In this piece, Lewis Sage-Passant reviews “Unruly: Fighting Back when Geopolitics, Technology, and Law Upend the Rules of Business“ by Sean West, which examines the uncomfortable intersections of geopolitics, law, and technology, and how corporations can find themselves caught up in resulting turbulence.
Further book recommendations can be found in our 2025 Geopolitical Reading List.
While a recent trend of books exploring the intersection of geopolitical risk and the business world has given analysts in the field a wide range of reading material to choose from, the upcoming “Unruly” stands out for several reasons. Firstly, is among the most practically useful that I’ve read so far. Blending the author’s experience in corporate geopolitical advisory with a macro view of the shifting global business landscape, the book explores – via tangible examples – how companies can find themselves caught at the intersections of geopolitics, law, and technology. Secondly, it offers guidance on how companies can respond to these challenges with concrete advice, including self-reflective questions on exactly what the company’s exposures might be to these risks. Thirdly, despite painting a worrying view of the future of politics, law, and technology, it remains an enjoyable read!
I would recommend this book for more advanced geopolitical readers focused on the corporate geopolitical risk space, or for those looking to break into advanced-level corporate geopolitics. Despite this, “Unruly” remains an accessible read and will unquestionably also be of value to business leaders looking to better understand the geopolitical risk landscape. For intelligence practitioners looking to better advise them, “Unruly” provides an excellent way to better connect the geopolitical risk challenge to the business.
“Unruly” will be available in March from Wiley books, who generously provided Encyclopedia Geopolitica with an advanced review copy.
Further book recommendations can be found in our 2025 Geopolitical Reading List.
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Lewis Sage-Passant is a researcher in the field of intelligence and espionage, and a former British Military Intelligence Officer. Lewis holds a PhD from Loughborough University in intelligence studies, and is an adjunct professor teaching intelligence at Sciences Po Paris. He has extensive experience working and living in the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions in a variety of geopolitical analysis and intelligence roles, supporting the energy industry, the financial sector, leading technology firms, and the pharmaceuticals sector. He has appeared in numerous media outlets, including the BBC, France24, CNBC, Harvard Business Review, The New Arab, El Mundo, GQ, and others, discussing intelligence, geopolitics, and security topics. He is the author of “Beyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector“, which explores how corporations use intelligence to navigate and shape the world around them.
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