Sam Olsen
@samolsen.bsky.social
Author at States of Play Substack and geopolitical nerd https://samolsen.substack.com
Also samholsen.org
Also samholsen.org
Today - the 2nd of my twin essays on the new fracture reshaping global politics.
As the West argues over sovereignty and globalism, its coherence - the foundation of post-war order - is breaking apart. And China is stepping into the vacuum.
substack.com/@samolsen/no...
As the West argues over sovereignty and globalism, its coherence - the foundation of post-war order - is breaking apart. And China is stepping into the vacuum.
substack.com/@samolsen/no...
Sam Olsen (@samolsen)
My new post today is the second of two essays exploring the great fracture reshaping Western politics and power.
Last week’s piece traced the rise of sovereigntists versus globalists across the US a...
substack.com
October 4, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Today - the 2nd of my twin essays on the new fracture reshaping global politics.
As the West argues over sovereignty and globalism, its coherence - the foundation of post-war order - is breaking apart. And China is stepping into the vacuum.
substack.com/@samolsen/no...
As the West argues over sovereignty and globalism, its coherence - the foundation of post-war order - is breaking apart. And China is stepping into the vacuum.
substack.com/@samolsen/no...
Trump met Putin in Alaska to “end the war.”
But Putin isn’t playing today’s game. He’s playing the game of 1914 — empire, spheres of influence, and small nations treated as objects, not subjects. 🧵
But Putin isn’t playing today’s game. He’s playing the game of 1914 — empire, spheres of influence, and small nations treated as objects, not subjects. 🧵
August 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Trump met Putin in Alaska to “end the war.”
But Putin isn’t playing today’s game. He’s playing the game of 1914 — empire, spheres of influence, and small nations treated as objects, not subjects. 🧵
But Putin isn’t playing today’s game. He’s playing the game of 1914 — empire, spheres of influence, and small nations treated as objects, not subjects. 🧵
In States of Play I talk to @keirgiles.bsky.social about what Putin (and by extension, Russia) really wants, including a return to Russia's imperial past. But how successful are the West's efforts to resist this, and what next for Russia and Europe? samolsen.substack.com/p/what-does-...
States of Play podcast Episode 5: What Does Putin Actually Want?
Understanding the big picture of Russia's aggression
samolsen.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
In States of Play I talk to @keirgiles.bsky.social about what Putin (and by extension, Russia) really wants, including a return to Russia's imperial past. But how successful are the West's efforts to resist this, and what next for Russia and Europe? samolsen.substack.com/p/what-does-...
Episode 1 of States of Play drops tomorrow, asking what a world order actually is open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
June 6, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Episode 1 of States of Play drops tomorrow, asking what a world order actually is open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
I have news: today I am launching States of Play, a new podcast on understanding the changing world order open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...
Introducing States of Play
A new Substack on understanding the changing world order
open.substack.com
June 4, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I have news: today I am launching States of Play, a new podcast on understanding the changing world order open.substack.com/pub/samolsen...