Are There Years Zero in History?

Can Thinking About Tipping Points Inform Foreign Policy Decisions?

September Eleven Memorial, Ground Zero, New York City, December 3, 2018. Photo: Nicolas Tenzer

The commemoration of the 20th anniversary of September 11 gave rise to the usual stream of comments on its character as a “turning point”, the “start of a new era”, the “true beginning of the 21st century”, year zero—as if in parallel to “ground zero”—, etc. …