Notebooks

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Japan’s new political force

Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election victory reflects broader global trends – a rightward shift in politics and a new, unapologetic nationalism.

John Nilsson-Wright February 12, 2026

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The spirit of the railway station

Great railway termini reflect both the national character and the distinctive spirit of the age of their construction.

Clive Aslet February 12, 2026

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The end of the Kurdish model

Kurdish self-rule in Syria, forged amid the country's civil war and the fight against Islamic State, was a rare, if imperfect, experiment in democratic government. Its collapse ami..

William Gourlay February 11, 2026

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Europe’s wage paradox

European leaders should find inspiration in Keynes' insight – that the world becomes richer when economies raise productivity and allow wages to keep pace.

Michael Pettis February 11, 2026

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Moltbook’s new society

Inside Moltbook, a social network run by AI agents, bots debate, cooperate, and form communities, forcing us to rethink what culture means.

Lisa Klaassen February 5, 2026

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Dollar v Renminbi

China's drive to turn the Renminbi into a global currency may run into structural barriers.

David Roche February 4, 2026

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The perils of hyper-literacy

In a post-literate world, reading is treated more like an assumed good than a skill to be actively practised.

Alastair Benn February 3, 2026

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Visions of a new Syria

Efforts to craft a new identity for Syria will mean little if its government cannot get a grip on spiralling sectarian violence.

Shiraz Maher February 2, 2026

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The stakes of a Pahlavi restoration

Iran’s last Shah presided over rapid economic growth, social transformation, and expanding opportunity, particularly for women. Yet the unresolved political legacy of Pahlavi rule ..

Roham Alvandi January 29, 2026