3 hours ago
The perils of recruiting a modern diplomat
Absent Hogwarts’ sorting hat, selection panels can do better.
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30 Dec 2024
The foreign policy of Jimmy Carter
Carter believed the US should downplay its preoccupation with the Cold War yet setbacks escalated tensions dramatically. -
27 Dec 2024
The rise and endurance of minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific
Will small groupings of nations last? Bet on self-interest. -
23 Dec 2024
Five surprises from Lowy’s Global Diplomacy Index
Revealing the who, what and – just as importantly – where of foreign policy. -
18 Dec 2024
What makes a remarkable political oration?
A confessed speech snob explores the complex anatomy of the perfect address. -
13 Dec 2024
Diplomacy the Southeast Asian way
How ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand are making progress through informal dialogue. -
9 Dec 2024
Australia is out to lunch on disaster diplomacy
Despite multiple strategies, frameworks and partnerships, Canberra still lags on regional disaster relief. -
6 Dec 2024
First Nations diplomacy: A foreign policy approach that benefits all
First Nations participation and leading on international engagement should be considered for its substantive contribution, not relegated to ceremony. -
4 Dec 2024
Australia’s chance to align global efforts against “hostage diplomacy”
A new senate report has set out sensible recommendations for a fresh approach on wrongful detention of Australians overseas. -
3 Dec 2024
What should world leaders read?
Unlike polls and social media, the classics teach humility. -
27 Nov 2024
Shifting the mindset on global challenges
The 2024 Lowy Lecture reinforced the timeless wisdom of coordinated action to tackle international dangers. -
26 Nov 2024
Balancing the books on Australian statecraft
It should be easier to judge the budget against the warnings of challenging times. -
22 Nov 2024
End game at COP29: Green talks in the “Blue Zone”
The best hope is that the final hours are following a predictable pattern of brinkmanship. -
21 Nov 2024
Zooming in on climate change: The experience of a virtual COP29 attendee
Flying thousands of delegates across the globe has its own environmental cost – so how effective are global negotiations conducted online? -
5 Nov 2024
Tips for new world leaders: Keep it real, and keep it local
Those in the statecraft caper could do worse than to fake it until they make it. -
1 Nov 2024
Lost in translation: China’s elite-centric approach in Cambodia
Walking the talk will be needed to prove to young Cambodians that the relationship is about partnership rather than pure profit. -
22 Oct 2024
The language of respect in world politics
A former diplomat muses on the vagaries of foreign policy dialogue … and the importance of the subjunctive mood. -
15 Oct 2024
Three unanswered questions for Australia’s PNG Rugby League dream
Could Australian diplomacy enter novel terrain: professional sports administration? -
23 Sep 2024
Out of the way, USA
Focus on the United States might well reduce our bandwidth for what is going on in other regions. -
20 Sep 2024
Quad leaders trade symbolism over substance
A practical agenda amounts to a fine aim. But such details don’t demand the scrutiny of busy leaders. -
2 Sep 2024
The patriot’s virtue in bringing the world back home
Whether gauging global attitudes or assessing international interests, it pays to think first of home. -
28 Aug 2024
Maid in Australia: When international relations and industrial law collide
Two recent court cases have raised uncomfortable questions about diplomatic immunity. -
27 Aug 2024
Hostage diplomacy: Fresh ideas to end a modern blight
A new Australian senate inquiry into the practice of imprisonment for leverage offer a chance to learn from international experience. -
23 Aug 2024
Key questions for reform of the New Colombo Plan
A boost to the ties that bind Australia and the Indo-Pacific is essential to humanising public diplomacy and building life-long connections. -
14 Aug 2024
Wong’s century: A closer look at gender mix in Australia’s top diplomatic roles
Female representation is near its highest. But some posts appear more equal than others. -
13 Aug 2024
Where to for Australia’s First Nations Foreign Policy?
The climate is right to make environmental diplomacy a centrepiece of this new approach to the world. -
1 Aug 2024
Smuggling budgies? Australia’s fight against wildlife trafficking
Masters of soft diplomacy and flag-bearers for Aussie tourism, our native animals need all the protection they can get. -
26 Jul 2024
Remembering Martin Indyk, an American diplomat with Australian sensibilities
“Few Australians have had such a large impact on the world, and for good”, said Lowy Institute Chairman Sir Frank Lowy. -
24 Jul 2024
Shakespeare as life coach
Two new books examine how the Bard’s wit and wisdom can serve as guides for modern day policy and prophecy. -
19 Jul 2024
Does democracy still matter in the ‘New Cold War’ between the US and China?
Contradictions between the two models of governance make coexistence among superpowers difficult. -
8 Jul 2024
Diplomacy at a funeral
Recent deaths of world leaders have highlighted that international relations can take place at unexpected venues. -
27 Jun 2024
Julian Assange: Some consular cases are more equal than others
It’s hard to think of a case that has consumed more official hours and dollars. -
26 Jun 2024
Hope for gold: The value in the Olympics
An economic case is hard to make. Reputational risks abound. Yet hosts want the Games, and that’s no bad thing. -
19 Jun 2024
How to broaden the political gene pool
With the United Kingdom headed for the polls, Alastair Campbell has a few suggestions on what makes a good leader. -
18 Jun 2024
Bonjour Bill? The endless speculation about political postings
Was former Labor leader Bill Shorten’s stint as Australia’s envoy to the Ukraine peace summit a dress rehearsal for a change in role? -
14 Jun 2024
Back to the future for the US State Department?
Biden’s repair job after Trump turmoil is far from complete. -
13 Jun 2024
From global to regional: Australia’s focus narrows
The real question about Australian foreign policy is whether it is too narrow, not too broad. -
21 May 2024
Putting dollars behind “all tools of statecraft”
The budget papers offer a chance to assess the government’s claims against fiscal reality. -
6 May 2024
Between the two worlds of an Indian diplomat
Independence wasn’t a break with colonial ties but a transition – a process which has accelerated in recent years. -
27 Mar 2024
Reflecting Australia as a career ambassador
Australia rightfully has a positive image, even if we’re sometimes better at telling our story abroad than we are at home. -
21 Mar 2024
Economic diplomacy: Politics rules in Korean envoy row
From Seoul to Washington, “captain’s pick” ambassadors are being embroiled by unexpected domestic political tensions. -
6 Mar 2024
Grand strategising: The view from outside
It is entirely possible that the US may soon install a very different policy elite with very different ideas about domestic and foreign policy. -
16 Feb 2024
Putting “Australia” at the centre of the country’s foreign policy
A “whole of nation” approach can better connect the various elements of Australia’s international engagement. -
22 Jan 2024
Diplomacy: How to pick those who represent us
Australia’s top envoys can draw out the best, whether professionals or politicians. -
9 Jan 2024
Navigating the strange minilateralverse of madness
The vogue has seen a boom of small Indo-Pacific gatherings, but a hard look is needed to decide which are sustainable. -
8 Jan 2024
Five ideas from Allan Gyngell for a better foreign policy
Gyngell saw “national interest” as a matter for democratic discussion, always valuing the search for solutions. -
20 Nov 2023
What roles should sport play in Australia’s image and diplomacy?
The government has dropped the ball in the strategic opportunity presented by sports. -
15 Nov 2023
The foreign policy case for the PM to spend more time at home
Instead of tall poppy syndrome, ask about effectiveness. -
10 Nov 2023
China-Australia: Smartening up people-to-people links
Universities play an essential role in everyday diplomacy, fostering a genuine affection between the two countries. -
27 Oct 2023
Climate negotiations in a fossil fuel state: What to expect from COP28
Even with outcomes uncertain, there are three big topics likely to dominate the upcoming talks in Dubai.