Essays Archive

A depiction of a Greco-Roman religious sacrifice

essays

The different ways to know the gods in Ancient Greece

The idea that 'real religion' in ancient Greece is to be found only in the so-called 'mystery' cults, that is, cults involving initiatory rituals, dies hard.

Robin Osborne March 28, 2022

A model railway energy transformer. Credit: Cum Okolo / Alamy Stock Photo

essays

Why do politicians get energy policy wrong?

There are three principal and often conflicting aims when it comes to energy policy: reducing carbon emissions, consumer protection and the security of supply. When the politics of..

George Yarrow March 25, 2022

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

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