Neutrality Studies

Neutrality and Nonalignment in International Relations

We Support Switzerland’s Neutrality Initiative

Neutrality Studies is an international academic research project, for the study of neutrality as a concept in international relations, sociology, international law, diplomacy, political science, security, and history.

The research group organizes conferences, workshops, and publications for a scholarly understanding of neutrality.

Upcoming Seminars and Talks

Analysis

War? Not With Us!

A conference on the topic of “Neutrality as a Peace Project” took place in Cologne in early October 2025, featuring…

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Past Seminars

Reimagining Neutrality and its Research

2024 International Academic Conference Kyoto University & OnlineOctober 23 – 25, 2024 Program The definitiv program for the conference is available…

Oman as a Neutral State

June 12, 2023. A seminar by Pascal Lottaz at Waseda University, Building 3 Room 602.
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Books

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YouTube Channel

In Europe, we once honestly believed that we had learned the lessons of the past. Never again would we support a Genocide. Never again would we support war on this continent. Yet here we are, at the loosing end of a NATO proxy war in the East and a Genocide in Gaza. And so much more. Here to discuss what went wrong mentally is Dr. Hans-Georg Möller, Professor of Philosophy for Social and Political Thought at the University of Macau and the Host of the YouTube channel Carefree Wandering. Links: Hans-Georg's YouTube channel: @carefreewandering Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Goods Store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:25 "Scary Germany": Academic Conformity and the "Expert" vs. "Understander" 00:15:52 Why Europeans Lecture the World (and the Chinese Reaction) 00:27:46 The Pariah Principle: Why Understanding the Enemy is Forbidden 00:34:00 Strategic Ignorance: Using Morality to Prepare for War 00:44:00 German "Guilt Pride" (Schuldstolz) and Moral Superiority 00:52:16 The Toxicity of Moralization and How to Escape It
It Is Worse Than You Think In Germany | Dr. Hans-Georg Moeller
War propaganda in Europe is running at full throttle. Whether in the mainstream or on social media, anyone calling for more war against Russia is being listened to. How can we possibly get out of this? That is the question my guest today is addressing: the German author and playwrite Fabian Scheidler, who recently published a book on this very topic titled “Capable of Peace: How We Can Stop Creating Our Own Enemies.” Links: X: https://x.com/ScheidlerFabian Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counter.image Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabian_scheidler/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scheidlerfabian.bsky.social Website: https://fabianscheidler.com/ "The End of the Megamachine. A Brief History of a Failing Civilisation“ book: [www.megamachine.org](http://www.megamachine.org/) Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Goods Store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:36 The State of War Propaganda in Europe 00:07:54 Why the Left Abandoned Detente 00:16:03 Normalizing War: From Taboo to Policy 00:23:58 The Sabotage of Peace Talks 00:31:16 The EU’s Irrational War Path 00:36:45 Western Hegemony and Reality Denial 00:43:07 Public Dissent and the Youth 00:50:39 Conclusion
German Militarism Is Back | Fabian Scheidler
While the United States and Russia are negotiating peace, Germany and the rest of Europe are yapping for more military force in order to impose their vision of “justice.” Yet Europe has neither the weapons nor the economic strength to achieve anything even remotely like that. What on earth is going on with Germany and Europe? To better understand the continent’s geopolitical situation, I am joined today by Dr. Gabriele Krone-Schmalz, the author of numerous nonfiction books, including “Respekt geht anders: Betrachtungen über unser zerstrittenes Land” (“Respect Works Differently: Reflections on Our Divided Country”) and “Eiszeit: Wie Russland dämonisiert wird und warum das so gefährlich ist” (“Ice Age: How Russia Is Demonized and Why That Is So Dangerous”). Gabriele's HP: https://www.krone-schmalz.de YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GabrieleKroneSchmalz
Europe & NATO at the Edge of Disaster—With Eyes Wide Shut | Dr. Gabriele Krone-Schmalz
The US delegation just met with Vladimir Putin and his staff in Moscow and although there is no peace agreement yet, we seem to be one step closer to some form of “compromise” as the Russian TASS news agency puts it. Here to help explaining the developments are Ray McGovern and Larry Johnson. Links: Ray's website: https://raymcgovern.com/ Ray's X (Twitter): https://x.com/raymcgovern Judge Nepolitano's podcast: https://art19.com/shows/judging-freedom Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Goods Store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction: US Delegation in Moscow 00:04:52 "The End of the Beginning": Analyzing the Negotiation Process 00:10:00 Unconventional Diplomacy & The Leaked Dmitriev Call 00:17:58 Kabuki Theater? Parallels to Minsk & Western Desperation 00:23:06 Corruption, NATO, and Escalation in the Black Sea 00:29:21 The Foreign Ministry Takes Over: Lessons from Broken Promises 00:36:31 Can Trump Deliver? The "Deep State" & Territorial Compromise 00:47:19 The New START Treaty as a Litmus Test 00:49:37 The Geopolitical Shift: Russia Looks East, US Looks Inward
Moscow Meeting Shock: USA Abandons Europe & Ukraine | Ray MacGovern & Larry Johnson
Last week I did an interview with a young Chinese academic about China’s approach toward West Asia and especially Palestine. Today we want to do the same for Russia to understand the complex relationship Moscow has with the region. Here to help with this task is Dr. Maria Kicha. Dr. Kicha holds a PhD in Law and she is currently serving as an Associate Professor at the Russian State University of Justice in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Links: Telegram Channel: https://t.me/kief_point Video mentioned in the intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbewnsfZCsc Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Goods Store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction & Soviet Legacy in the Middle East 00:08:33 Russia's Pragmatism in Syria: Accepting Al-Julani 00:14:19 The Russian Roots of Zionism & Early USSR-Israel Ties 00:25:13 The Chechen Factor: How Past Wars Shape Views on Israel 00:29:11 Why Russia is Passive on Gaza: The Ukraine War Constraint 00:36:00 "Our Gaza": Why Russian Liberals Tend to Support Israel 00:44:00 The Absence of Anti-Zionist Discourse & Literature in Russia 00:51:56 Relations with Gulf Monarchies: OPEC & "Shady Business"
Why Moscow Can't Escape Tel Aviv | Dr. Maria Kicha
The global center of gravity is shifting. One way we see this clearly is by the number of important conferences that are being organised outside the Collective West. My guest today recently visited two of those recently in China. Dr. Jan Oberg is joining us today again to discuss what he learned there. Links: Jan Oberg’s Article on China: https://thetransnational.substack.com/p/two-conferences-in-shanghai-reflections Jan's article on Trump’s Gaza plans: https://thetransnational.substack.com/p/trumps-gaza-peace-plan-a-cruel-joke Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com Goods Store: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:37 Academic Freedom and Misconceptions About Life in China 00:09:09 Chinese Concepts of Peace vs. Western Militarism 00:15:16 The Dominance of Western Narratives in Global Studies 00:19:46 The Belt and Road Initiative as a Peace Project 00:24:25 Psychological Projection: Why the West Paints China as an Enemy 00:30:34 Western Solipsism and the Danger of Being "Number One" 00:34:52 Managing the Decline of the Western Empire 00:39:10 BRICS, US Isolationism, and the Refusal to Cooperate 00:41:30 Lessons from the Cold War: Can Europe Regain Rationality?
Western Projection: Creating Enemies to Maintain Power | Dr. Jan Oberg
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