(Written in 2018) In the aftermath of World War One, Kemal Atatürk led a successful campaign during 1920-1922 which broke away from the Ottoman approach, an empire which at its height encompassed central Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Seeing as the Kemalist Revolution marked the end of one of the longest lasting Empires in […]

On Sunday the 11th of February, Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna, the co-chairs of the All-Party Group on EU Relations and two of Remain’s loudest voices, did a joint interview on the Andrew Marr Show. During the interview Marr made an interesting observation, “you are closer to each other politically, you (Anna Soubry) are closer […]

  There is a paradox at the heart of Vladimir Putin’s rule. For many Russians he is the ‘law and order’ candidate; a leader who promotes family values, a stable economy, Orthodox Christianity and resolve in the face of terrorism. For many outside Russia, however, he is seen as promoting chaos whether that be in […]

                                                                             In December, the world saw a seismic announcement from US President Donald Trump. He declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, a highly contentious statement given that Jerusalem is the focal point of three religions. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all have major sacred sites in Jerusalem, so by proclaiming Jerusalem to be […]

In January this year, a debate was opened when a video of Richard Spencer, a prominent American Nazi, being punched in the face by an anti-fascist protester went viral. While few felt sympathy for Spencer, a man who has called for “peaceful ethnic cleansing” and whose movement has been associated with sending strobe lighting to […]

Is Cold War II Brewing?   The Cold War was the period of hostility between the Western powers and the Soviet bloc countries from 1945 to 1990. Tensions between the USA and Russia were near boiling point. Battles between different ideologies took place across the globe. And the world teetered on the brink of nuclear […]

In recent elections and referendums, we have witnessed a global change in the political tide; some of us may question the operation of democracy in our current societies. Democracy comes from the Greek (as the first Western democracy was from Athens) demos meaning ‘people’ and kratos meaning ‘power’, literally translating to ‘power to the people’. […]

2017 will mark the fortieth year since NASA sent off voyagers I and II on a tour of the solar system and then beyond into interstellar space. On board these vessels, which were designed to last for thousands of years, was a time capsule of sorts named the golden record. This record was created in […]

A key theme of the recently successful Trump campaign was monopolising upon the concern of American decline. The call to “make America great again” only resonated because it reflected a genuine feeling in the U.S. regarding domestic and international decline; there is a pervading sense that something has been lost. The majority of Americans now […]

A quote by Tim Goodwin has been floating around the Internet recently, receiving many likes and shares. It reads as follows: “The world’s largest taxi company [Uber], owns no vehicles. The world’s most popular media owner [Facebook], creates no content. The world’s most valuable retailer [Alibaba], owns no inventory. The world’s largest accommodation provider [Airbnb], […]

Donald Trump has long touted himself as the ultimate dealmaker (he even wrote a book entitled “The Art of the Deal”), but how will this self-professed talent affect the world? Trump’s largest obstacle most probably comes in the form of his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin. The US-Russia association is on a pivotal position between […]

Amongst other things, 2016 will be remembered for the passing of so many much-loved celebrities. David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Terry Wogan, Prince, Victoria Wood, Ronnie Corbett…the list goes on. Yet have we also seen the death of something far more significant? This year has potentially seen the demise of the centre ground of British politics, […]

In October 2015, the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) won the parliamentary elections in Poland. Prior to stepping down, the predecessors, the centrist Civic Platform, nominated five judges to the Constitutional Tribunal. This is the high court supervising compliance of state institutions with the national constitution. The Constitutional Tribunal consists of 15 fully independent […]

The Conservative Government has taken it upon itself to introduce a Bill of Rights and repeal the current Human Rights Act introduced by the Labour Government. This is founded on the basis that the UK has lost its parliamentary sovereignty and the ECHR has developed a ‘mission creep’. The ECHR has arguably expanded into areas […]

2014 may be remembered for various reasons. Perhaps most significantly, it has been a year of political turmoil, both at home and on an international scale. The beginning of autumn witnessed a culmination of the existencial debate in the 307-year-old United Kingdom. Scottish call for independence, dating back to as early as the mid-1800s Home […]

It seems as though Greece has not been far from the headlines since the financial crash in 2008. The resultant Eurozone Crisis following 2008 has seen Greece with a bull’s-eye on her head. Will there be a ‘Grexit’, (a clever portmanteau used in the media denoting Greece leaving the Eurozone), will they receive another bailout? […]

On the 3rd December we saw the announcement of George Osbourne’s Autumn Statement in the House of Commons. The significance of this statement is that it announced the Coalition’s final set of economic policies before the general election next May. As well as introducing new policies, the Chancellor also used the opportunity to give an […]

Bad news for the Democratic Party and President Obama – the Republican Party has taken control of America’s upper legislative house, the Senate, and retained their lead in the House of Representatives. November 4th saw elections taking place for a plethora of different government bodies in America: all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, […]

Britain’s status in the European Union will undoubtedly be a pivotal issue in next year’s general election.  UKIP now holds nearly 27% of the UK’s allocation of seats in the European Parliament, presumably because of their Eurosceptic stance.  Although the Eurozone crisis has shaken faith in the common market, the main arguments for withdrawal from […]

As one of the most secretive countries in the world, it is hard for an outsider to get a true picture of what life is like for the average North Korean. Coverage of the country’s affairs in international media predominantly focuses on the state’s nuclear ambitions, its frequent scuffles with its southern neighbours, and its […]

Last week British Prime Minister David Cameron delivered the latest in his string of ‘European renegotiation’ promises: a pledge to renegotiate immigration policy with the European Union (EU). Unfortunately, along with many of its predecessors, this promise is likely to disappear when next month’s popular political view of the month is announced. This article assesses […]

With the general election set to take place next year, the 2014 conference season was the last opportunity for Britain’s electoral parties to formulate a plan that will see them into the House of Commons with a majority. The conferences were essentially a litmus test for both party followers and the public. Advocate is here […]

This is part two of a two-part article. The first was published on 31st October.  Problems with the ‘Failed State’ Paradigm As considered previously, the problems pertaining to a singular ‘catch-all definition’ of ‘state failure’ arise partly from confusion over specific classification and personal preconceptions. However, the problems with a single definition run far deeper than simply confusion […]

This is part one of a two-part article. The second part to be published next week.  In modern politics, the phrase ‘failed state’ is on the tip of many tongues, used to describe states such as Somalia, Syria, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone. Supposedly, the term conjures up a very clear picture; a state in which […]

As a city that enjoys considerable freedom, Hong Kong is no stranger to protests. However, the most recent protest in Hong Kong became a talking point across the world when the city’s police used unprecedented force to suppress protesters, leading to a furious escalation of events. The general message is clear: the crowd is fighting […]