Our
Editions
Global Pressure Points Brought To You In Context
Our Editions examine contemporary questions in political economy through a combination of argument, empirical research and policy analysis. Each brings together an essay exploring a broader political or economic debate, a research paper using data to investigate a defined question, and a policy brief focused on a current area of public policy. Across trade, climate, governance, security and technology, the aim is to connect wider debates with evidence and the policy choices they produce.
— MJPE Editor in Chief
Our Latest Editions
The Infrastructure of Influence — Autumn 2026
This edition explores how technology and infrastructure are reshaping the distribution of economic and political power. From artificial intelligence and advanced technologies to energy systems, supply chains and strategic industries, The Infrastructure of Influence examines how control over the systems underpinning modern economies is becoming an increasingly important source of international influence. It considers what these shifts mean for economic security, geopolitical competition and the wider international system.
Regions:
Topics:
US/Canada
Europe
Energy
Tech & AI
Climate
Power in the modern economy increasingly rests not only on what states produce, but on who controls the technologies, networks and infrastructure on which others depend.
— Could Cryptocurrency Replace the Modern Monetary System?
Building States, Buying Silence— Summer 2026
This edition explores how states build, exercise and preserve power, and the trade-offs that emerge between effective governance, economic development and political authority. From intervention and regime change to Singapore’s developmental model and European regulatory reform, Building States, Buying Silence examines how institutions and political choices shape the capacity of states to pursue their objectives and respond to changing economic and social pressures.
Singapore’s transformation suggests that the developmental state is defined not simply by the scale of government intervention, but by the capacity of institutions to turn long-term political strategy into measurable economic outcomes.
— Does the Developmental State Work? An Empirical Analysis of Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew
Regions:
LatAm
SEA
Europe
Topics:
Politics
Economics
Development
Sustainability in Times of Scarcity — Spring 2026
This edition explores the growing tension between climate ambition and the economic and political realities of delivering it. From international climate diplomacy and forest conservation in the Congo Basin to the future of European carbon pricing, Sustainability in Times of Scarcity examines how development pressures, institutional constraints and competing economic interests shape the transition from environmental commitments to meaningful action.
Regions:
US/Canada
Europe
Africa
Topics:
Energy
Politics
Climate
Climate conferences are therefore neither sufficient nor obsolete. Their importance lies in providing the architecture through which international climate action can be coordinated, while responsibility for delivering that action ultimately remains with governments.
— COP30 and the Future of Global Climate Diplomacy
From Ports to Policy — Autumn 2025
This edition explores how economic ideas and international trade shape outcomes across countries and markets. From the debate over inflation and deflation to the unequal gains from trade liberalisation and the future of the EU–Mercosur Agreement, From Ports to Policy examines how economic integration creates opportunities while raising questions of distribution, development and sustainable trade policy.
Liberalisation may create opportunities for all states, but powerful economies remain better placed to convert those opportunities into lasting domestic gains.
— Who Benefits from Free Trade? An Empirical Analysis of Economic Gains Across Countries
Regions:
LatAm
US/Canada
Europe
Topics:
Economics
Trade
Climate
Special Edition
Security in a Fragmented World, a 2025 Review
This special edition examines how states can construct effective defence strategies in an increasingly fragmented international system. Drawing on empirical evidence across different security environments, the analysis explores deterrence, democratic peace theory and the role of military capability, alliances and political institutions in shaping strategic stability.
Rather than assuming that a single model of national defence can be applied universally, Security in a Fragmented World considers how different threats, capabilities and geopolitical conditions require different strategic responses. The analysis ultimately seeks to identify the factors that determine an effective defence posture and develop a framework for understanding which combination of defence mechanisms is best suited to the circumstances faced by individual states.