By Brooke Ryback The international community generally views the 2016 Final Peace Agreement between the Colombian government and the insurgent group, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejèrcito del Pueblo (FARC-EP), as a progressive achievement towards implementing a gendered perspective in peacemaking. Eight years in, women’s participation at the negotiation table in Havana between 2012…
Category: The Americas
Vladimir Putin Interview: The end of the war, American politics, and NATO’s failures
By Jonathan Skatoff In what was undoubtedly going to be one of the most controversial yet fascinating discussions of 2024, Tucker Carlson, who was cut from his headline role at Fox News last spring, became the first member of a western media outlet since the Ukraine war began in February 2022. Before the interview was…
Tensions Resurface Between Venezuela and Guyana: A Case of International Concern
By Brooke Ryback December Tensions Long-standing tensions between Venezuela and its eastern neighbor, Guyana, escalated over the course of December 2023. An ongoing land dispute over the border area of Essequibo, an oil and mineral-rich territory which covers two-thirds of Guyana, has strained the relationship between the two countries for over a century. However, tensions…
How Much is Justin Trudeau to Blame for Canada’s Current Economic Climate?
By India Povey When Justin Trudeau was elected Prime Minister of Canada in 2015, he was so immensely popular the Conservatives stood little chance against him. Eight years later his approval rating stands at 31 percent, beating out President Joe Biden for lowest approval rating this year between Canada and the United States. If more…
Tesla’s Triumph: Dissecting the Economic Metamorphosis of the US Automotive Industry
By Laura Gilles In the tumultuous landscape of the automotive industry, one name echoes louder than others: Tesla. Over the past decade, this Silicon Valley disruptor has not merely challenged the status quo of gasoline-powered vehicles; it has orchestrated a symphony of change, propelling itself to the vanguard of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. Let’s…
The Election of House Speaker Johnson and the Dissolution of Fiscal Conservatism from the Republican Party Agenda
By India Povey When California Representative and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from a motion led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz on October 3, 2023, it was another first for the Republican Party. Never before had the House voted to oust a Speaker mid-term, and thus began the unprecedented process of replacing him. Yet…
The Return of Big Oil in the U.S. and its Backlash
By Laura Gillies Energy transition is underway, and both Europe and the US are embarking on this journey with distinct policy frameworks. However, the question looms large: does this signal the end for traditional fossil fuel companies as the world shifts towards electrifying transportation and heating? Not quite. The transition is a complex process that…
Biden’s Stance on Gaza: What it Means for the Upcoming Presidential Election
by Illy Khettouch The current situation in Gaza has sparked outrage all over the world, leading to great divide within society between those who support Israel and those who condemn it. As we approach the 2024 US presidential election primaries, tensions in the United States are escalating around this conflict, which could potentially have an…
BRIC by BRIC: What is the BRICS Group, and Can it Usurp the Dollar’s Dominance?
By Jonathan Skatoff Around two decades ago, Goldman Sachs published a Global Investment Research report investigating four countries that seemed to be poised to reshape the world’s economy. The four nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) form the newly coined ‘BRIC’ group, which has since become integral to politicians’ and professionals’ economic vocabulary. The group…
California Decayin’: The Dark Side of America’s Richest State
By Jack Horrigan
Silicon Upstart Collapse Blows Holes in Swiss Banking System
By Laura Gilles Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has been a leading bank for tech companies and startups since its founding in 1983. The commercial bank was based in Santa Clara, California and its specialty was technology, life sciences, venture capital and private equity financing. The bank’s mission was to provide banking services to this niche…
Finance’s “Wild West” Tamed: The Fall of Crypto and the Future of the SEC
By Jack Horrigan Throughout the world, and perhaps more acutely in America, recent politics have played out as pantomime. A reality star president, posturing politicians, and culture wars over gas stoves and cow farts have proved more fodder for late-night television hosts than the substance of meaningful debate. In light of this, perhaps the rise…
The St Andrews Economist 