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December 20, 2024

Wilson Weekly

Should We Go Home? The Prospects for Displaced Syrians to Return after the Fall of the Bashar al-Assad Regime

“No one expected the sudden change, and no one was prepared for it.” -Lisa Gilman

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Article

Bulgaria: Political Crisis With No End in Sight?

“Bulgarians are losing trust in their national government and institutions, especially the judicial system, ranking among the last in the world in Gallup’s National Institutions Index.” -Iren Marinova and Rickard Lindholm

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Article

Navigating Geopolitical Tensions: David E. Sanger’s New Cold Wars and His Time at the Wilson Center

“Reflecting on the book’s creation, Sanger highlighted the difficulty of writing about history as it happens, given the fluidity of global events. He described New Cold Wars as an attempt to ‘frame today’s chaos,’ contextualizing the global shocks from the miscalculations made at the end of the Cold War era.” -Samantha Carrillo

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Smart Take

Canada’s Finance Minister Steps Down in Blow to Trudeau’s Leadership

“She's one of the original ministers that came in with Justin Trudeau in 2015 and her departure now is both bad for economic stability, but it's also bad for the prime minister.” -Christopher Sands

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Enheduanna

Women of Syria Call for Unity and Peace

“With only their Palestinian ID cards, the future remains ambiguous for Baraa and her young family. Yet one thing is certain: she will not give up hope.” -Tara Kangarlou interviews five women from Syria about the fall of the half-century long Assad regime.

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Russia File

Putin’s Obsession, Ukraine’s Struggle, and the West’s Mistakes

“The election of Volodymyr Zelensky marked a significant turning point in Ukraine’s political landscape. Initially, the Kremlin seemed unsure what to make of Zelensky. Within Ukraine, Zelensky himself faced accusations of being a Russian puppet because of his outsider status and lack of political experience.” -Lucian Kim

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Wilson Center Podcasts

With the podcasts Canusa Street, Plaza Central, The Russia File, and more, our experts dive into topics ranging from Canada-US relations to Latin America to Russia, and beyond. Start listening today!

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Living Interesting Lives: Daily Life Amidst Coup D’etat and Revolution 

In this edition of Wilson Center NOW, Middle East Program Fellows Marina and David Ottaway discuss their new book, which was co-authored with their sons. Titled “Living Interesting Lives: A Memoir,” it covers more than two decades of life as a Washington Post foreign correspondent and what it was like working in hot spots like Africa and the Middle East while trying to make a home and bring up small children. They reflect on the strange normalcy of daily life amidst coups and revolutions.

Living Interesting Lives: Daily Life Amidst Coup D’etat and Revolution

Upcoming Event

Part 2: Trendlines and Transformations in African Democratic Governance: Lessons for 21st-Century US-Africa Relations

Tuesday, Jan. 14 // 10:30 am–12:00 pm (ET)

Wilson in the News

Why the US Needs USMCA More Than Ever (Americas Quarterly)

Derailing or failing to successfully review the trade agreement will only benefit China’s and Russia’s global ambitions. Learn more from Antonio Ortiz-Mena and Diego Marroquin Bitar.

"Totally Toxic," says Trump: The CBC's Andrew Nichols Talks with the Wilson Center's Xavier Delgado (CBC)

“It’s clear that there’s no love lost between the President-Elect and the Prime Minister. They had a famously icy relationship between the first Trump administration.” -Xavier Delgado

US has to “Really Weigh In” as Syria Looks to Move Foward After Fall of Assad Regime (MSNBC)

“We want reconciliation, we want inclusiveness, we want all of the various factions that are fighting to come together, and we’d like to see the UN take the lead as they have the mandate to put the country back together again.” -James Jeffrey

The Remarkable Collapse of Iran’s Powerful Alliances (The New Yorker)

The Islamic Republic is weaker—on multiple fronts—than it has been in nearly half a century. Learn more from Robin Wright.

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