Geopolitics from below · 02. Juni 2026

SAN RAYMUNDO (GUATEMALA). Located 45 kilometers from Guatemala City, in the rural village of Cerro La Granadilla, extreme poverty forces about half of the population to live on less than one dollar a day. A historical legacy of 36 years of civil war (which caused approximately 200,000 casualties) hinders the country's stability. Despite the 1996 peace accords, indigenous populations have historically been relegated to areas like the highlands: regions forgotten by the state.

China/Indopazifik · 21. Mai 2026

What does it mean to live on a frontline where the Cold War was heard as much as it was seen? From the early 1950s, the Taiwan Strait became a frontline of psychological confrontation, where sound emerged as a powerful medium of cross-strait communication, persuasion, and control. For nearly four decades, broadcasting campaigns between Xiamen and Kinmen produced a sustained sonic confrontation across only a few kilometres of water.

China/Indopazifik · 08. Mai 2026

As Indonesia accelerates its role in the global energy transition, its capital, Jakarta, is sinking by up to 20 centimeters per year. Between $40 billion seawalls and the mirage of a new capital in the jungle, the fate of 42 million people wavers between ecological security and social injustice.

Multidomain · 05. Mai 2026

Geopolitik ist längst nicht mehr nur eine Frage von Aussenpolitik oder Verteidigung. Sie wirkt in Verwaltungen, Städten, Unternehmen, Infrastrukturen und gesellschaftlichen Debatten. Handelsrouten, Technologiestandards, Energieversorgung, Migration, Informationsflüsse oder Klimafragen, all diese Themen sind heute Teil eines erweiterten sicherheitspolitischen Kontextes. Unser Institut arbeitet genau an dieser Schnittstelle.

English Blogs · 30. April 2026

According to a national survey conducted by the Asahi Shimbun on March 14-15, 2026, 82% of Japanese do not support the Israeli-US attack on Iran. 53% of Japanese respondents feel “greatly anxious” about the economic impacts of the ongoing war in Iran, while 37% feel “somewhat anxious”. Only 9% of respondents backed the attack. As a main US ally and dependent, and a country 7,600 - 8,050 kilometres away from Iran, which may appear counterintuitive.

Spin Politics · 14. April 2026

The recent U.S.–Iran talks hosted by Pakistan are being described as a failure. No agreement was reached. The nuclear issue remains unresolved and tensions continue to surround the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire is nearing expiry. By conventional standards, this appears to be a diplomatic failure. Such a reading, however, is analytically incomplete.

Multidomain · 02. April 2026

Schon wurde mit dem Iran-Krieg ein Abgesang auf das BRICS-Konstrukt gesungen. Zwei BRICS-Staaten stehen im Krieg. Die politisch gewichtigen BRICS-Staaten würden dem angegriffenen «Bündnispartner» Iran nicht zur Hilfe eilen. Sie haben weder eine gemeinsame Position, noch eine geeinte Kommunikation. Diese Sicht verkennt die Funktionsweisen und strategischen Konvergenzen der BRICS-Ökosysteme, zu denen etwa auch die Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gehört.

China/Indopazifik · 02. April 2026

Kinmen was more than a Cold War frontline. It was a place where war shaped everyday life. This article explores how military tension shaped civilian life over decades and how these experiences remain visible today in both memory and the landscape. Part 2 of the SIGA blog series on Kinmen.

Letters from South Asia · 02. April 2026

In recent decades, renewable energy has evolved from a purely environmental concern into a strategic instrument governing the new energy order. At the heart of this shift, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), co-founded by India and France in 2015, functions as the primary organization driving this transition by accelerating solar power as one of the most effective solutions to address both climate change and energy security challenges.

Multidomain · 01. April 2026

Die Spannungen rund um die Strasse von Hormus zeigen, wie verwundbar globale Versorgungssysteme gegenüber einzelnen maritimen Engpässen sind. Dabei geraten nicht nur Energieflüsse, sondern auch scheinbar sekundäre Rohstoffe wie Helium oder Schwefel in den geopolitischen Fokus. Zwischen Eskalation und realer Knappheit entsteht zudem ein kritisches Zeitfenster, in dem Erwartungen die Dynamik prägen. Erst verzögert schlagen physische Engpässe durch.