Category: Europe

Saving Women, Selling War: Feminist Foreign Policy as a Tool of Imperial Power

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the rights of Iranian women to rally international support for military action against Tehran, it brought people a sense of deja vu. The language was familiar — the appeal to women’s dignity, the implicit promise of liberation — but so was the source: a long tradition of Western imperialism that historically used the rhetoric of saving women to legitimise war.  … Continue readingSaving Women, Selling War: Feminist Foreign Policy as a Tool of Imperial Power

The Limits of International Law: from Srebrenica to Gaza

With every major human rights violation, war, or humanitarian catastrophe, we see the invocation of international law. From Rwanda to Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Iraq and, most recently, Gaza, the language is familiar and repeats itself.
The question, then, is not whether international law exists, but whether its failure lies in inherent weakness or in its selective implementation. … Continue readingThe Limits of International Law: from Srebrenica to Gaza

Reforming the Kimberley Process: Are blood diamonds truly a girl’s best friend?

Behind the glitz and the glamour of an annual 300-billion-dollar industry lies a troubling reality. From alleged human rights abuses to multilateral pitfalls, it appears diamonds aren’t the only thing you find when you dig below the surface. In November 2025, the Kimberley Process, a process designed to reduce the production of conflict diamonds, failed to reach consensus for the third year in a row. … Continue readingReforming the Kimberley Process: Are blood diamonds truly a girl’s best friend?

Mark Carney, a Non-Aligned Movement and The Middle Power Conundrum – Is There a Third Way?

In a speech that may be considered one of the great speeches of history, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated a need to stop operating under the pretence that the international order is working ‘as intended’ and that alignment with the great powers protects member states of the world. What is perhaps most notable about Carney’s statement however is not its unique challenge to the world order, but its replication and parallels to a challenge issued more than 60 years ago.
… Continue readingMark Carney, a Non-Aligned Movement and The Middle Power Conundrum – Is There a Third Way?

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

Signal of Opportunity: What the EU-India Free Trade Agreement means for Australia    

After almost a decade of stalled talks, India and the European Union have pledged to establish a free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of this year. The new deal aims to remove domestic market barriers and encourage foreign domestic investment, while maintaining protections around geographical indications to ensure respective agricultural markets are not misused in the name of economic growth. The path to finalising this FTA has not been straightforward, and more roadblocks remain as leaders from both sides face diplomatic delays, increasing tariffs and protectionist challenges from other great powers. … Continue readingSignal of Opportunity: What the EU-India Free Trade Agreement means for Australia    

Pan-Arabism in Egypt: A Mainspring in the Exodus of Greek-Egyptians and Foreign Diplomacy Today

To understand the decisions leading to the Greek exodus, we must first anchor ourselves in the early 1900s political climate and discourse that permeated Egypt at that time. Remains of these movements are visible in the Greek-Egyptian political relationship today, and multilateral efforts are being made to combat these challenges.  … Continue readingPan-Arabism in Egypt: A Mainspring in the Exodus of Greek-Egyptians and Foreign Diplomacy Today

21st Century Oppenheimer: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons and the Fight to Turn Back the Clock on Doomsday.

From the recent success of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to Putin’s threats of all out nuclear war, there has been a fevered reinvigoration of interest in nuclear weapons and the likelihood of WW3. This article will explore both the past and present of nuclear power, to judge truly just how close we are to midnight.  … Continue reading21st Century Oppenheimer: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons and the Fight to Turn Back the Clock on Doomsday.

WHY CHECHENS ARE FIGHTING FOR – AND AGAINST – RUSSIA IN UKRAINE

At first glance, Chechnya — the small Russian republic in the Northern Caucasus region — appears an unlikely candidate for substantial involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The republic is barely 0.1% of Russia’s total area, and contains less than 1% of Russia’s population. Perhaps even less likely is a scenario in which Chechens fight in Ukraine on both sides. Yet both situations are now playing out. To understand why, we must understand how Chechnya’s current religious and geopolitical circumstances developed. … Continue readingWHY CHECHENS ARE FIGHTING FOR – AND AGAINST – RUSSIA IN UKRAINE