William F. Buckley Jr. was the erudite heart of American conservatism. But the political vision that he helped forge was—and remains today—focused less on adhering to principles and more on ferreting out enemies.

The paranoia and conspiracy theories of the McCarthy era still inform our culture and politics in the present day.

The trio of interests atop business, military, and government depicted in C. Wright Mills’s postwar critique is no longer united in setting the national agenda.

When Thomas Kuhn coined the term, he wasn’t referring simply to “out of the box” thinking.

Michael Doyle’s new book lays out how to avoid conflict with China and Russia.

Katya Hoyer argues for a closer look at the triumphs and travails of everyday life under socialism.

The Czech author, who died this week at 94, warned against the marginalization of literature and fought for its future.

Hawks may claim that uncompromising defense policies won the Cold War. But his pursuit of peace was more important.

We’re entering a period of worldwide political disorder, says historian Gary Gerstle. What comes next is anyone’s guess.

Can the United States and China avoid military conflict?

How Stanford University turned optimization into the global capitalist credo

In the wake of economic crises, liberal democracies proved most adept at imposing austerity.

A survey of the world’s worst nuclear disasters highlights the catastrophic consequences of technical hubris.

From the fall of the Berlin Wall to 9/11, we had relative peace and prosperity. It was an opportunity to salve some festering national wounds. We squandered it completely—and helped give rise to the crises we’re dealing with today.

Hal Brands urges the U.S. to make China and Russia “pay exorbitantly” for their policies. History shows that has never worked.

Putin alone is to blame for the war in Ukraine. Still, some opponents of NATO expansion were strikingly prescient.

In a lengthy screed, the Russian dictator made it clear that his ambitions are to restore his nation’s status as a colonizer of Europe.

Yes, the Russian leader is an authoritarian aggressor. But different decisions at key points by the U.S. might have made him less so.

From his early novels to his final work, “Silverview,” le Carré captured the pervasive sense of being watched.

Not long ago, life-saving medical know-how was viewed as belonging to everyone. What happened?