Notebooks

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Solzhenitsyn, Putin and the historical myth-making that drives Russian imperialism

Undeniably there are deep cultural and political ties between Russia and Ukraine. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a hero in much of the West, but he helped inspire in Putin a destructiv..

Tomiwa Owolade March 18, 2022

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Will Russia be happy as China’s junior partner?

For the Chinese leadership, Russia is understood as a place too important to be complacent about – but also as the lesser force in a partnership in which Beijing wants to take a le..

Kerry Brown March 18, 2022

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On the dangers of sleep

Today, it’s seen as the ultimate pillar of health – but many ancient lives were shaped by the suspicion that excessive sleep was undesirable for the mind – if not categorically tre..

Daisy Dunn March 16, 2022

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History’s soundtrack: America’s swinging musical diplomacy

Against the background of the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and a growing civil rights movement, America’s foremost jazz musicians travelled the world as cultural ambassadors, becomin..

Maria Golia March 11, 2022

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The right path — the complexities of transporting lethal aid to Ukraine

Shipping arms to Russia’s enemy is not without risk, but examples from history show that it is both possible and the right thing to do.

Katja Hoyer March 7, 2022

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Putin’s war with the Church

You can’t separate the Ukrainian – Russian war from the region’s historical struggles over Orthodox Christianity. The Russian state is using every tool in its arsenal, including ag..

Jacob Lassin March 4, 2022

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Knowing Russia was going to invade Ukraine was not enough

The warnings were accurate but the West failed to believe them and this made collective deterrent action far less effective.

Suzanne Raine March 3, 2022

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War displaces Ukrainians – again

The growing and unresolved humanitarian crisis unfolding in Europe as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians flee fighting is not new. When Russia invaded Ukraine’s eastern regions in..

Emily Channell-Justice March 3, 2022

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Show’s over: the case against a cultural boycott of Russia

In the rarefied world of classical music, famous Russians who have yet to criticise their country’s invasion of Ukraine have had global invitations withdrawn. But while many have m..

Elisabeth Braw March 1, 2022