The fake history of civilisational states
So-called civilisational states, including Russia, China and India, invoke fake histories to justify and buttress their contemporary political settlements. But those who cannot let..
Long-form writing from leading scholars and commentators on history, statecraft, warfare, philosophy and culture.
So-called civilisational states, including Russia, China and India, invoke fake histories to justify and buttress their contemporary political settlements. But those who cannot let..
For the United States, geopolitics has always been about national identity, even in an era of globalisation. Perhaps it always will be.
In times of global uncertainty and upheaval, many people look back to an imaginary golden age of simplicity and stability, or seek to blame a past individual or policy for current ..
Flags have become synonymous with nationhood, character, spirit, and power. In an age of renewed nationalism, their power should not be underestimated.
In Japanese culture, nature is more than simply the natural world: it is an aesthetic, ethical, and sacred concept.
Arcadianism is so deep-rooted in the British national psyche. Everyone wants their own slice of Arcadia. But if everyone gets one, how much will be left?
Modern America has followed a generic pattern set by triumphant dynasties of the past, from the Ming Dynasty to Achaemenid Persia. History shows hubris creates the conditions for d..
The biggest division in modern society is between the meritocracy and the people, the cognitive elite and the masses, the exam-passers and the exam-flunkers.
Far from being a throw-away genre trope, the unresolved puzzle of extra-terrestrial visitors gives us unique insights into the nature of thought, communication and memory.