Runner-Up of The Politica's Research Essay Prize 2021 Henry Kissinger and Anatoly Dobrynin in the Map Room at the White House, March 17, 1972 (Source: Soviet-American Relations: the Détente Years, 1969-1972) “Let us take as our goal: where peace is unknown, make it welcome; where peace is fragile, make it strong; where peace is temporary, make it permanent.” [1] ― Richard Nixon ― INTRODUCTION On a cold day in January of 1969, a US Presidential administration began with an uno

Runner-Up of The Politica's Research Essay Prize 2021 Alex Wong/Getty Images INTRODUCTION Contemporary progressivism in the United States can be briefly constituted via ardent support for a specific set of policy proposals. This “checklist” of issues not only conveys a progressive politician’s platform, but also serves as a litmus test for voters. If a politician is “off” on an issue or does not fully integrate his platform with the progressive standard, then voters will s

Winner of The Politica's Research Essay Prize 2021 Symbols of Hindu marriage have been around for centuries and the meanings behind them have been commonly accepted in Hindu society – these symbols have even been carried across the world by Indian emigrants. However, these symbols of marriage have noticeably started fading away – how will this combined with the ongoing shift in the perception of Hindu marriage affect Hindu culture as a whole? The decline in the prevalence of