There is an accelerating trend of global disruptions becoming increasingly digital in nature. This trend of global IT outages is indicative of deepseated vulnerabilities and technical lapses in the interconnected networks of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Drawing on the theoretical stream of digital disconnection, this paper offers an empirical account of the causes and detailed cases of prominent global IT outages in the recent past. The cases offer insights into the intricacies of IT meltdowns as well as ensuing ramifications on different sectors globally. Subsequently, it lays down a set of viable policy measures that may be undertaken at global, national, organisational and individual levels to prevent the likelihood of IT blackouts in future and thereby maintain digital resilience in the DPI worldwide. The paper essentially contributes to the relatively scant literature on IT outages – a subject of paramount significance in an increasingly interconnected world of Industry 4.0.
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Why Pakistan’s Afghan Policy Reached a Breaking Point
The ongoing war between Pakistan and Afghanistan is the result of a gradually worsening security situation along the Durand Line rather than a sudden strategic shift. The core issue was not the absence of dialogue, but its inability to deliver binding results to the foremost security concern of for Pakistan: the use of Afghan territory by militant groups to attack Pakistan. When Pakistan in response switched to cross-border strikes in February 2026, the state had already gone through several years of attempted accommodation without securing any meaningful restraint from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) by Kabul.
CASS Opinion Roundup – May 2026, Vol. No. 0001
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The West: The History of an Idea
The world is witnessing the collapse of the Western order, if not the emergence of an alternative one. The idea of ‘West’ as against the rest is still at the root of contemporary understanding of world politics. Georgios Varouxakis, a remarkable voice on Modernity and Nationalism, has provided the historical origins and modern connotations attached with the idea of ‘West’. In his book ‘The West: The History of an Idea’, Varouxakis has argued that the West is not an eternal entity, rather it is a modern socio-political construct that emerged in the political philosophy of the early 19th century and evolved with the passage of time. The book provides an in-depth historical analysis of the idea to determine the roots of its modern interpretation.
