Articles | Lowy Institute

9 Dec 2016
Russia
Why Trump shouldn't weaken US sanctions on Russia (Part 2)

Edward Cavanough

Russia’s belligerence in Ukraine gave the US an opportunity to constrain Russia’s economy and its economic expansion across Eurasia.
8 Dec 2016
Global Issues
Migration and Border Policy links: Climate-induced migration, refugee needs, immigrant skills and more
8 Dec 2016
United States

Taiwan
Overdone reaction to Trump-Tsai call reflects two exceptionalisms

Malcolm Cook

The call suggests Trump finds it odd the Chinese Communist Party would pre-determine which fellow democratically elected leaders he should shun.
8 Dec 2016
Multilateral Development Banks
The future of the AIIB is bigger than Australian coal

Hannah Wurf

If Australian support for the AIIB is so driven by coal exports, the government's commitment to sustainable regional development should be questioned.
8 Dec 2016
Aung San Suu Kyi's fall from grace

Andrew Selth

The loudest complaint is she has failed to do anything about the plight of the mostly stateless Rohingya Muslims.
7 Dec 2016
Taiwan
Taiwan, not the US, will likely pay the price for the Trump-Tsai call

J. Michael Cole

China is likelier to retaliate is against Taiwan itself.
7 Dec 2016
Pacific Islands
Pacific Island links: Tuna treaty, ABC over and out, Pavol award and more

Harriet Smith
7 Dec 2016
Middle East

Diplomacy
Middle East diplomacy: Assad will have to be included

Bob Bowker

It would serve no western interests to leave Assad with no option but to look to Iran and Russia for ongoing support.
7 Dec 2016
European Union
Renzi's referendum and the future of the euro

Matthew Dal Santo

Sold as a celebration of European unity in diversity, the euro is today experienced as an instrument of brutal homogenisation.
7 Dec 2016
United States

Russia
Why Trump shouldn't weaken US sanctions on Russia (part 1)

Edward Cavanough

This two-part series examines how US sanctions have kept Putin's empire building in check.
6 Dec 2016
Diplomacy
Why Chinese economic diplomacy is working in Southeast Asia

Chinese-style economic diplomacy is focused more on the ‘hardware’ of economic cooperation and less on the ‘software’.
6 Dec 2016
Saudi Arabia
Book review: Saudi Arabian Foreign Policy: Conflict and Cooperation

Ben Rich

The volume provides an understanding of the inner structures guiding Riyadh’s decision making on the global stage.
6 Dec 2016
Syria
'First we take Aleppo, then we take Idlib'

Rodger Shanahan

The gradual isolation and strangulation of Aleppo is part of a much broader strategy that has taken shape over the past year.
6 Dec 2016
Global Economy
Unbundling globalisation

Stephen Grenville

The market can look after efficiency, but governments have to look after equity.
5 Dec 2016
Australian Foreign Aid
Aid and development links: The war on poverty, UN apologises, education intervention and more

Jonathan Pryke
5 Dec 2016
New Zealand
John Key's departure a blow for the region

Robert Ayson

Uncertainty and renewed contest likely in New Zealand politics after PM's surprise resignation.
5 Dec 2016
Beware the carbon bubble

Sam Geall

If the market for a resource declines significantly, the impact is felt not only by shareholders.
5 Dec 2016
The 2016 US Presidential Election
The merits of generals in government

Jim Molan

As I facetiously said on a number of occasions during my recent abortive run for the Senate, you cannot have too many generals in parliament.
5 Dec 2016
The Trump Presidency
James Mattis: Mad Dog, warrior monk and defence sec nominee

Tony Walker

James Mattis has nothing in his record to suggest he is a crude partisan.
3 Dec 2016
Weekend catch-up: Fidel, Fillon, fiscal policy and more

In Australia the political reaction was remarkably muted, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten declining to make a statement.
2 Dec 2016
Future Frigates and the wisdom of large surface ships

Victor Abramowicz

The folly of large surface ships and primacy of submarines is not clear-cut.
2 Dec 2016
The 2016 US Presidential Election
Is there a global wave of populism?

Sam Roggeveen

Local circumstances, individual talent and a dash of pure chance might have brought about the political results we have seen across the world, not populism.
2 Dec 2016
Vietnam
In Vietnam, Castro receives his dues

Helen Clark

Even now the old comrade commands respect in Vietnam.
2 Dec 2016
Terrorism
Quick comment: Rodger Shanahan on Neil Prakash

Emma Connors

It seems increasingly likely that Australia will seek to extradite Prakash.
1 Dec 2016
Migration
Migration and border policy links: Economic benefits, UK public opinion, Ukraine and more

The economic benefits of migration, women making perilous journeys, and unpacking Trump's statements on unauthorised migration.
1 Dec 2016
Indonesia
Islamic civil society’s enduring vitality in Indonesia's democracy

Max Walden

Indonesia cannot rely on its politicians to fight radical Islam and intolerance.
1 Dec 2016
Global Economy
Economic diplomacy brief: Trumpnomics, TPP turnaround, deciphering Duterte and Telstra on Asia

Greg Earl

Modelling shows that the ideal US tariff on Chinese imports would be 5-10% – could this be the trade compromise for a dealmaker like Trump?
1 Dec 2016
Japan

South Korea
South Korea-Japan relations: Threat and identity

Malcolm Cook

Over the last four years, the threat posed by North Korea has grown.
1 Dec 2016
The 2016 US Presidential Election
The election is over, time to move on

Emma Connors

Forget recounts and calls for the electoral board to be established. Donald Trump played by the electoral rules and won.
30 Nov 2016
Pacific Islands
Pacific Island links: Tourism in PNG, gender-based violence, bans on home births, and more

Harriet Smith
30 Nov 2016
The Trans-Pacific Partnership

Trade
Why the TPP should be saved

Mike Callaghan

It would be a great pity if all the work that went into concluding the TPP was lost.
30 Nov 2016
Pakistan
What to expect from Pakistan's new army chief

Shashank Joshi

General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the dark horse in the race, superseding four generals to reach the top job.
30 Nov 2016
Asia

Global Economy

Indonesia's Economy

Trade and Investment in the Asia Pacific
Indonesia considers trade options post TPP

Retno Maruti

The Indonesian government is also trying to increase trade diplomacy with partner countries through bilateral agreements.
29 Nov 2016
Europe
Can a populist EU survive?

Daniel Woker

The major challenges facing Europe and the rest of the world are of a nature and scale beyond the means of the nation state.
29 Nov 2016
Vietnam
High hopes and a big let-down: Vietnam and the TPP

Huong Le Thu

Vietnam’s trajectory of rapid rapprochement with the US over the last two years had strategic imperatives.
29 Nov 2016
Australian Defence Force
Don’t panic: The Trump presidency and Australia's defence needs

Victor Abramowicz

Even Trump cannot change the fact that Australia is one of the most geographically fortunate countries on the planet.
29 Nov 2016
Syria
Quick comment: Rodger Shanahan on why rebel forces should leave Aleppo

Emma Connors

Rebel forces are losing and need to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis.
29 Nov 2016
The new view on fiscal policy

Stephen Grenville

Government spending is back in fashion.
28 Nov 2016
Last chance to be heard on the Lowy Institute’s gender project

Jenny Hayward-Jones , Alex Oliver , Danielle Cave
28 Nov 2016
Europe
The ascendancy of François Fillon

Matthew Dal Santo

With Fillon, French conservatism is back, at once old-fashioned and acutely contemporary.
28 Nov 2016
Europe

The 2016 US Presidential Election
Trump: Not the ideal poster-boy for European populists

Marcus Colla

A Trump association risks squandering hard-earned respectability.
28 Nov 2016
Islamic State

Terrorism
Neil, an Australian terrorist

Rodger Shanahan

The most important aspect of his detention is it removes an active online jihadi recruiter and promoter of terrorism.
26 Nov 2016
Weekend catch-up: Trump on trade, Russia in the Med, APEC disappoints, and more

The independence referendum in New Caledonia, crisis in Seoul, Facebook's fake news and more.
25 Nov 2016
South Korea
The crisis in Seoul and risks to the region

John Delury

South Korea is engulfed in a month-long national crisis that has brought politics to a standstill, and the timing could not be worse for the Korean Peninsula and the region.
25 Nov 2016
Malaysian opposition gains strength

Simon Roughneen
25 Nov 2016
Energy
Trump-sized upheaval in climate movement

Mark Lawson

Trump's determination to pull funds from the climate movement will have the most immediate impact.
25 Nov 2016
Digital Asia links: Fake news galore, Facebook’s China censorship tool, android spyware and more

Danielle Cave

PNG PM Peter O'Neill's alleged confrontation with Zuckerberg, GoJek beating out Uber, Pokemon GO in Asia, and more.
24 Nov 2016
Australia's Economy

Australia-United States Relations
How US protectionism would threaten Australia

Ian Satchwell

The US is far and away Australia's most important two-way investment partner.
24 Nov 2016
Naypidaw: A city looking for a purpose

Andray Abrahamian

A decade on, what is this city for? Why does it exist at all?
24 Nov 2016
Migration
Migration and Border Policy links: The impact of Mosul, social cohesion in Australia, irregular migration, and more