Nicholas Kitchen

Associate Prof @SurreyPolitics. Director @CGPC_surrey. Visiting Fellow @LSEIDEAS. Power analysis, strategy, and neoclassical realist nerdiness.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

What is great power competition anyway? 🧵 @CGPC_Surrey

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

@nqatpod amazing how often when a manager gets sacked a bunch of injured players miraculously recover

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

SAVE AMERICAN STUDIES TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/koannL0JZT via @UKChange

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

@nqatpod We like nqat because it’s not going in for click-baity reactionary stuff. You’re better than this, please keep it that way.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Just no evidence NATO enlargement debate was about military security. It’s about the reason why the Cold War was lost - the economic consequences of defeat. Once E Europe was part of the transatlantic financial system its prosperity would advance too fast for Russia’s comfort.

[Sergey Radchenko @DrRadchenko]

I struggle with the NATO enlargement debate for the following reasons.

-- The prima facie case is "we ignored Russia at our peril; if we only took their concerns into account--i.e. did not enlarge NATO to the East--then things would have turned out better. Didn't they tell us, time and again, that this was unacceptable."
-- But then in comes the counterargument: "If we did not find a safe anchoring for these countries in NATO, they'd be much less secure than they are today. In effect, there would be many more Moldovas and Ukraines." Also: "Why should we have indulged Russia with its imperialist fantasies; we should have actually been straightforward with the Russians, so they'd face the reality that they had lost the Cold War. Tough love. Instead we tried to humor them."
-- Then comes in the other counterargument: "Then, why should we be surprised that a resurgent Russia is trying to screw us over. Tough love. And as for Eastern Europe, are they more secure today, with an aggressive Russia at their doorstep, and Art. 5 little better than make-believe?"
-- The counterargument to that is: "Absolutely, they are better off, just look at Ukraine."
-- "But Ukraine would not have happened if..."
-- "Of course, it would..."

This is a conversation one is bound to have in one's head. Arguments on both sides have merit, yet they can't all be true, can they?

Unfortunately, when it comes to this whole topic, I am like Isiah Berlin's fox, jumping here and there, because each position--when taken to its logical conclusion--leads to absurdity.

In any case, the evidence is pretty thin for much of this on-going argument. What we do have mounting evidence for is that throughout the 1990s the Russians incessantly complained about NATO's eastern enlargement. It wasn't something Putin suddenly came up with in 2007. Make of it what you will.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

@nqatpod Yeah he’s just done that. Where was he going?

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

We illustrate the argument with examples from the last twenty years of Chinese grand strategy. Check it out! (/end)

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

New Article Alert! “If You Build It, They Will Come.” Infrastructure, Hegemonic Transition, and Peaceful Change, with Simon Curtis is out in @GSQ_Journal. Thanks to the team there for a really smooth review process. https://t.co/saNlPFBw21

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

We isolate three pathways: renewing and redirecting existing infrastructure; building alternatives to existing infrastructure; and developing and deploying new infrastructures at the leading edge of technological development. (4/)

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

More on the task of strategic net assessment here https://t.co/OxSacBnLPZ

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Under conditions of great power competition, how can we tell who’s winning? This is the question I tackle in a new article in @SurvivalEditors, just out. https://t.co/hqNaIfPCvU 🧵

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

In the week after the DOD axes the Office of Net Assessment, in the UK we're prioritising that kind of deep, critical diagnostic thinking. Job at Oxford in strategic net assessment https://t.co/QBZ80W0f7a

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Very timely stuff: I would expect a different diagnosis of Europe's challenges than @JDVance presented at Munich, but if the point of that particular intervention was to encourage great European autonomy, that discussion will certainly be prominent.

[Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE) @SurreyCbe]

📢 Join us in Surrey, UK, for the "Challenges to Europe – European Challenges" Conference, exploring the forces shaping politics, society, and democracy across the continent 🇪🇺 📅 28-29 May 2025 | 📍University of Surrey 🔗 Free registration: https://t.co/Lc3mMjZ8lS

[Sergey Radchenko @DrRadchenko]

This is so true. There’s a gigantic credibility gap.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

@nqatpod His work against the ball is just bobbins. Doesn’t appear to understand pressing lines, absolutely powder puff physically, strokes opponents rather than challenging them. The soft shoe touches look nice, but honestly one of the worst attacking players I’ve seen in a Utd shirt.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Roll up! Great opportunity to present work on all things Europe - from populist politics to the Western alliance. I'll be giving a keynote entitled 'Sleeping with a stricken elephant' but don't let that particular imagery put you off - get your abstracts in!

[Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE) @SurreyCbe]

✳️CALL FOR PAPERS✳️

The CBE, with @PolStudiesAssoc German, Italian & Greek Specialists, invites you to the Challenges to Europe - European Challenges Conference at the @UniOfSurrey, 28-29 May 2025.

Submit your abstract by 20 Jan 2025!

Details: https://t.co/iqAoSNUKhe

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Moving to the other place @nickkitchen.bsky.social

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

As long as he didn’t use the word liberalist he’s fine by me

[Seva @SevaUT]

guys I've seen the video and it's a bombshell that will end the campaign. Trump actually confuses structural realism for neoclassical realism

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

I was a discussant for an earlier version of this paper back @MYBISA in Glasgow last year, and it's really good to see it out. Trump's particular brand of masculinity and his declinism are clear, what Clara does really nicely is to connect the two.

[clara eroukhmanoff @claraerouk]

This is finally out ! “A gendered analysis of US decline: a cautionary tale” available Open Access in International Relations journal 💥 @LSBU_LSS #trumpism #USdecline #hybridmasculinity #UShegemony #FeministIR
https://t.co/W9uhqLJwQo

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

@SadCustomers @AirbnbHelp @guardianmoney @Airbnb They just removed that bit of the description from their advert. But I’m pleased to say that - in the end - @AirbnbHelp did come through and have processed a partial refund.

[Nicholas Kitchen @NickKitchen1]

Hi @guardianmoney I’ve got a consumer case for you. @Airbnb refusing to provide a partial refund because the host refuses to, despite a property not having an advertised tennis court. Apparently this doesn’t count as a ‘significant difference’ and @AirbnbHelp just closed the case