North America
Driving progress through strength and diversity
The Working Group North America focuses on North America's global influence in defence, trade, and diplomacy. It analyses US foreign policy, NATO commitments, and regional security, assessing political developments and strategic partnerships. Monthly briefings provide objective analyses and visualisations of North America's impact on global stability and security frameworks.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
The USMCA strengthens trade by protecting businesses, innovators, and workers while promoting economic growth and closer cooperation among its member countries.
Allies in Uncertain Times
How did the EU respond to Trump-era uncertainty in U.S. foreign policy? Rather than abandoning the transatlantic alliance, it diversified its partnerships and pursued limited strategic autonomy while maintaining close cooperation with the United States.
Making Greenland and Venezuela Great Again
Does Trump’s approach to Venezuela and Greenland reflect modern imperialism? This article argues that his policies display elements of economic and strategic imperialism, but concludes that differing definitions and competing factors make a definitive judgment difficult.
The Future of the Petrodollar
Main question: How might the energy transition affect the role and underlying strengths of the USD as the world’s reserve currency. Argument: one of the main pillars of USD dominance in global reserves is the ‘petrodollar’ system in which oil sales are denominated in dollars, requiring central ba…
Dollar Dominance: The Fed’s Geopolitical Shadow
Main Question: How does Fed monetary policy shape US geopolitical power, and what does the Powell-to-Warsh transition mean for dollar dominance? Argument: The dollar’s reserve status turns every Fed decision into a geopolitical event, enabling financial sanctions while keeping BRICS alternatives …
Hungary After Orbán
Did U.S. support influence Hungary’s 2026 election outcome? U.S. backing of Orbán added symbolic pressure and may have weakened his sovereignty narrative, but domestic factors (economic issues, corruption concerns, and voter fatigue) were decisive. Thus, the election reflects the limits of U.S. i…
Cybersecurity Redefined: Preemptive Defense
How can organizations move beyond a “reactive” cybersecurity mindset that only addresses breaches after they have caused damage? By utilizing “Active Defense” and intelligence, companies can identify malicious infrastructure deployment weeks before an attack, allowing for preemptive disruption of…
Petrodollar
Petrodollar describes how Gulf oil is exchanged for US Security. The Petrodollar has helped establish the USD as a global reserve currency. Iranian retaliatory strikes against the Gulf states threaten the petrodollar.
Funding Freeze
Executive Order: “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid”; who could oppose the need to eliminate abuses of the system? Domestically, the freeze on spending carries tangible risks for essential social programmes, threatening services that many communities rely on. Internationally, …
Cross-Border Data Flow Governance
How do different national frameworks (EU, US, China, India) govern cross-border data flows while balancing economic benefits with digital sovereignty? Divergent regulatory approaches create a fragmented global system, prioritising sovereignty differently and causing legal complexity, data localis…
Haiti’s Endless Crisis
-Haiti’s complex security crisis has worsened since 2024. -Evolving battlefield dynamics threaten greater gang control and violence. -Political externalities endanger Haiti’s economy and political legitimacy.
Immigration and the U.S. Economy
Main question: How does intensified immigration enforcement under Trump affect the U.S. economy and corporate behaviour? Argument: Expanded detention, infrastructure growth, and public enforcement generate political gains but create economic friction for labour-dependent industries. Conclusion: T…
When Mediation Becomes Power Politics
Under what political conditions does peace mediation contribute to genuine conflict transformation? The article argues that peace mediation loses its normative core and political effectiveness when it is instrumentalized as coercive, interest-driven diplomacy. Sustainable peace mediation requires…
Hurricane Melissa and Climate Disaster Governance
How do military post-disaster operations illustrate the role and consequences of militaries as actors in climate governance? The intensity of Hurricane Melissa led to the involvement of foreign militaries in disaster relief. Disaster relief operations provide an entry point for militaries as acto…
Screening Tourists Through Social Media
1. Should the U.S. CBP’s proposed revision of ESTA data collection make 5 years of social media disclosure mandatory for short term tourists? 2. The notion of threat to security is vague, social media activity lacks context and ultimately leads to self censorship. At scale, CBP will likely rely o…
The Donroe Doctrine: A New Era for Cuba?
Question: Focused on the “Donroe Doctrine” vs regional stability. Argument: Centred on the use of Venezuelan energy as a coercive tool. Conclusion: Highlighted the EU’s “middleman” role via the PDCA framework.
Spheres of Influence Reborn
Main question: Does the capture of Maduro reflect justice, or a broader shift toward unilateral U.S. power politics? Argument: The intervention serves economic and strategic interests, signaling a move toward spheres of influence and away from international norms. Conclusion: The operation marks …
Blue Helmets, Yellow Tape
Who are the Blue Helmets and what do they do? The Blue Helmets are the military peacekeeping personnel of the United Nations and seek to facilitate third-party peacekeeping. There are strict conditions for their allocation and deployment, as they are a last resort for international peacekeeping e…
The Hidden Machinery of Immigration Enforcement:
The latest contract between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Zignal Labs expands the agency’s use of an “unseen system” of pervasive digital tools for migration enforcement. The irreducibly digital dimension of contemporary democratic governance is increasingly strained by nascent dig…
The End of an Era
How does the new U.S. National Security Strategy reshape American global engagement and regional priorities under an “America First” framework? The NSS limits global leadership, revives the Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere, makes European security conditional, favors deterrence in Asia, …