Category: Europe/UK

Quantum Politics and the Iran Conflict: Rethinking Non-Linear Warfare

What began as a regional confrontation is evolving into a conflict affecting global markets, supply chains, and energy flows. The conflict reshapes the strategies, vulnerabilities and alignments of other states, from Europe and the Gulf to China, within an interconnected global system. This expansion highlights the limits of conventional, linear thinking in explaining contemporary conflicts. Instead, it points toward a shift to “quantum geopolitics,” where uncertainty, interdependence, and non-linear dynamics shape outcomes. … Continue readingQuantum Politics and the Iran Conflict: Rethinking Non-Linear Warfare

Cracked Ceilings, Shakier Ground: The Paradox of Women’s Leadership in Western Democracy

As of March, 13 of the 193 member states of the United Nations are led by a woman as head of state – a figure that, while still low, is gradually increasing. At first glance, it suggests a world moving, albeit slowly, toward gender equality. But if one looks more closely at the timing, the picture shifts. Women are frequently elevated when parties are fractured, when electoral prospects are dim, and when governing crises have already taken hold. … Continue readingCracked Ceilings, Shakier Ground: The Paradox of Women’s Leadership in Western Democracy

“There may not even be a special relationship depending on how things develop”: Ben Wellings on the UK-US Special relationship and the Anglosphere

In an exclusive interview with Pivot, Ben Wellings discusses the historical significance of the “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom, and its connection to the Anglosphere, as further conflict looms in the Middle East … Continue reading“There may not even be a special relationship depending on how things develop”: Ben Wellings on the UK-US Special relationship and the Anglosphere

Cost-of-Living Crisis, Contract Killers, and Cobalt Kings: The Global Architecture of Insecurity

Too poor to afford a house, not enough space in the market to get a job; governments hiring modern-day mercenaries, committing unspeakable acts without any form of punishment; and, in our pockets, goods, made from the suffering of the bruised, bloodied, and broken.
We are living through an insecurity crisis, a global crisis that few are safe from. While there are many factors that have helped sculpt this issue, the hand of exploitation has been a principal architect of this state we find ourselves in.
… Continue readingCost-of-Living Crisis, Contract Killers, and Cobalt Kings: The Global Architecture of Insecurity

Authoritarianism, democracy and the climate: comparing the EU and China’s climate governance

The idea of ‘eco-authoritarianism’ calls for authoritarian technocratic governance to push necessary reforms that address the climate crisis. Yet are authoritarian governments really better at tackling climate change? With COP30 just around the corner, the comparison of autocratic and democratic regimes, focusing on the People’s Republic of China and the European Union (EU), including its 27 member states, becomes all the more salient. … Continue readingAuthoritarianism, democracy and the climate: comparing the EU and China’s climate governance

The Restarting of History and the Decline of the Liberal Democratic Order

In 1989, American political scientist and philosopher Francis Fukuyama wrote a now famous essay titled, ‘The End of History.’

36 years on from that monumental declaration, we find ourselves facing a world in which liberalism, the dominant global ideology, faces fatigue. The dream of a world of western democracy seems increasingly challenged and the history of global development seems far from settled. … Continue readingThe Restarting of History and the Decline of the Liberal Democratic Order

Nationalism, Femicide, and New Masculinities: the far-right’s weaponisation of violence against women

Gendered violence is on the rise; it’s been declared an epidemic in several countries, including Australia, with the past few years having proved particularly dangerous for women. For hardline conservatives, there are a host of people to blame; recently, immigrants have been a favourite. The scapegoating of vulnerable communities by this section of the political spectrum has proven not just ineffective at combating male violence against women, but points towards a worrying trend of the dehumanisation of one group in the name of protection for another. … Continue readingNationalism, Femicide, and New Masculinities: the far-right’s weaponisation of violence against women

Eurovision 2025: the crossroads of culture and conflict

Austria’s JJ may have won Eurovision 2025, but the contest’s spotlight now shines on deeper tensions. With rising criticism over Israel’s inclusion, public protests, and broadcaster defiance, the event that’s hailed as non-political, strictly neutral now finds itself at the centre of global debate. As the EBU faces pressure from contestants, financial backers and viewers, questions grow louder about the future of neutrality, fairness, and cultural diplomacy on Europe’s biggest stage. … Continue readingEurovision 2025: the crossroads of culture and conflict

In Need of a Shepherd: Pope Leo XIV, a Church in Flux, and Our Desire for Moral Leadership

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, holds a series of firsts in the history of the Catholic Church. 

He becomes the first pontiff born after World War II, the first Augustinian to ascend the throne of Saint Peter, the first pope from the United States and also the first native English speaker since Adrian IV (r. 1154–1159).  His election not only broadens the geographic reach of the papacy but disrupts the traditional Eurocentric dominance of Catholic leadership. … Continue readingIn Need of a Shepherd: Pope Leo XIV, a Church in Flux, and Our Desire for Moral Leadership