In the United States, indigenous sovereignty is being eroded piece by piece. A series of recent Supreme Court decisions have chipped away at longstanding legal distinctions between Native American tribes and the U.S. government. First, on June 13, the court decided in a 6–3 decision in the case of Denezpi…

In the wake of Russia’s War in Ukraine, talk of decolonization has become a talking point within broader circles. On June 23rd, the Helsinki Commission hosted a panel discussion on Decolonizing Russia. During the discussion, a comment by Casey Michel — author of American Kleptocracy — stood out to me: …

Part 1 of this series discussed some recent books on American secession and a second American civil war. In Part 2 of this series, I laid out some factors of concern when looking at the potential for a U.S. national split-up. In this final installment, I want to detail some…

I’ve been reading Steven Fry’s The Ode Less Traveled. I’m in the middle of the chapter on meter, and yesterday I finally got around to sitting and doing an exercise from the book where I sat and just jotted down the first 20 lines I could think of in iambic…

It’s been nearly a week since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In that week, social media has been abuzz with talk of many liberals’ fears of (and in some cases, desire for) an impending break-up of the United States of America. Many commentators posit presumptions suggesting that such…

I’ve been writing a lot lately. I’ve also been reading a lot in support of that writing. I’ve been reading books about writing, fiction and non-fiction that I want to study to pick apart their writing style, and books I’m reading (or rereading) to think more deeply on my subject of interest, break-away movements. So, I’ve…

Russia’s Baltic Sea exclave, Kaliningrad — Captured by the Nazis after WWII and never ceded to Poland or Lithuania following the end of the Cold War — receives the bulk of its industrial supply goods through routes from Belarus across the 40-mile stretch of land known as the Suwałki Gap…

The conversation around abortion rights has sparked new critiques of the Democratic Party; here’s one way that passionate liberals can work to change it. — After the fall of Roe v. Wade, many American liberals feel a growing disillusionment with the Democratic Party. To the many American liberals, the moral injury of the fall of Roe cuts even deeper given that it happened during a Democratic presidency, with a Democratic Party Majority in Congress. Common…

Dear David, The next few years are going to be a trying time. It will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Yet, events will unfold, altering your life and the world in ways you could never have predicted. Let’s start with the personal: Next year, your mother will die. This…