The papers series “Papiers d’actualité / Current Affairs in Perspective” puts current events into a historical perspective in order to better understand them. Today, more than ever, it is difficult, to understand the world we are living in without knowing the past that led to it. Therefore, “Papiers d’actualité / Current Affairs in Perspective” emphasise the value of historical phenomenon and their commemoration in today’s world.
Are you interested in a particular subject? Do you want to contribute to a “Papier d’actualité/Current Affairs Paper”, or react to one of the published papers?
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the Papiers d’Actualité / Current Affairs in Perspective series are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Foundation.
2024
No 6, August
Dr Emmanuel Dalle Mulle, Una4Career Marie Curie post-doctoral researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid
No 5, July
Germany at 75: Changes and Continuities
Dr Bernhard Blumenau, Senior Lecturer in International History and Politics, University of St Andrews
No 4, April
La Peur comme arme politique. Un aperçu historique
Dr Olivier Meuwly, spécialiste de l’histoire des partis politiques
No 3, March
Dr Bernhard Blumenau, Senior Lecturer in International History and Politics, University of St Andrews and Dr Johannes-Alexander Müller, University of St Andrews
No 2, February
From the Soviet-Afghan War to the Russian-Ukrainian War
Dr Vassily Klimentov, SNSF Postdoctoral Fellow/Lecturer, History Department/Center for Eastern European Studies, University of Zurich
No 1, January
La Constitution fédérale de 1874: la construction du paysage politique de la Suisse moderne
Dr Olivier Meuwly, historien spécialiste de l’histoire des partis politiques.
2023
No 9, December
On the horrifying war in the Middle East
David Motzafi-Haller, PhD candidate in International History & Politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
No 8, October
Emmanuel Dalle Mulle, Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid
No 6, August
Dr. Thomas Gidney, researcher specialized in colonial and Indian history, the history of international organizations, and foreign policy
No 5, July
1923, Année du traité de Lausanne mais aussi année bascule de l’entre-deux-guerres
Dr. Olivier Meuwly, historien spécialiste de l’histoire des partis politiques
No 4, June
Irlande du Nord: on fête less 25 ans de l’accord du Vendredi saint
Geneviève Delessert, historienne et enseignante, Lausanne
No 3, March
Philhellénisme, libéralisme et nationalisme
Dr. Olivier Meuwly, historien spécialiste de l’histoire des partis politiques
No 2, March
Les grands tournants européens depuis 1945
Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne.
No 1, January
Il y a 175 ans avait lieu le «Printemps des Peuples » de 1848.
Dr. Olivier Meuwly, historien spécialiste de l’histoire des partis politiques
2022
No 10, December
The Security Dimension of Switzerland’s Maritime Strategy
Basil Germond is Professor of International Security at Lancaster University
No 9, October
Inter-Ethnic Relations in Italian Borderlands: From the March on Bolzano to Alpe-Adria
Dr. Emmanuel Dalle Mulle and Alessandro Ambrosino, University of Complutense Madrid and Geneva Graduate Institute
No 8, October
The Legacy of Munich 1972. The Munich Massacre and its place in the history of terrorism
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 7, July
A World on the Fence. The International Community and the War in Ukraine
Dr.Vassily Klimentov, European University Florence
No 6, July
Romania: Histories of Refugee Reception
Dr. Anca Cretu, Research Associate at the European Research Council within the ERC Consolidator Grant project “Unlikely Refuge? Refugees and citizens in East-Central Europe in 20th century”
No 5, June
PhD Candidate Peter Buda, Department of International History and Politics, The Geneva Graduate Institute
No 4, April
Zeitenwende: The Week That Shook German Politics
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 3, March
Les évolutions de l’intégration européenne : de 1945 à la guerre d’Ukraine
Dr. Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne.
No 2, February
Invasion. How Russia Has Lost Ukraine and Itself
Dr. Vassily A. Klimentov, SNSF Postdoctoral Researcher / Visiting Fellow | Robert Schuman Centre, European University Institute, Florence
No 1, January
‘Keep Calm and Carry On!’: Angela Merkel and Her Chancellorship
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
2021
No 10, November
The boring 20’s? How the coming decade will likely be the antithesis of the gilded age.
Thomas Gidney, PhD candidate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 9, October
François Mitterrand en visite en Suisse : la voie européenne comme une évidence
Bastien Nançoz, Historien, spécialiste en Études européennes
No 8, September
Merkeldämmerung: The German Federal Elections of 2021
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 7, August
The historical rise of the Swiss franc as an international reserve currency
Dr. Maylis Avaro , University of Oxford
No 6, July
Dr. Vassily A. Klimentov, European University Institute, Florence
No 5, May
Disunited Kingdom: The UK and the ‘Scottish Question’ years on
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 4, April
US-Romanian relations and American non-policy towards Eastern Europe
Dr. Sielke Beata Kelner, Postdoctoral SNF fellow at Leiden University
No 3, March
Dr. Anne-Sophie Bentz, Associate Professor in South Asian History, Université de Paris / Centre for Social Science Studies on the African, American and Asian Worlds (CESSMA, Paris)
Dr. Anouck Carsignol, Researcher in International Relations, Center of Study and Research on India, South Asia and its Diaspora (CERIAS, Montreal)
No 2, February
Structures of Genocide: Making Sense of the New War for Nagorno-Karabakh
Joel Veldkamp, PhD. Candidate at the Graduate Institute
No 1, January
Revolutionary Indian Women: Re-reading Colonial Police Records in 2020
Atiya Hussain, PhD. Candidate at the Graduate Institute
2020
No 11, December
Epidemics in Europe’s Refugee Camps: A Tale of Two Eras
Doina Anca Cretu, PhD, Research Fellow ERC Consolidator Grant UnRef: Unlikely refuge?, Refugees and citizens in East-Central Europe in the 20th Century
No 10, November
Deux drapeaux pour une nation: Le Belarus, entre Europe et Russie
Barbara Martin, Université de Bâle
No 9, October
Vladimir Putin: Twelve More Years ?
Vassily A. Klimentov, Dr. des., The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 8, August
Beyond Emergency. The Roots of Dangerous Mediterranean Routes towards Italy
Giuliano Fleri, Ph.D. Candidate at the Graduate Institute
No 7, June
Dr. Laurent Warlouzet, Professeur d’histoire à Paris-Sorbonne Université
No 6, May
La crise du coronavirus et la construction européenne
Dr. Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne
No 5, May
Comparer la grippe espagnole et le Covid-19 : analyse historique et pistes de réflexion
Davide Rodogno, professeur d’histoire internationale, The Graduate Institute, Genève
No 4, April
Crise de l’état de droit démocratique : des pistes pour sortir de l’impasse
Dr. Olivier Meuwly, Historian, Specialist in the history of political parties
No 3, March
Years of the Locust – What History Can Tell Us about International Locust Control
Dr. Lukas Schemper, Postdoctoral SNF fellow at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society – LMU Munich
No 2, February
Emmanuel Dalle Mulle, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
Mona Bieling, PhD Candidate and SNSF Research Assistant, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 1, January
From Balfour to Boris: British Hegemony at the League of Nations
Thomas Gidney, FNS Doc CH research funded PHD candidate at the Graduate Institute in Geneva
2019
No 8, December
La désignation des dirigeants de l’Union européenne
Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne
No 7, November
The Fall of the Berlin Wall – 30 years on
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 6, October
La tradition conservatrice américaine et Donald Trump : rupture ou continuité ?
Blaise Fontanellaz, Dr. en science politique
No 5, August
Le tirage au sort : un moyen de rénover la démocratie ?
Dr. Olivier Meuwly, Historian, Specialist in the history of political parties
No 4, July
Özcan Yilmaz, Chargé de cours, Université de Genève et Global Studies Institute
No 3, May
The UK-US Relationship: In the Shadow of Trump and Brexit
Dr. Daniel Kenealy, Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Social and Political Science
No 2, March
From a Whisper to a Scream: A Brief History of the US relationship to the UN
Professor Alanna O’Malley, Chair United Nations Studies in Peace and Justice Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs Leiden University / The Hague University of Applied Sciences
No 1, February
Dr. Andrea Chiampan, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Postdoctoral Fellow — STS Program Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2018
No 9, December
German-American relations – a special relationship
Dr. Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
A preparatory note introduces the paper as the first of the 10 year anniversary series.
No 8, November
The Irony of Triumph: The Muddled Commemorations of Romania’s Great Unification
Doina Anca Cretu, Dr. des., Research Associate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 7, October
Kofi Annan: Reflections on his life
Shaloma Gauthier, PhD, Research Associate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 6, July
Illiberal Democracy: The Return of the Authoritarian Spectre
Dominic Eggel, PhD, Research Advisor, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 5, May
Populistes au pouvoir : L’Italie « innove » à nouveau
Davide Rodogno, professeur d’histoire internationale, The Graduate Institute, Genève
No 4, May
L’intégration européenne et la reconfiguration du conservatisme helvétique
Blaise Fontanellaz, politologue, spécialiste des partis politiques suisses
No 3, April
Nation, Nationalisme, Communautarisme : une tentative de clarification
Olivier Meuwly, Historian, Specialist in the history of political parties
No 2, February
Compléter l’Union économique et monétaire européenne : une perspective historique
Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne
No 1, January
Switzerland and the Facilitated Naturalization of “Third-Generation Foreigners”
Sabina Donati, PhD, Research Associate, Pierre du Bois Foundation for Current History
2017
No 8, October
Une Révolution de trop : Comment le pouvoir russe tente de neutraliser le centenaire de 1917
Barbara Martin, PhD , International History, The Graduate Institute, and SNSF Post-Doctoral Fellow
No 7, September
Turbulent Times Ahead: What to Make of the German General Elections 2017
Dr Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 6, August
Pour une vraie histoire du neoliberalisme en Suisse
Olivier Meuwly, Historian, Specialist in the history of political parties
No 5, July
Qu’est-ce que l’histoire numérique?
Dr Frédéric Clavert, Maître Assistant, Université de Lausanne
No 4, June
Brexit and/or Mayxit? A commentary on the current political situation in the UK
Dr Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 3, April
The Treaties of Rome (1957): Comforting Peace and Offsetting the Decline of Europe
Laurent Warlouzet, Professor of History, University of Littoral-Coté d’Opale
No 2, February
A New Era for the Canada-U.S. Relationship
Shaloma Gauthier, Research Associate, Pierre du Bois Foundation for Current History
No 1, January
Au croisement des mémoires : la Russie face à un passé qui divise
Barbara Martin, PhD , International History, The Graduate Institute, and SNSF Post-Doctoral Fellow
2016
No 8, November
Catalonia-Spain: at the roots of the current confrontation
Emmanuel DALLE MULLE, PhD, SNSF Research Fellow, Centrum voor Sociologisch Onderzoek – KU Leuven
No 7, August
The Greek Debt Tragedy: An Ongoing Odyssey
Felix Matthys, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Bendheim Center for Finance, Princeton University
No 6, July
‘Brexit’ in Historical Perspective
Daniel Kenealy, Specialist Adviser, Senior Vice Principal’s Office, Lecturer, School of Social & Political Science, University of Edinburgh
No 5, May
Jews of Arab Countries: Between Identity Politics and Historiography
Aline Schlaepfer, Associate Professor Université de Genève-American University of Beirut
No 4, April
La commémoration: un outil complexe au service de l’histoire
Olivier Meuwly, Historian, Specialist in the history of political parties
No 3, March
Dr Sabina Donati, Research Associate, Pierre du Bois Foundation for Current History
No 2, February
Helmut Schmidt, the elder world statesman: chancellor, commentator, and cigarette-lover
Dr Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews
No 1, January
China and the Sea: Understanding China’s Contemporary Sea Power via the Historical Memory Approach
Emma WILLIAMS, Andrew TAYLOR and Wilson CHAN, Lancaster University
2015
No 9, December
A Luta Continua: entangled histories of Southern Africa four decades on
Caio Simões de Araújo, PhD Candidate, IHEID
No 8, November
‘13/11’: Terror in Paris. Context and Implications
Bernhard Blumenau, Lecturer in International Relations, Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews
No 7, September
Quelques réflexions sur l’euro et son avenir
Gilles Grin, Directeur de la Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe à Lausanne ainsi que chargé de cours à l’Université de Lausanne
No 6, July
Twenty Years After: The Dayton Accords, Legacies and Opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Anca Doina Cretu, PhD Candidate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 5, June
Dr. Ruth A. Parmelee: witnessing the Armenian Genocide and (re)negotiating the Self
Dr Francesca Piana, Post-doctoral Fellow of the Swiss National Science Foundation, honorary research fellow at the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology of Birkbeck College
No 4, April
Cracked Rear View: The Uses and Abuses of Financial History in the 2008 Crisis
Professor Trevin Stratton, American University in Dubai, Dubai
No 3, March
Barbara Martin, PhD Candidate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 2, February
Ebola, a Global Health Emergency
Dr. Shaloma Gauthier, Research Associate, Pierre du Bois Foundation
No 1, January
Ebola: Reaction versus Resolution
Paroma R. Ghose, PhD Candidate, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
2014
No 8, December
25 Years after the Fall of the Wall: A New Cold War in the Making?
Bernhard Blumenau, Research Fellow, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 7, November
Lessons from French Military Interventions in Africa
Nathaniel Powell, PhD, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 6, October
ISIS: Understanding the Threat and Its Implications for the West
Bernhard Blumenau, Research Fellow, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 5, July
Farzan Sabet, PhD Candidate/Department of International History, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 4, May
Mariusz Lukasiewicz and Aravind Ganesh, PhD Candidates, IHEID, Geneva
No 3, April
La votation helvétique sur l’immigration : causes et conséquences d’un scrutin symbolique
Axel Marion, Visiting Researcher, Centre for the Study of Europe, Boston University
No 2, March
Farzan Sabet, PhD Candidate/Department of International History, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 1, February
Turquie-Union européenne : les raisons et conséquences de la relance des négociations d’adhésion
Özcan Yilmaz, Université de Genève, Département d’histoire générale et Global Studies Institute
2013
No 7, November
A Primer on the US Government Shutdown
Gabriel Geisler Mesevage, PhD Candidate/Department of International History, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 6, November
Andrea Chiampan , PhD Candidate/Department of International History, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 5, September
German Elections on 22 September 2013: the Primacy of Domestic Policy
Bernhard Blumenau, Research Fellow, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 4, May
Europe’s Fight Against Piracy: From the Barbary Coast to Operation Atalanta
Joris Larik, PhD Candidate/Researcher, European University Institute
No 3, April
Culture at the Crossroad of International Politics UNESCO, World Heritage and the Holy Land
Aurélie Élisa Gfeller, Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione fellow and guest lecturer, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
No 2, February
Sept mois d’émeutes à Belfast: la paix est-elle menacée en Irlande du Nord?
Geneviève Delessert, Historienne et enseignante, Lausanne
No 1, January
A propos du cinquantenaire du traité de l’Elysée
Sylvain Schirmann, Professeur à l’Université de Strasbourg
2012
No 7, October
Robert Schuman, l’Europe et la Paix
Marie-Thérèse Bitsch, Professeur émérite à l’Université de Strasbourg
No 6, July
Europeanising Institutional Memory Or Supranationalising Domestic Memory Struggles?
Annabelle Littoz-Monnet-Assistant Professor in Political Science at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 5, June
The Arab Spring and the European Neighbourhood Policy:An Economic Outlook
Gilles Grin-Appointed Director of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe, Lausanne, and Lecturer at the University of Lausanne
No 4, May
Germany and the Euro crisis: the long shadow of history
Bernhard Blumenau-Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 3, April
The European Citizens’ Initiative: ’Much Ado About Nothing’?
Felix Ohnmacht-Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 2, February
Libya 1986-2011: A Testing Ground for the Evolution of US Foreign Policy?
Mattia Toaldo- Post-doctoral fellow at the British School of Rome and at the Society for Libyan Studies
No 1, January
Croatia as the 28th EU Member State: How Did We Get Here and Where Should We Go from Now?
Senka Neuman Stanivuković – University of Groningen
2011
No 8, December
Wavering EU’s State Consolidation Approches in Western Balkans
Jovana Miočinović, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 7, October
L’Iran : entre glaciation politique et printemps arabe
Clément Therme, Membre associé au Centre d’Analyse et d’Intervention Sociologique (CADIS) de l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris
No 6, June
Whither Germany? The “German Problem” and its Implications for Today
Bernhard Blumenau, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 5, April
Les “printemps arabes” et leurs enjeux. Perspectives sur la diplomatie américaine
Jérôme Gygax, Fondation Pierre du Bois pour l’histoire du temps présent
No 4, March
Les crises de la construction européene: mythes et réalités
Gilles Grin, Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et l’Université de Lausanne
No 3, February
The Czech Republic’s Political Scene in 2010: A Political Earthquake and its Aftershocks
Marek Neuman, University of Groningen
No 2, January
La retraite du Dalaï-Lama: quelles perspectives d’avenir pour la communauté tibétaine de l’exil?
Anne-Sophie Bentz, Université Toulouse 1 Capitole
No 1, January
Climate Change Negotiations: Deal or No Deal?
Celine Germond-Duret, University of Central Lancashire
2010
No 9, December
Le Traité de Lisbonne – une constitution à vocation mondiale
Joris Larik, European University Institute, Florence
No 8, November
Jussi M. Hanhimäki, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 7, September
L’euro et le défi de la gouvernance économique
Gilles Grin, Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et Université de Lausanne
No 6, August
The International Community and Terrorism: A Short Historical Assessment
Bernhard Blumenau, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 5, July
The Rhetoric of Dependence and Reconstruction in Haiti
Shaloma Gauthier, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 4, June
2009 The UN International Year of Reconciliation
Seung-hoon Heo, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 3, April
La déclaration Schuman du 9 mai 1950: “Un texte qui a changé le monde”
Marie-Thérèse Bitsch, Université de Strasbourg
No 2, March
Annabelle Littoz-Monnet, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 1, February
Thirty Years of War: Soviet Legacies and Today’s Challenges in Afghanistan
Nathaniel Powell, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
2009
No 11, December
The Presidential Elections in Romania: Turning Point or Stalemate?
Bogdan Christian Iacob, Central European University, Budapest
No 10, December
Chileans (Or At Least Some) Prepare To Vote For Their New President
Carlos Rodrigo Sáez-Muñoz, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies
No 9, November
The EU’s Marketing Standards for Fruit and Vegetables: The End of a Myth?
Katrin Milzow, Pierre du Bois Foundation for Current History
No 8, September
General Elections in Germany on 27 September 2009
Bernhard Blumenau, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 7, September
Une réflexion sur l’actualité de la pensée et de l’action de Jean Monnet
Gilles Grin, Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe et Université de Lausanne
No 6, July
International Criminal Law, International Security and the Global Ordre Public
Joris Larik, European University Institute, Florence
No 5, June
Touchant au coeur du régime islamique, la crise est loin d’être terminée
Mohammad-Reza Djalili, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 4, June
Un Parlement européen en quête de légitimité populaire
Axel Marion, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 3, June
Sixty Years of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bernhard Blumenau, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva
No 2, May
5 mai 2009 – Le Conseil de l’Europe a soixante ans
Marie-Thérèse Bitsch, Université de Strasbourg
No 1, May
Obama’s NATO: A New Transatlantic Partnership?
Jussi Hanhimäki, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva