List of Theory articles
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Supporters cheer as newly-elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives at the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on July 6. 2024 Was a Year of Angry Elections
A diverse array of countries held national votes this year—but a single storyline stood out.
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A poster from the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP)on Feb. 25, 2016 in Zurich. The Elitist Truth About Far-Right Populism
A small Swiss canton offers hard truths about the far right.
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A historic black-and-white photo of a line of 8 school children wearing backpacks, their heads raised as they look up at a mural of Antonio Gramsci. Why Giorgia Meloni Loves Antonio Gramsci
Countering the left’s cultural hegemony has become an obsession on the Italian right—and they’re turning to a communist philosopher for ideas.
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An illustration shows hands holding chopsticks and a spoon with a soup dumpling in it over a large blow. Inside the bowl is a Taipei cityscape with lanterns and semiconductor chips coming out of it. Soup Dumplings as Soft Power
Din Tai Fung has become a potent global symbol of Taiwan, at a time when the island sorely needs it.
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Abu Mohammed al-Jolani arrives inside the Syrian capital's landmark Umayyad Mosque to address a crowd gathered there on December 8, 2024. Is Jolani Any Better Than Assad?
How to read the tea leaves on Syria’s new leaders.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey, during a ceremony marking the 96th anniversary of Victory Day, commemorating a decisive battle in the Turkish War of Independence, in Ankara, on August 30, 2018. Erdogan Gets His ‘Leader of the Muslim World’ Moment
Syria’s change of leadership has given Turkey’s president the regional influence he has always wanted.
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A billboard bearing a picture of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and Syria's national flag is seen torn in the northern city of Aleppo on Nov. 30. The Assads Were Fighting the Wrong War
Syria’s ruling family had shaped its security agencies to fend off coups, not uprisings.
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A framed picture of Bashar al-Assad is seen with its glass shattered on the ground. How the World Got Syria Wrong
The international community misjudged the strength of the Assad regime—and its fixation on an external political process is being overtaken by internal events.
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Viktor Orban, wearing a suit with an overcoat draped over his shoulders, stands in front of the wall of a black and white gridded structure. Hungary’s Descent Into Dictatorship
How Viktor Orban pulled off the unthinkable.
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Protesters take part in a demonstration against the South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec. 5, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. Are Democracies Doomed to Gridlock and Dysfunction?
From France to South Korea, U.S. democratic allies are descending into political chaos.
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A torn picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is seen at the Bab al-Hawa border gate between Turkey and Syria on July 21, 2012. Why Assad’s Regime Is Collapsing So Quickly
While nobody was looking, the Syrian regime was increasingly hollowing out.
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Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on Dec. 4, after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. How South Koreans Rejected Martial Law
A self-coup attempt by President Yoon Suk-yeol has dramatically flopped.
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Mohammed bin Salman arrives at the Future Investment Initiative FII conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 24, 2018. The Real Reason for Saudi Arabia’s Pivot to Iran
Mohammed bin Salman’s changed tone on Tehran isn’t as confusing as it seems.
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The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic, Alan Moore and Steve Moore with various artists, Top Shelf Productions, $49.99, 352 pp, October 2024. Alan Moore Wants You to Invent Your Own God
An acclaimed English author offers his take on creativity and magic.
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Women protesters hold up signs. Gender Wars Are an Early Warning Sign for Authoritarianism
Women’s rights are at the forefront of security risks—and resistance.
