HeyJaredBundle of Contradictions
Insights, recommendations and random thoughts on Asia and foreign policy from author Ben Bland
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 4
- Latest publication
- Sep 3, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 21, 2026
Latest issues
How Southeast Asia can thrive in a fragmenting world (opens the original)
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As someone who’s lived in and worked on Southeast Asia for more than two decades, I have flitted between periods of optimism and pessimism about a region I love.Today, I sense an opportunity for regional organisations such as ASEAN to step up, as the global order breaks apart. That will require Southeast Asian governments to move with much more speed and flexibility than they have in the recent past. But failing to do so will see the region fall behind.Thanks for reading Bundle of Contra
Back-casting China’s future (opens the original)
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Earlier this year, my colleagues and I secured a grant from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for a project using back-casting to consider what a multi-polar Asia might look like in 2036.The rationale behind the project was twofold. Firstly, to try to understand what sort of global leaders Asia’s fast-growing powers - China, India and Southeast Asia - might become. And, secondly, to help policy-makers and researchers develop new ways of thinking about the future that are more appropr
Check out my new football newsletter (opens the original)
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Dear subscribers,As you’ve shown an interest in my writing and analysis on geopolitics, I wanted to draw your attention to a much more important subject that I’m now also looking at: football.I’ve just launched a new, free Substack called The Brentford Way, in which I reflect on the ups and downs of life as a fan of Brentford FC and try to shed light on how Brentford do things differently. The Brentford Way</
Dear Prime Minister: An open letter on how to elevate the UK's place in the world (opens the original)
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Dear Prime Minister,Congratulations on getting the top job. It’s a rare privilege, which only seven people have achieved in the last ten years. I know that you’ve been preparing for this for some time but I’m sure you’re still incredibly busy getting up to speed. And, no doubt, you’ve already been inundated by policy advice and suggestions from the thoughtful, the helpful and the ambitious.I’m a mere think-tanker, with no vested interest beyond wanting Britain to take a more engaged approach to
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