Articles | Lowy Institute

17 hours ago
Indonesia
The scorecard for Prabowo’s first 100 days? “Confused”

Erin Cook

Prabowo is deeply invested in areas of his interest but the policies that fall outside are unlikely to get much of a look-in from the president.
20 hours ago
Climate change

Pacific Islands

United States
Trump’s climate retreat will cost America influence in the Pacific

Oliver Sinclair

So much for the solemn declarations of “family”.
1 day ago
South Korea

Nuclear Weapons
Why South Korea might go nuclear in Trump’s term

Syed Ali Zia Jaffery

Trump’s transactional approach to alliance politics may close the door for more reassurances, pushing South Korea for a deterrence of its own.
1 day ago
Technology

United States
A Big Tech race to the bottom is bad news for everyone

David Wells

Tariffs might not be the only trade obstacle with Trump’s America. “Censorship” could be the next test.
1 day ago
Human rights

United Nations

United States
Melting ice caps reveals the scourge of colonialism

'Alopi Latukefu

Donald Trump shows no regard for the rights and autonomy of the Indigenous Inuit population who make up the majority of Greenland’s residents.
2 days ago
Transnational Challenges

Pacific Islands
A looming police shortage in the Pacific: Drug use can cripple a male workforce

Melissa Jardine

The labour and public health consequences from expanding drugs surge in the region must be acted upon.
2 days ago
Germany
Foreign policy challenges loom in Germany’s election

Mikaela Lui

Immigration is the major battleground but with a war in Europe and political challenges across the Atlantic, the February poll has sharp consequences.
2 days ago
European Union

Technology

United States
Meta power move is about more than fact checking

Miah Hammond-Errey

We can expect more pushback from US tech companies towards national governments – but will this also come with official US government support?
15 Jan 2025
Asean

Malaysia
Can Malaysia drive ASEAN like the pony express?

Richard Javad Heydarian

Or does the regional grouping remain stuck in the stable?
14 Jan 2025
Trade

The Americas

United States
Trump goes deep into the Panama Canal

Selwyn Parker

But Panama, which is very proud of its operations, already has plans that would be in America’s interests.
14 Jan 2025
International law

United States
The legal options for Trump to acquire Greenland

Donald R Rothwell

A Compact of Free Association akin to arrangements in the Pacific could be one answer, if Greenlanders agree.
14 Jan 2025
Canada

United States
The practical obstacles to Canada as the 51st state

Grant Wyeth

Be serious for a moment – even if Donald Trump often doesn’t seem to be – and think through what stands in the way of an enlarged union.
13 Jan 2025
Cyber Security

Technology
Meta’s decision to ditch fact-checking gives state-sponsored influence operations more chance

Meg Tapia

The social media giant’s move to user-based content moderation is a perilous step that risks enabling state-backed disinformation attacks.
13 Jan 2025
Pacific Islands

Solomon Islands
The case to keep guns out of police hands in Solomon Islands

Sheridan Ward

In a country where trust in the police is already fragile, bringing in more weapons won’t help.
13 Jan 2025
China

Technology
The great leap skyward: China’s jetliner dreams are getting real

Kazimier Lim

China’s homegrown C919 takes flight beyond the Chinese mainland, but real milestones – and global recognition – still lie ahead.
10 Jan 2025
Trade

United States

US Economy
The riotous return of the mercantilists

Ved Shinde

Trump’s tariffs mantra has changed the zeitgeist – but to a habit nations have long held.
10 Jan 2025
Canada

United States
Canada’s bumpy road ahead of Trump’s presidency, and its own election

Stéphanie Fillion

Justin Trudeau’s political demise was well underway, but annexation anxiety won’t make Canada’s next choice any easier.
10 Jan 2025
China

Australia

Defence & Security
“The sinews are coming together”: But pushback against China in Asia plays out still

Shashank Joshi

Reflecting on the views of Australian observers revealed during a Lowy Institute Fellowship.
9 Jan 2025
Australia

Sustainability

Africa
Responsible mining and Australia’s leadership opportunity in Africa

Christopher Burke

Ensuring environmental, social and governance standards isn’t just good practice – it’s an advantage commercially and in foreign policy.
9 Jan 2025
Iran

Sex and Gender
No, the compulsory hijab hasn’t made Iranian women safer

Kourosh Ziabari

The numbers don’t lie.
9 Jan 2025
India
India may not be interested in geopolitics, but geopolitics is interested in India

Chietigj Bajpaee

The coming year will test the boundaries of India’s “strategic autonomy”.
8 Jan 2025
Afghanistan

Central Asia

Sustainability
Water tensions under the Taliban

Ali Mahaqi

A new type of conflict is brewing in Central Asia.
8 Jan 2025
India

Review
Manmohan Singh: Remembering an Indian reformer and internationalist

Ujjwal Krishna

Singh’s leadership ended India’s economic and nuclear isolation from the world and lifted hundreds of millions out of multidimensional poverty.
8 Jan 2025
The Americas
Curaçao: The island comfortable not quite independent

Gabriela Bernal

A multicultural melting pot, the former capital of the Netherlands Antilles still makes its own way.
7 Jan 2025
Syria
Syrian boss Ahmed al-Sharaa: A leopard in a fix

Philip Eliason , David Livingstone

The truth of an Islamist takeover cannot be lost amid a charm offensive and wishful thinking.
7 Jan 2025
North Korea

Russia

Ukraine
The message North Korea sends by rotating its troops in Russia

Olena Guseinova

Deeper military ties between these partners in arms reflect a stronger strategic alignment than the transactional relationship first anticipated.
7 Jan 2025
Intelligence and security
Wanna bet? When a smart wager can trump secret intelligence

Max Broad

Prediction markets can make a valuable contribution to policymaking.
6 Jan 2025
India

Australia

United Kingdom

Africa
Test Cricket’s world cup forgets what’s best about the game

Hugh Piper

Cricket’s centre of power has long outgrown its colonial roots.
6 Jan 2025
Aid & Development

Technology

Pacific Islands

Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s digital vulnerability

Cynthia Mehboob

Who will fund Vanuatu's second cable?
6 Jan 2025
China

Technology

United States
Australia’s predicament in navigating a new era of techno-nationalism

Marina Yue Zhang

If “the great tech decoupling” between the United States and China does come about, there will be costs.
3 Jan 2025
Asia

Asean

Australia

Australia and Asia
Australia and ASEAN: A storied history

Sue Thompson

After 50 years of dialogue, the relationship has matured on economic, political, and strategic interests.
2 Jan 2025
Australia

Sex and Gender
Study exposes gender gap in foreign affairs reporting

Andrea Carson

Not only with male reporters, but the experts likely to be quoted or appear on opinion pages.
31 Dec 2024
Global Economy

BRICS
BRICS Pay as a challenge to SWIFT network

Evan Freidin

It’s just an idea for now – but enough to worry the Western world about an alternative international payment system.
30 Dec 2024
Diplomacy

United States
The foreign policy of Jimmy Carter

Salim Yaqub

Carter believed the US should downplay its preoccupation with the Cold War yet setbacks escalated tensions dramatically.
30 Dec 2024
China

Australia

Energy

Free Trade

Trade

Sustainability

United States
Whether EVs or solar panels, protectionism has the same distorting effect

John Edwards

Biden is playing election politics with tariffs on China’s electric cars, while Albanese’s solar subsidy plans might end up costing Australia.
27 Dec 2024
Asia

Quad

Diplomacy
The rise and endurance of minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific

Sarah Teo

Will small groupings of nations last? Bet on self-interest.
24 Dec 2024
Asia

Environment

Sustainability
Beyond borders, beyond loss: How regional cooperation can safeguard Asia’s biodiversity

Mohd. Yunus

The threats to migratory species is urgent and can only be tackled together.
23 Dec 2024
Diplomacy
Five surprises from Lowy’s Global Diplomacy Index

Jack Sato

Revealing the who, what and – just as importantly – where of foreign policy.
20 Dec 2024
Defence & Security

Climate change

Pacific Islands

United States
Trump’s relations with the Blue Pacific

Tarcisius Kabutaulaka

The second Trump administration will find a region different from when last in office.
20 Dec 2024
China

Japan

Global Economy

United States
A US dollar deal? Explaining a lack of enthusiasm for a Plaza Accord redux

Stephen Grenville

A few lessons from economic history for a start.
20 Dec 2024
Administration

Review
Your Top 10 most-read Interpreter articles in 2024

Daniel Flitton

After a year of momentous events, it’s time for a short break. See you in the New Year.
19 Dec 2024
Aid & Development

Pacific Islands

Vanuatu
Vanuatu: The challenge to build back

Meg Keen , Riley Duke

A crippling earthquake will test Vanuatu’s already fragile political and economic system.
19 Dec 2024
Cyber Security

Technology
The big global steps to forge a new relationship between tech and society

Miah Hammond-Errey

A lot of global tech-related policy has been implemented or proposed this year, so it’s worth taking stock to capture the developments.
19 Dec 2024
Japan

Defence & Security
An opposition party could hold the deciding vote on Japan’s national security policy

Rintaro Nishimura

Minority government has its challenges, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is discovering.
19 Dec 2024
Aid & Development

Development Assistance

Climate change

Multilateral Institutions

United Nations

United States
What a Trump second term holds for global development

Alexandre Dayant

Judging by track records, there's a bumpy road ahead for aid, health and climate funding.
19 Dec 2024
India

Migration
Indians are streets ahead of their government in foreign policy

Ved Shinde

In terms of partners, Delhi is multi-aligned, but where would most Indians prefer to migrate?
18 Dec 2024
Aid & Development

China

Indonesia

Southeast Asia

Taiwan

Russia

Trade

Climate change

Technology

Papua New Guinea

Solomon Islands

United States
What I’ll be watching for in 2025

Susannah Patton , Melanie Pill , Sam Roggeveen , Robert Walker , Mihai Sora , Hilman Palaon , Oliver Nobetau

Lowy researchers gaze at their crystal balls – with questions, more than answers, for the year ahead.
18 Dec 2024
Diplomacy
What makes a remarkable political oration?

Mark Pierce

A confessed speech snob explores the complex anatomy of the perfect address.
18 Dec 2024
Pacific Islands
Votes of no confidence at a time of permanent contest: A Pacific Islands year in review

Jessica Collins

With so much global attention on the region, little shifts can have big ramifications.
17 Dec 2024
United States
Jake Sullivan on leadership that changes history

Daniel Flitton

The US National Security Adviser reflects on the central role of the United States in the inaugural Lowy Interview.