Excerpt
List of Excerpt articles
The Song and Dance of American Secrecy
Espionage law hasn’t changed much since William Howard Taft—yet recent presidents have wielded it as a cudgel more than ever before.
How the U.S. Created Its Own Reality
Historian Heather Cox Richardson charts the roots of 21st-century disinformation—and how American democracy began to falter.
How to Get Chinese Elites to Support Democracy
It may be in their own self-interest.
North Korean Talks Collapsed but Didn’t Fail
I helped negotiate the Trump-Kim meeting. Real peace is still possible.
How China Trolls Flooded Twitter
Beijing has learned to use Russian-style disinformation.
The Bomb Was Horrifying. The Alternatives Would Have Been Worse.
Historical records show that dropping atomic bombs was the least bad option.
Russia’s Frighteningly Fascist Youth
A new generation of Russians glorifies war, death, and Vladimir Putin.
Mao’s Legacy Is a Dangerous Topic in China
Discussing the Cultural Revolution has become increasingly risky.
How American Journalists Watched China’s COVID-19 Crisis Unfold
The pandemic’s outbreak brought rare reporting freedoms.
How Truman Sold Americans on Going Hungry
In 1947, the United States sacrificed for the sake of a starving Europe.
China Wants Your Attention, Please
Beijing’s massive expansion of state media hasn’t quite worked as planned. But watch out for Xinhua’s growing global deals.
How the U.S.-Chinese Technology War Is Changing the World
Washington’s crackdown on technology access is creating a new kind of global conflict.
How Putin Came to Fear ‘Color Revolutions’
A new graphic novel reexamines the Russian leader’s biography—with lessons for the present.
Xi’s First Steps in Power Signaled His Political Turn
Elites were uncertain about the new leader’s growing power.
How ‘Screw Your Optics’ Became a Far-Right Rallying Cry
White supremacist terrorists have taken a page from the Islamic State’s playbook—discarding concerns about image and embracing shocking displays of public violence.
