Geopolitical Europe Holiday Reading List
20 December 2024
This the season… for reading lists. Accordingly, this post does not need a long introduction: it compiles long reads on global order and Europe’s role as a geopolitical actor. Grab your favourite hot drink and enjoy!
World order and alliances
On world order: “The return of geopolitical blocs”, published in Survival, examines the implications of shifting global power dynamics, and US-China competition for world order and the emergence of new blocs.
On alliances: “Alliance Networking in Europe and the Indo-Pacific” explores different types of alliance structures, unpacks the interconnectedness of the European and Indo-Pacific security theatres, and analysis perspectives for convergence.
Europe
On European strategic autonomy. “European Strategic Autonomy: The Path to a Geopolitical Europe”, published in the Washington Quarterly. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Europeans have increasingly stepped up their tools to respond to global challenges, and the Ukraine war has been a catalyst for this endeavour.
On the role of the European Commission: “The Ukraine war and the emergence of the European commission as a geopolitical actor” presents how the Brussels shaped policy since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On implications of article 42.7 TEU, the EU’s solidarity clause, for European defence: “Mutual Defence in the European Union? The Imperative of Article 42.7 in Case the United States Abandons European Defence”, published with the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy.
Europe’s relations with China, the US, and the Indo-Pacific
On the future of EU-US relations: “Europe’s America Problem”, published in Foreign Affairs, has not only a title that aged well after the US election, but also presents concrete proposals how Europeans should shape their relationship with Washington.
On the future of NATO: “Burden-sharing for what? NATO implications of three US visions”, published in the Washington Quarterly, presents three potential US strategies on NATO and their implications for the European allies.
On the Indo-Pacific: “Navigating the Indo-Pacific: Strategic Priorities for the New EU Leadership”, published with the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy, explores perspectives for deepening European security cooperation with partners in the region.
On EU-China relations: The study “EU-China relations: De-risking or de-coupling: the future of the EU strategy towards China” provides a deep dive into the history of EU-China relations and outlines perspectives for the way forward.
Substack favourite
Coffee in the Desert by Jesse Marks is an outstanding collection of longer academic-style essays, shorter policy-oriented pieces, historical analyses, and essays quite literally taking you for a coffee in the desert — all related the Middle East, humanitarianism, and China’s approach to the two former, and sometimes archeology. Superb writing style and timely topics guaranteed. His most recent piece, “China's Troubled Past with a ‘Syria-led, Syrian-owned’ Future” is just one of many fascinating reads.