John Simke - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Uploads
Papers by John Simke
It's now Corona's world. We just live in it - if we're lucky. This course is not about the post C... more It's now Corona's world. We just live in it - if we're lucky. This course is not about the post Corona world because it’s becoming evident that we will likely have to live with the Coronavirus indefinitely, hopefully while keeping it under control. But that control may imply serious changes to the way the world works. The impact of the Corona virus is mostly negative: it kills people, it’s costly, limits freedom to do things we enjoy, and creates a general sense of insecurity. However, the virus has exposed a number of issues previously swept under the rug, such as the situation in long-term care homes, gross inequalities and how people who make our world work are under-appreciated and under-paid. It’s shown the importance of state capacity and competence. It's also shown that governments can create huge fiscal deficits and not worry too much about that. So, the money can be found to fix problems.
Will Corona lead to a strengthening of the left or the right? will it strengthen or weaken democracy? How will governments handle their debt? Will a universal basic income be introduced? Will political leaders use Covid to override freedoms we now have? Will we ever travel like we used to? What will happen to larger developed cities ? Overall, will life in the future look more or less like it did before, or are we in for major and more or less permanent change? Will a better or worse world emerge from the crisis and what can determine a positive outcome?
Geo-economics is assuming greater significance in international affairs as China, Russia and the ... more Geo-economics is assuming greater significance in international affairs as China, Russia and the U.S. use economic tools to advance their interests. Trump thinks about almost all issues in geo-economic terms
How the Most Critical Resource of the Future Will Influence Local and Global Politics 1: Water S... more How the Most Critical Resource of the Future Will Influence Local and Global Politics
1: Water Shortages and Stresses; Western United States
2: Water Privatization and Pricing; Bottled Water
3: The Geopolitics of Water; The Tibetan Plateau
4: Potential Water Wars; Central Asia and the Middle East
How capitalism is changing and what new kind of political economy might emerge due to political, ... more How capitalism is changing and what new kind of political economy might emerge due to political, social and technological change
The threat to liberal democracy both from outside the advanced liberal democracies, and from with... more The threat to liberal democracy both from outside the advanced liberal democracies, and from within. The causes, effects and possible remedies.
Summary of Iran's key issues and its regional and global influence
An overview of the cyber threat in various domains, - crime, war, terrorism, as well as a descrip... more An overview of the cyber threat in various domains, - crime, war, terrorism, as well as a description of the major players perpetrating these attacks and the tools they use.
An overview of the key geopolitical forces shaping the Middle East in 2015
As the 21st century progresses it is increasingly clear that the United States and China will dom... more As the 21st century progresses it is increasingly clear that the United States and China will dominate the world politically, economically and militarily. While the U.S. is clearly still the most powerful country, China is moving up quickly on all fronts. This does not have to be bad. If these two giants can work co-operatively to provide global leadership it may be preferable to solely Western leadership or a chaotic leaderless global system. But can they work together? What would it take, and what would it look like? What would the alternative of non co-operation mean?
Teaching Documents by John Simke
The State of Israel, 2023
Class notes for course on The State of Israel in 2023
The Rise of Autocracy and Authoritarianism, 2020
Autocracy and authoritarianism are spreading like a virus. It seems that one autocrat emboldens o... more Autocracy and authoritarianism are spreading like a virus. It seems that one autocrat emboldens others. From China, to the Philippines, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Poland, Belarus, the Central Asian republics, Egypt, Venezuela and Brazil, autocracy is thriving. And this is far from a complete list. There are many more. What is particularly concerning is that it now includes previously burgeoning or entrenched democracies such as Brazil, Turkey and now even India.
Countries like Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, the poster-children of post-communist transition to democracy, have slid backwards. Also, Politicians with authoritarian tendencies have made strong gains in many Western European democracies and of course in the United States. Why is this happening? Is it a short-term blip that will be reversed, or are we moving into a darker age of authoritarianism? Will the autocrats in fact prevail? Or can this trend be reversed?
It's now Corona's world. We just live in it - if we're lucky. This course is not about the post C... more It's now Corona's world. We just live in it - if we're lucky. This course is not about the post Corona world because it’s becoming evident that we will likely have to live with the Coronavirus indefinitely, hopefully while keeping it under control. But that control may imply serious changes to the way the world works. The impact of the Corona virus is mostly negative: it kills people, it’s costly, limits freedom to do things we enjoy, and creates a general sense of insecurity. However, the virus has exposed a number of issues previously swept under the rug, such as the situation in long-term care homes, gross inequalities and how people who make our world work are under-appreciated and under-paid. It’s shown the importance of state capacity and competence. It's also shown that governments can create huge fiscal deficits and not worry too much about that. So, the money can be found to fix problems.
Will Corona lead to a strengthening of the left or the right? will it strengthen or weaken democracy? How will governments handle their debt? Will a universal basic income be introduced? Will political leaders use Covid to override freedoms we now have? Will we ever travel like we used to? What will happen to larger developed cities ? Overall, will life in the future look more or less like it did before, or are we in for major and more or less permanent change? Will a better or worse world emerge from the crisis and what can determine a positive outcome?
Geo-economics is assuming greater significance in international affairs as China, Russia and the ... more Geo-economics is assuming greater significance in international affairs as China, Russia and the U.S. use economic tools to advance their interests. Trump thinks about almost all issues in geo-economic terms
How the Most Critical Resource of the Future Will Influence Local and Global Politics 1: Water S... more How the Most Critical Resource of the Future Will Influence Local and Global Politics
1: Water Shortages and Stresses; Western United States
2: Water Privatization and Pricing; Bottled Water
3: The Geopolitics of Water; The Tibetan Plateau
4: Potential Water Wars; Central Asia and the Middle East
How capitalism is changing and what new kind of political economy might emerge due to political, ... more How capitalism is changing and what new kind of political economy might emerge due to political, social and technological change
The threat to liberal democracy both from outside the advanced liberal democracies, and from with... more The threat to liberal democracy both from outside the advanced liberal democracies, and from within. The causes, effects and possible remedies.
Summary of Iran's key issues and its regional and global influence
An overview of the cyber threat in various domains, - crime, war, terrorism, as well as a descrip... more An overview of the cyber threat in various domains, - crime, war, terrorism, as well as a description of the major players perpetrating these attacks and the tools they use.
An overview of the key geopolitical forces shaping the Middle East in 2015
As the 21st century progresses it is increasingly clear that the United States and China will dom... more As the 21st century progresses it is increasingly clear that the United States and China will dominate the world politically, economically and militarily. While the U.S. is clearly still the most powerful country, China is moving up quickly on all fronts. This does not have to be bad. If these two giants can work co-operatively to provide global leadership it may be preferable to solely Western leadership or a chaotic leaderless global system. But can they work together? What would it take, and what would it look like? What would the alternative of non co-operation mean?
The State of Israel, 2023
Class notes for course on The State of Israel in 2023
The Rise of Autocracy and Authoritarianism, 2020
Autocracy and authoritarianism are spreading like a virus. It seems that one autocrat emboldens o... more Autocracy and authoritarianism are spreading like a virus. It seems that one autocrat emboldens others. From China, to the Philippines, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Poland, Belarus, the Central Asian republics, Egypt, Venezuela and Brazil, autocracy is thriving. And this is far from a complete list. There are many more. What is particularly concerning is that it now includes previously burgeoning or entrenched democracies such as Brazil, Turkey and now even India.
Countries like Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, the poster-children of post-communist transition to democracy, have slid backwards. Also, Politicians with authoritarian tendencies have made strong gains in many Western European democracies and of course in the United States. Why is this happening? Is it a short-term blip that will be reversed, or are we moving into a darker age of authoritarianism? Will the autocrats in fact prevail? Or can this trend be reversed?