Thinking Out Loud is my public writing space—a place where field experience, international law, and lived reality meet reflection and analysis.
My work draws on years in conflict-affected regions and ongoing research into international humanitarian law, atrocity prevention, civilian protection, and forced displacement. These pieces explore the causes and consequences of mass violence, as well as the application—and at times the failure—of the legal frameworks designed to prevent it.
This space also allows for immediacy: a way to respond to events as they unfold and to engage beyond academic and policy settings. Some pieces are analytical, others more reflective—but all are intentional.
At its core, Thinking Out Loud is about bearing witness. It also acknowledges something just as important: those who study conflict and human suffering are still human. Music, sports, culture, and everyday moments are often what help us process difficult realities and remain grounded in the work.
Understanding global crises is not only about law and policy—it is also about people, culture, and the human experience that shapes how we endure and respond.
Ultimately, this is a space for connection. If something resonates, share it. Start a conversation. That is the point.
With gratitude,
Lara
Connect with Lara Kajs for updates on new writing, research, and speaking engagements.
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Cuba and the Politics of Starvation: Sanctions, Regime Change, and the Civilian Cost of Pressure
The question is no longer whether sanctions create pressure. The…
The Gallows Under Occupation: Military Courts, Differential Punishment, and the Erosion of Legal Protection in the West Bank
The issue is not simply whether the death penalty exists.…
Survival as Resistance: Civilian Life, Displacement, and the Human Cost of Yemen’s Prolonged War
Sometimes the deepest damage caused by war is not only…
Gaza and the Evidence of Failed Protection
What is uncovered beneath the rubble is not only loss—it…
Witness Under Fire: Press Freedom and the Cost of Telling the Truth
When journalists are targeted and silenced, it is not only…
Governance Without Accountability: Proxy Power and Civilian Risk in the Middle East
We cannot understand modern conflict if we refuse to acknowledge…
Lebanon and the Politics of Escalation: When Regional War Becomes Background Noise
Visibility is not neutral—it shapes which crises receive response and…
Sudan and the Politics of Attention: Why Global Visibility Shapes Atrocity Response
Visibility is not neutral—it determines which atrocities provoke response and…
War, Law, and the Limits of Self-Defense in the U.S.–Iran Conflict
If wars can be launched without clear provocation, without authorization…