By examining other territorial name disputes worldwide, we know that renaming the Gulf of Mexico could potentially promote division, identity politics, and undemocratic practices. These changes could develop into a new and existential threat for the USA.

The recently published memoirs of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel are fuelling the present-day criticism of her legacy. And it is true that today, Germany does face many great challenges. But a close reading suggests that it would be too simplistic to lay full responsibility at her feet, as many analysts are wont to do.     

Strategic minilaterals like the Quad, AUKUS, and TSD exemplify flexible security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, balancing between governance and military alignment. While unlikely to evolve into formal alliances, their growing integration positions them as adaptable coalitions for regional stability and crisis response

In October 2024, four key Southeast Asian countries became partners of BRICS, making the organisation much closer to home for Australians. So why have Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam put themselves on a path to membership?

Ukraine faces mounting challenges as battlefield victory becomes unlikely, with Donald Trump’s proposed “peace plan” offering a ceasefire based on territorial concessions. While Russia’s vulnerabilities may push Vladimir Putin toward negotiations, the outcome risks freezing the conflict and undermining the international rules-based order.

On 26 November 2024, the Australian Institute of International Affairs NSW hosted Dr Alexey Muraviev, Associate Professor of […]

Amid the Ukraine conflict, Central Asian states are leveraging a multi-vector foreign policy to balance historic ties with Russia and expanding partnerships with global powers. This strategic pivot highlights their resilience in navigating a complex and shifting geopolitical landscape.

Opening Speech for the 2024 AIIA National Conference AIIA National Vice President Zara Kimpton OAM FAIIA 11 November 2024   On behalf of […]

The fact that the Pacific Community (SPC) has been forced to hold its annual executive meeting thousands of kilometres away from its headquarters in Noumea this year was an unsettling reminder that decolonisation in the Pacific Island region is still an unfinished project. These challenges underscore the need for an inclusive and resilient regional framework as the Blue Pacific seeks a united future.

In a recent piece in Australian Outlook, Michael Lawriwsky criticises some of the points I made in an earlier article suggesting that the question of NATO expansion was crucial to the onset of the Russian invasion. His arguments are either partial or incorrect, and do not address most of the questions I raise. 

If a blame narrative gains traction in Ukraine, it could deepen internal divisions and jeopardise the nation's democratic future. Russia stands to benefit from such disinformation, amplifying a “stab-in-the-back” myth to shift responsibility for the war onto the West.