Six great international newsletters on Substack
Go deeper on Syria, Africa, Southeast Asia, and China
Among the many publications we are proud to host on Substack is a growing number of high-quality international newsletters. Here are six deserving of your attention.
Dari Mulut ke Mulut
Indonesia-based Australian journalist Erin Cook covers everything you need to know about Southeast Asia on a weekly basis, with additional commentary about major news events published for free.
Recommended reading: “Whoa, what?!” – a quick post-mortem on Malaysia’s stunning recent election.
Sinocism
Bill Bishop, Substack’s inaugural publisher, writes the definitive newsletter about China. The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos calls it “the presidential daily brief for China hands.”
Recommended reading: “Understanding China’s Rise Under Xi Jinping – by the Honorable Kevin Rudd.” The former Australian Prime Minister (and Sinocism subscriber) gives what Bishop describes as “the clearest exposition of Xi Jinping’s China I have so far read.”
Syria in Context
War correspondent Emma Beals and research fellow Tobias Schneider go deep on one of the most complicated and important geopolitical stories of the year: Syria. The writers highlight key issues, laws, policy developments, and personalities shaping the war-torn country.
Recommended reading: Beals and Schneider’s launch note, explaining why the weekly briefing exists.
African Arguments
A group of experienced correspondents associated with the Royal African Society provides concise commentary and analysis about politics on the African continent, with “special emphasis on forecasting and constructiveness.”
Recommended reading: “The Insiders’ Newsletter #8,” a recent issue offered for free examines the Nigerian President’s visit to President Trump, a delayed peace deal for South Sudan, and the next female African president.
Indonesia Intelligencer
How often do you read about news from the fourth-most populous country on the planet? Just in case your answer is “not often enough,” the editors of Coconuts Jakarta produce this weekly round-up of the most consequential news from the island nation.
Recommended reading: The dispatch from May 18, 2018, detailing a litany of terror attacks, a Trump connection, and recommendations for the week’s best readings on Indonesia.
Faye & Fraser
An economics-focused newsletter for people who want to decode “Nigeria’s often byzantine political economy.”
Recommended reading: “Inside Nigeria’s Currency Swap with China,” an analysis that explains how Nigeria’s changed position on Taiwan’s independence underpinned its currency swap deal with its biggest trading partner, China.
Know of any international-focused newsletters that should be on Substack? Let us know: hello@substack.com.
Six great international newsletters on Substack