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Syed Bukhari is an International Management student, interested in global affairs and political economy. He is a member of Chatham House. [www.linkedin.com/in/syed-qamar-bukhari] Introduction For much of the last four decades, central bank (CB) independence was vital to economic policy globally. Governments gave control over monetary policy to technocratic institutions with clear instructions, limited tools, and protection from day-to-day politics (e.g. through staggered term

Sadie Broda-Bahm is a first-year Politics and International Relations student. She is passionate about comparative legal analysis. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadie-broda-bahm-907b08310/) Last month, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy announced his proposals for sweeping court reform in the midst of a severe judicial backlog. The submitted amendments include limiting the right to a trial by jury and establishing a new tier of “swift courts” to he

Yacout Benmansour is a first-year Politics and International Relations student. (Connect: LinkedIn: Yacout Benmansour ) Introduction The 'Gen Z 212' protests represent a significant fracture in Morocco’s social contract. In September 2025, youth-led demonstrations erupted following the death of eight pregnant women, exposing a crumbling public health sector. It is estimated that at least 3 people have been killed and over 400 arrested as a result of the initial crackdown[1].

Viktoriia Fylymonova is a first-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student. (viktoriia.fylymonova.25@ucl.ac.uk) Introduction The EU has shifted toward greater use of renewable, domestically produced energy over the last decade. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions in the Middle East, and other major conflicts, it is evident that the Union remains heavily dependent on external energy suppliers. But while Europe has acknowledged its structural reliance o

Taissiya Shegay is a first-year Global Humanitarian Studies student at UCL, with research interests in geopolitics, foreign policy, and Eurasian regional dynamics. (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taissiya-s-8500a129b/) Introduction Central Asia has long been viewed as a peripheral region in global politics, but with the development of an increasingly multipolar world, its strategic importance has grown significantly. Particularly, the region's geographic location, reso

Nethuki K. Geeganage is a first year History student whose research interests focus on political memory and modern Chinese history. Introduction The period between the 1960s and 1980s is often remembered by the global surge in youth mobilisation against traditional values. In China, however, youth radicalism developed a far more pervasive character. [1] Between 1966 and 1976, the Cultural Revolution vilified tradition as an enemy of revolutionary purity and used China’s youth

Aminah Hussain is a first-year BSc PIR student. She currently writes for The Rendezvous (EISPS Society Journal), as a Europe Columnist alongside contributing to The Diplomacy Review. Introduction: The Arctic is warming at a rate far exceeding the global average, transforming it from a remote, icy periphery into a central arena of 21st century geopolitics. Geographically, the Arctic refers to the region north of the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean and the northern

Aamena Dhanji is a first year Politics and International Relations student. She is a member of the BBI and an Avicenna Scholar, available at http://linkedin.com/in/aamena-dhanji Introduction On the 29th of October 2025, Tanzania went to the polls. What was meant to be a routine act in the name of democracy led to a nationwide curfew, an internet blackout and a violent six-day crackdown, which saw the killings of several protestors, with many of their bodies since unreturned t

Anna-Margarita Balayan is a first-year History, Politics and Economics student. With a specific interest in Eurasian affairs, she researched the social and strategic implications of the European Union’s most recent measures to curb Russian espionage and hostile influence through changes to Schengen visa policy. ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-margarita-balayan-/ ) Introduction On 6 November 2025, the European Union announced the suspension of multiple-entry Schengen touris

Vasil Atanasov is a second-year Politics and International Relations student. Passionate about interstate conflict, with a particular interest in understanding the process of conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasil-atanasov-63a915295/) Introduction In recent months, the Caribbean has experienced a buildup that has culminated in the largest U.S. Navy deployment in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis [1]. When asked whether

Maria Asad is a graduate of BS International Relations with research interests, focused on great power rivalry in the Asia-Pacific. Her undergraduate thesis investigated the China-US competition in the South China Sea and its implications on regional stability. She continues to examine evolving dynamics and strategic development in East Asia. http://linkedin.com/in/mariaasad Introduction Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Japan entered a period of heightene

Tiffany Fu is a first-year BA History student. Her primary research interests lie in East Asian relations as well as international soft...