Notebooks

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Bruegel had a Worldview

The prolific paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder may be familiar, but a closer look at the artist’s philosophy reveals he remains defiantly counter-cultural.

Gavin Plumley September 2, 2022

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Gorbachev did not end the Cold War alone — the West won

Gorbachev decided to fold up the Soviet Union without a military confrontation, for which he certainly deserves praise, but to present him as a man who ended the evil of European C..

Andrew Roberts August 31, 2022

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A brief history of the fatwa

The role of fatwas provides a dark insight into the relationship between Iranian religion and politics over the past century.

Ali Ansari August 24, 2022

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Mirrors and myths: the role of public perception in shaping covert operations

Entering the world of covert interference is like walking into a funfair world of mirrors. When so little is truly known of the murky world of secret statecraft, our understanding ..

Rory Cormac August 18, 2022

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Beppe Fenoglio: A Complex Centenary

The Italian writer came into his own during the Second World War– but his ideas about the English-speaking world don’t necessarily connect to Western realities – or audiences – t..

Tobias Jones August 15, 2022

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Working From Anywhere — the holiday never stops

The Covid pandemic turned Working From Home into a lifestyle and a talking point — but Working From Anywhere has become popular too and has meant that working life has melded with ..

Agnès Poirier August 12, 2022

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Conducting is Finland’s soft superpower

Since the 1800s, Finns have turned to music as an expression of national identity and defiance — today that expression has come full circle.

Elisabeth Braw August 10, 2022

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Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan — for Xi, it’s personal

Xi Jinping's petulant reaction to Nancy Pelosi's visit seems likely only to encourage more international backing for Taiwan and reinforce demands for formal independence.

Michael Reilly August 5, 2022

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Total football — from catenaccio to gegenpressing it’s about openness to ideas

Footballing philosophies are central to the national mythologies of the cultures that produce them.

Josh Mcloughlin August 3, 2022