International Relations 🗺️
The Pickle Manufacturer turned Islamic Warlord King
He was an English pickle manufacturer and philanthropist, who in his later life converted to Islam. During the Chinese Warlord era in the 20th Century he was declared King of Islamestan. This is the story of Bertie Sheldrake.
Did NATO cause the Ukraine Crisis?
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th Feb 2022. Russia has been declared a villain. But is there another side to this war? Is it only Russia’s fault? Indian journalist Palki Sharma argues there are other entities like NATO who are also responsible for this event.
Is colonial baggage halting development? Dependency theory in a nutshell
In response to liberal modernization theory (see my Memo below) which suggests the same linear method of development to all countries, some leftist scholars from Latin America created an alternate model of development which factored in the power dynamics between states.
The pandemic hasn't changed history, it’s accelerated it
Richard Haass’ article in Foreign Affairs, “The Pandemic Will Accelerate History Rather Than Reshape It” drew inspiration from his 2017 book “A World in Disarray.” Haass argued that pre-COVID trends were not being overturned by the pandemic; rather, they were being accelerated.
Henry Kissinger: is the world we live in his making?
On May 23, as western support for Ukraine remained united, Henry Kissinger, a man who defined half a century of American diplomacy, said that Kyiv should consider conceding territory to reach a peace deal. To understand his statement, one needs to dive deeper into his worldview. @
The End of History or the Clash of Civilizations?
In 1991, as the Soviet Union fell apart, Francis Fukuyama declared the “end of history”. By this, he did not mean the end of events or the study of the past, but the end of an ideological war between communism and liberalism, with the latter emerging victorious.
How can a country achieve development? Rostow’s 5 stages
In his 1960 book “The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto,” W.W. Rostow listed out five stages a country must go through to achieve development: traditional society, preconditions for take-off, take-off, drive to maturity, and age of high mass consumption.
Has the Non-Proliferation Treaty been a success?
It seems obvious to say that the world needs urgent action to prevent the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences that would result from nuclear war. But what is actually stopping it?
Could the “East Asian Miracle” work anywhere?
The East Asian Miracle is the name given to the pronounced growth of East Asian economies in the post-Second World War era. The economic advancement of these countries seemed to defy both liberal modernization theory and development theory.
How war made humans a cooperative species
You probably think of war as a breakdown of cooperation, and that makes intuitive sense. In his book Ultrasociety, Peter Turchin argues war is the reason cooperation evolved in the first place. Here's how👇