Global Lens

The National reports on how the global network of diplomatic missions is shifting, tracing diplomacy's changing footprint through the pattern of embassy and consulate openings and closures. The piece uses these openings and shutdowns as a lens on how states are repositioning diplomatically, reflecting shifting priorities, budgets and alliances.

A new analysis examines India's satellite communications policy through the lens of dependence on Starlink, asking who controls the ability to switch off or restrict satellite internet services. As Starlink expands into new markets including India, policymakers are weighing the strategic risks of relying on a single foreign-owned satellite network for critical connectivity, and what national regulations should require.

UCLA researchers have published work examining the hidden networks that drive the global economy, exploring how supply chains, trade links and financial connections shape economic outcomes beyond what is visible in official statistics. The analysis highlights how these unseen structures influence trade, prices and stability worldwide, offering a new lens on how modern economies really function.

Enze Han, an alumnus of the Columbia-Harvard China and the World Program, has published a piece titled "The spatial politics of (neo-)imperial mobility control". The essay examines how states control the movement of people across borders, framing such controls through the lens of empire and neo-imperial power. The piece has been shared by the China and the World Program, drawing attention from scholars of international politics and migration.