Brendan Simms
Professor of the History of International Relations at the University of Cambridge
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UK
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Articles
On the Making of Trump – The Blind Spot That Created Him
Otto Scharmer analyses the factors underlying Trump's victory
According to Scharmer, three main divides within the United States contributed to the success of Donald Trump, which took many by surprise.
The EU Must Focus on the Root Causes of Migration
Following the latest tragedy involving migrants, 28 members and leaders of the EU have initiated plans for a military operation to combat criminal gangs who smuggle refugees in thousands per ship. The details of the initiative still need to be clarified, and the body of water where the operation will cover needs to be decided. This will require Libya’s permission to destroy the smugglers’ boats in its territorial waters. The EU needs to obtain a mandate in order to operate under Chapter 7 of the United Nations (UN) charter.
After Brexit, should the Eurozone pursue full political union?
Brendan Simms in the New Statesman Magazine about possible trajectories of the European Union after the Brexit.
Austerity is the Wrong Framework: Why Italy needs a Shift Towards Investments and Growth
Expert interview with Giulio Guarini, analysing key parameters of the current economic situation in Italy and identifying ways out of the crisis
The political mainstream thinks that this crisis is conjunctural, not structural. But the trouble with austerity policies is, that they increase the crisis in a cumulative way. With austerity one can only enlarge the probability to maintain the crisis, not to rule out it. And politicians don’t solve this problem – they preserve it.
Political Communication of Populist Parties: The cases of Podemos and AfD
The Digital Advantage and Social Media Authority of Populist Parties
The Spanish party Podemos and the German “Alternative for Germany” could not be, apparently, more opposed. However, there is one thing which brings them together: They both successfully use digital communication to reach their electorate in new, unmediated ways.
Feeling the Bern or Making America Great Again: What we can learn from populists in the 2017 US elections
Populist measures not only as a threat, but also as a potential for democracy within campaigning
Politics need emotions. Campaigns need charismatic leaders representing hope. They need to come up with viable alternatives to the status quo. Democratic politicians cannot stay on the safe side. They need to get out there, explain their approaches, and to find new ways of talking to the voters. They need to have the courage to oppose those Trumps out there.
Social Cohesion is eroding when there is no Trust between the People and the State
Expert interview of Elina Makri on the topic of Social Cohesion in Greece
The government has to stop taxing people and is in need of a long term plan, liberating entrepreneurs and also modernizing the public sector through technology and more qualified personnel. Social cohesion is eroding when there is no trust between the people and the state, but instead exertion and pressure.