Quo Vadis Arctic? The EU and its Northern Neighbourhood
The Arctic is melting, and melting fast. In times of starving polar bears going viral, the Arctic has become global climate change’s canary in a coal mine. Over the last ten years, the European Union has also felt an Arctic...
The Romanian Diaspora as an Unlikely Opposition
Diasporas have long been seen by scholars and practitioners of international relations as an important diplomacy tool. A large, active, and politically engaged diaspora can often be used to influence another country’s politics,...
Europe Needs to Differentiate Asylum Policy from Migration Policy
On October 24, the European Commission (EC) unveiled its working program for 2018, and once again it completely avoids using terminology such as “refugees” or “asylum seekers.” While this does not necessarily mean that Europe is...
The Looming Crisis in Italy
With low growth, chronic unemployment, and crippling public debt, Italy checks all the boxes for a looming financial crisis. Yet, with its upcoming elections next year and the rise of new players in Italian politics, the country...
ISIS’s Threat to the 2018 World Cup
Since the early days of the Islamic State (ISIS) there has been a preoccupation with the risk posed by foreign fighters returning home. With the attacks in Paris and Brussels, the world has seen how much damage these fighters can...
Byzantine History, Russian Autocracy, and the West
The West fails to understand President Putin. To distant observers, the rebellion in Crimea and proxy war in the Donbas seem like the immoral actions of a rogue leader. This could not be further from the truth in Moscow. Although...
An Economic Strategy for a United Spain
Spain is on the brink of a political crisis as the confrontation between Catalonia and the central government escalates over Catalonia’s future. The recent developments are indeed a wake-up call for Spain, which must address...
Racism and the Fight Against Terrorism
In August 2017, Spain became the latest European target of terrorism when a Moroccan-born man struck pedestrians with a van in Barcelona, killing 14 people and injuring dozens of others. Unlike many of the country’s European...
Carrot Versus Stick: Encouraging Private Collections to Self-Audit Collections for Looted Cultural Property
There is no question that the serious legal consequences of acquiring looted cultural property—either purposefully or accidentally—is often a sufficient deterrent for private collectors to avoid pursuing artifacts from countries...
The European-Ukrainian Nuclear Mistake
Since the end of the Cold War, Europe has botched several major security crises, from refugees to referenda. Europe’s worst mistake was the nuclear disarmament of Ukraine 23 years ago. It continues to have lasting, negative...