History, Politics, & International Relations - Webster University

01/04/2026

Cleaned up and updated version I posted earlier today of my analysis of the attack on Venezuela. Link to google drive:

12/10/2025

Catch my interview with the (London) Times Radio. 7 minutes on the role of Donald Trump Junior in the Trump organization and political regime. https://soundcloud.com/hellindc/interview-about-trump-jr

07/31/2025

03/13/2025

Interesting job opportunity for a history-minded grad (or soon-to-be grad)

Join the Movement: Educator Position with Hate Ends NowPosition: Full-Time Educator, Seasonal Type: ContractorLocation: ... See this and similar jobs on Glassdoor

02/13/2025

Sociologist Liz Chiarello spoke with students in Professor Dani Belo’s HPIR Overview prep class on Saturday. Students are preparing for oral exams on the book “Smoke and Ashes” by Amitav Ghosh, which chronicles the history of the o***m trade. Chiarello added modern context with research from her book, “Policing Patients: Treatment and Surveillance on the Frontlines of the Opioid Crisis.” (Signed copies of her book are available at Left Bank Books in Central West End.)

10/17/2024

Gleich Honors College students are collecting items for the food pantry at the homeless veterans village on North Grand Ave. known as the "Veterans Community Project." There will be collection boxes in the front hall of Priest House and in the ISB (room 154).

Canned soups, mac & cheese, protein bars, trail mix, and pasta sauce especially needed. But please give what you can!

Veterans Community Project builds specialized communities of tiny homes and services to provide housing stability and address the underlying causes of Veterans' homelessness.

09/23/2024

Students from Professor Rosenblum's freshman cornerstone seminar participated in a clean-up on N. Grand Ave in St. Louis City in conjunction with Great Rivers Greenway and the Veterans Community Project. Within the next couple years, Grand is to be turned into a pedestrian and bike-friendly pathway for residents and visitors, including the dozens of formerly-homeless veterans living in tiny houses at VCP's Grand Ave. settlement.

09/20/2024

Attention Students!
Spring 2025 Registration is fast approaching! Make sure your financial obligations are completed with Webster to prevent registration delays. Contact the Bursar's Office at [email protected] or call (800) 981-9803 for questions regarding financial holds.
• September 30 – Registration opens for WEBG Seniors
• October 1 – Registration opens for WEBG Juniors
• October 2 – Registration opens for ALL undergraduates
• October 7 – Registration opens for all graduates
• October 14 – Registration opens for new admits

09/06/2024

Welcome young scholars!

09/03/2024

Welcome Back Social
Join us this Friday, September 6th from 3 - 4:30pm for food and fun.
Meet on the H. Sam Priest patio. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome.
Sponsored by
History, Politics, & International Relations
Institute for Human Rights & Humanitarian Studies
Forensics and Debate

08/16/2024

Belo Interviewed on Los Angeles Radio Station, Publishes Policy Paper
Dani Belo

Dani Belo, an assistant professor of international relations and security in the Department of History, Politics, and International Relations, was recently part of an interview with KNX Los Angeles about the North Korea-Russia Summit.

The radio interview highlighted the growing challenges the U.S. faces from global powers like Russia and China. According to Belo, as traditional warfare becomes increasingly cost-prohibitive, the need for effective diplomacy and conflict management has never been more crucial. Additionally, he emphasized that the likelihood of the U.S. unilaterally resolving global challenges is diminishing, making multilateral cooperation essential for addressing complex international issues.

Belo also published a policy paper on Taiwan-China deterrence, titled, “Taiwan’s Deterrence Equation: Calculating Gray Zone Strategies to Address China’s Assertiveness.”

Belo’s paper explores contemporary international dynamics where major shifts in global power are increasingly shaped by non-military means rather than traditional military conquests. It examines recent failures of military interventions, such as those by the U.S. in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, and Russia's intervention in Ukraine, highlighting the limited effectiveness of conventional military force in achieving broader geopolitical objectives.

“Focusing specifically on China as well, the paper discusses various constraints in its military capabilities, including logistical challenges and the organizational complexities within the People's Liberation Army (PLA),” said Belo. “It underscores China's strategic pivot towards non-military strategies, particularly in the gray zone, where actions such as diplomatic isolation, economic coercion, cyber intrusions and information warfare are employed to achieve strategic goals without overtly triggering open warfare.”

Moreover, according to Belo, the paper advocates for a comprehensive deterrence strategy by the transatlantic community to address these gray zone threats effectively. “This strategy emphasizes the integration of military, diplomatic and civilian efforts to mitigate risks and maintain stability amid heightened geopolitical competition. Canada's role as a middle power is contextualized within this framework, emphasizing its diplomatic engagement, economic ties and support for democratic values as crucial elements in navigating relations with China and contributing to collective security efforts. By promoting robust bilateral and multilateral alliances, advocating for Taiwan's international presence and enhancing cybersecurity measures, Canada can play a significant role in bolstering deterrence against gray zone tactics while upholding liberal democratic principles in the face of emerging challenges to global stability.”