By John W. Parks As part of the Patterson School experience, students participate in an annual Spring Break trip to regional hubs of politics, research, diplomacy, and international commerce. This year, the Patterson School took on the nation’s capital, Washington DC, where the 2024-2025 cohort was exposed to the facilities and professionals that many will... Continue Reading →
By Madelyn Williams After months of conflict, the Rwandan-backed M23 has signed a framework for peace with the Democratic Republic of Congo. These talks were held in Qatar with mediation support from the US and the African Union. The talks could not come fast enough, as thousands have been killed and displaced. M23 has pushed... Continue Reading →
By Abby Burczyk Since the end of October, Mali has been suffering from a widespread fuel blockade caused by a jihadist group. The fuel blockade has impacted nearly every aspect of life for Malians by forcing schools to close, impacting power supply to critical industries like healthcare, and resulting in food prices to dramatically surge.... Continue Reading →
By Brooke Bihl The Vatican has returned 62 artifacts from its large ethnographic collection to Indigenous peoples of Canada, as a part of the Catholic Church’s reckoning with its role in helping suppress Indigenous cultures in the Americas. Pope Leo XIV formally handed over the artifacts, including an iconic Inuit kayak, masks, moccasins, etchings, and supporting documentation... Continue Reading →
By Jack Kolesar In an October 19 runoff election across Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz Pereira was declared the next president of the South American nation. Paz, from the Christian Democratic Party, secured 54.6% of the vote over his opponent Jorge Quiroga.This victory signals a significant shift in the politics of Bolivia. Paz, a right-leaning centrist, will end... Continue Reading →
By Jack Kolesar On November 16, Chileans will head to the polls to vote for their next president, the successor to Gabriel Boric. With Boric, head of state since his 2021 election, barred from seeking another term due to term limits, voters must choose between a continued leftist government or a shift to a right-wing... Continue Reading →
By Sam Dantzler North Korea has reengaged in nuclear saber rattling over the last few weeks with missile launches into its eastern waters, artillery flashes near disputed zones, and South Korean intelligence warning of North Korean nuclear sites being reactivated on short notice. None of this is happening in a vacuum. The global conversation around nuclear... Continue Reading →
By Suha Abrahim The US is planning to establish a military presence at a Damascus airbase to enable security agreements between Israel and Syria. Mediated by the US, the base is expected to make up a demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria. The US already has troop presence in eastern Syria to back the Syrian Democratic... Continue Reading →
By Madelyn Williams Due to the increased unrest in Nigeria, Christian groups have labeled attacks as religious persecution to the point of genocide. US politicians have condemned Nigeria for allowing the murder of Christians to continue. This has culminated to Trump issuing a fresh round of threats against Nigeria, calling upon the Department of War... Continue Reading →
By Abby Burczyk On October 31, the United Nations Security Council backed a resolution for Western Sahara to maintain autonomy under Moroccan rule. Though Morocco has presented similar resolutions to develop governmental systems for Western Sahara since 2007, the most recent resolution was written by the United States. The Trump administration has been very supportive of... Continue Reading →
By Brooke Bihl U.S. forces have conducted its 17th lethal strike against an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday. The strike comes after the U.S. carried out its first attack in September, as part of an ongoing campaign Washington says is aimed at curtailing the flow of illicit drugs... Continue Reading →
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 