CB 350

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Commerce, communications & transportation

Commerce, communications & transportation

Witnessing Algorithms and the Paradox of Synthetic Media

Synthetic media are everywhere. Digital images and objects that appear to index something in the world but do nothing of the sort have their roots in video games and online worlds like Second Life.

by Michael Richardson

Law

Law

AI for better or for worse, or AI at all?

When I was a little girl, I was taught a song about a ball of white string, in which the white string could fix everything — tie a bow on a gift, fly a kite, mend things.

by Kobi Leins

Political science

Political science

The Russo–Ukrainian Civil War

The war between Russia and Ukraine is not an ordinary conflict between two states. The men (and women) across the trenches speak the same language, share the same traditions, and their faces also look very similar.

by Alexey Ilin

Political science

West World

The Kremlin has been burning for an anti-western global project for decades. Before coming to the current and relatively strong concept of a multipolar world order, the Russian state actively experimented with different ideas and brands....

by Yuliia Presniakova & Sanyo Fylyppov

Political science

For Ever We Stand with Ukraine

Around the world in 2022 and 2023, I have met a broad range of Westerners absolutely committed to the cause of standing with Ukraine against Putin ‘for as long as it takes’. This includes a remarkable spectrum, from extreme-left anti-fas...

by Matthew Blackburn

Political science

Who’s The Leader of the Free World?

When I co-wrote and edited a book of essays during my university days in 1994, called Security of Eastern Europe: The Case of Ukraine, I could not possibly have imagined that the individual around whom the democratic world would ultimate...

by Michael Soussan

Political science

Catching tigers in red weather and the falling human

Every technology comes to be used to meet the needs of its time. Those needs interact with the often hidden-from-view affordances that reside in the tech to radically skew the intentions with which it might have been conceived and develo...

by Zac Rogers

Political science

The Social Media Mirage

During the Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, an octogenarian emeritus professor at the University of Georgia abruptly quit in the middle of a class he was teaching because a student refused to don a hygienic mask.

by Mark Andrejevic

Political science

A Republic Imperiled

There is an achingly fragile nuance at the heart of the American Republic. The U.S. Constitution has been described as a Machine That Would Go of Itself – a complex of calibrated forces set against each other – crafted to mitigate agains...

by Zac Rogers

Political science

Trump Is All That Is Left

Living in Norway, the oil-rich social democracy and producing a documentary on related subjects has been an eye opening experience. Not only is it significantly further left of the United States politically, but it is also representative...

by Shane Alexander Caldwell

Political science

The Coming Autumn Heat

The last few days have been emotional. On Wednesday Nadia Savchenko arrived in Kyiv to a hero’s welcome, and a plethora of speculation as to her impact on Ukraine’s political scene.

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

In the wake of Paris bombings, shelling in the Donbas resumes

This week the world mourns the victims of the IS (“Islamic State”) attacks on Paris. Meanwhile, seemingly as proof of the degree to which Ukraine is peripheral to global public opinion, the resurgent conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas goes unn...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
No More Rise of China?

Political science

No More Rise of China?

While western analysts call the country’s spectacular growth “the rise of China,” the Chinese themselves perceive it as a returning to the forfeited status of the “Middle Empire.”

by Eugenia Shuvaeva
Crimea: The Road to the Homeland. "The Putimentary"

Political science

Crimea: The Road to the Homeland. “The Putimentary”

March 16 was a turning point. On this day, Putin came out of hiding – both literally and figuratively. In the literal sense, Putin’s 11 day absence from public view ended during a press conference with the President of Kyrgyzstan. Althou...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Towards a proactive Russia policy: What constitutes checkmate?

Political science

Towards a proactive Russia policy: What constitutes checkmate?

Geopolitics is not chess, but the analogy works. Vladimir Putin has been playing this game with his closest neighbours (Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan) for many years, but recently it seems, the West has finally engaged (much to t...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Ukraine’s revolution continues - Thought's from Kiev

Political science

Ukraine’s revolution continues – Thought’s from Kiev

The problem with revolutionary times (and in case anyone was in doubt – Ukraine’s revolution continues) is that so many things happen simultaneously that it sometimes can be extremely difficult to keep track. Normally, to understan...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Is Europe about to decide Ukraine’s fate over the heads of the Ukrainians?

Social networks and the global media are buzzing: what’s the plan? Are the Europeans about to decide Ukraine’s fate over the heads of the Ukrainians? And most importantly, why now? Yesterday and today Ukrainian public opinion is split be...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Norway’s Badass Batons & Starlight Tours: Police in Norway Come Under Human Rights Focus

The victim claims — to the denials of police — that he was “dumped in a forest, called an animal and left without shoes.“

by Shane Alexander Caldwell
Putin's Vision of World Order - Thoughts from Kiev.

Political science

Putin’s Vision of World Order – Thoughts from Kiev.

My last post on the current situation in Ukraine was exactly two months ago. On October 3rd I predicted that an all-out invasion of Ukraine (including use of air power by Russia against targets in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk) was to occur be...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Ten Reasons Why Russia Could Invade Ukraine Before Winter

Political science

Ten Reasons Why Russia Could Invade Ukraine Before Winter – Thoughts from Kiev

Putin needs to establish a land link between the Russian Federation and Crimea before the onset of winter. If he chooses not to create such a link, the population of Crimea will surely starve and freeze; this will cause Putin major probl...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
The Minsk “cease fire” agreement

Political science

The Minsk “cease fire” agreement and the calm before the storm.

Given that no one anywhere (including in Russia) seems to still believe the fairytale of Russia’s “non-involvement” in Ukraine, Putin may just decide to drop the pretense, and engage “the fascist evil” (as the Russian media refers to Ukr...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Putin's Reminder - "Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers.”

Political science

Putin’s Reminder – “Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers.” (Thoughts from Kiev)

“Thank God, I think no one is thinking of unleashing a large-scale conflict with Russia. I want to remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers.” – Putin [dropcap size=big]L[/dropcap]ast Saturday Putin is...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Flight MH17 and Pretexts by Putin

Political science

Flight MH17 and Pretexts by Putin – Thoughts from Kiev

After the tragic downing of MH17 the phrase of the day in the western media became “game-changer”. Was this really such an earth-shattering event? Certainly it represented a turning point for politicians and policy-makers in western coun...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj
Thoughts on Ukrainian Higher Education

Political science

Thoughts on Ukrainian Higher Education – Thoughts from Kiev

Surviving the 2014 legislative reform: new management challenges for Ukraine’s universities [dropcap size=big]O[/dropcap]n 1 July 2014 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Bill 1187-2 – a new law “On Higher Education” for Ukraine. The b...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Thoughts on Putin – The Dooms Day Scenario

What does an aggressive animal backed into a corner do? Now we’re into nightmare scenario. [dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]’ve spent the past week in Canada visiting my elderly parents. Other than having to deal with jet lag, I’ve also expe...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Can Europe tolerate a neo-fascist government in Russia? – Thoughts from Kiev

“Apparently, comparisons between Putin and Hitler are not well received in western intellectual circles these days, but the fact that during the run-up to the EU Parliamentary elections, every single European extreme right party pr...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Anti-Putin Protests in Moscow – Thoughts from Kiev

“Local protests in Moscow are nowhere near as threatening as tens of thousands of Russian troops massing along a border less than 500 km away.” [dropcap size=big]D[/dropcap]uring the past few weeks I have relaxed somewhat. Th...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Russian T-72 Tanks Enter Ukraine – Thoughts from Kiev.

 “It seems Putin missed the adage of Marx according to which “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.” [dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]n case there was still any doubt about the true nature of the war in Ukraine’s eas...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Political Nationalism – Thoughts from Kiev

[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]  want to live in Kyiv, and I want to watch the evening news without crying! I want to spend the day without news of casualties and deaths due to automatic weapon and rocket fire less than 500 km away from wh...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Ukraine is not “on the verge of war” – open war has begun. – Thoughts from Kiev

[dropcap size=big]M[/dropcap]ay 21 was a notable date: 3 months after Yanukovych’s flight from Kyiv, exactly 90 days after the massacre of the Heaven’s Hundred, and 6 months since the first Euromaidan protest. It should have been a day t...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Putin Blinks – Thoughts from Kiev

[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]t would seem that President Putin may have blinked in the face of pressure from the West today. After meeting with OSCE Chairman and Swiss President Didier Burkhalter, Putin suddenly announced that he was “as...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Territorial Expansion Via Insurrection – Thoughts from Kiev

[dropcap size=big]L[/dropcap]ast weekend we celebrated Easter – a time for reflection and rebirth. Several months ago, Dominique Arel (Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa), called my writings a “Maidan Diary”. Diaries ...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Clash of Civilizations? – Thoughts from Kiev

According to Eastern Rite tradition, the dead are mourned for 40 days. Although deaths are commemorated annually thereafter, after forty days, the lives of survivors are expected to continue. Sunday 31 March happened to be the 40th day a...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Delayed Invasion / May Gambit – Thoughts from Kiev

Is an invasion of eastern Ukraine by Russian troops imminent? This seems to be the question on everyone’s mind tonight. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper alluded to such a possibility during his press conference with Ukrainian PM Ya...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Philosophy – Thoughts From Kiev

Today is a noteworthy day. Exactly 120 days ago a few hundred people set up a tiny protest camp on Kyiv’s Independence Square. On November 21, this small group of people was outraged at the sudden about-face of the Azarov government, and...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Imminent Invasion – Thoughts from Kiev

Today, Crimeans “voted”. Given the barrage of media coverage of this event, I hardly feel it’s worthwhile to comment on it further: the “referendum” was illegal and will not be recognized by any country other than Russia; the result is a...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

The Vladimir Putin Problem – Thoughts From Kiev

The Russian invasion of Crimea has put the entire global security system at risk: states can no longer count on the validity of guarantees endorsed through international agreements (e.g. the Budapest Memorandum); the principle of inviola...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

Putin On Pause – Thoughts from Kiev

President Putin’s press conference seems to have taken some of the heat off Ukraine today. Although Russian troops continue to face off with Ukrainian military personnel in Crimea, tonight it seems unlikely that Putin’s invasion of Ukrai...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Political science

What is Mr Putin Doing In Ukraine? – Thoughts From Kiev.

Today, Sunday, I went to Maidan. Several hundred thousand Kyiv residents went there also. We came together to commiserate; to pay our respects to those who died last week as Kyiv rid itself of a tyrant; to deal with our shock at having o...

by Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Public administration & military science

Public administration & military science

Partner – Proxy – Glitch

The conflict in Ukraine offers unexpected insight into a military construct which has previously been mostly theoretical. The scenario of Ukrainian ground forces fighting beneath an information domain dominated almost exclusively by Amer...

by Zac Rogers

Public administration & military science

Online and imploding on their smartphones

Launched in 2007, this one device now makes it possible to record events, find work, manage teams, locate ourselves on the planet, upload our experiences to social media, get a mortgage, read the newspaper, order a taxi, rent a holiday h...

by Matthew Ford

Public administration & military science

The circulation of power and ethics in AI, robotics, and autonomy research in Australia

Key to unlocking these opportunities is solving or mitigating both the ethical and practical challenges associating with using such systems.

by Sian Troath

Public administration & military science

A decade after, “Welcome to the Jungle.”  A retrospective.

Almost a decade has rolled by since I was asked to pen an open-source scenario on the future of law enforcement, which I titled ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. It was well-loved, and praised, albeit treated in the same manner as the fiction tha...

by The Stroud

Social problems & social services

Social problems & social services

On Data, Devices and Daemons

The world changed in 2007. It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time before smartphones. The breakthrough device, of course, was the iPhone. We’d had constant availability, whether through Blackberries, HTC devices or Nokias befor...

by Lesley Seebeck