Explore our in-depth articles and expert analysis on global risks, geopolitical shifts, and emerging threats. Dive deeper into the complex topics explored in our show with thought-provoking content on international risk management.
Sportswashing has become one of the most reached-for words in modern sports journalism, shorthand for the practice of using sponsorships and mega-events to distract from a state’s less flattering reputation. It is a word almost always aimed outward, at Gulf monarchies buying up European football clubs, at China’s Olympic ceremonies or at Russia’s staging of…
Why Does It Matter? Across societies around the world, violent extremism and radicalisation present profound risks to public safety, social cohesion, and community stability. These phenomena do not always follow traditional ideological lines, as they often emerge in diffuse, unpredictable ways, fueled by online communities, personal grievances, and distorted belief systems. Understanding the nature of…
Gerrymandering has long been a fixture of American political life, but recent developments suggest it is entering a more volatile and potentially destabilising phase. What was once largely confined to the decennial redistricting process following the census is now evolving into a continuous, fluid arena of partisan competition. This shift has been reinforced by the…
Civil-military coordination is posited as a communication problem. Post-crisis analyses largely attribute failure to fragmented information flows, weak liaison structures, or ineffective reporting architectures between military and civilian actors. As David Higgins argued in a recent episode of The International Risk Podcast, this interpretation is incomplete. Coordination rarely fails because institutions are unable to communicate….
Democracies are judged by their visible institutions. Elections, constitutions, courts, legislatures and a free press are treated as the cornerstones upon which democratic systems stand. When coming to assess democratic health, they tend to focus on voter turnout, constitutional protections, judicial independence, or the conduct of political leaders. Many of the rules that sustain democratic…
The UK’s National Health Service says Palantir’s Federated Data Platform can reduce delays and improve patient care. But concerns over consent, confidentiality and digital dependency raise a deeper question about who controls Britain’s health infrastructure. Written by Edward Penrose – 08/06/26 For patients, the use of data within the NHS rests on an implicit bargain….
In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen speaks with Dr Emma Salisbury, a leading expert on maritime security and naval power, about the global implications of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and what it reveals about the vulnerability of modern trade systems. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the narrowest…
Written by Edward Penrose – 29.05.26 When democratic governments talk about China’s global power, the conversation often turns to trade, technology, Taiwan, military modernisation and diplomacy. These are the familiar reference points of great-power competition. Yet a quieter and more intimate form of state power is increasingly shaping the lives of people far from Beijing…
When a virus linked to a cruise ship begins appearing in global headlines just a few years after the COVID-19 pandemic, public anxiety is almost inevitable. The MV Hondius outbreak had all the ingredients of a modern health scare: an unfamiliar pathogen spreading in a confined space amongst international passengers, requiring quarantine measures, repatriation and contact…
The United Arab Emirates’ decision to leave OPEC marks one of the most significant shifts in Gulf energy politics in recent years. While the move is partly rooted in oil production and market strategy, it also reflects much deeper changes taking place across the Middle East and the international system itself. Why the UAE Left…
