On Utopias, Imperial Decline, and Monterey, California

Some of our treasured utopias will be washed away with imperial decline. But we can remember what made them magical as we imagine a new, post-imperialist world.

Sep 03, 2025

∙ Paid

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in Monterey, California just announced it’ll be more or less shutting down in 2027. Amid a blizzard of bad news befalling us in recent times, this leaves me with a distinct melancholy.

I have friends who make a living teaching at MIIS, so it’s personal in that way. But also no physical place has e…

On Utopias, Imperial Decline, and Monterey, California

Some of our treasured utopias will be washed away with imperial decline. But we can remember what made them magical as we imagine a new, post-imperialist world.

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