‘The world is the sphere of influence’
Feature: Why is the White House calling its political opponents “national security” threats? Andrew Preston on the 86-year history of a curious rationale.
Tracks of uncertainty
Feature: What happened to the “public intellectual”? Raymond Geuss on a role that lasted 70 years—and why he won’t really miss it.
‘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.
Incumbents
Feature: How’s the green transition going? Thea Riofrancos on the politics the technology can’t solve.
Shadow state
Feature: Why did the Mexicans kill El Mencho? Benjamin Smith on the state losing control over the cartels.
An Orwellian war
Feature: Will Ukrainian democracy survive the Russian assault? Serhii Plokhy on the historical clues.
‘Dependencies have become liabilities’
Feature: Why is Silicon Valley fighting with the EU? Anu Bradford on how American tech companies are enlisting the White House against European regulation.
‘A terrain of struggle’
Feature: Why does American civil society look so fragile? Dylan Riley on why so many nonprofits and universities have been folding under pressure from the U.S. administration.
Shock and awe
Feature: How did U.S. immigration enforcement get so radical, so fast? Austin Kocher on Trump’s refitting of a system his predecessors built.
‘This time, he has the cadres’
Feature: Is Donald Trump really deconstructing democracy in the United States? Steve Hanson on the American consolidation of patrimonial rule.
