List of Theory articles
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A rocket is seen from a distance as it launches against a blue sky from the rocky surface of an island, a plume of white smoke billowing from beneath it. Other white plumes are visible to the side. Trump’s Venezuela Attack May Give China Cover on Taiwan
Beijing will welcome the chance for its own regional hegemony.
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An illustration shows one empty flagpole alongside the flags of multiple countries. The U.S. flag is seen at far right, untethered, flying out of frame. The World-Minus-One Moment
Managing the global order with an antagonistic Washington.
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A woman and man walk with three children, one on the man's shoulders, past a row of armored military vehicles with soldiers in combat gear. The children carry backpacks. Palm trees are seen in the distance. A Strategic Break for South America
In the wake of Maduro’s capture, governments across the continent are facing uncomfortable questions about deterrence and autonomy.
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Local residents stand next to damaged residential buildings following a Russian air strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 2. Ukraine’s Fate in 2026 Will Define the International Order
A flimsy peace would legitimize conquest. A durable one could still salvage deterrence.
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Illustration of a group of people in a book store. The foreign policy section of books is swarmed, while no one is interested in the U.S. section. The Most Anticipated Books of the Year
The 30 biggest releases in foreign affairs, history, and political science.
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Trump and Putin stand on a blue stage with the letters 2025 affixed to the front of it in large white figures. Trump's hand is on Putin's back to guide him as he walks onto the steps off the stage. In the background, jets and Air Force One are parked on an airport tarmac. Our Most Read Stories of 2025
Readers kept track of Trump’s whirlwind foreign policy and upheaval in the global order.
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8 books scattered on a snowy background FP’s Holiday Book List
Our columnists and staff writers recommend their top reads for the end of the year.
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A grid of five book covers on an ornage background Read From This Year’s Buzziest Books
Our favorite excerpts of 2025.
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A man with a beard talks on a red phone in a futuristic phone booth. A Raucous Reckoning With Brazil’s Dictatorship
“The Secret Agent,” Brazil’s Oscars hopeful, probes an undigested history.
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A man poses in front of a wooden bookcase with glass shelving filled with different types of film cameras. Jafar Panahi Has His Eyes on the Future
Iran’s most celebrated director asks what a world after the Islamic Republic might look like.
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Donald Trump stands at a podium in front of Christmas decorations and flags. Trump’s Doctrine Is ‘Make America Small Again’
A hemispheric focus makes little sense for a global economic and military giant.
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International Space Station above the Caribbean Sea The World Needs a Space COP
Negotiating a new treaty to manage space seems hopeless, but a workable mechanism exists.
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Starmer and other personnel stand around a circular table, trying out white AI-powered goggles and handheld instruments. The British flag is on bright display on the wall behind them. The Death—and Rebirth—of Science Diplomacy
Once a vehicle for global cooperation, international science has become a high-stakes arena of geopolitical rivalry.
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Two women with long hair are seen in profile with their hair covering their faces. Behind them are the buildings of a city. Iran Has a New Moral Order
The Islamic republic no longer controls the symbolic universe that once anchored its legitimacy.
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Chile's presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party waves to supporters during his closing campaign rally in Temuco, Chile on December 11, 2025. What Chile’s New President Means for the World
José Kast’s right-wing agenda has implications far beyond Chile’s borders.
