In this post, Dan Taylor explores the historical trajectory of the concept of a British ‘nation’. He argues that, amidst resurgent nationalisms within the United Kingdom, we must stop ignoring the topic and work collectively to establish a collective identity fit for the British Islands in the 21st century.
We are witnessing the ‘slow death of Britain’, warns former […]
In this post, Malcolm Cavanagh looks at the legacy of RAF Bomber Command from the Second World War. He argues that Bomber Command’s role in the war is one of the most controversial aspects of Allied strategy, but that reckoning with it is important for public discourses on how modern wars should be waged.
Across the street from LSE’s Clement House, […]
In this article Charles Baker examines the historical roots of Indonesia’s Mujahidin Indonesia Timur, a militant jihadi organisation. He argues that the state must address major socio-economic discrepancies and perceptions of neglect in order to tackle movements propagated by organisations like MIT.
Over the past four years in Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia’s security forces have been engaged in a protracted […]
In this post, Tenny Kristiana explores the long-term relations between South Korea and China. She argues that Beijing’s increasing importance as an economic partner helps explain the economic and political upheaval in Seoul following China’s strong reaction to the South Korean decision to allow deployment of the THAAD missile defence system in 2016.
In 2016 Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test brought […]
In this article Curtis Large analyses the effect of ‘re-enculturation’ on nations and nationalism. Drawing on the notion of ‘invented traditions’, he explores different ways in which the ‘pizza effect’ can impact ethnic and political communities. He argues that this phenomenon might materialise in several ways, including by fostering ‘hot nationalism’ and solidifying hierarchies.
The Day of the Dead in […]
In this article, Ayla Göl discusses the recent conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. She places the fighting in the larger history of the tensions between the two countries over this disputed territory and argues both that the international community can no longer ignore this conflict and that COVID-19 made diplomatic efforts to end the fighting much […]
In this post Jack Sargent explores the implications of the US’s intention to sell the F-35 fighter jet to the United Arab Emirates. He argues that this move could present a serious challenge to Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, despite the fact that similar US deals with Egypt and Saudi Arabia have failed to overcome Israeli dominance in the region.
In […]
In this article Jordan Buchanan examines the decline in British trading paramountcy in Argentina between 1914 and 1929 and explores the diplomatic efforts made by Britain to protect its economic interests. He draws parallels between British-Argentinian negotiations in 1929 and the current trade negotiations being undertaken by the British government in the wake of Brexit and argues that Britain […]
In this article, Charlotte Eaton explores the significance of the recent toppling of the Sebastián de Belalcázar statue in Popayán, Colombia. She looks at the decision of the Colombian authorities to commission this, and other statues, to Spanish sculptors in the 1930s. Thus, she argues that the importance of this act by a group of indigenous protestors lies in […]
In this article, Jeremy Pressman analyses the recent normalisation of relations agreements between Bahrain, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He places the deals within the wider history of Arab-Israeli relations in the Middle East and compares them to previous diplomatic breakthroughs in the region. Ultimately, he concludes that while the agreements are a modest diplomatic achievement, they […]