Category Archives: International Relations

White Paper: The Anglo-Scottish Borderlands between Edinburgh and Berwick: A Cockpit of War

Executive Summary The corridor stretching from Edinburgh in the north to Berwick-upon-Tweed in the south served for centuries as one of the most militarized and contested landscapes in the British Isles. Its geography, fortifications, and socio-political importance made it a … Continue reading

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The Kingdom of the Picts: A White Paper on Political and Military History

Executive summary From late Roman times to the mid-9th century, the peoples later called “Picts” forged powerful polities north of the Forth, culminating in the over-kingdom of Fortriu and a period of regional hegemony. Their ascendancy was punctuated by decisive … Continue reading

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White Paper: A Typology of Bloggers and Online Personalities Vulnerable to Restricted-Speech Risks When Traveling to the United Kingdom

Executive Summary Bloggers and online personalities increasingly cross borders while carrying a global archive of speech on their devices and platforms. In the United Kingdom (UK), several legal regimes intersect to constrain certain forms of expression and conduct—both online and … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Political and Military History of Dál Riata

Executive summary Dál Riata (also Dalriada or Dál Riata) was a Gaelic overkingdom spanning northeast Antrim (Ireland) and the western seaboard of Scotland (Argyll, Kintyre, Islay, Jura, Mull, and adjacent isles). Between the sixth and eighth centuries it pioneered a … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Preservation of Older Language and Cultural Forms Among Settler Colonists: Implications for Identity Politics

Executive Summary Settler colonists across history have frequently preserved linguistic and cultural forms that have diminished or disappeared in their countries of origin. This process occurs due to geographic separation, limited exposure to cultural change in the metropole, and the … Continue reading

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White Paper: Regional Ethnography and Autonomy Concerns in the Carpathian Region of Europe

Executive summary The Carpathian arc—spanning southern Poland and eastern Czechia through Slovakia, Ukraine’s Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia), northern Romania (Maramureș & Transylvania), and a corner of Serbia—is one of Europe’s most intricate cultural mosaics. Its upland “highlander” communities (Rusyns—including Lemkos, Boykos, Hutsuls), … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Yemen Conflict: Deep Divides, Complex Dynamics, and Paths Toward Peace

Executive Summary Yemen’s civil war is a multifaceted conflict rooted in historical, political, economic, and regional divides. The conflict involves multiple internal actors (Houthis, the internationally recognized government, Southern separatists, tribal/local authorities, extremist groups) and external powers (Saudi Arabia, UAE, … Continue reading

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White Paper: Toward Statehood for the Bektashi World Headquarters: Pathways, Precedents, and Plausible Timelines

Executive summary Albania’s government has floated creating a Vatican-style enclave—the “Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order”—on the grounds of the Bektashi World Headquarters (Kryegjyshata) in Tirana. Drafting began in late 2024; any such move would require amending Albania’s Constitution (which … Continue reading

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Scotland Is A Second World Country

Introduction The classification of nations into “First,” “Second,” and “Third World” categories emerged during the Cold War, primarily as a geopolitical shorthand: the capitalist West (First World), the socialist bloc (Second World), and the non-aligned or developing countries (Third World). … Continue reading

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White Paper: Consequences and Implications of Israel’s Sept. 9, 2025 Strike on Hamas Leadership in Doha, Qatar

Executive Summary On September 9, 2025, Israel carried out a strike in Doha targeting senior members of Hamas’s political leadership resident in Qatar. Qatar condemned the action as a violation of its sovereignty; early reporting indicated multiple fatalities among associates … Continue reading

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