The Team

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Executive Editor

Senior Editor

Senior Editor

Global Politics

Culture & Ideas

Law

Interviews & Events

Issue Design

Board of Directors

Acknowledgments

Kate Schneider

Fonie Mitsopoulou

Mats Licht

Justas Petrauskas

Ming Kit Wong

John Helferich

Sobha Gadi

Marta Kąkol

Zoe Lambert

Sanjana Balakrishnan

Jack Sagar

Miyo Peck-Suzuki

Danilo Angulo Molina

Jason Chau

Andrew Wang

Samuel King

Samuel Murison

Henry Ferrabee

Andrew Wang

Brian Wong

Michael Shao

Nicholas Leah Chang Che

Simon Hunt

Artwork on cover graciously provided by Ann Kozlowski-Hunt (Instagram: @annikinski) and inspired by the work of Faith Ringgold.

A sincere thank you to everyone who made submissions to this issue. All articles that appear in this issue will also be made available online in due course.

Some images have stood the test of time. Having catalyzed political change, they now remain instantly recognizable around the world.

Jeff Widener’s photo of an unknown man defiantly staring down and obstructing four tanks in a row, two shopping bags clutched in his fists, directed global attention towards the 1989 student protests at Tiananmen Square.

The haunting images of struggling workers and their families during the Great Depression by American photographer Dorothea Lange captured the despair of a generation wracked by poverty.

Huỳnh Công Út’s horrific photograph depicting desperate children fleeing the bombing of their village, crying out in pain as napalm showers down on them, solidified opposition to the Vietnam War.

And the heartbreaking photograph by Turkish photojournalist Nilüfer Demir of 2­year­ old Alan Kurdi, lifeless and washed up on a Turkish beach face down, brought public outcry against the treatment of Syrian refugees by European governments.

These photographs have persisted in our collective memory because of the powerful emotions they evoke. They demonstrate how images can connect with our humanity in a way that written appeals cannot. Something about seeing a human face contor ted in agony or lit up with joy speaks to us on a deeper level than endless statistics or numerous headlines ever will. A masterful photograph or painting manages to shrink down and immortalize large, world­defining events into a brief but meaningful snapshot, preserving history in an almost­tangible way for future generations. In this way, images are particularly adept at their ability to wrest us out of a state of emotional indifference.

The pieces in our ninth issue speak to this power of the visu­ al. A few of our writers investigate images as constructed illusions: Cameron Scheijde examines the Palace of Westminster’s design as a product of Victorian myth­making; Sean Moran explores the effect of ‘sportswashing’ in the world of Formula One; Yael Isaacs scrutinizes Zionist posters as reflecting Israeli efforts of nation­making.

Other authors highlight how visuals can empower. Justas Petrauskas contemplates how architecture, particularly in post­Soviet spaces, might fully embody the ideal of democracy; Simon Hunt argues for prioritizing both beauty and function when designing public transport systems.

Our contributors also unpack images as symbols. Bhumika Sharma looks at the central place beards hold over Indian politics, diving into the aesthetics of asceticism; Sapna Aggarwal muses over how flags emblematize national identities.

Visuals can also compel new ways of thinking and serve as a call to action. Tanhā Kashfia Kate delves into film as a medium for calling out the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

Finally, unpacking different perceptions of history reveals that what is hidden is often just as informative as what is visible. Discussing the power of reflection, memoirs, and oft­neglected heritage, Fonie Mitsopoulou interviews Avi Shlaim, world­renowned scholar of international relations and Israeli history.

I would like to extend my thanks to our contributors for their pieces as well as to our dedicated team of editors who have worked tirelessly to review and shape these pieces alongside their authors. And, as always, endless thanks to our readers. Whether you are a long­time supporter or someone who has just picked up a copy to browse, we hope you will stick with us into the rest of 2023 and beyond.

Kate Schneider Editor-in-Chief