In 1942, Nicholas Spykman argued that the coastal ring of the Pacific, from East Asia to Latin America, was the decisive geography of world power. He was right.

But most Pacific Rim publications cover the US and East Asia and stop there: ignoring that Latin American nations control some of the world’s most critical rare minerals, the Panama Canal moves $270 billion in annual trade, and China’s Belt and Road is systematically building influence across the entire hemisphere.

Trilingual in English, Chinese, and Spanish, the Spykman Institute is a student-run publication covering crucial policy throughout the entire Pacific rim. Based in Seattle, a key seaport city, our student focus makes the Pacific Rim legible, argued, and actionable for the generation that will inherit it.

We publish op-eds, news analysis, and policy briefs that go to elected officials, academic journals, and government offices.

The Spykman Institute is a digital serial publication based in Bellevue, Washington. Ethan Fong serves as the Publisher and Co-Editor, and Sophia Hong serves as Co-Editor. The editorial board maintains full responsibility for the selection, fact-checking, and publication of all content hosted on spykmaninstitute.org.