What has a special English gentleman learned about local mentality and people in Hungary? What was his intention in staying here and founding the Danube Institute? We spoke to the president and founder of the institute about the similarities and differences between the views of Hungarian and British conservatives and about the role conservatism can play in this evolving new world order.

Little America instead of Little Hungary in the Borsod countryside: a strong community created by Hungarian emigrants who returned home from the U.S. flourished near Nemesbikk for almost half a century.

Is Hungary like the West in its old days? In what respect was Hungarian conservatism interesting to American and British conservatives? We spoke to the Director of Research at the Danube Institute about the similarities between British and Hungarian mentalities and the future of British and Hungarian conservatism.

‘Anna Fenyvesi and I often say that, from the moment of emigration, time stands still. This was especially true in the past, when communication depended almost entirely on letters.’

What is the significance of the 250-year-old Declaration of Independence? Was the American Revolution justified? We spoke to the executive director of the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at The Ohio State University about whether the Declaration of Independence—the ‘birth certificate’ of the United States—was legally and lawfully adopted under the British laws of the time.

‘The final stop is the adult folk camp in Válaszút, where I’ll be part of the night-time band, providing music for dancing until dawn. During the day we’ll either be sleeping or dancing. Last year I learned Bonchida dances—perhaps this year I’ll learn something new.’

Is French secularism (laïcité) a ‘sword’ or a ‘shield’? Is atheism the new state religion of France? We spoke to a French lawyer and academic, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Danube Institute, about the origins, significance, and paradoxes of the French constitutional principle of secularism, as well as the historical struggle between the church and the state in France.

‘The flower is an important symbol for me on two levels. First of all, the traditional flower embroidery that was all over my grandparents’ house and even in ours was literally a thread that kept me connected to my heritage. The title also comes from a love poem by Sándor Petőfi…the book is really a love story about how much my father loved his country…It’s also about my love for my father.’

Which African region is the most troubled by water scarcity? How does this phenomenon redraw the demographic map of Africa? We spoke to a water management expert at the Department of Water and Environmental Policy at the University of Public Service, Budapest, about African water shortages and their economic, political, and demographic impacts, as well as the Hungarian drought situation.

How to dismantle illiberal systems? We asked a former Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Polish ambassador to Israel and the United States about Donald Tusk’s ‘militant democracy’, the similarities and parallels between the Polish and Hungarian government changes, and how Poles view the EU’s common values and common policies.

What is the significance of being a Habsburg, and what burdens does it entail? We spoke with a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and former Hungarian ambassador to the Holy See about the turbulent history and legacy of the Habsburgs, the former ruling family of Austria–Hungary, as well as the EU, the institution of the family, and Christianity.

‘As a child, I never dreamed of becoming a spy. I was not fascinated by secret agents or espionage stories. But when I was approached and invited to join, something immediately felt right.’

How did Hungarians view the United States in the 1980s? What were the US-related policies of the Orbán governments? Will the new Hungarian government be as significant to the United States as the Orbán government was? We asked a former Hungarian foreign minister about the past, present, and future of Hungarian–American relations, including their ups and downs and their often turbulent nature.

‘In 2007, I met a Hungarian American businessperson at QU…We connected and developed what is today our Hungarian American Business Leaders (HABL) scholarship and program: bringing Hungarians to QU to earn their MBA and work at businesses, then return home, taking that knowledge back to put to the best use, as they see fit.’

How did the UAE achieve keystone-state status? Can the country sustain its high-tech, AI-driven economy in the long term? We spoke with the Deputy Director-General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy about the United Arab Emirates’ original vision and subsequent strategy for becoming a leading regional power, as well as its relationship with OPEC, the Abraham Accords, and its geopolitical allies.

‘Naturally, over time, the song texts had more and more meaning for me as well. I learned very quickly that the old recordings and the songs were just the tip of the iceberg: these captured a whole way of life and thinking. I’d say that’s when the course of my life truly changed.’

‘The guidance of the Holy Spirit is difficult to put into words. Whenever we try to describe it, we are attempting to grasp the ungraspable—searching for images that might express that sometimes wonderfully gentle sensitivity, at other times firmer guidance, through which the Holy Spirit is able to work together with the human person.’

‘We never tell students not to leave; we tell them to go abroad, but then to return home, because it’s worth doing so. I feel that among the 340 million in the U.S., we matter nowhere near as much as we do in a smaller community. That sense of belonging—people know you and are waiting for you, you matter and can have an impact—is, in my opinion, far stronger there than it is here.’

‘Loyalty is a commitment for us. We’re responsible for our customers, who trust us, and we’re responsible for our team. You have to value good employees; you have to keep going for their sake, too. Somehow, we’ve always managed to get through the tough times. Not to mention that my work is also my hobby.’

What does Islam want from us? Does only radical Islam pose a threat to the West? Is Islam the religion of peace according to the Quran? We asked a Middle East expert, historian, and Visiting Fellow at the Danube Institute about the true nature of Islam, the chances of coexistence between Muslims and inclusive Western societies, and the differences between the main teachings of Islam and Christianity.

In this exclusive interview, cybercrime expert Dr Brankica M Popović explains how generative AI has made fake content indistinguishable from reality, why biometric authentication is becoming unreliable, and what ordinary users can do to protect themselves.

‘I think this administration, and the United States, is in a difficult position right now because the administration is in this standoff with the Iranian government that is essentially controlled by much harder hardline factions than they might have been prior to our attack. And then that makes the Trump administration back down here and there on some of the promises of annihilation, for good or bad, which has emboldened Iran as well.’

Is Russia still strong enough to maintain its former Soviet sphere of influence in the Caucasus? What are Azerbaijan’s economic and political interests with its allies? We asked the head of the Western Studies Department at the Center for Analysis of International Relations in Baku about possible scenarios for ending the war in Ukraine, power dynamics in the Caucasus, and Azerbaijan’s geopolitical priorities.

Has President Trump so far lived up to expectations? What will be the fate of Ukraine? How strong is China? We spoke to Edward N Luttwak, Contractual Strategic Advisor to the US Department of Defense, about Ukraine’s chances of winning the war, China’s readiness to change the status quo, and the turbulence in the Middle East.

‘It absolutely changed me from the very time I interviewed the “old guys” of the Dakota Street Football Team in late 1991, and with nearly every interview later with Dayton Hungarians individuals or couples, who shared wonderful stories. Many of those people are gone now; I’m glad I was able to preserve their legacies in this book…’

Why do feminists criticize Scott Yenor? Is the institution of the family in crisis? What can governments do to support families? We spoke to the Director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation about feminism, gender roles and patterns, the positive and negative effects on sexual and cultural identity, and the institution of the family.

‘I’m an engineer, I don’t write, but I started to make videos in 2023…I have almost 40 anecdotes. Some are about the visits of the well-known Hungarians mentioned earlier, but I also made one, for example, about the Hungarian cemetery in Paraguay. I have my own old video recordings and photographs; I show those and tell the stories alongside them, mostly available with Hungarian subtitles.’

How satisfied are Croatians with their EU membership? Can family policies solve demographic problems and the shortage of skilled workers? Isn’t Croatia afraid of Ukraine’s EU membership? We spoke to the former President of Croatia about the experiences of Croatia’s EU membership, the future of Europe, and the lessons learned from the migration crisis.

‘Faith in God is, for me, a deeply experienced certainty. I hope that both the Lord and the congregation will grant me the trust to continue serving…’

What is at stake in the Hungarian elections? Which Hungarian policies are noteworthy—and perhaps worth adopting in the West? How does Australia relate to the Iranian and Ukrainian wars, and the challenge posed by China? We spoke with the former Prime Minister of Australia about the significance of the Hungarian elections, the dangers of a changing world order, and the role of conservatism.