Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University
James Horncastle is an assistant professor in the Department of Humanities and holder of the Edward and Emily McWhinney Professorship in International Relations at Simon Fraser University. He is also a member of the steering committee for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies. His recent manuscript, The Macedonian Slavs in the Greek Civil War, 1944–1949, examines how the Macedonian Slavs participation in the conflict, and the attempts by other groups to manipulate them, gave rise to modern issues that continue to affect politics in the region today. His research interests include: refugee and migration studies; international relations; conflict studies; history of modern Greece; and Yugoslav studies.
Why the fall of Bashar al-Assad is unlikely to lead to peace in Syria
Dec 10, 2024 05:05 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
The Syrian oppositions recent capture of the countrys largest city of Aleppo caught much of the international community by surprise. After the involvement of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah in the prolonged Syrian civil war,...
Delays in western aid have put Ukraine in a perilous position
May 18, 2024 11:59 am UTC| Insights & Views
Russia recently began another offensive against Ukrainian forces, this time in the Kharkiv region. This attack was not a surprise development Russian forces had been preparing themselves over several months for the...
Western leaders threaten to undermine Navalny’s legacy in Russia
Feb 22, 2024 06:27 am UTC| Insights & Views
The recent death of Alexei Navalny brought immediate condemnations from world leaders, with the American president immediately pointing the finger of blame at Vladimir Putin. One cannot say with certainty the Russian...
The West's strikes against Houthis risk igniting a powderkeg in the Middle East
Jan 23, 2024 05:24 am UTC| Insights & Views
The United States and the United Kingdom are launching missile and drone strikes against the Yemeni armed group Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis. Houthis, a faction in the ongoing Yemen civil war, had been...
Ukraine can still defeat Russia, but it needs the right tools to do it
Dec 26, 2023 23:17 pm UTC| Insights & Views
Ukraines strategic position has declined over the last six months. The summer offensive, which sparked hope among Ukraine and its supporters, failed to deliver significant territorial gains. Furthermore, support for...
Israel's ground offensive in Gaza City is ignoring the past lessons of urban warfare
Nov 29, 2023 06:06 am UTC| Insights & Views
Mediators are seeking to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas beyond Wednesday amid the exchange of hostages for prisoners. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to resume the war with full force...
How Serbia-Kosovo tensions hang like a spectre over the European Union
Oct 17, 2023 06:53 am UTC| Insights & Views
An armed band of Serb militants recently ambushed police in Kosovo. In the resulting firefight and retreat, four people including a police officer died from their wounds. The incident sparked official recriminations...