A studied refusal to pay attention to South Sudan’s colonial history helped ignite the current crisis.
South Sudan: Colonialism’s Dead Hand
read more
Democracy & Governance
How Will the Gulf Cooperation Council React to a U.S.-Iran Nuclear Deal?
The Gulf Cooperation Council needs to work together on a game plan for negotiating with Iran.
Egypt’s Fateful Choice: Democracy or Authoritarianism?
Algeria descended into civil war when its military suppressed the country’s democratically popular Islamists. Could the same happen in Egypt?
Thailand’s Protests and the Global Economy
As the economies of Southeast Asia integrate, Thailand’s social divide is as stark as ever.
What Do Thailand, Ukraine, Belgium, and Egypt Have in Common? Dysfunctional Democracies
When the losing party in an election resorts to extra-legal measures, democracy is threatened and secession may follow.
The Surveillance Blitz
Our privacy is getting hit from two sides — from corporations as well as the government.
SOTU: Obama Grades His Foreign Policy
Former law professor Barack Obama went into surprising depth on issues of war and peace during his fifth State of the Union address. Here’s how he should grade himself.
Colombia: Success Story or Cautionary Tale?
Washington’s pursuit of trade with Colombia — encapsulated by the recent U.S.-Colombia free-trade agreement — is abetting human rights abuses and marginalizing Colombian activists.
Clouds over Honduras
Honduras’ new president, Juan Orlando Hernández, takes office amid rising tensions between developers on one side and indigenous and campesino communities on the other.
Thailand’s Deep Divide
Thailand’s anti-corruption protesters appear to have lost faith in the key tenet of representative democracy: rule by people or parties elected by the majority of citizens.