Why Rich, Equal Countries Are More Polarized
Democracies with low income inequality become more polarized. How?
Explainer
Saudis Not into Syria Just Because They Hate Assad
Saudi rulers are seeking in war a social glue they cannot find elsewhere to hold their subjects together.
Debate Shows Why Clinton is the Proper Democrat
Bernie Sanders is trying to turn the Democratic Party into something it’s not: an ideological project.
Why the Middle East Never Went Secular
Or it did, but then switched back to religion again when the ideologies it had imported from Europe failed.
Why Schengen Is So Important to Europe
The passport-free zone is both an important symbol of Europe’s integration and a boon to its economy.
Why Iowa’s Caucuses Are So Unpredictable
Very few Iowans actually vote and the ones that do in small towns can have an outsized influence on the result.
What Oil Prices Mean for Geopolitics
Chaos may be in store if oil-dependent countries lash out to distract from failed economic policies.
Why a Western “War of Ideas” with Islam is Futile
Islamists don’t distinguish between ideology and theology, making a discussion pointless.
Guide to the 2016 Republican Presidential Primaries
Some primaries matter more than others. Here is a look at the most important Republican contests.
How America Earned Donald Trump
The property tycoon and presidential candidate promises a return to better days that never really were.
Why Did Turkey Shoot Down That Russian Jet?
Turkey may have been trying to prevent a unified front being formed to defeat the Islamic State.
Why Turkey Doesn’t Do More to Defeat Islamic State
Turkey’s priorities are suppressing Kurdish nationalism and toppling Bashar Assad in Syria.
Why Moderate Republicans Keep Winning the Nomination
Republican voters in blue states have more power than Republican voters in red states.
No Good Options: Why America Dithers in Syria
So long as all parties in Syria are determined to destroy each other, America has little reason to get involved.
Why They Come: The Balkans’ Desperation
The geography and history of the Balkans explain why so many seek a better life in Western Europe.