Founded in 2021

International Realist is a blog that attempts to blaze its own path through rigorous research and critical thinking.

International Realist was started by Hector McKemey, a London-born British citizen and permanent resident in the United States. Hector grew up in Larchmont, New York and attended Mamaroneck High School. Upon graduation in 2016, he attended the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, where he read International Relations and Modern History. Among the many courses taken, his favourites were: The Library, a Fragile History with Professors Arthur Der Weduwen and Andrew Pettegree, The 1960s: A Heavenly Decade with Professor Jerry DeGroot, and Issues in International Relations with Mya Alxander-Owen. Graduating with a joint MA (Hons) in July 2020, he has sorely missed the academic world—moreover the world in general—during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Realist seeks to revitalise his love of politics and history, publish his earlier academic works, and fill the gap in traditional media consumption with a well-read, sourced, and moderate perspective on international and domestic politics. In fall 2021, Hector began a Master’s program in Strategic Studies at University of St. Andrews, finishing in August 2022 with an M.Litt. Among the courses taken, he enjoyed: Strategic Thought with Sir Hew Strachan, Military Effectiveness with Dr. Patrick Finnegan, and the Influence of Seapower Upon History with Dr. Luke Middup. He now lives in Ross, California.