Paris, 18 June 2025 – The third issue of Comprendre son temps, the journal published by Sciences Po, offers an in-depth analysis of contemporary conflicts amidst heightened geopolitical tensions.
Political scientist Hugo Micheron, who specialises in the Middle East and jihadism, coordinated the contributions of ten researchers who aimed to explore the new forms of conflict that have recently emerged: the militarisation of digital space, the weaponisation of information, the reconfiguration of alliances and power dynamics, the hybridisation of threats, and the return of high-intensity warfare — from Ukraine to Gaza. These contributions examine the systemic transformations redefining the attributes of power and critically assess Europe’s evolving role in the global order.
Contributors to this issue include Thierry Balzacq, Professor and researcher at the Centre for International Studies (CERI); Christophe Jaffrelot, CNRS Research Director at CERI; and Frédéric Ramel, Professor and researcher at CERI. Regular contributors to Sciences Po have also participated, such as writer and lecturer Giuliano Da Empoli; Asma Mhalla, political scientist and lecturer; and author Karine Tuil.
Hugo Micheron, scientific director of the issue : “The current period is marked by profound geopolitical transformations that challenge Europe’s place and role on the world stage, as well as its ability to assert itself as a leading geopolitical actor. It is essential for a group of influential EU countries to align their diplomatic orientations in order to rethink conflict in all its strategic dimensions. This is the collective analysis put forward by Sciences Po researchers in this issue."
Luis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po : "In an era where conflict is no longer an exception but a structural reality, it is vital to place this notion at the heart of both our scientific inquiry and educational mission."
About Comprendre son temps
Comprendre son temps is Sciences Po’s journal in the humanities and social sciences, offering insights into the major ruptures shaping today’s world and supporting both public and private decision-making. Published biannually, it seeks to make the institution’s high-quality academic research accessible to the widest possible audience by addressing a major social and political issue.
About Hugo Micheron
Hugo Micheron is a political scientist, fluent in Arabic and specialising in the Middle East and jihadism. He is a Senior Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and teaches at Sciences Po, where he leads the seminar Artificial Intelligence, Democracy, and the Information Environment. He is the author of La Colère et l’Oubli. Les démocraties face au jihadisme européen (Gallimard, 2023), awarded both the Femina Essay Prize and the Brienne Prize for Geopolitical Literature in 2023.