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As Israel continues to expand its war on the besieged Gaza Strip, tensions have steadily spiked on its border with Lebanon. The armed group Hezbollah and Israeli forces have traded attacks since the Gaza war started. But whether the US would back Israel in a military escalation on Lebanon remains unclear, as Nicholas Frakes reports [ [link removed] ].
Meanwhile, India is at the tail end of its weeks-long, multi-phased elections. Like elsewhere in the world, the country has in recent years seen the rise of influencers and social media personalities. Now, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party has seized the opportunity to capitalize on influencers’ — well — influence, Gafira Qadira writes in a new dispatch [ [link removed] ].
Elsewhere, Inkstick Creative Capsule residents Hunter Williamson and Hantong Wu have produced a powerful deep dive that looks at [ [link removed] ] the geopolitical struggle between the US, Russia, and China as each tries to broaden their reach in the Middle East.
That’s not all we’ve got at Inkstick. And if you’re not already, please follow us on Twitter [ [link removed] ], LinkedIn [ [link removed] ], Threads [ [link removed] ], Facebook [ [link removed] ], Instagram [ [link removed] ], and YouTube [ [link removed] ].
“Is Anybody Listening? [ [link removed] ]” by Laicie Heeley (May 27)
As civilian casualties mount in Gaza and many more conflicts the world over, the latest episode of the Things That Go Boom podcast takes a hard look at what feminism tells us about genocide.
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“Would the US Support a Full-Scale Israeli War in Lebanon? [ [link removed] ]” by Nicholas Frakes (May 29)
Throughout nearly eight months of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have also had near-daily exchanges with Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon. The US has stood by Israel throughout the Gaza war, but would it back a full-scale military campaign in Lebanon?
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“The New Great Game [ [link removed] ]” by Hunter Williamson & Hantong Wu (May 29)
This work of longform reportage delves deep into the human stories that illustrate how the US, China, and Russia are competing and driving change in the Middle East. These power struggles come as the Israel-Hamas war, the latest bloody chapter in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has cast the Middle East back into turmoil.
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“King’s College London Among Universities Condemning Student Leaders for Pro-Palestine Advocacy [ [link removed] ]” by Sana Daniyal & Shaheen Abdulla (May 30)
Students worldwide have joined pro-Palestinian protests, demanding their universities cut ties with companies that aid the Israel military. In both the US and UK, student protestors encountered legal repercussions, academic penalties, and social intimidation.
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“Deep Dive: Divorce (and Marriage, and Rights) Italian Style [ [link removed] ]” by Emily Tamkin (May 30)
In Italian Political Science, Francesco Barilà Ciocca, and Massimo Prearo look at the evolution of LGBTQ policies in Italy — and their evolution within the European Union and the framework it provides.
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“Influencer Nation: How Modi's BJP is Reshaping Indian Politics [ [link removed] ]” by Gafira Qadir (May 31)
India’s weeks-long elections are the largest in the world, and they’re slated to end June 1. As the right-wing ruling party seeks to repeat past successes, it has harnessed the reach of social media influencers with large followings.
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From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Photo: In November 2023, supporters gathered to hear Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah deliver a speech in Beirut (Hassan Ghaedi for Fars News via Wikimedia Commons)

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