By Philip Murphy, Director of History & Policy at the Institute of Historical Research and Professor of British and Commonwealth History, School of Advanced Study, University of London
The collapse of the prosecutions of Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry is a reminder that bringing charges for espionage can be an extremely risky business, particularly in western democracies. Cash and Berry were accused of spying for China, but the CPS dropped the case before it could go to trial. They deny the charges against them.
Read more: How Britain's weakened global position may have pulled it into a Chinese…
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By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
Tetyana Malyarenko, Professor of International Security, Jean Monnet Professor of European Security, National University Odesa Law Academy
It looked as if the US might supply Ukraine with game-changing new weapons. Then the Russian president phoned Donald Trump.
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By Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the Space Economy Evolution Lab, Bocconi University
In the 1960s, Frank Sinatra’s song Fly Me to the Moon became closely associated with the Apollo missions. The optimistic track was recorded in 1964, when US success against the Soviet Union in the Moon race was not assured.
Nevertheless, when the crew of the Apollo 11 mission landed first on the lunar surface in 1969, the Sinatra song became an appropriate tune for an era when, in the West, anything seemed possible.
In the 21st century, the exploration of the Moon will take a different…
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By Nada Saadaoui, PhD Candidate in English Literature, University of Cumbria
Jane Austen’s novels are often remembered for their wit, romance and sharp social critique. Yet they are also profoundly geographical works: cities, seaside resorts, country estates and naval towns structure the possibilities and limitations of her heroines’ lives.
In Austen’s world, place equals power. Where a woman could walk, who she might encounter and how her movements were constrained often determined the course of her story. Tracing Austen’s fictional…
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By Oliver Gingrich, Programme Lead BA (Hons) Animation, University of Greenwich
Min Young Oh, Lecturer in Animation, University of Greenwich
A film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book The Twits has been promised for more than two decades. The Netflix animation plays to the strengths of the beloved classic, while adapting it to present times. Dark humour, many pranks, twists and turns ensure an enjoyable visual feast.
The film was written, directed and produced by the Oscar-nominated film-maker Phil Johnston, also known for his animated films Wreck-it Ralph (2012) and Zootopia (2016). The Twits…
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By Alice Vernon, Lecturer in Creative Writing and 19th-Century Literature, Aberystwyth University
In 1874, renowned chemist Sir William Crookes sat in a darkened room, eyes fixed on a curtain over an alcove. The curtain twitched, and out came a glowing ghost of a young woman, dressed in a white shroud. He was entranced.
But the ghost was fake, and his involvement in séances nearly ruined his career. The lesson wasn’t learned, however, and Crookes, like thousands after him, continued to search for evidence of spirits.
The popularity of the Victorian séance, and its associated pseudo-religion Spiritualism,…
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By Stephen Gorard, Professor of Education and Public Policy, Durham University
Secondary schools introduce separate subject disciplines, many of which are almost impossible to understand without the ability to read fluently.
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By Johanna Weststar, Associate Professor of Labour and Employment Relations, DAN Department of Management & Organizational Studies, Western University
Louis-Etienne Dubois, Associate Professor, School of Creative Industries, The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University
Sean Gouglas, Professor, Digital Humanities, University of Alberta
The acquisition of EA for US$55 billion is a continuation of similar consolidation trends that have been seen across the creative sector, including music, film and television.
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By Guest Contributor
The ongoing conflict in Eastern DRC, allegedly fuelled in part by Uganda’s support for M23 rebels, has inflicted devastating consequences on Congolese civilians as well as the wider region.
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By Janine Mendes-Franco
In its dealings with Venezuela, which have included challenges to Maduro’s presidency and a border dispute with Guyana, CARICOM has upheld the region as a “zone of peace.”
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