Monday (March 16th): Your Average Prime Minister
Mark Rutte Name? Mark Rutte Westphalian identity? As Dutch as they come. Age? 53 Why is he in the news? As Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rutte held a press…
Monday (March 9): The Problematic Prince
Name? Mohammad Bin Salman, or MBS to his friends others. Westphalian identity? Saudi Arabia, House of Saud. Age? 34 Why is he in the news? He is a regular of…
STATISTICS VERSUS FACTS
We, human beings, are absolutely awful at understanding statistics and using them responsibly. This has of course been observed by many commentators over the centuries. Let’s start with everyone’s go-to-guy-for-fun-quotes: …
BERNIE SANDERS – THE ANSWER TO THE FAILED NEOLIBERAL PROJECT?
With Donald Trump meeting Narendra Modi this week, Bernie Sanders leaping out to front-runner status in the US Democratic Primaries, and local movements all across the world taking control away…
Monday (Feb. 24): Global Warming next door
Maristela Clediane Uapa Arara (middle) Source: BBC Name? Maristela Clediane Uapa Arara Westphalian identity? Brazilian (but self-identifies as Arara-Karo) Age? 14 Why is she in the news? The BBC interviewed…
Stephanie Williams and the Decline of the United Nations
Stephanie Williams For the past two years, Stephanie Williamson has been Deputy Special Representative for political affairs in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Libya has been suffering…
JARED KUSHNER THE PEACE BRINGER – A POST MORTEM
It is unclear whether it is even possible to find an effective peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2020. Very clever people have desperately tried for over 70 years…
Monday (Feb. 10th): Reunification of Ireland?
Arlene Foster Name? Arlene Foster Westphalian identity? Northern Irish, even though she would probably prefer “British”. Age? 49 Why is she in the news? Because Mary Lou McDonald is in…
Human Fragility in International Relations
First Westphalian of the year, but we’re already a month into 2020. And it’s been a month where human fragility has been on full display. We’re not referring to physiological…