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Ian Buruma

Ian Buruma

Writing for PS since 2001
203 commentaries

Ian Buruma is the author of numerous books, including Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo Van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance, Year Zero: A History of 1945, A Tokyo Romance: A Memoir, The Churchill Complex: The Curse of Being Special, From Winston and FDR to Trump and Brexit, and, most recently, The Collaborators: Three Stories of Deception and Survival in World War II (Penguin Press, 2023).

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  1. Elected Criminals
    buruma205_Scott EisenGetty Images_trump Scott Eisen/Getty Images

    Elected Criminals

    Sep 6, 2023 Ian Buruma says it is foolish to rely on multiple indictments to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House.

  2. For the Love of Trump
    buruma203_Brandon BellGetty Images_trump Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    For the Love of Trump

    Aug 2, 2023 Ian Buruma asks why the thrice-indicted former president continues to be worshipped by Republican Party voters.

  3. Ian Buruma on Taiwan, the paradox of Pax Americana, and the truths political lies reveal
    GettyImages-1366705676

    Ian Buruma on Taiwan, the paradox of Pax Americana, and the truths political lies reveal

    Aug 1, 2023 Ian Buruma suggests how the United States can defend democracy globally, warns that political violence could mar next year’s presidential election, and highlights the imagined realities that increasingly pervade political life, even in democracies.

  4. Should Rammstein Be Banned?
    buruma201_Gie KnaepsGetty Images_rammstein Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

    Should Rammstein Be Banned?

    Jul 6, 2023 Ian Buruma explains why the German heavy-metal band's art should not be judged by its members' behavior.

  5. Nationalists Abroad
    buruma200_Omer MessingerGetty Images_turkish voting erdogan Omer Messinger/Getty Images

    Nationalists Abroad

    Jun 8, 2023 Ian Buruma explains how displacement can make expatriates and minorities more susceptible to extremist ideologies.

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  1. varoufakis107_Thomas LohnesGetty Images_christinelagarde Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images
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    Christine Lagarde’s Gifts to Populists

    Yanis Varoufakis worries that the European Central Bank's blunders have revived the far right's political fortunes.
  2. rodrik213_James WakibiaSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images_kenyasolar James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
    1

    Bridging the Climate-Development Gap

    Dani Rodrik & Ishac Diwan explain how to free up fiscal space for sustainable development in many low- and middle-income countries.
  3. sheng141_XinhuaMao Siqian via Getty Images_hong kong Xinhua/Mao Siqian via Getty Images
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    Lower Transaction Costs for Greater Innovation

    Andrew Sheng & Xiao Geng highlight the link between access to global markets and investment in research and development.
  4. Ashoka_Say-More_Ghersi-via-GettyRF
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    Ashoka Mody on Indian corruption, growth, jobs, and more

    Ashoka Mody explains the roots of the lack of accountability in India, highlights shortcomings in human capital and gender equality, casts doubt on the country’s ability to assume a Chinese-style role in manufacturing, and more.
  5. chowdhury1_BIJU BOROAFP via Getty Images_india flooding BIJU BORO/AFP via Getty Images
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    Why India’s Women Are More Vulnerable to Disasters

    Joyita Roy Chowdhury & Prarthna Agarwal Goel call attention to gender inequalities that exacerbate the effects of floods and other natural catastrophes.
  6. spence164_Thierry MonasseGetty Images_eu integration Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
    3

    Europe in the Age of Industrial Policy

    Michael Spence

    While China and the US take advantage of scale to pursue large-scale investment in critical sectors, the EU struggles to follow suit, owing to its decentralized fiscal structures and rules limiting government subsidies to industry. A new EU-level investment program is urgently needed.

     advocates a federal investment program, funded by EU sovereign-debt issuance and administered centrally.
  7. brown99_Elke ScholiersGetty Images_g20 Elke Scholiers/Getty Images
    2

    Fixing Global Governance

    Gordon Brown explains how to make the G20 and the Bretton Woods institutions fit for purpose once again.
  8. stark9_DANIEL ROLANDAFP via Getty Images_ecb DANIEL ROLAND/AFP via Getty Images
    2

    The EU Needs Fiscal Union

    Lucrezia Reichlin laments the pro-cyclical bent of the European Commission’s proposed reforms to fiscal rules.
  9. castellino1SAM PANTHAKYAFP via Getty Images_water SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images
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    The Roots of the Global Water Crisis

    Joshua Castellino explains why overhauling the current economic paradigm is crucial for preserving Earth’s natural systems.

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