“From a Mountain in Tibet: A Monk’s Journey” by Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche

Review ofLama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, From a Mountain in Tibet: A Monk’s Journey (London: Penguin, 2023), pp. 272, ISBN: 978-0241988954. £10.9

Syrian Studies through the lens of Strategic Studies

This reflective essay examines the intellectual, methodological, and ethical challenges of conducting military-focused research on Syria during and after the Arab Spring. Drawing from personal experience and scholarly inquiry, the piece interrogates how authoritarian secrecy, conflict-driven instability, and the opacity of military institutions profoundly shaped the trajectory of the author’s research over nearly a decade. What began as a comparative analysis of military behavior in Syria, Egypt, and Tunisia evolved into a deeper engagement with interdisciplinary methods and virtual ethnography, necessitated by restricted access to primary sources, fieldwork, and firsthand testimony. The paper traces the evolution of the author’s research questions, theoretical frameworks, and methodological adaptations in response to censorship, propaganda, and political risk. It also introduces the concept of the efficient military—an alternative to Huntington’s professional model—emerging from these constraints. Ultimately, the essay contributes to Syrian Studies by foregrounding the complexities of knowledge production under authoritarianism and the critical need for reflexivity, creativity, and resilience in researching institutions of power in closed regime

Art, spirit, language

In this personal inquiry on the intertwining impulses of the religious and artistic spirits, Kate Hennessy, a writer and artist, reflects on the power of visual art and artmaking to help us move beyond the limitations of religious language. She explores how art can provide a visual dialogue imbued with spirit and transcendence that help us to understand what it is to be human in a relationship with God. Hennessy draws upon diverse influences, from the Paleolithic artists to Brice Marden, Anne Truitt and Mark Rothko, to provoke thought on perceiving art and artmaking, whether overtly religious or not, as a form of prayer, a practice of devotion and an ongoing expression of this human desire to live in full participation with life and with God

The Debrief: The Function of Gossip in Configuring Pro-Social Relationships

This project presents the familiar story of a new relationship via the lens of the gossip that fuelled it and investigates the function of gossip within female student friendships. It proposes ‘the debrief’ as a term under which to categorise different gossip-based events contrasting ‘urgent’, ‘formal’, and ‘moving’, debriefs. It argues that gossip functions to transmit both the content of an event and information about the gossip-teller. This information sharing facilitates social bonding and maintains established bonds. For participants, the debrief carried multiple functions: an opportunity for collective problem solving, an outlet for emotional expression, a diversion away from unproductive conflict, and a pleasurable experience within with to romanticise storytelling amongst friends. The project ultimately argues that the debrief is a highly functional occurrence more frequently structured with a positive outlook as opposed to circulating negative content

Making the Implicit Explicit: A Structured Learning Pathway for Academic Writing in English Medium Instruction

In English Medium Instruction (EMI) contexts, assessing academic writing is often hindered by misalignment between learning objectives and evaluation criteria. Rhetorical awareness and strategic language use are frequently treated as implicit expectations, disadvantaging students unfamiliar with academic genre conventions. This article proposes a structured, genre-based pathway to make these rhetorical and linguistic demands explicit and teachable. The three-step approach includes: (1) introducing academic genres to raise awareness; (2) conducting comparative move analysis to highlight cross-cultural rhetorical variation; and (3) engaging in reflective activities to develop strategic competence and critical thinking. Grounded in cross-cultural genre analysis, this model seeks to align assessment with teaching by integrating language-focused pedagogy into disciplinary instruction. While further research is needed, it offers a practical framework for scaffolding academic writing in EMI settings and supporting students’ linguistic and rhetorical development

Achieving Environmental Justice: The Role of Climate Finance and International Cooperation between Developed and Developing Countries

As climate change continues to exert systemic impacts worldwide through physical and transitional risks, the environmental justice gap between developed and developing countries is becoming increasingly pronounced. Addressing the complex challenge of balancing economic development with the demands of climate change adaptation and mitigation requires in-depth exploration. This paper aims to propose solutions better suited to resolving environmental justice issues arising from climate change. The paper begins by examining the impacts of climate-related risks on both developed and developing countries, analyzing how these risks contribute to environmental justice challenges. It then provides a detailed overview of the historical cooperation between developed and developing nations through a series of international treaties to advance climate finance. Furthermore, it critically evaluates how the failures of these treaties and cooperative efforts have exacerbated environmental justice issues. Finally, the paper highlights the advantages of green bonds in achieving distributive, intergenerational, and procedural justice, demonstrating the potential of this financial tool to promote environmental justice

“Ransom Payments, Maritime Insurance, and English Common Law: A Legal and Economic Dilemma”

This article explores the complex interplay between maritime piracy, ransom payments, and UK legal frameworks, focusing on the impact of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (CTSA 2015) on the shipping and insurance sectors. Modern piracy has transitioned into a systematic hijack-for-ransom model, creating high-stakes legal, economic, and humanitarian challenges for stakeholders. The CTSA 2015, while aimed at preventing the financing of terrorism, complicates the private sector\u27s ability to navigate ransom demands, as it imposes stricter regulatory burdens and criminal liabilities on insurers and shipowners. Despite the UK government’s official policy discouraging ransom payments, these transactions remain legal under specific circumstances, as clarified by key legal precedents such as Westminster N.V. and Masefield. These cases highlighted the courts\u27 recognition of ransom payments as a necessary practice in mitigating harm to hostages and ensuring the safe recovery of vessels and cargo. The article also examines the broader economic implications of the UK’s stance, noting London\u27s central role in global maritime insurance and legal services. It argues that while the government’s counterterrorism priorities seek to address the long-term risks of piracy, such policies often leave the shipping industry and seafarers vulnerable. Industry perspectives highlight the potential consequences of an outright ban on ransom payments, including increased danger to crew members, adverse impacts on seafarer recruitment, and significant environmental risks in cases of abandoned cargo. Moreover, the article critiques the lack of international cooperation on counter-piracy strategies, which exacerbates the challenges faced by UK stakeholders. Ultimately, the article underscores the need for a balanced approach that considers both security objectives and the practical realities of maritime operations. It concludes that an overly rigid anti-ransom framework risks undermining the safety of maritime workers, the economic stability of the shipping industry, and the UK\u27s prominence as a global maritime hub, calling for nuanced policy reform to address these multifaceted challenges effectively