David Peirce, University of Chicago Introduction During the 21st century, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has repeatedly encircled the island of Taiwan, launching bold military exercises in displays of sovereignty over the Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as “Taiwan.” This trend is unlikely to end thanks to
Kublai Kolb, University of Chicago The Timing Problem The central question to a Taiwan crisis is when Chinese leaders might judge the costs of coercion to be acceptable. That decision depends heavily on China's domestic energy restructuring, which is designed to reduce vulnerability to external coercion: as China’
Swain Mathewson, University of Chicago Introduction The Russia–Ukraine war has long expanded beyond Eastern Europe. As the invasion approaches its fourth anniversary, both belligerents are increasingly leveraging peripheral theaters such as Africa and the Middle East, pursuing any advantage they can in what has devolved into a brutal war
David Ortiz, University of Chicago Hugo Chávez was sworn in as Venezuela’s President in February 1999, following an election marked by the second weakest postwar turnout the year before. Chávez replaced the democratic 1961 Constitution with a document which Freedom House considered to have de facto “abolished congress and
Eda Unan, University of Chicago The Wagner Group, officially known as Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner, was a Russian-led mercenary group fighting in proxy wars. These proxy wars included, but were not limited to, those in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic. While serving in favor
Oliver Go, University of Chicago The specter of the Soviet Union has consistently haunted the Russian Federation in its thirty years of existence. Soviet nostalgia, a cultural phenomenon that ripples through Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, is most evident in Russia, where Vladimir Putin has been a major political figure
Alexander Boyle, University of Chicago Since early 2025, Washington has highlighted air and maritime strikes on small boats near Venezuela as a way to stop narcotics from reaching American shores, a policy the Trump administration frames as both counternarcotics and pressure on Nicolás Maduro, whose security forces and allied networks
Jose Urzua, University of Chicago After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Francis Fukuyama famously hailed it as the end of history. The victory of the democratic West over the communist East was seen as the beginning of a peaceful and stable future, with American hegemony in both
Max Mottola, University of Chicago Since September, drones have frequently appeared in the skies near military bases and airports in Poland, Germany, Denmark, and Norway. While some world leaders haven’t yet pointed the finger at Russia, German chancellor Friedrich Merz attributed a “significant portion” of the drones to Russian
Olivia Anikst, University of Chicago Africa is the continent with the most rapidly growing population, which has, in turn, led to rapid urbanization. The continent, home to about 1.4 billion people today, is expected to have an urban population of over 1 billion by 2035, per the Guardian1 Africa&
Sage Gilbert, University of Chicago The United States is in an ever-present race to maintain its role as a global superpower. Today, though, it risks losing credibility with allies and leverage with adversaries because nearly a third of its ambassadorships remain unfilled. Ambassadors serve as the primary means by
David Pierce, University of Chicago In 2015, ExxonMobile’s Liza-1 exploration well struck liquid gold offshore Guyana, the first significant find in a region long speculated to be rich in high quality oil reserves. Prior to the discovery of oil reserves, Guyana’s GDP was consistently among the lowest
Ayoub Wadood, University of Chicago In Sudan and Yemen, two very different types of conflict rage on. In the former, a bloody civil war emerged from disunity in the country’s military cliques, supplanted by cleavages formed by earlier ethnic conflict. In the latter, spurned tribal groups couped the internationally
The editorial board is pleased to announce the release of the Winter 2026 Digital Edition. Our Digital Editions are compiled from undergraduate staff writers at the University of Chicago. Pieces are published individually.
The editorial board is pleased to present the Fall 2025 issue of the Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy. It can be found here.
By Megan Wei, University of Chicago Since the end of World War II, the United States has played a significant role in shaping security across East Asia. Through the establishment of bilateral alliances and long-term military presence, it has contributed to regional stability by deterring potential conflict and creating
By Max Rosenblum, University of Chicago One early goal of the second Donald Trump administration has been expanding and showcasing American power around the globe. This can be seen with comments about the idea of Canada being annexed as a state, Greenland being threatened with military force, the acquisition of
By Alex Jung, University of Chicago For several decades, the European Union (EU) has been a leading example of regional cooperation. Various reforms, such as the standardization of currency and the establishment of unified regional laws, enable the EU to function as a unified force while still allowing individual states
The editorial board is pleased to present the Winter 2025 issue of the Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy. It can be found here.