LSE: The Ballpark

Given the potential repercussions of trying to work across the aisle, for many in Washington DC, working in a bipartisan manner has become an act of courage.

In the past decade, America has taken steps that appear deliberately designed to unmake the international order which it set up more than 50 years ago. This has led some commentators to argue that the US is now a revisionist power.

On the 16th and 17th of October 2026 the LSE Phelan US Centre hosted the conference Taming polarization: Reforming the American federal republic.

On the 16th and 17th of October 2026 the LSE Phelan US Centre hosted the conference Taming polarization: Reforming the American federal republic.

On the 16th and 17th of October 2026 the LSE Phelan US Centre hosted the conference Taming polarization: Reforming the American federal republic.

On the 16th and 17th of October 2026 the LSE Phelan US Centre hosted the conference Taming polarization: Reforming the American federal republic.

President Donald Trump’s two terms in the White House have seen the president take a range of actions with congressional approval, leading to warnings from many commentators that America is in a state of constitutional crisis.

Is America experiencing a constitutional crisis, or have we reached the point of constitutional failure? At this LSE Phelan US Centre event, leading scholar on American constitutional history, Professor Jack Rakove, explored this question

Data is incredibly important in predicting climate change and its impacts. Now, climate scientists are increasingly using AI to help them interpret climate data and to make more accurate predictions about climate change and its impacts.

As the popularity of AI grows, this new technology is increasingly being applied to make decisions based on interactions with humans, and their behaviours. But what happens if the way these AI systems have been built mean that they get it wrong?

Since the emergence of AI as a highly transformative force for modern society, many have faced challenges in updating their policies to address the potentially harmful effects of unrestricted AI development and integration into everyday life.

From helping assign tasks and determine prices on delivery and rideshare platforms to recommending certain individuals over others on freelance hiring sites, AI is fast becoming a core part of the modern gig economy.

AI has become easily accessible, easy to use, and for many people, it’s a useful tool. This means that AI is being used by individuals and institutions to help solve a variety of challenges, from everyday decision-making to pressing global issues.

In 2026, the Phelan US Centre ran an essay competition for LSE master’s students with the prompt, “What role can democratic citizenry play in shaping America’s role in the world as it enters its 250th year?"

The global economy is undergoing profound transformation. Geopolitical realignments, rising economic nationalism, climate disruption, trade fragmentation, and technological upheaval are reshaping the foundations of international economic relations.

The 1990s were an important decade. They saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, falling trade barriers, an expanding capitalist democratic order and the rise of what came to be called the liberal international order.

The last two decades have seen significant growth in the relationship between China and the EU. Now, China is the EU’s biggest import and third-largest export partner. But this relationship is becoming increasingly one sided.

While Trump’s foreign policy record has not been very successful elsewhere as wars continue to rage in Ukraine and in the Middle East, the exception is Europe which Trump seems to want to divide and weaken.

The last decade has seen a period of prolonged competition between the US and China with China continuing to grow economically and pursue technological self-reliance while the US attempts to hinder this growth through measures like export controls.

Donald Trump’s first presidential term meant that many allies, including in the EU and Europe, were forced to consider the possibility that the United States could no longer be a reliable partner in global affairs.