List of Theory articles
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An Iranian woman films skateboarding lessons using her phone at a park in western Tehran. The Generation Iranian Hard-Liners Have Been Waiting for
How Israel’s strikes reshaped Iran’s political future.
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Two world leaders speak underneath a replica of a clay treaty. Pharaohs, Maharajas, and the Making of a Multipolar World
Examples from non-Western history offer more promising precedents for the end of U.S. hegemony.
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Shadows of columns and people are seen in front of a large historic painting of George Washington standing before Congress. The columns obscure much of the foreground, revealing only small fragments of the painting. The Great Dismantling
It’s time to reckon with the end of the old international order—and shape a vision for a new one.
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U.S. President Donald Trump kisses Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after addressing a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025 in Washington. Why Trump Keeps Betraying His Base
The Blob is back—and other explanations for the Trump administration’s foreign-policy flip-flops.
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A mural of Trump beside a painting of a MADE IN CHINA stamp. The U.S. Can No Longer Stave Off Competition From China
Beijing dominates global trade. But it couldn’t turn that into a geopolitical advantage—until Trump 2.0.
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A Croatian flag flies during a UEFA Euro 2024 group stage match in Hamburg, Germany, on June 19, 2024. Croatia’s Quiet War in Bosnia
Zagreb’s push for segregation puts the future of democratic Bosnia at risk.
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Nehru leands back to consult with another seated delegate in a crowd of people sitting in rows. Bring Back the Spirit of Bandung
The 1955 conference’s value-based approach to international affairs offers a model for middle powers today.
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A fan of U.S. President Donald Trump adjusts a cutout of Elon Musk at a “Trump-A-Palooza” event in Brevard, North Carolina. Third Parties in America Usually Fail. Can Elon Musk Change That?
The world’s richest man takes his political evolution another step further.
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From left to right: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pose for a group picture during a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on July 1. The Quad Isn’t Quitting
Washington, New Delhi, Tokyo, and Canberra make common cause on common ground.
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Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh carries yard signs into her campaign office in Chicago. The Gen Z Candidate Calling for a ‘Humane Foreign Policy’
In a crowded Illinois congressional race, 26-year-old Kat Abughazaleh is the only contender focusing on the wider world.
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An illustration shows a hand holding up a head-shaped hourglass in a Hamlet-esque pose. Inside the hourglass are sands enveloping the statue of liberty and other monuments. The End of Modernity
A crisis is unfolding before our eyes—and also in our heads.
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Hong Kong’s Star Ferry How China’s Crackdown Has Reshaped Hong Kong
Inside life in the city five years after its national security law went into effect.
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Graduates from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government celebrate during the university’s 374th commencement in Cambridge, the United States, on May 29. Harvard Should Prepare to Move Abroad
CEU’s experience in Hungary shows that no amount of prestige or endowment can shield a university from determined state hostility.
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A giant panda's tongue hangs out while eating. The Expedition That Launched a Century of Panda-Mania
A new book details how the United States helped create a truly political animal.
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An illustration shows a world map fractured into several groupings that align with the dividing lines laid out in Samuel Huntington's book Clash of Civilizations. The broken up continents are scattered against a green background. How to Sell a Clash of Civilizations
The incoherence of Samuel Huntington’s famous thesis is also its power.
