This paper contributes to the European Commission’s review of its 2016 Joint Communication on international cultural relations. Drawing on a comparative study of soft power governance across twenty-five jurisdictions (British Council, 2026), which applies an Assets-Infrastructure-Outcomes framework, and on a practitioner-academic workshop convened in Brussels in March 2026, it argues that the review requires a …
The European security environment has undergone significant transformation following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, particularly amid rising uncertainty over the credibility of US security commitments. This paper examines the drivers of Europe’s current security dilemma—marked by Russian coercion and doubts about US commitment—and explores possible pathways to strengthen European security. As an answer, we propose …
Why the Trump Administration is Redefining American Power and Purpose This paper analyses the foreign policy orientation of the second Trump administration. It argues that this does not represent an attempt at reform, but rather a fundamental departure from the liberal international order that has existed since the Second World War. Contrary to initial assumptions, …
This paper offers a new framework for understanding China-Germany sister-city diplomacy through the lens of city cluster logic, enabling subnational actors to navigate complex institutional structures and networked partnerships more strategically. Drawing upon a comprehensive policy analysis and a series of 68 interviews conducted in Germany and China between 2022 and 2025, this study illuminates …
Hybrid governance in Nigeria and Pakistan has not only persisted as a legacy of colonial state formation but has also evolved into a complex system of shared authority between state institutions and traditional, religious, and community actors. This evolution reflects a qualitative shift toward negotiated governance, where Emirs, Obas, vigilante groups and jirgas play central …
The most recent national elections in two of the world’s leading economic powers and democratic stalwarts—Germany and the US—saw ethnonationalist parties closing in on taking power. The recent rapid rise in support for Germany’s radical right AfD party; and the success of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement now threaten to bring the institutional pillars and norms …
This paper presents a postmortem analysis of the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline project, examining its political, economic, and security implications within the Baltic Sea Re-gion (BSR) and the broader European Union (EU). Initially framed as an essential part of Ger-many’s energy transition, NS2 evolved into a symbol of geopolitical miscalculation and intra-EU discord. The …
This paper examines Chad’s 2022 National Dialogue (Dialogue National Inclusif et Souverain, DNIS) as a case study of the use of so-called “National Dialogues” during political transitions. After providing an analytical overview, the study finds that Chad’s dialogue largely served to legitimize the existing military-led regime rather than to effect genuine systemic change. The convened …
The China-Russia partnership post-2022 has not only seen a quantitative increase in trade volumes, but also a qualitative shift towards a more sophisticated partnership in new technologies, innovation, and research and development (R&D) in domains such as artificial intelligence (AI), green hydrogen energy, e-commerce, etc. This may introduce new strategic, economic and security risks for …
Africa has become a focal point of foreign investments, particularly from China whose economic engagement with the continent has surged in recent years. However, the disproportionate focus of these investments on resource extraction raises concerns about long-term benefits for Africa. This paper examines the development implications of Chinese investments, with a focus on employment. The …
This paper illustrates how studying the evolution of strategic narratives – stories that states tell in their diplomatic communication to convince publics at home and abroad to frame their views and actions – can provide valuable insights into diplomatic developments. Rhetorical shifts often precede political shifts and can help identify opportunities to influence foreign policy. …
How does the field of study of International Relations (IR) engage with questions of religion and war? This paper addresses the long neglect the field experienced in terms of including religion in its research agenda and presents the increase of interest and approaches which has emerged in the last two decades. By including work from …
In this discussion paper, I introduce a new methodological approach in the form of a framework for assessing women’s empowerment in foreign affairs. This framework aims to provide new theoretical and methodological pathways for evaluating the impact of women’s increased presence in foreign policy institutions on the content and implementation of foreign policy. The proposed …