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At The Topic Lens, we explain the background behind the headlines. But headlines are made of words, and words have backgrounds too. Belgium takes its name from the Belgae, a group of tribes Julius Caesar fought in northern Gaul. Nearly 1,900 years later, the new state revived the ancient name when it won independence in 1830.

📖 If you enjoy understanding why things are the way they are, our book Why Is It Called That? does the same for 350 everyday words. A gift for yourself, or for anyone who loves asking “why?” → https://books2read.com/u/mKa8V9

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From the name to the country itself: what does Belgium look like through American eyes?


Last week, we looked at the U.S. state of Connecticut through a European lens. Today, we turn the tables, put on our American glasses, and take a deep dive into Belgium—a country whose capital, Brussels, is often used as a shorthand for European centralization, yet barely manages to govern itself.

How did a nation roughly the size of Maryland with the population of Ohio end up holding the keys to the European Union, NATO, and global regulatory standards?

In this episode, hosts break down:

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