Jason Ralph

Articles - New Diplomacy Project — New Diplomacy Project

How can the UK navigate the illiberal world order? @jasonralph.bsky.social and myself argue policymakers should embrace philosophical pragmatism. We pick out four aspects. Together it adds up to a practical framework for the 21st century. These four aspects are: 1/
www.newdiplomacy.uk/articles

Can foreign policy be pragmatic and progressive? — New Diplomacy Project These are dark times for progressive foreign policy. We are moving towards an illiberal world order. In this climate, how can the UK advance progressive foreign policy goals?  Many UK policymake...

As @teamlabouruk.bsky.social marks its one year anniversary in office, Prof @jamiegaskarth.bsky.social & Prof @jasonralph.bsky.social ask the question "can foreign policy be pragmatic and progressive?"

www.newdiplomacy.uk/articles/kar...

The Strength You Gain by Not Taking Offense We all face uncivil behavior or insulting comments at times, but you can choose how to react.

Can we find the middle way between being “simultaneously too offensive and too thin-skinned.” ?https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/06/art-self-control-provocation/683205/?gift=gYjbc9Gs4NbGCDR6zPZBTpw_ofttzcdPFxwYs3CXFBs

Opinion | A Progressive Future Depends on National Identity

Important contribution from across ‘the pond’ - A Progressive Future Depends on National Identity www.nytimes.com/2025/06/19/o...

The Singer Who Saw America’s Best and Worst Sly Stone fused joyful visions of the country with a deep understanding of its worst ills.

“And in the floating jubilee that was his band, the Family Stone, he gave America a vision of itself: racially and emotionally integrated, celestially oriented, if not healed then at least open to healing. “ www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...

"If either party to this internal debate should be apologizing, it’s not the liberals who presciently warned that the left risked going off the rails and enabling Trump to win."

According to Spotify I am in the top 0.001 percent on Max Richter listeners for this reason.

… further develops the praxeological branch of CIRT, and better informs the political left’s response to the alienating effects of the liberal international order and the rise of right-wing populism.

Second, I look forward from Habermasian-inspired theory to the 3rd generation (and Pragmatist-inspired) ‘recognition theory’ of Honneth. This brings a critical edge to IR ontological security studies …

I set a future agenda based on the Pragmatism of Dewey. This helps CIRT realize the emancipatory potential in IR’s recent ‘practice turn’, addressing concerns that CIRT is disengaged. It challenges critical / problem-solving binaries in ways that speak to real world challenges like climate change.

Firstly, these proposals underplay the reasons why 1st generation theorising failed; secondly, CIRT risks throwing the 2nd generation Habermas-Linklater ‘baby’ out with the ‘bathwater’ when it has a particular value. I do two things.

Critical IR Theory (CIRT) is in ‘crisis’. Some argue for a recovery of ‘the inspirational quality’ of Horkheimer and Adorno’s 1st generation negative critique. Certainly, the challenge of right-wing populism begs questions of CIRT’s ‘consolatory’ cosmopolitanism. I have two concerns, however.

Pleased my paper “American Pragmatism, The Frankfurt School and the future of Critical IR theory” has been accepted for publication in Review of International Studies. Abstract 👇

Opinion | Something Extraordinary Is Happening in My Country

Filip Balunovic is the author of “Revival of the Left in the Balkans: Counter-Hegemonic Activism and Ideas That Fueled It.” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/o...

📣 Don't miss this new blog by @jasonralph.bsky.social

Read 'Trump’s defiance of the courts shows how foreign policy can enable an imperial presidency' here: blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Trump’s defiance of the courts shows how foreign policy can enable an imperial presidency writes @jasonralph.bsky.social of @universityofleeds.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Opinion | Trump Has Destroyed What Made America Great. It Only Took 100 Days. This is more than a shift in foreign policy; it’s a divorce so comprehensive that it makes Brexit look modest by comparison.

„The wrong way to respond is to promise, as Biden did, that America will be “back.” That ignores the enormous mistakes elites made over the last three decades and the political context that allowed Mr. Trump to return to power with the mind-set of an arsonist.“
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/o...

"We cannot give everyone a trial," says the president of these United States.

FirstView articles | European Journal of International Security | Cambridge Core European Journal of International Security - Professor Andrew Mumford

🎉There have been several new @ejisbisa.bsky.social articles published on FirstView this week!🎉
Link to read - buff.ly/FB1bFzp

@cambridgeuppolisci.bsky.social @justinmassie.bsky.social
@tberger.bsky.social @jasonralph.bsky.social
@ruthdeyermond.bsky.socialv @amirajadoon.bsky.social

The Question Progressives Refuse to Answer As Democrats became the party of proceduralism, they sidestepped a crucial debate.

“For decades, progressivism has deluded itself into believing that process can obviate the need for discretion. Reformers became so obsessed with ensuring that government would not trample the powerless that they have prevented government from doing its job.” www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Opinion | To Save Democracy, the U.S. Should Take a Page From Poland’s Playbook Poland pulled back from an authoritarian slide. What can the U.S. learn from its nonpartisan approach?

“…it sounds like one of the primary means of persuasion that you used was very patient public education, going out to people.” www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/o...

My book “On Global Learning” is now available in paperback with a 20% discount. See flyer below. It offers a theory of social learning that allows us to assess and critique (or support) institutionalised practices in the face of the global security, health and climate challenge.

Trump and Musk believe our country belongs to them. They're taking everything they can get their hands on and daring us to stop them. On Saturday, we're taking to the streets nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!

Please join us: handsoff2025.com/?SQ...

Secret Pentagon memo on China, homeland has Heritage fingerprints An secret memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth focuses on deterring China’s seizure of Taiwan and shoring up homeland defense. The guidance mimics language of a report from the conservative think ...

“The U.S. will support Europe with nuclear deterrence of Russia, and NATO should only count on U.S. forces not required for homeland defense or China deterrence missions, …” www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Secret Pentagon memo on China, homeland has Heritage fingerprints An secret memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth focuses on deterring China’s seizure of Taiwan and shoring up homeland defense. The guidance mimics language of a report from the conservative think ...

I thought US policy on Ukraine might have been part of a US-Russia-PRC tacit agreement to have regional spheres of influence. But this suggests it is about shifting priorities to get the US, as well as Russia & Europe, to deny the PRC a sphere in its backyard. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Check out the reportedly 30000+ who turned up to the “fighting the oligarchy” Sanders-AOC rally in Denver over the weekend.

The lag between the ISA conference bar and reality is long, sometimes infinite. In this case? 3 weeks @cbueger.bsky.social

Transcript of Steve Witkoff’s Interview on The Tucker Carlson Show Read the full transcript of President Trump's chief negotiator Steve Witkoff’s interview on The Tucker Carlson Show, Premiered March 21, 2025. TRANSCRIPT: The Art of Presidential Diplomacy TUCKER CARL...

Witkoff on UK troop proposals. “it’s a combination of a posture and a pose and…simplistic. I think there’s this … sort of notion of we’ve all got to be like Winston Churchill, the Russians are gonna march across Europe. I think that’s preposterous” singjupost.com/transcript-o...

Opinion | Trump Voters Love Him More Than Before. Four Conservative Columnists Pinpoint Why. More registered voters think America is on the right track than at any point since 2004, a new poll says. What does that mean about Trump?

Brooks: “As a matter of principle, Democrats should be screaming bloody murder about Trump’s threat to the Constitution. As a matter of political tactics, I think they’re better off emphasizing Trumpian incompetence….and there is a lot of it.” www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/o...