very year we take a short break at the end of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) to recharge, touch grass, and regroup in preparation for what is inevitably a hectic autumn season that begins with the UN General Assembly Meetings in September and carries into the holidays.
This is our fifth Gone Fishing, and this year it looks a little bit different than it has in years past. This year’s reading list is smaller, focused on deeper dives; longer-form explorations of complex issues. They took time, intent, and focus and we think they demonstrate human insight and ingenuity in ways that are becoming hard to find. These deep dives all either speak to something fundamental about how the world works—and thus are evergreen—or have special relevance to the now.
Find the entire list below; on social media we’ll be highlighting reads from the list over the next four weeks.
Thanks for reading, and see you September 7!
A New Era of Accountability
Exploring democratic accountability in an era of eroding press freedom.
- Distributed scrutiny and the new architecture of accountability — Rodrigo Aguilar Benignos
- A ‘free press’ that no longer works? — Lesley–Anne Long
Emerging Policymaking Strategies
How disruptive policies become acceptable, and emerging countercurrents.
- The new playbook for turning extreme ideas into policy — Thomas Plant
- A global governance silver linings playbook for 2026 — Dr. Andrea Bonime–Blanc
Precarity for the Future of Aid
As governments retreat from development aid, new but nascent stakeholders and partnerships are emerging.
- One year after the aid freeze: How are donors supporting DRG? — Florencia Guerzovich
- Multi–track partnerships require incentive–driven evidence — Craig Grunwald
The Diplomacy We Don’t See
Diplomacy is practiced, powerfully, by people who’ve never been ordained in arenas unseen.
- Born diplomats — Ana C. Rold
- We’re measuring women’s diplomacy wrong — Rabia Cozijn
Hidden Costs of Conflict
Developing impacts of conflict on migration and maritime security illustrate evolving, unexpected challenges.
- The new geography of exile — Dr. Marissa Quie
- The Iran War’s hidden cost at sea — Dr. Ian Ralby
Two Signals on the Future of Health
One already in progress, the other a recurring signal that is going unheeded; both could remake global health infrastructure.
- Self-care: The quiet signal transforming the future of health — Dr. Amelle Liazoghli
- The Jevons Paradox and the future of global health infrastructure — Robert Sundelius
A Shared, Turbulent Future
Within and between societies, we may be at odds but securing our future means acknowledging we share it.
- Rekindling human fraternity in a turbulent world — Irina Bokova, Adama Dieng, Dr. Leah Pisar
- The future will not be agreed upon, but it will be shared — Dr. Alexander Nicholas
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Diplomatic Courier's 'Gone Fishing' summer 2026 reading list
Photo by Pommelien da Silva Cosme on Unsplash
August 10, 2026
Diplomatic Courier’s staff is hanging up our ‘mostly out of office’ sign to recharge before the end of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) — and to prepare for a busy September. Don’t worry, we’ll be back Sept 7! While we’re away, here is our ‘best of’ summer reading list to peruse until our return.
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very year we take a short break at the end of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) to recharge, touch grass, and regroup in preparation for what is inevitably a hectic autumn season that begins with the UN General Assembly Meetings in September and carries into the holidays.
This is our fifth Gone Fishing, and this year it looks a little bit different than it has in years past. This year’s reading list is smaller, focused on deeper dives; longer-form explorations of complex issues. They took time, intent, and focus and we think they demonstrate human insight and ingenuity in ways that are becoming hard to find. These deep dives all either speak to something fundamental about how the world works—and thus are evergreen—or have special relevance to the now.
Find the entire list below; on social media we’ll be highlighting reads from the list over the next four weeks.
Thanks for reading, and see you September 7!
A New Era of Accountability
Exploring democratic accountability in an era of eroding press freedom.
- Distributed scrutiny and the new architecture of accountability — Rodrigo Aguilar Benignos
- A ‘free press’ that no longer works? — Lesley–Anne Long
Emerging Policymaking Strategies
How disruptive policies become acceptable, and emerging countercurrents.
- The new playbook for turning extreme ideas into policy — Thomas Plant
- A global governance silver linings playbook for 2026 — Dr. Andrea Bonime–Blanc
Precarity for the Future of Aid
As governments retreat from development aid, new but nascent stakeholders and partnerships are emerging.
- One year after the aid freeze: How are donors supporting DRG? — Florencia Guerzovich
- Multi–track partnerships require incentive–driven evidence — Craig Grunwald
The Diplomacy We Don’t See
Diplomacy is practiced, powerfully, by people who’ve never been ordained in arenas unseen.
- Born diplomats — Ana C. Rold
- We’re measuring women’s diplomacy wrong — Rabia Cozijn
Hidden Costs of Conflict
Developing impacts of conflict on migration and maritime security illustrate evolving, unexpected challenges.
- The new geography of exile — Dr. Marissa Quie
- The Iran War’s hidden cost at sea — Dr. Ian Ralby
Two Signals on the Future of Health
One already in progress, the other a recurring signal that is going unheeded; both could remake global health infrastructure.
- Self-care: The quiet signal transforming the future of health — Dr. Amelle Liazoghli
- The Jevons Paradox and the future of global health infrastructure — Robert Sundelius
A Shared, Turbulent Future
Within and between societies, we may be at odds but securing our future means acknowledging we share it.
- Rekindling human fraternity in a turbulent world — Irina Bokova, Adama Dieng, Dr. Leah Pisar
- The future will not be agreed upon, but it will be shared — Dr. Alexander Nicholas
