Masthead & Editor's Note: Spring 2026 (Volume 21, Issue 2)
Leadership
Editor-In-Chief: Dan Kent
Managing Editor: Sharon Chen
Lead Content Editor: Dan Hogestyn
Lead Copy Editor: Austin Blanton
Operations Director: Tamari Dzotsenidze
Communications Director: Jorge Arroyave
Director of Special Projects: Kevin Chen
Editors
Content Editors: Alexandra Helfgott, Catherine Dai, Gabriel Falk, Lisa de Rafols, Michael Henry, Richard Ulbricht, Vincient Arnold
Copy Editors: Hekmat Aboukhater, Jacob Coughlin, Michael Iwuoha, Rachel Lee, Rafael Gonzalez, Sarah Cheung
Editorial Flex Pool: Emily D’Arco, Jonas Nepozitek
Editor’s Note
What a difference just five months can make. In the time since our last publication, at least two events have occurred that have meaningfully altered world history: the U.S. removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the initiation of military conflict with Iran.
Spurred on by his success in Venezuela, Trump began the Iran war with hopes of a quick victory. The engagement in Iran has instead evolved into a costly and destabilizing protracted conflict. Strategic decision-making and communication from the administration have been haphazard and disjointed. Consequently, these developments have raised serious questions regarding the long term sustainability of American power projection, including the ability of the American military to project the global power it once did. The debacle is once again sparking talk of the collapse of American hegemony.
The ongoing Ukrainian conflict likewise serves as a stark contrast to earlier projections of a swift diplomatic or military resolution following the 2024 election victory by Donald Trump. Instead of a rapid conclusion, the persistence of the war highlights a fundamental transformation in the nature of high-intensity conflict. Drone capabilities that can be produced cheaply and en masse are more important than ever. AI is accelerating both battlefield timelines and the depletion of strategic stockpiles. Even as these technologies are driving tremendous advancements, foundational industrial might—who can build what, how much, and how cheaply—remains core to the war effort.
Appropriately to this moment of tension and acceleration, many of the articles in this issue deal either directly or tangentially with security. Although this was not intentional during our selection process, it reflects both the reality we find ourselves in across the globe and the academic interest of much of our readership. From population and health security to deterrence and the plight of refugees, our new issue grapples with these matters in their full complexity.
Our Spring 2026 issue also came with experimentation in our publication formats. Historically, the fine staff of YJIA have been limited to editing the work of others, and have not been permitted to submit their own articles for consideration. While that remains the case, the Journal held a separate, internal-only competition for the spring issue as a pilot to select a “featured staff article.” I am pleased to report that two editors on our staff were selected to showcase their work, one article on Czechia’s security decision-making, and the other on water security between the United States and Mexico.
This spring’s issue was the most competitive in YJIA history. We received hundreds of submissions, but were only able to select eight for publication. There were many more high-quality articles than we had staff to accommodate. As we grow, we will aspire to continue to make our journal accessible to authors from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible.
It has been a true honor to lead the Yale Jackson School’s flagship graduate publication this last year. I am thankful for the commitment of our leadership team, staff, and authors for their hard work to realize this scholarly vision. I am excited for YJIA’s future, and hope that you will continue to stay engaged.
Dan Kent
Editor-in-Chief