Some thoughts on the state of South Korea's politics and diplomacy a year on from Yoon's extraordinary martial law declaration. engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-l...

An optimistic perspective ahead of 2026. The Trump Vibe Shift Is Dead www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/o...

Confirmation that the authoritarian turn is real, global & a challenge to the democratic present AND the progressive past. To understand this appeal, focus on the emotional unmooring of Chileans who talk of “malestar,” - or unease, unrest, malaise. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/o...

A provocative but productive starting point - what if feeling, or rather its subjective experiential quality, is not universal. The similarities and differences between the work of Rob Boddice and Javier Moscoso is fascinating. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Trump continues to seek to corrupt the soul of America…the coarsening of values and the weakening of moral guardrails is an insidious thing. smids://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/opinion/trump-boat-strikes.html?smid=url-share

A useful but sobering discussion of the state of populism in Europe and the failures of current governments to confront the challenge adequately. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...

During the 1st Trump admin, I raised at a European workshop the possibility that the US might withdraw its troops from the Korean peninsula - an idea met with deep scepticism. Now the idea seems worryingly plausible as Chungin Moon explains in this compelling piece. www.cirsd.org/en/horizons/...

Reflections on Japan’s new prime minister #Takaichisanae www.globalasia.org/forum/leader...

Without a doubt the most chilling account of the erosion of legal norms in Trump’s America. A full authoritarian, intimidatory assault on the rule of law in the United States. ‘It’s a Culture Now of Fear’: A Year of Chaos Inside the Justice Department www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

@fareedzakaria.bsky.social is right to focus on the politics of nostalgia as a powerful explanation for #populism's contemporary and historical appeal. But equally powerful is the sense of anger and the agency that this emotion provides to the disaffected. wapo.st/4orQjcD

An interesting opportunity to think about Asian development from a comparative perspective from a thoughtful and experienced and distinguished sociologist.

Timothy Cho’s story is extraordinary and testimony to his courage, resilience and faith.

New video of our recent Korea Foundation-한국국제교류재단 conference on US-Japan-ROK relations. Thanks to KF, @camgeopolitics.bsky.social @crasshlive.bsky.social , FAMES, @darwincollegecam.bsky.social @universitypress.cambridge.org sinel1: youtu.be/Q5g2aFRTmtg?... Panel2: youtu.be/T17_gZAfFQQ?...

Identifying the populist phenomenon and the sharp drop in faith in #democracy is depressingly easy. Understanding the root causes of this is harder, but it is surely not merely a function of economic precariousness. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Fascinating & illuminating discussion w/all star cast of commentators from #Japan, #SouthKorea, the #USA and #Europe. Thanks to Korea Foundation for support w/ Yuichi Hosoya Jeffrey Hornung Sheila Smith G Garbagni E Howell, Giwook Shin, Akita Hiroyuki Young-kwan Yoon Chris Hughes & Kuyoun Chung

Professor #Chunginmoon of #Yonsei university provides an illuminating perspective on #ROK-#Japan-#US #trilateralism.

Some thoughts, ahead of this weekend’s LDP presidential election, on the challenges for Japan’s governing party. engelsbergideas.com/essays/japan...

Great discussion with Steve Herman, @newsguy.bsky.social , until recently VOA’s chief national correspondent, abou the threats to press freedom, personal liberty and the Open Society in #Trump's America. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3291...

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Will Shut Down www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/b... A further effort by Trump to muzzle the media. For more on this see: m.youtube.com/watch?v=3291...

Great discussion with Steve Herman, @newsguy.bsky.social , until recently VOA’s chief national correspondent, abou the threats to press freedom, personal liberty and the Open Society in #Trump's America. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3291...

www.asahi.com/articles/AST... Excellent video explainer of Ishiba’s problems, including results of his meeting yesterday with Suga, Aso and Kishida - none of whom were prepared to endorse his continuation as PM. Race for successor likely to kick off in 2nd half of August.

#Ishiba has ltd room for manoeuvre and no obvious path for governing. Prefectural party chapters demanding resignation & looking to convene joint LDP house convention to vote against PM. Also, key opposition party heads (Ishin, DPFP, CDP) won’t coop w/ LDP www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZ...

The first in our new On Geopolitics podcasts is out. With @suzanneraine.bsky.social offering her dispassionate and historically informed perspective, we talk to Nobukatsu Kanehara, one of Japan’s leading strategic thinkers.

#Japan's PM #Ishiba announces intention to resign w/in month, following breakthrough in trade talks w/ #US. This was inevitable, given need to take responsibility for 3 electoral defeats: metropolitan, lower & upper house elections www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/202...

www.asahi.com/articles/AST... My thoughts on the recent Japanese Upper House election, courtesy of Asahi Shinbun

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o... @suzanneraine.bsky.social and Ali Ansari pass the baton to @wjhurst.bsky.social and me for our @camgeopolitics.bsky.social regular podcast. A very tough act to follow.

Our video recording of @frankjannuzi.bsky.social wonderful talk on #US-#Japan-#ROK trilateral relations is now available. All made possible thanks to the support of the Korea Foundation-한국국제교류재단 www.cfg.cam.ac.uk/events/cambr...

Looking forward to welcoming @frankjannuzi.bsky.social CEO of the Maureen &Mike Mansfield Foundation to Cambridge today to talk on the subject of US-ROK-Japan trilateralism at @camgeopolitics.bsky.social part of our Korea Foundation special seminar series. www.cfg.cam.ac.uk/events/cambr...

McCarthyism on steroids. This is arguably far worse than the 1950s since the driver of this movement is not a senator from Wisconsin but the entire executive branch, directed by #Trump and assisted by a supine Republican congress. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/u...

x.com/cagovernor/s... A bold and necessary statement.

A stimulating piece, partly right in focusing on social elitism &frustration of populist voters who feel alienated & denied agency. But the toughest challenge for Dems is defining an agenda that’s both revolutionary & constructive. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/05/o...

🗨️"The challenge for #SouthKorea’s new president will be bringing a deeply divided country back together. That said, #Lee Jae-myung enters office with a strong mandate." 👉 @cam.ac.uk‬’s @jnilssonwright.bsky.social 📺Full show: www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/... @en.france24.com

Exit polls show #Lee Jae-myung with decisive lead over #Kim Moon-soo by 51.7% to 39.3%

First exit polls due in just over ten minutes now from presidential contest in #SouthKorea. High turnout rates at around 77%, and especially from historically progressive Jeolla region. May bode well for #Lee Jae-myung.

A beautifully written piece, highlighting the vital role of teachers & of education in general and, sadly, the destructive role of #Trump. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/o...

As Trump’s aggressive trade agenda collides with Japan’s strategic anxieties, the future of East Asia’s most vital relationship hangs in the balance. The US-Japan alliance – its past, present and unclear future | @jnilssonwright.bsky.social engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-u...

Some reflections on the past, present and future state of #US-#Japan relations. engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-u...

“Reactionary futurism” neatly captures the perverse focus of #Trump's use of nostalgia and non falsifiable violent millenarian anti-Enlightenment ideas to appeal to his angry supporters. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/o...

I was wondering when this was going to breakthrough! The Donald will probably assume it’s a positive endorsement on account of the babe & the bling!

Dr. Anthony Fauci urges Americans not to accept "Normalization of Untruths".

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/m... For anyone who values being part of a community, however you chose to define it, this rings true, profoundly.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/o... Universities are imperilled, not only in the US but abroad. Trump’s dept of education is seeking to impose similar anti-DEI initiatives against overseas institutions receiving federally funded US students.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/o... A healthy sign of buyer’s remorse, perhaps not dissimilar to Brexit disillusionment?

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/06/o... A clear and strategically smart and politically principled & courageous position.

Acting President Han makes call for « unity and wisdom » by politicians. DP leader Lee Jae-myung now giving separate address.

Acting President Han now giving a televised address. Will be interesting to hear tone of address.

Crowds at Yanguk station in Seoul near Constitutional court seem law abiding and pro impeachment demonstrators are vocal and enthusiastic.

Unanimous 8 to 0 vote by ROK Constitutional Court upholds impeachment of now former President Yoon.

At a time when the rule of law is being tested in so many countries, including the United States, it is encouraging to hear a court make such an unequivocal defence of democracy.

Justice Moon’s statement is exhaustive and, even months after the initial declaration of martial law on December 3, still shocking in enumerating the scale of violations of constitutional and legal principles by the President.