In international relations, you’d think the people with the clearest view would be those who’ve been trained in the field—foreign policy analysts, diplomats, think-tanks pundits, journalists, and political scientists. They have the education, the experience, and an understanding of the inner workings of governments. But sometimes, the people who see things most clearly are those who aren’t bogged down by all that expertise—outsiders like novelists, playwrights, and artists. Why is that?
