Articles
Powering the Future: Navigating the Lithium Triangle's Role in the Global Energy Revolution
In our latest editorial and first segment of our GeoSpotlight series, QBR Editors Navroz Mehta and Tomas Serrano delve into the heart of the Lithium Triangle—spanning Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile—as a linchpin in the quest for sustainable energy. This insightful piece reveals lithium's pivotal role in the global green tech revolution, confronting the climate crisis with what's been termed 'white gold.' The authors navigate the geopolitical, economic, and environmental landscapes that frame lithium's pivotal extraction, its profound impact on indigenous communities, and the global energy paradigm. Through their analysis, Mehta and Serrano craft a compelling discussion on the journey towards a carbon-neutral future, underscoring the complex interplay of harvesting lithium to power the green revolution.
The Yemeni Puzzle: Proxy Wars, Power Plays, and Prospects for Peace
In our latest editorial, QBR Digital Strategy Officer and Editor Amin Nazari delves into the intricate geopolitics of Yemen, revealing how this conflict is a microcosm of broader regional power struggles. Nazari adeptly unpacks the deep-rooted rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, showcasing how their contention fuels Yemen's ongoing war. He brings to light Yemen's strategic significance, probing the involvement of major world powers like the USA, China, and Russia in this international chess game. He also focuses on the dire humanitarian consequences of the conflict, calling for a critical reassessment of global politics, advocating for solutions that prioritize human welfare above strategic interests and political maneuvering.
Control Behind the Curtains: The Big Pharma Show in the Canadian Political System
In our latest editorial, Dhruv Shah, QBR's Senior Politics Editor examines Big Pharma's deep-seated influence on Canadian politics. His article focuses on the industry's role in healthcare policy-making, especially regarding vaccine patents and the Canada Pharmacare Act. Highlighting concerns about lobbying and the 'revolving door' phenomenon, Shah questions whether corporate interests are overriding public health priorities in Canada's political decisions.
Protecting Journalism: Policy Ideation in an Evolving Media Environment
In our latest editorial, QBR Editor Charvi Guduru navigates the intricate channels of media dissemination in the modern age. As she notes, disseminating information in our current environment is carried through the channels of media algorithms, resharing, and third-party influencers which dictate what is seen, distributed, and given importance to. This power of information sharing and news can sway public opinion, shape elections, and educate the masses, serving both to uphold and potentially impair our democracy.
Injecting Transformational Optimism into The Canadian Energy Debate
In our newest editorial, QBR veteran and former Managing Editor Noah Lee calls for injecting transformational optimism into the Canadian energy debate rather than furthering divisiveness.
The Liberal Party and The Fall of the Trudeau Legacy
In our latest editorial, QBR Senior Editor Dhruv Shah breaks down the Trudeau legacy, once synonymous with progress and unity, which has now given way to a Canada grappling with rising living costs, housing unaffordability, and healthcare challenges under Justin Trudeau's leadership, prompting a dramatic decline in his approval ratings. As the nation faces these pressing issues, the future of the Liberal Party and Justin Trudeau hangs in the balance, with the looming possibility of the Conservative Party seizing the reins in the 2025 elections.
The Clean Network: The Tech War's Winning Hand
Following years of uncoordinated U.S. government attempts to curb data security risks from foreign actors, the Clean Network was formed in May 2020. The initiative’s subsequent global campaign came in quick succession as U.S. Undersecretary of State to the Trump Administration, Keith Krach, was under pressure to stop Huawei — China’s prized technology giant — and its seemingly inevitable market domination of fifth-generation (5G) cellular network infrastructure. But what is the Clean Network, and why is it one of the largest accomplishments of recent U.S. politics?
The Reality of Mind Control
If advanced brain-computer interfaces were to fulfill their promises, they would revolutionize the healthcare industry and provide a higher standard of living for millions of paraplegics. However, if these interfaces transcend the medical field and become enhancement tools, there are a plethora of implications that must be discussed.
Reeling in the Line: What Will a Deglobalized Future Look Like?
We have seen drastic market downturn due to supply chain issues, the Russia-Ukraine War, US-China tensions, and inflation. But what does this mean for our highly integrated world economy? It represents key events leading to further deglobalization. In fact, globalization peaked during the Global Financial Crisis and has been trending downwards since.
America v. Itself
While one could compile a list of social issues that are birthed from stripping the national right to bodily autonomy, a plethora of economic reasoning can also be leveraged to advocate for the right to choose. Due to the nature of this issue being so vulnerable, and individual beliefs being so strong there is a high level of polarity regarding the debate of abortion.