The language of beauty
Feature: Why have buildings gotten so ugly? Samuel Hughes on a status game that’s been playing out in contemporary architecture—and how elite taste may be starting to turn.
‘Someone knew, and someone was trading’
Feature: Why is the U.S. government going so easy on white-collar crime? John C. Coffee Jr. on how the White House is making corruption safe again.
No tanks required
Feature: Why is Turkey’s government moving so hard to kill off its opposition? Ezgi Başaran on the weakness behind a new show of strength.
‘Shells within shells’
Feature: Has Iran ended America’s dominance in economic warfare? Nicholas Mulder on why the Americans can still squeeze their allies but not their rivals.
Incumbents
Feature: How’s the green transition going? Thea Riofrancos on the politics the technology can’t solve.
By any other name
Feature: Why do so many people hate the idea of capitalism? Justin Callais on a shifting mood—and the enduring popular support for the reality of the free market.
Total ownership
Feature: What do Middle Eastern states want with European football clubs? Sarath K. Ganji on autocratic governments’ ambitious move into the global game.
Mission drift
Feature: Why have Americans lost faith in higher education? Julia Adams and Sarath Sanga on what’s gone wrong—and what universities can do about it.
The state’s return
Feature: How have governments become some of the biggest investors in the global economy? Adam Dixon on a new era of state capitalism.
