Essays

AI Governance Glossary

Debates around AI are full of technical jargon. Use this as a simple guide for complex topics.

Will Washington and Beijing Nationalize AI Labs?

Both countries are increasing government oversight on artificial intelligence, but whether (or when) they enact total state control depends on their own perceptions of risk and potential leaps in AI development.

Local Mediation in Southwestern Yemen Alleviates Life Under Siege

By Maeen Al-Obaidi

Spring 2026

For the residents of Taiz under one of the longest military blockades in history, life became a daily struggle of days-long journeys searching for food, water, and vital medical supplies. This is the story of one Yemeni woman whose name became synonymous with bringing the warring parties together.

Reconciling a Fractured Sudan

By Nureldin Satti

Spring 2026

To address Sudan’s problems, the efforts of the Sudanese people and international mediators must be synchronized.

The Complexity of Mediating the Libyan Quagmire

By Abdussalam Elbelazi

Spring 2026

Mediators in Libya hoping to create a mechanism to establish an egalitarian and inclusive state often find themselves challenged by factional politics, foreign interventions, and a heritage of repressive authoritarianism.

The War in Sudan Is Fought Over the Bodies of Women

By Tahani Abbas

Spring 2026

Women should play more than symbolic roles in any peacemaking efforts in Sudan; they must be allowed genuine political participation to protect themselves and build a more inclusive country.

Sudan’s Water Crisis Worsened by War, But There is Hope

By Lama Elhatow

Spring 2026

As Sudan continues to face numerous obstacles, including a lack of multilateral governance for hydrological stability, water remains a potential entry point for cooperation domestically, regionally, and internationally.

Between Ambition and Abandonment: Lessons from Mediating the Syria Conflict

By Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy

Spring 2026

The ruins of failed negotiations, committees, and conferences on the Syrian issue can offer guidance to future peacemakers.

Prologue

Spring 2026

This special issue is dedicated to highlighting the work of the Peacemakers.

One Alliance, Two Wars: Why Israel and America Diverge on Iran

By Jagannath Panda

While strategically interdependent, their ambitions and long-term mapping of Iran strategy do deviate, ultimately drawing red lines between them

A book opens in free fall with a stormy sky in the background.

The Arithmetic of Prestige: How Research Metrics Began to Measure Everything Except Thought

By Thomas Skouteris

The emperor is naked, holding a dashboard

It All Started with “Standing with the People of Iran”

By Kourosh Ziabari

The international community must move beyond the tantalizing rhetoric of solidarity and vows of support to something actionable—an extension of pathways to global integration for Iranians

The Global South’s Right to Industrialize—On Its Own Terms

By Nada Elkamary and Sami Shaheen

For decades, the Global North has exclusively set the agenda for global development. It’s high time this changed

Iran and Egypt Now Have An Opportunity to Rebalance the Middle East

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian, and Nanis Fahmy

As the war continues, cooperation between Tehran and Cairo could build a foundation for a more stable regional arrangement

The Iran War Isn’t About China, But Beijing May Still Benefit

By Gedaliah Afterman

As the United States finds itself embroiled in another war in the Middle East, its ability to pressure China in the region and in Asia may be waning

Black Sea Shockwaves: Ukraine War Still Impacts Global South

By Klara Vlahčević Lisinski

From grain blockades to arms markets, Russia’s invasion has reshaped food security, diplomacy, and power across the Global South

Minnesota’s Perfect ICE Storm

By Zoe Carver

Winter 2026

As Minneapolis once again becomes the center of national protests, a dive into the state’s recent history of racial tensions and police violence reveals just why the North Star City has come head-to-head with the executive branch

The Dynamics of War, Politics, and Peace in the Middle East

By Paul Salem

Spring 2026

The justifications, enactments, and conclusions of the various conflicts that arose in the aftermath of October 7 remain murky, but historical and modern theories of war light a path toward future stability.

Of Bombs and Regime Change: Experts Weigh the Israel-U.S. Strategy on Iran

Both the Americans and Israelis have for decades sought to topple the Islamic Republic. With Khamenei assassinated by Israeli bombing, is the end game near?

From Vietnam to Campus Encampments & Anti-Ice Protests: A Legal History of Federal Cases On Student First Amendment Rights

By Jacob Blau

Winter 2026

Students who have been silenced for their participation in recent protests should be aware of a deep legal history that has seen federal courts grapple with and protect the concept of student free speech