List of Theory articles
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Xi Jinping arriving at a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia on Nov. 20, 2024. China Won’t Be the Obvious Winner in Latin America
What does Washington’s assertive approach mean for Beijing’s regional influence?
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Protesters wave Turkish flags in front of the New Mosque in Istanbul on March 25. Erdogan Is Trying to Divide and Conquer Turkey’s Opposition
By arresting his chief rival and splitting the left, Turkey’s president is seeking to create a pliant and palatable CHP that ensures the AKP’s long-term dominance.
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A protestor sits with a book "A Fairer World Is Possible" by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in front of Turkish riot police officers during a rally in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor in Istanbul on March 23, 2025. Turkey Can’t Live With, or Without, Erdogan
After decades in office, Turkey’s president has put his country in an impossible position.
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Two men are behind bars; a person is shown up-close in front of them. Putin’s Approach to Authoritarianism Is Changing
The sentencing of Alexei Navalny’s lawyers marks a new era of unchecked lawlessness.
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A satellite image shows the tiny island of Nauru in the South Pacific in June 1999. The dark blue ocean surrounds it, with a few clouds drifting into frame in the upper right corner. The Islands Caught in Global Crosshairs
Geopolitical flash points, from Nauru to Greenland.
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The cover of Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Is ‘Supply-Side Liberalism’ Still Relevant?
A new book from Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson could be a lost manifesto for a second Democratic administration.
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A crowd of hundreds of people stands beneath a hazy sky as it surrounds the Goddess of Democracy statue, which is constructed from white foam and papier-mâché. The statues towers above the demonstrators with its arms raised over its head, carrying a torch. Don’t Give Up on China’s Democracy Just Yet
Scholars are increasingly making the case for reviving modernization theory.
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Trump stands in an opera box with his hands out wide. Is Trump Executing a Self-Coup?
Modern autocrats don’t openly declare their intention to kill democracy but erode it stealthily over time.
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Two tall buildings are lit up with characters from the movie "Ne Zha 2" in China with a crowd of people in the street. Hollywood Has a New China Problem
‘Ne Zha 2’ shows audiences are growing tired of formulaic Western films.
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Kenneth Roth, a man in his 60s with gray hair and glasses, tucks a piece of paper into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, a serious expression on his face as he looks down. Do Human Rights Have a Future?
The strategies that once guided advocacy are no longer adequate in a world led by strongmen.
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Multiple workers wearing light clothing unload supplies. USAID Purge Ends With 83 Percent of Programs Canceled
After weeks of uncertainty, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the final tally of cuts.
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Donald Trump in a suit lifts a fist as he stands in the shadows. Why Are We Surprised by the Trump-Putin Alliance?
MAGA’s ideology aligns more closely with authoritarianism than liberal democracy.
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Trump stands at a podium with both arms outstretched and his hands open as he speaks. He wears a dark suit and a bright red tie. Trump Is Trying to Remake the United Nations
Washington has signaled that it wants the international body to focus on preserving peace, but it could be looking to rubber-stamp its bilateral priorities.
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Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Van Andel Arena on November 5, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Trump’s Concert of Kingpins Won’t Work
A globe carved up by strongmen isn’t any world order at all.
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A woman raises one fist as she speaks from behind a lectern. At left are two German flags and the logos of the AfD on a backdrop behind her. The AfD Is Now Germany’s Mainstream
How the radical far-right party became the leader of the country’s opposition.
