In The News

France-Amérique: NATO and the Trump Enigma

Guy Sorman April 3, 2017
French diplomats and pundits admit to confusion over US President Donald Trump's goals and opinions about NATO. An essay goes on to pose multiple questions and suggests that longstanding US allies such as France do not expect clear answers, with analysts wondering whether Trump deliberately presents two stances, one specifically for his followers and another for the world at large. “No...

The Atlantic: Would-Be Coalition of Christian Traditionalists

Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins and Brittany Pheiffer Noble March 28, 2017
Supporters of secularism criticize government leaders who prioritize personal religious beliefs over government policies. In 2014, Steve Bannon, now chief strategist in the White House, urged cross-border religious partnerships in opposing Islamic extremism. Religious traditionalists also join forces to battle for other causes including opposition to marriage equality or women’s reproductive...

Spiegel Online: Eight Myths of Migration

Hein de Haas March 23, 2017
Migration continues to top political agendas, but a failure to understand the phenomenon will cause new problems. Fear of an “uncontrollable influx…. has fueled the rise of extreme nationalist parties,” explains Hein de Haas for Spiegel Online. The professor of sociology refutes myths of migration. Migration is circulatory; closed borders do not automatically lead to less migration and actually...

Spiegel Online: Dutch Election Slows Europe's Populists

Claus Hecking March 21, 2017
Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his center-right political party, the VVD, won the Dutch general election. Rutte has held the position since 2010, but faced a strong challenge from the far-right populist Geert Wilders. Wilders’ calls for nationalist policies and a “Nexit” from the European Union were at odds with the Netherlands’ global position as a leading exporter, Claus Hecking posits for...

The Telegraph: US Makes Formal Apology to Britain After White House Accuses GCHQ of Wiretapping Trump Tower

Steven Swinford March 17, 2017
The United States issued a formal apology to Great Britain after the White House press secretary repeated a Fox News source suggesting that former US President Barack Obama spied on Trump Tower with the help of British intelligence. GCHQ described the allegations as “nonsense” and “utterly ridiculous.” The diplomatic uproar came on the same day that the Trump administration released a proposed...

The Spectator: Theresa May Fights a War on Two Fronts - Any Mistakes Could Be Fatal

James Forsyth March 16, 2017
British voters approved leaving the European Union, by a margin of 52 to 48 percent. More than 55 percent of voters in Northern Ireland and 62 percent in Scotland voted to remain. British Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger Article 50 and the two-year process for EU exit soon. Actual costs and institutions to handle trade, travel, immigration and regulatory details are yet unknown. May must...

The Diplomat: After Impeachment Verdict, Korea’s "Fresh Start" On Reform Begins Again

Anthony Fensom March 14, 2017
South Korea’s president was removed from office, and so far the country’s economy and markets are left unfazed. South Korea’s first female president had promised strong economic growth, with a rise in per-capita income, as well as increased tax breaks to encourage investment. Instead, “Exports shrank for two straight years through 2016 and may be further damaged by deteriorating relations with...