Long Read | The State of the UN
As the international order becomes increasingly fragmented, the United Nations appears weaker than it has for decades. But what has actually been lost, and what does the UN still provide…
Long Read | Immigration Policy: The Backdoor to Transnational Repression
Did the United States (US) help Iran track down its own dissidents? On 7 July, the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) filed a lawsuit alleging exactly that. The Complaint…
Op-ed | Conflict Prevention Has Never Been More Important
To mark the International Day of Peace (21 September), Alex Ballinger MP and Alastair Carr draw on Peace Works - a new report from a coalition of peacebuilding organisations -…
Featured Publications
Rethinking Democracy: Through the Lens of Culture, Trust and Agency
Mini-series by the Foreign Policy Centre and the Just Society Trust (formerly John Smith Trust)
13/07/26
Mapping Hybrid Interference: Lessons from Moldova’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections
How Russian influence and hybrid interference shaped Moldova’s pivotal 2025 parliamentary election.
02/07/26
The Middle East 2026: Background Briefings
A four-part briefing series from the FPC and SEPAD project.
18/03/26
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Op-ed | Conflict Prevention Has Never Been More Important
To mark the International Day of Peace (21 September), Alex Ballinger MP and Alastair Carr draw on Peace Works - a new report from a coalition of peacebuilding organisations -…
Long Read | The State of the UN
As the international order becomes increasingly fragmented, the United Nations appears weaker than it has for decades. But what has actually been lost, and what does the UN still provide…
Long Read | Immigration Policy: The Backdoor to Transnational Repression
Did the United States (US) help Iran track down its own dissidents? On 7 July, the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) filed a lawsuit alleging exactly that. The Complaint…
Op-ed | A Camel Called the Investor Visa
The UK Government is reportedly considering the reintroduction of an investor visa for high-net-worth individuals. In this op-ed, Matthew McGlynn examines the economic, security and anti-corruption implications of reviving a…
Beyond the Ballot Box: Democracy Is What Happens Between Elections
Democracy, for me, means accountable institutions anchored in the rule of law. It is not just about elections. Rather, it is everything that happens between elections to ensure people have…
Resistance Is Not Enough: Rethinking the Belarusian Democratic Movement
A turning point is approaching for the Belarusian Democratic Forces, which emerged in response to the rigged presidential elections in 2020. They have begun to lose momentum after six years…
Civil Society Organisations Are Losing the Narrative War – How Can Trust Be Rebuilt?
Civil society is how citizens can hold power to account. But what happens when organisations that exist to defend democratic life are no longer trusted to do so? In…
No Shortcuts to Trust: Education, Civic Habits, and Social Resilience in Central Asia
In Central Asia, citizens have not simply lost faith in institutions. They have stopped expecting institutions to deserve it. Citizens are curious about reform, transparency, opportunity, participation, and modernisation.…
Gen Z, Agency and Engagement: From Tokenism to Meaningful Collaboration
Young people are often described as the ‘future’, yet they are already shaping political life in the present. We are two young leaders from very different contexts: the UK and…
The Psychological Roots of Democratic Disengagement
When I first became a JST Fellow in 2018 I had a very clear answer to the question: does change come from the topdown or the bottom-up? For years, working…
Long Read | The Technological Limits to Armenia’s Rosatom Decoupling Ambitions
Armenia must decide on its nuclear technology path. The upper-middle-income state in the South Caucasus depends on nuclear energy for upwards of 30% of its energy mix; building a new…
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From Silence to Agency: What Post-Totalitarian Societies Must Learn from Their Stories
There was a time when war took my voice away. When reality becomes unbearable, reflection is reduced into mere observation. Silence ceases to be calm – it turns into the…
How Can We Secure a Healthy Political and Social Order in a Fragmented World?
This article introduces a new series of short essays by JST Fellows – leaders working across Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia – exploring how societies can build the…
Expert Briefing | ‘Rhetoric, Disorder, and the Crisis of Democracy’
On 15th June 2026, the Foreign Policy Centre (FPC), the Global Disorder Group at City St. George’s, University of London (City), Shout Out UK (SOUK), and the All-Party Parliamentary Group…
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Op-ed | Devolving to a More Resilient Nation: Lessons From Ukraine
Alex Sobel and Luke Cooper were recently in Gdańsk, Poland, for the Ukraine Recovery Conference where there is a clear and perceptible shift in tone and actions, mirroring our own…