The security situation in the Middle East reflects the hard realities of power struggle and the implications of the quest for regional hegemony. Nadeem Ahmed Moonakal shows how Israel is exploiting instability to entrench dominance, while Iran’s projected restraint masks deep vulnerabilities. With the US’ ambiguous approach adding to tensions, the space for long-term stability is shrinking
Changing the way we think — and appreciating new perspectives — can be a complex and vulnerable process. Drawing from her research into social media as a space for sharing marginalised narratives, Friedel Marquardt presents the online 'grace space' to safely foster transformative conversations around new ideas
Are we nearing a new incarnation of the French vision of a Gaullist Europe? Focusing on strategic autonomy, nuclear deterrence, coalitions of the willing, threat perception, and defence capability, Amélie Jaques-Apke examines the strategic dilemmas, and conceptual and operational deficiencies, in European defence policy
EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Union’s integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak accountability. Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni argues that to remain a values-based project, the EU must reform internal mechanisms and adopt a phased, conditional approach to accession
EU-level concern about inclusion and workplace sexual harassment is on the rise. Despite this, European academic research continues to overlook how race, class, and legal status shape victims' experiences. Irene Landini says it's time for studies of sexual harassment in higher education to take an intersectional turn
As the US and China unveil rival AI governance blueprints, Elif Davutoğlu explores how these policy visions reflect deeper geopolitical strategies. Framed as calls for innovation or cooperation, both documents signal a global legitimacy race in which AI governance becomes a battleground for shaping the future international order
A new Pact on Migration and Asylum is gradually coming into force. As it does so, Evelina Staykova and Ildiko Otova examine its solidarity mechanism, a central — but not new — element of EU migration policy. While the mechanism holds potential for positive change, it also carries significant risks
Maria Merkouraki argues that a May 2025 joint letter from nine EU member states signals a sovereignty-led pushback against the European Court of Human Rights. This backlash erodes Article 10 protections of the European Convention on Human Rights — and the long-term viability of judicial diplomacy in Europe
Consuelo Thiers argues that Javier Milei is not merely shifting Argentina's foreign policy but dismantling its diplomatic institutions. As ideology replaces expertise, and institutional norms collapse, Argentina has become a stark example of how personalist leadership can upend international relations
From escalating trade wars with the EU to snap ultimatums on Iran, Donald Trump's international playbook is startlingly predictable. Trump seeks not agreement, but surrender. Shamsoddin Shariati explains how Europe must now learn from this pattern, and respond with firmness, not concession
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