essays
The empty metropolis
Ghost town London had its harbingers in literature and history. How will it emerge from its isolation?
Tom Holland
June 23, 2020
Essays
Long-form writing from leading scholars and commentators on history, statecraft, warfare, philosophy and culture.
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essays
Welcome to Engelsberg Ideas
Engelsberg Ideas is a new home for great writing and podcasts on history and culture, featuring leading writers and thinkers.
Mattias Hessérus & Iain Martin
June 23, 2020
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essays
Geopolitics of a pandemic
The Covid-19 crisis has accentuated all the geopolitical fault lines of the past decade.
Helen Thompson
June 23, 2020
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essays
The polymath in the age of specialisation
Crises of knowledge precipitate drives towards specialisation. In our digital age we still need polymaths.
Peter Burke
June 22, 2020
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essays
Dealing with the past – a Russian history
In modern Russia, the past is being rewritten to suit Vladimir Putin's script.
Gudrun Persson
June 21, 2020
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essays
Fantasy in Middle Eastern nation-making
There is frequently no real reason why one person has more claim to live or even rule over a piece of land than another. A reason, however, must be provided and it can often be fou..
Nathan Shachar
June 20, 2020
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essays
Towards a Westphalia for the Middle East
Westphalia's legacy of compromise and conditional sovereignty shows the way to peace in the Middle East.
Brendan Simms
June 19, 2020
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essays
Human nature and European civilisation
Relativism has left us in an impasse. The ancient study of human nature offers a route out.
Janne Haaland Matláry
June 17, 2020
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essays
Authority without knowledge
The worst form of ignorance in politics is an inflated opinion of one’s own wisdom. In matters of moral judgement, authority-dependence carries grave risks.
Erica Benner
June 17, 2020