Dalia Bankauskaitė is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). She is a Professor at the Vilnius University, and an Expert at the Swedish Defence University and works as an interdisciplinary expert in security policy, strategic communication, and political advisory.
The Lonely City (Picador, 2016) by Olivia Laing.
These poetically crafted essays promise immense satisfaction. Olivia Laing, an outstanding cultural critic, essayist, and humanist, skillfully narrates the story of New York through discussions on the artists who have left an indelible mark on the city: the pop art icon Andy Warhol, painter Edward Hopper, artist and activist David Wojnarowicz, outsider artist Henry Darger, and singer Klaus Nomi.
Displaying a profound empathy, she delves into the topic of social isolation, emphasizing how culture invariably resonates with politics, societal divisions, and invisible barriers. The author explores the theme of solitude, not only unveiling its causes but also offering insights into how it can be resisted and redeemed.
Man skauda, It Hurts Me (Tyto alba, 2022) by Leonidas Donskis
This is a collection of profound philosophical texts by the eminent Lithuanian philosopher, written in 2016. These resonate even more powerfully today, imparting wisdom and a call for tolerance. Within its pages, you’ll find societal diagnoses, political insights, and discussions on cultural and educational challenges. The philosopher was always concerned with fair game, humanity, tolerance, dignity, and the reflection of societal openness—an attempt to understand and hear the other.
Donskis invites readers into a dialogue. The philosopher eloquently expresses thoughts in the incredibly beautiful Lithuanian language.
Getting Russia Right (Polity, 2023) by Thomas Graham
This is an exceptionally timely book, and might perhaps have had even more impact if it had been written and published a few years earlier.
The author delves into post-Cold War US-Russia relations without getting lost in the intricate detail of each potential aspect of national interest for both countries. Instead, he offers his perspective on recent (approximately a 30-year period) of historical events, aiding readers in understanding potential future geopolitical scenarios.
The book captivates me not only because I hail from the geopolitical region and vividly recall this period but also because it prompts politicians and observers from my country and other countries to reflect on their national strategies within the context of US-Russia relations.
Europe’s Edge is CEPA’s online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions expressed on Europe’s Edge are those of the author alone and may not represent those of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis. CEPA maintains a strict intellectual independence policy across all its projects and publications.
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