New York
The Rise of Populism: Germany’s Far-Right AfD and the EU Elections
By Kaitlin Drape When the EU Parliamentary elections took place on May 23, they took place in a different environment than those of the previous elections. With the growth of populist rhetoric and far-right-wing parties across Europe, the election served as a sign of things to come. Right-wing parties in Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Finland,…
Read MoreEliminating Global Threats: The Difficulties of Reducing Foreign Terrorist Fighters
By Robert Kang On March 22, 2019, the Trump administration announced the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Sarah Sanders, White House spokeswoman, briefed the press on the president’s planned withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. She went on to claim that the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces had driven…
Read MoreThe Twitter Revolution: Its Importance for Information and Activism
By Moisés A. Cabrera In 2006, a group of young software programmers from a company called Odeo created a revolutionary online platform that would become known as Twitter. Even though it started as a simple group messaging service, its purpose soon evolved. And after being opened to the public in 2007, the programmers soon recognized…
Read MoreTowards a New Model: A Potential Solution to Refugee Integration and Empowerment
By Alexandra McLeod The first 100 days following a corporate merger determines whether the deal will be successful or whether it will fail. In light of this, leaders invest vast amounts of resources, time, and effort into the transition. But, when it comes to refugees integrating into American society, we lose that perspective. Resettlement agencies focus on finding refugees employment within…
Read MoreFailure in Hanoi: What Happened and What’s Next
By Andy Laub Despite the fanfare leading up to the second U.S.-North Korea summit, President Donald Trump and Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un did not make it past lunch on the second day of negotiations. Instead, President Trump left early due to his belief that they were going to strike a bad deal, noting, “Sometimes you…
Read MoreVenezuela’s Immigration Crisis: An Update from the Colombia/Venezuela Border
By Michael Berman Facing severe inflation, food shortages and a collapsing economy, over 3.6 million Venezuelans have fled the country. And according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2019, this will climb to 5.4 million. Colombia, which shares a 1,400-mile border with Venezuela, has received the lion’s share of migrants…
Read MoreHidden Dangers: The Perils of U.S. Withdrawal from the INF
By Jigar Khatri Due to an ever-expanding list of daily political scandals, it is easy to miss the greater significance of a specific event. For instance, in February, the Trump administration announced its withdrawal from the foundational 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The reason given for withdrawing from this landmark agreement was the Russian deploying of illegal land-based…
Read MoreA Delicate Situation: How Tumult in Venezuela Threatens a Continent
By Colin Wolfgang On Jan. 23, the United States joined a number of countries in recognizing Venezuela’s opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as its interim president. Within hours, Nicolas Maduro responded by severing diplomatic ties with the United States and announcing a 30-day window for the country to withdraw its diplomats. While the United States and Maduro have agreed…
Read MoreYear End Reading List
As 2018 comes to a close, YPFP NY’s staff shares some of their favorite reads of the year: 1983: Reagan, Andropov, and a World on the Brink By Taylor Downing A gripping account of how close the world came to nuclear catastrophe through misunderstandings and a climate of heightened suspicions. Code Girls By Liza Mundy…
Read MoreLessons from a President: George H.W. Bush’s Response to the Invasion of Kuwait
By Philip D. Caldwell As we remember the amazing life of President George H.W. Bush, perhaps lessons can be learned from the way he handled decision-making and managed his National Security Council (NSC) during one of the most precarious and defining episodes of his presidency. On Aug. 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered an invasion of…
Read More