Diplomacy & International Institutions
China’s Penghu Island Annexation Shows Taiwan Was Never Too Far Off
By Jonathan Stutte |
The Chinese Navy has surrounded the Penghu Islands, located kilometers off the Taiwanese coast. Seen as a warning and a rebuke to Taiwan’s recent rapid foreign policy shift away from China, this piece examines what China might want and how Taiwan can respond.
Recommitting to NATO, Resisting Putin’s Aggression
By Michael Purzycki |
Questioning assumptions about war, and remaining committed to NATO, prepared the United States to stare down a Russian march toward Kyiv.
China’s Geocultural Influence Reaches New Heights as the U.S. Fades from View
By Shannon McNaught |
As we mark the first year since the United States’ withdrawal from UNESCO, what does the future hold for American geocultural influence and who is waiting in the wings to fill the void?
Partnering for Peace: The U.S. Will Need Help with North Korea
By Jonathan Stutte |
Should United States President Donald Trump be reelected this November, his biggest obstacle to a successful North Korean foreign policy will be achieving cooperation with necessary partners China and South Korea.
No Peace for Afghanistan
By Dylan Johnson |
Summary: The 2020 U.S.-Taliban agreement and subsequent U.S. troop withdrawal established conditions for a lasting war between the Taliban and Afghan government. Both too weak to dominate, there is no end in sight.
Bernie Vs. the Blob
By Olivier Weiss |
President Bernie Sanders is trying to jettison the US empire. Washington will only follow begrudgingly. The Sanders administration must urgently articulate a clear strategy.
Choosing a Captain in the Storm
By Adam Ratzlaff |
As Organization of American States members prepare to select the institution’s general secretary, they need to consider the role that the leader will play in protecting democracy in the Americas.
Silencing the Guns: Promoting Sustained Peace in Africa
By Kathryn Urban |
As the African Union recommits to “Silencing the Guns” in 2020, the most effective path forward for the organization is to build upon past peace agreements in CAR and South Sudan.
Monitoring the U.S. Election for Democracy in the Americas
By Adam Ratzlaff |
As the United States enters the 2020 election season, politicians on both sides of the aisle should consider inviting election monitors to observe the election. Doing so would allow the United States to more effectively achieve its objectives in the Americas.
Ensuring Europe’s Security Post-Brexit
By Nick Lokker |
The United Kingdom’s recent departure from the European Union may disrupt Europe’s ability to effectively cooperate and deal with various threats to its security. To mitigate this disruption, the UK should remain closely involved in EU security and defense efforts, and a European Security Council should be established.
WHO Defunding Threatens Pillars Of U.S. Comprehensive National Power
By Robert Shines |
By defunding the WHO, the U.S. is threatening both its alliance system and adherence to the value of multilateral institutions, both critical to its long-term comprehensive national power.
4 Reasons Why Women’s Equality Should Be at the Forefront of the G7
By Julia O'Connor |
For the past two years, the G7 host countries championed issues of equality. Now, the United States has the power to create meaningful change as the host of this year’s G7!
A Liberal Defense of Nationalism
By Michael Purzycki |
Identification with one’s nation has often been a liberating force. It is vital to distinguish between those forms of nationalism that are compatible with liberal values, and those that are not.
A Proposed Kosovo-Serbia Land Swap Intensifies Europe’s Integration Challenges
By Nick Lokker |
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, Kosovo’s government has fallen, leaving an uncertain future for the Western Balkan region. Within this context, the lack of clear U.S. opposition to a proposed Kosovo-Serbia land swap opens the door to potentially disastrous consequences for Europe as a whole.
It’s Time to Hold Hungary Accountable
By Nick Lokker |
While Europe struggles to confront the coronavirus pandemic, Hungary’s government has exploited the crisis to indefinitely increase its own power. The European Union must punish Hungary for this democratic backsliding, or else risk losing its legitimacy as a community of values.
Y7 Statement on COVID-19
By Charged Affairs Editors |
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy is acting as host for this year's Y7 summit. Youth delegates from all seven countries prepared a statement for G7 representatives, published in its entirety below, articulating a strong call to action from their generation to the leaders of the world's most powerful nations.
COVID-19 Is Currently Winning The Adaptability Race
By Robert Shines |
Regardless of initial missteps, the most critical thing for governments and the international community to do in the fight against COVID-19 is to adapt quickly. While some states weigh the impacts of quarantine measures on the economy, some have identified strategies that balance public health with economic health.
Trusting the Enemy: Barriers to Diplomacy in US-North Korea Relationship
By Benjamin Zimmer |
As the United States-North Korea relationship becomes more complex, a key hurdle for the two nations to address is a growing lack of trust. Addressing this lack of trust in the relationship can create a situation in which diplomacy can be effective.
Peaceful Polling: A Case for African Union Action in General Elections
By Kathryn Urban |
2020 is an important election year for Africa, with citizens voting on important leadership questions in countries as diverse as Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Tanzania. Even as Somalia holds what will be the first election in fifty years, other states, notably Ethiopia and Burundi are already showing signs of an election season marred by violence.…
For a True ‘Geopolitical Commission’ the EU Must Put Its Money Where Its Mouth Is
By Nick Lokker |
The outcome of the EU's negotiations around its next long-term budget will have a pivotal effect on the bloc's ambitions to become a stronger geopolitical actor on the global stage. To make these ambitions a reality, the bloc's leaders must reconsider their spending priorities.