Editor’s Note

Over the last three years, Stanford Politics has come to be known for its thoughtful and original commentary on national and international politics. In the last few months, we’ve sought to do even more. While we’re still in the process of redefining our mission, one of my top priorities as editor in chief has been to incorporate more reporting into our work.

The cover story for this November 2017 issue was several hundred hours in the making.

It started last January, when Andrew Granato — then a contributing editor for Stanford Politics — read an article in Gawker, the now defunct media company thanks to Peter Thiel. Titled The Free Speech Peter Thiel Will Defend, the story was about a former Stanford Review editor who had made offensive comments about homosexuality 25 years ago and whom Thiel had stood by at the time. However, the Gawker article noted that the Stanford Review’s online archives were incomplete; so in Jan. 2017, Andrew decided to look through the paper’s physical archives at Green Library to see what else might turn up.

10 months later, after extensive research and countless interviews, we are proud to present his findings. The piece paints a comprehensive picture of the ever-controversial Thiel and the newspaper he founded (and remains involved with to this day). And while we’re well aware of what he did to Gawker, we at Stanford Politics feel that it is necessary and important journalism to publish. Not to mention, we are confident that the over-8,000-word piece is thoroughly reported, with over a dozen different corroborating sources.

The rest of this November 2017 issue also showcases a good range of the current types of content we wish to bring to our readers — from campus event coverage to an interview about international politics. If you like what you see, please consider financially supporting us.

And lastly, what lies in these pages couldn’t be done without the tireless efforts of our committed staff, but the meaning of our work depends on you: Please read, share, and discuss our content. Quality journalism is only as good as it informs the public discourse.

Contents

Catalonia’s Quest for Independence: Two Perspectives

From Catalonia to Calexit: Russia’s Obsession with Global Separatism
Sarah Manney

Catalonia is Constantly Shortchanged: A Conversation with Joan Ramon Resina
Gracie Newman

Peter Thiel & The Stanford Review: 30 Years On

How Peter Thiel and the Stanford Review Built Silicon Valley Empire
Andrew Granato

Hillary Clinton

On Technology, Democracy, and “A New Kind of Cold War”
Emily Lemmerman

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Ruairí Arrieta-Kenna, a senior studying political science, is the editor in chief of Stanford Politics.