope and an example to the rest of the world. Post-9/11, however, the superpower's conduct in..

Emma Sky December 13, 2021

After the Columbian epoque, the centre of geopolitics became Eurasia.

essays

The Eurasian Century, Part I: What Mackinder Knew

Sir Halford Mackinder believed that major showdowns in international affairs of the 20th century would revolve over control of the Eurasian continent and its maritime approaches. H..

Hal Brands December 6, 2021