Marking 20 years since the 2005 Israel’s Gaza disengagement, Rob Geist Pinfold argues it was never a peace plan but a tactic to freeze negotiations and secure the West Bank. He contends Netanyahu’s later containment policy, not the 2005 withdrawal, set the stage for the October 7th attacks. Read the full paper here.
Looking for: Postdoctoral Researcher for INTERFER (starting October 2025)
We are looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Institute of International Relations’ team for the project INTERFER which studies foreign interference by foreign powers in the context of current geopolitical and technological changes. The position starts on October 2025 with a remuneration of 64 600 CZK gross/monthly.
How to navigate the new nuclear map? New article Lauren Sukin and Rohan Mukherjee
Lauren Sukin and her colleague Rohan Mukherjee (LSE) have published a roundtable in the Texas National Security Review titled Navigating the New Nuclear Map. The collection explores nuclear politics across the globe, highlighting how global nuclear challenges are interconnected and shaped by domestic politics.
Roundtable with Ami Ayalon, former Director of the Shin Bet
Science fiction and fieldwork study in international relations – how are they connected?
A new article by Jakub Záhora connects two seemingly distant concepts: fieldwork studies in international relations and science fiction stories. The author uses analogies with science fiction to work towards more careful reflections on the ethical, political and personal stakes of field-work based research in international relations.
New research on CFSP's ability to foster convergence
Michal Onderčo and his colleagues study the CFSP’s effect on EU voting on nuclear weapons at the UNGA (1979–2022). Despite strains from global shifts, they find convergence hardly increases but consensus remains stable, challenging mainstream expectations of EU foreign policy. Full study here.
New article: How did the U.S. reassure the public during the Russo-Ukrainian war?
Lauren Sukin and colleagues show that U.S. restraint in the Russo-Ukrainian reassured allies and partners more than displays of force. Based on novel data from a survey of 27 250 people in 24 countries, the study finds that caution and indirect support boosted trust, challenging assumptions favoring military resolve.
New article on narrative research in International Relations
Zuzana Krulichová’s new article in Cooperation and Conflict reviews narrative approaches in IR, distinguishing between agency-centric and structure-centric perspectives. She calls for more focus on their interaction, noting that longitudinal or historical studies could sharpen analysis and theory.