Author: Atiq Raja

By Atiq Raja In a world that often measures power in tanks, trade deficits, or nuclear arsenals, it is easy to overlook the subtle instruments of influence that operate quietly yet persistently behind the scenes. Among these, diplomatic missions—embassies and consulates—stand out as some of the most consequential, and yet least celebrated, actors in the theatre of global affairs. They are not mere buildings adorned with flags or venues for ceremonial receptions. They are living, breathing conduits through which nations communicate, cooperate, and, at times, avert catastrophe. At their core, diplomatic missions exist to build bridges. They are guardians of…

By Atiq Raja Few works of political thought have emerged from such harsh conditions and yet carried such enduring intellectual force as Antonio Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks. Written between 1929 and 1935 while Gramsci languished in an Italian prison under Mussolini’s fascist regime, these notebooks were far more than the musings of a captive mind. They became a profound map for understanding power, culture, and society—insights that continue to resonate nearly a century later. Gramsci, an Italian Marxist thinker and a founding member of the Italian Communist Party, had been arrested because the fascist government considered his ideas too dangerous. One…

By Atiq Raja Patriotism is so often presented as a simple emotion — love for one’s country, expressed through flags, anthems and familiar calls to unity. It is easy to romanticize: the promise of sacrifice, a sense of belonging, a shared fate. However, the idea becomes far more complicated in societies where justice is scarce, democracy feels performative, and national wealth drains steadily into the pockets of an untouchable elite. What does it mean to love your country when the state appears unwilling to love its own people back? When the poor grow poorer, the rich entrench their privilege, and…