Notebooks

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The madness in Rousseau’s method

The 18th-century philosopher Thomas Day, a fanatical believer in the virtues of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's educational methods, tested his theories to destruction.

Nigel Andrew October 9, 2025

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France’s common sense vacuum

More than institutional rewiring, France needs to transform its political culture, away from grandiose ideals and toward common sense.

Marc Le Chevallier October 8, 2025

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Will Russia crack?

With the US seemingly resigned from the peace process, the war will end when Ukraine's infrastructure is destroyed – or Russia runs out of money.

Owen Matthews October 6, 2025

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Why politicians need to show, not tell

The West's political institutions should strive to do less, but better.

Eliot Wilson October 3, 2025

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The rise of the mega-influencer

Mega-influencers shape the public imagination. And in a world where narratives matter more than facts, the imagination is where wars are won and lost.

Phillip Dolitsky and Luke Moon October 2, 2025

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Viktor Orbán’s geopolitical hedging

The Hungarian leader's balancing act between western powers and a revisionist bloc is unsustainable in an era of great-power competition.

Elvira Viktória Tamus October 1, 2025

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Creating a quagmire in Palestine

Britain’s 1939 White Paper on Palestine, regarded as both an opportunity and a betrayal, was a point at which history failed to turn.

Jack Dickens September 30, 2025

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Indonesia’s new economics

Indonesia’s departure from its traditional adherence to fiscal orthodoxy is fuelling economic and political anxiety.

Imran Shamsunahar September 29, 2025

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Syrians fear a tyranny of the majority

With Syria’s elections postponed until October, has the country's democratic transition been blown off course?

James Snell September 25, 2025