V. Surveying the damage

For 250 years, the United States of America has been propelled by a sense of its exceptional nature and mission. For the past 80 years, much of the world has been structured around the order Washington built out of the ashes of the Second World War. But for many Americans and observers of America, the second administration of President Donald Trump has been deeply disquieting, with widespread concerns that his presidency will undermine much of what has made America exceptional and successful at home and abroad. In this Adelphi book, Kori Schake argues that the US truly is exceptional – politically, economically, culturally and in the international order it constructed. She also argues that, while deep-seated American advantages and resilience may still contribute to more benevolent outcomes, we face a serious risk of dramatic disruption to American power and international security.

VI. Denouement?

For 250 years, the United States of America has been propelled by a sense of its exceptional nature and mission. For the past 80 years, much of the world has been structured around the order Washington built out of the ashes of the Second World War. But for many Americans and observers of America, the second administration of President Donald Trump has been deeply disquieting, with widespread concerns that his presidency will undermine much of what has made America exceptional and successful at home and abroad. In this Adelphi book, Kori Schake argues that the US truly is exceptional – politically, economically, culturally and in the international order it constructed. She also argues that, while deep-seated American advantages and resilience may still contribute to more benevolent outcomes, we face a serious risk of dramatic disruption to American power and international security.

China’s Mediation Paradigm: How China’s Mediation Diplomacy Advanced Saudi-Iran Reconciliation

This study analyses China’s mediation paradigm and its contribution to fostering reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, signifying a notable mark in the Middle Eastern geopolitical environment. It aims to answer the question of how China’s principles of neutrality, non-interference, and economic incentives facilitated the mediation and reinstatement of diplomatic relations between these two regional actors. The article examines the advantages of China’s mediation diplomacy and its limitations for its engagement in the Middle East especially after changing dynamics in the region such as US’s involvement through Gaza war, Iran’s weakening influence over the region following Israel’s operations against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, as well as fall of Assad regime. It argues that while China’s success also depended on Saudi Arabia and Iran willingness, these two actors’ motivations are well overlapping with China’s mediation paradigm and geopolitical intentions for its engagement in the Middle East. This article offers insights into the diplomatic milestones, policy shifts, regional security implications, and provides a detailed analysis of the complications involved in mediating. The findings highlight China’s crucial role in utilizing its economic power and diplomatic skills to foster security and collaboration in the Middle East, reinforcing its evolving role as a global mediator.

March 1941: Relations Between Yugoslavia and Bulgaria with a View to Joining the Tripartite Pact

This article examines the relations between the two South Slavic states during their accession to the Tripartite Pact in March 1941. The first part begins by overviewing their relations from the signing of the Yugoslav-Bulgarian Perpetual Friendship Pact until the start of the Second World War. The turbulent relations between the two countries in the early years of the war is also the subject of interest. The central analysis explores key events that led Yugoslavia and Bulgaria to opposing sides in this conflict, with particular emphasis on German influence in both countries. The epilogue traces the breakdown of Yugoslav-Bulgarian relations, including the Bulgarian occupation of parts of Yugoslavia. The article is based on archival material from Serbia and Bulgaria and selected periodicals.

Eleftherios Venizelos, Greece and the League of Nations: Balancing Idealism and Realism in Small-State Diplomacy

This study examines Eleftherios Venizelos’ approach to the League of Nations as a reflection of the complex interplay between idealism and realism in the diplomacy of a small-state leader. Venizelos, Greece’s Prime Minister and a pivotal figure at the Paris Peace Conference, embraced the League’s principles, viewing it as a mechanism to promote both international stability and Greek national interests. The article explores Venizelos’ dual strategy of championing collective security while navigating the constraints of power politics, and reveals his pragmatic use of the League to secure international support for Greek territorial ambitions and stability. However, his vision was tempered by the League’s structural weaknesses, especially its inability to enforce decisions against major powers. The analysis extends to Venizelos’ efforts to balance regional alliances, particularly with Turkey, within the League’s framework, and his advocacy for initiatives like the Briand Plan for European integration. While the League ultimately failed to prevent World War II, this article underscores its role as a platform for small states to assert their agency and advance their objectives. Venizelos’ nuanced approach demonstrates the persistent tension between the ideals of collective security and the realities of geopolitical interests in the interwar period.

The War in Ukraine Unveiled: Beyond the Narratives by Stavros Lygeros, Athens, Pataki, Athens, Greece, 2025, €14.99 (e-book), ISBN 978-618-07-1424-1

Reimagining Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence: A Capability Approach Informed by Women’s Experiences in Wartime Ukraine

This article examines the limitations of existing Business and Human Rights (BHR) frameworks on the matter of addressing the complex ways war undermines women’s capabilities. The war in Ukraine serves as a stark illustration of how peacetime-oriented human rights due diligence processes are not able to grasp the multiple responsibility burdens placed on women comprehensively. This conceptual article addresses such deficiency by proposing to reinterpret BHR frameworks through the lens of the capability approach, conceptualizing war as a form of radical social change. By re-articulating the World Benchmarking Alliance Gender Benchmark through a capability lens, we develop a set of practical assessment points that shift the focus from merely avoiding harm to proactively enhancing women’s rights. Our primary contribution is a replicable methodology that can potentially equip businesses to conduct more meaningful, gender-responsive due diligence, ensuring that women’s rights and empowerment are central to corporate conduct during conflict and recovery.

Do personality traits explain the adjustment? A study of civilian victims of war in Ukraine

Introduction: Forced migration exposes civilians to multiple potentially traumatic events. Personality traits may shape individual differences in adjustment, yet their role in refugee populations remains underexplored. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 160 Ukrainian civilian refugees (75% female; M age  = 33.0, SD  = 13.9) who completed standardized measures of personality, attachment, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and posttraumatic growth (PTG). Results: Emotional Stability showed a large negative association with PTSD symptoms. In regression models, personality traits explained 26% of the variance in PTSD symptoms, increasing to 30% when attachment styles were included. By contrast, traits explained only 6% of variance in posttraumatic growth, rising to 9% after accounting for parental-closeness variables. Conclusions: Emotional Stability is a robust correlate of PTSD severity in this refugee sample, while personality and attachment play a limited role in posttraumatic growth. These findings suggest that trait-informed screening may help identify individuals at risk for severe posttraumatic distress.

Psychological and biological long-term consequences of trauma in the Yazidi population displaced from Shingal after the genocide

Background: About a decade after the 2014 ISIS genocide in Shingal, Iraq, the effects of mass trauma and displacement continue to be felt among the Yazidi population. In particular, the long-term interplay between psychological distress and biological stress regulation remains poorly understood. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of PTSD, depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and perceived stress among displaced Yazidi participants. It also aimed to explore how these psychological indicators relate to chronic physiological stress, as measured by hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations. Method: A total of 264 Yazidi adults residing in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Duhok, Iraq, underwent structured interviews by trained psychologists. Standardized Kurdish versions of the PCL-5, HSCL-25, PHQ-15, PSS-14, and War and Adversity Checklist-26 were administered. Hair cortisol and cortisone were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Data were evaluated using multiple regressions and latent profile analysis (LPA). Result: Severe mental health burden was evident: 93.2% reached the cutoff for PTSD, 83.7% for anxiety, and 87.5% for depression (HSCL-25 subscales). LPA revealed three classes of PTSD symptoms – low, moderate, and high – along with four symptom classes reflecting various distress patterns. Compared to men, women exhibited significantly higher levels of psychological distress and somatic symptoms ( p  < .01, d  = 0.60–0.70). Hair cortisol related moderately to all symptom scales ( r  = .17–.25, p  < .01), indicating cumulative HPA axis activation. Cross-class correlations suggest that PTSD, anxiety, and depression represent, at least partly, independent symptom dimensions. Conclusions: Findings stress the long-lasting psychobiological effects of genocide-related trauma among Yazidi IDPs. This finding is further underlined by the integrated psychometric and biological data, which point to the urgent need for long-term, culturally sensitive, and gender-responsive interventions.

A prospective exploration of the association between acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in reaction to war: disengaged coping as a moderator

Background: Disengaged coping is often associated with worse mental health outcomes in reaction to stress. However, little research has explored the associations of disengaged coping and mental health consequences during warfare, especially its potentially moderating role in the relationship between acute stress disorder (ASD) and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the context of war-related trauma. Objective: This study examined (a) the association between ASD shortly after the outbreak of the 7 October war with PTSD 6 months later and (b) the moderating role of disengaged coping in the relationship between ASD and subsequent PTSD. Method: The study was conducted in the fourth week after the 7 October war started and included 341 Israeli citizens (women and men, Jews and Arabs) affected by the all-encompassing threatening situation in Israel. Questionnaires measured sociodemographic and war-related variables, ASD, disengaged coping, and PTSD. Results: The mean score for ASD was relatively high, whereas the mean score for subsequent PTSD was medium. The higher the ASD, the higher the use of disengaged coping and the level of PTSD. Additionally, a moderation effect was identified, indicating that the association between ASD and subsequent PTSD was present only at moderate to high levels of disengaged coping. Conclusions: During exposure to traumatic events, such as war, mental healthcare professionals should identify individuals who develop ASD and use disengaged coping and provide immediate psychological help to prevent the subsequent development of chronic symptoms, such as PTSD.