Benjamin H. Bradlow
@bhbradlow.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Sociology and International Affairs, @princeton.edu.
Visiting Researcher, Wits Southern Center for Inequality Studies.
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar.
Climate, urbanization, tech, democracy, Global South.
bradlow.princeton.edu
Visiting Researcher, Wits Southern Center for Inequality Studies.
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar.
Climate, urbanization, tech, democracy, Global South.
bradlow.princeton.edu
Pinned
The growing Brics divide between carbon and electro-states
Energy systems can shape political institutions and make some nations more vulnerable to trade wars than others
on.ft.com
My new op-ed essay in the @financialtimes.com.
on.ft.com/4kKqiTb
The growing Brics divide between carbon and electro-states
on.ft.com/4kKqiTb
The growing Brics divide between carbon and electro-states
Taking a break from Bluesky, which just doesn't seem to be worth frequent check-ins. I'm on Substack and LinkedIn, fwiw.
November 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Taking a break from Bluesky, which just doesn't seem to be worth frequent check-ins. I'm on Substack and LinkedIn, fwiw.
Reposted by Benjamin H. Bradlow
Princeton remembers history professor Alison Isenberg, a distinguished urban historian and co-founder of Princeton-Mellon Initiative in Architecture, Urbanism and the Humanities: https://bit.ly/3JBLmPw
November 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Princeton remembers history professor Alison Isenberg, a distinguished urban historian and co-founder of Princeton-Mellon Initiative in Architecture, Urbanism and the Humanities: https://bit.ly/3JBLmPw
Reposted by Benjamin H. Bradlow
Proud to have the @nzpolicylab.bsky.social cited in the IEA World Energy Outlook. The new scenario is grabbing attention, but this is a key figure: China is remaking the global energy industrial base. The very countries that were supposed to sustain oil and gas growth through 2050 are on a new path.
November 13, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Proud to have the @nzpolicylab.bsky.social cited in the IEA World Energy Outlook. The new scenario is grabbing attention, but this is a key figure: China is remaking the global energy industrial base. The very countries that were supposed to sustain oil and gas growth through 2050 are on a new path.
Reposted by Benjamin H. Bradlow
Sharing my piece reflecting on how the mobilization of green finance for investments in water and sanitation infrastructure figures into Brazil's Ecological Transformation Plan (in Portuguese but everything is translatable nowadays): outraspalavras.net/mercadovsdem...
A “COP da Verdade” e a ficção das finanças verdes | Outras Palavras
O saneamento brasileiro virou vitrine da financeirização da sustentabilidade. Por trás do marketing “verde” – e de suas debêntures subsidiadas –, há uma escolha política: transformar direitos em ativo...
outraspalavras.net
November 12, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Sharing my piece reflecting on how the mobilization of green finance for investments in water and sanitation infrastructure figures into Brazil's Ecological Transformation Plan (in Portuguese but everything is translatable nowadays): outraspalavras.net/mercadovsdem...
What critics of Toyota did (do?) not understand is that the hybrid assembly process is complicated. Toyota is obsessed with assembly process — never seen anything like a Toyota assembly line, in my visits to various OEM factories.
Toyota, a longtime hybrid car and truck promoter, is making one of the industry’s biggest bets on green transportation and opening a $14 billion battery plant in North Carolina.
Toyota Doubles Down on Hybrids in the U.S. With $14-Billion Battery Push
A new North Carolina plant is aimed at selling more hybrid cars and trucks to Americans.
on.wsj.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:14 PM
What critics of Toyota did (do?) not understand is that the hybrid assembly process is complicated. Toyota is obsessed with assembly process — never seen anything like a Toyota assembly line, in my visits to various OEM factories.
Reposted by Benjamin H. Bradlow
Read Benjamin H. Bradlow's review of "The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet" by Brett Christophers.
#EarlyView in #BJS ➡️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
#EarlyView in #BJS ➡️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
November 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Read Benjamin H. Bradlow's review of "The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet" by Brett Christophers.
#EarlyView in #BJS ➡️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
#EarlyView in #BJS ➡️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
This forthcoming book by @brankomilan.bsky.social looks like it will be excellent.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
The Great Global Transformation
From the essential chronicler of the world economy, a portrait of the Great Powers in transition. The world’s two great economic powers are on opposite trajectories. In the United States, decades of n...
press.uchicago.edu
November 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This forthcoming book by @brankomilan.bsky.social looks like it will be excellent.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
“Countries that have already industrialised, with per capita incomes well above the average of the global south and Brazil, should be a little more aware that we live in a single ecosystem... for it to be fair, there has to be money on the table.”
www.ft.com/content/f85a...
www.ft.com/content/f85a...
Why Latin America can’t quit oil
As COP30 approaches, Brazil and Colombia offer competing visions of a ‘just energy transition’ for developing countries
www.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
“Countries that have already industrialised, with per capita incomes well above the average of the global south and Brazil, should be a little more aware that we live in a single ecosystem... for it to be fair, there has to be money on the table.”
www.ft.com/content/f85a...
www.ft.com/content/f85a...
"That Brazil chose Chinese electric vehicles as the official means of transporting Mr. Lula and other world leaders sent a clear signal to many: In its quest to transform its roads and its economy, Latin America’s largest nation would be turning to China."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...
A Chinese E.V. Delivers the Host, and a Message, at the Global Climate Summit
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
"That Brazil chose Chinese electric vehicles as the official means of transporting Mr. Lula and other world leaders sent a clear signal to many: In its quest to transform its roads and its economy, Latin America’s largest nation would be turning to China."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...
The fact is that there are plenty of auto firms around the world making profitable EVs.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
Exclusive: Ford considers terminating the electric version of its F-150 pickup, a move that would make the money-losing truck America's first major EV casualty.
Exclusive | Ford Considers Scrapping Electric Version of F-150 Truck
Once hyped as a ‘smartphone that can tow,’ production of money-losing EV pickup may be shut down for good.
on.wsj.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The fact is that there are plenty of auto firms around the world making profitable EVs.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
"Overall, Europe — an early adopter of EVs — had received the bulk of the Chinese investments for component and full vehicle manufacturing. That dynamic shifted w/ Latin America receiving most of the investment in vehicle assembly in the second quarter of this year."
restofworld.org/2025/china-e...
restofworld.org/2025/china-e...
China’s $143 billion push to dominate the global EV industry
After years of investing in Europe, Chinese EV and battery firms are turning to Asia, Africa, and Latin America
restofworld.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
"Overall, Europe — an early adopter of EVs — had received the bulk of the Chinese investments for component and full vehicle manufacturing. That dynamic shifted w/ Latin America receiving most of the investment in vehicle assembly in the second quarter of this year."
restofworld.org/2025/china-e...
restofworld.org/2025/china-e...
"Our clean-energy future is no longer being decided in the boardrooms of the old energy powers, but in the bustling cities and industrial corridors of the global south... The era when American politics could make or break global climate co-operation is over."
Changes in technology, economics and human ingenuity are “bending towards a future where affordable, clean energy for all can finally be a reality”, writes Christiana Figueres. But, she argues, innovation still has to outpace climate impacts econ.st/3JC81Li
Illustration: Dan Williams
Illustration: Dan Williams
November 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM
"Our clean-energy future is no longer being decided in the boardrooms of the old energy powers, but in the bustling cities and industrial corridors of the global south... The era when American politics could make or break global climate co-operation is over."
It’s hard to think of an industry in which the global technological frontier has become so remade in the past century than the auto sector.
Reading this en route to what was once technological ground zero for car manufacturing: Detroit, “Motor City”.
@tomsugrue.bsky.social @rkeil.bsky.social
Reading this en route to what was once technological ground zero for car manufacturing: Detroit, “Motor City”.
@tomsugrue.bsky.social @rkeil.bsky.social
US risks losing more ground to China in EV race as investment tumbles on.ft.com/4qsHm4j
US risks losing more ground to China in EV race as investment tumbles
White House backing for petrol-based cars poses dilemma for many automakers
on.ft.com
October 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
It’s hard to think of an industry in which the global technological frontier has become so remade in the past century than the auto sector.
Reading this en route to what was once technological ground zero for car manufacturing: Detroit, “Motor City”.
@tomsugrue.bsky.social @rkeil.bsky.social
Reading this en route to what was once technological ground zero for car manufacturing: Detroit, “Motor City”.
@tomsugrue.bsky.social @rkeil.bsky.social
Coal generation is not going to stop in South Africa.
Other sources are going to grow.
As electricity and energy minister Ramakgopa put it:
“We are going to get cleaner, but we are not abandoning coal. We don’t have a coal problem. We have an emissions problem.”
www.opis.com/resources/en...
Other sources are going to grow.
As electricity and energy minister Ramakgopa put it:
“We are going to get cleaner, but we are not abandoning coal. We don’t have a coal problem. We have an emissions problem.”
www.opis.com/resources/en...
October 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Coal generation is not going to stop in South Africa.
Other sources are going to grow.
As electricity and energy minister Ramakgopa put it:
“We are going to get cleaner, but we are not abandoning coal. We don’t have a coal problem. We have an emissions problem.”
www.opis.com/resources/en...
Other sources are going to grow.
As electricity and energy minister Ramakgopa put it:
“We are going to get cleaner, but we are not abandoning coal. We don’t have a coal problem. We have an emissions problem.”
www.opis.com/resources/en...
The metalworkers' union in Bahia has brought a case against BYD's factory in northeast Brazil, accusing the firm of campaigning to get factory workers to oppose the union.
BYD é denunciada por suposta pressão contra sindicato
Sindicato denuncia BYD por suposta pressão contra taxa de sindicato; entenda
OUTRO LADO: empresa nega qualquer manipulação trabalhista e reafirma compromisso com direitos de funcionários
www1.folha.uol.com.br
October 23, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The metalworkers' union in Bahia has brought a case against BYD's factory in northeast Brazil, accusing the firm of campaigning to get factory workers to oppose the union.
It's exactly one year since URBAN POWER was published by @princetonupress.bsky.social ! The book is available for 50% off at Amazon.
www.amazon.com/dp/0691237123
www.amazon.com/dp/0691237123
Urban Power: Democracy and Inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg (Princeton Studies in Global and Comparative Sociology)
Urban Power: Democracy and Inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg (Princeton Studies in Global and Comparative Sociology) [Bradlow, Benjamin H.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Urban Power: Democracy and Inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg (Princeton Studies in Global and Comparative Sociology)
www.amazon.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:05 PM
It's exactly one year since URBAN POWER was published by @princetonupress.bsky.social ! The book is available for 50% off at Amazon.
www.amazon.com/dp/0691237123
www.amazon.com/dp/0691237123
Very excited to have received support from CIFAR for new interdisciplinary research with Haotian Wang (Rice University, chemical engineering) on “Biofuels or Batteries: Dual Pathways for Decarbonizing Brazil's Auto Sector”!
More to come…
More to come…
October 21, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Very excited to have received support from CIFAR for new interdisciplinary research with Haotian Wang (Rice University, chemical engineering) on “Biofuels or Batteries: Dual Pathways for Decarbonizing Brazil's Auto Sector”!
More to come…
More to come…
Just published: my review of @brettchristophers.bsky.social's excellent "The Price Is Wrong," in the @bjsociology.bsky.social.
doi.org/10.1111/1468...
doi.org/10.1111/1468...
October 16, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Just published: my review of @brettchristophers.bsky.social's excellent "The Price Is Wrong," in the @bjsociology.bsky.social.
doi.org/10.1111/1468...
doi.org/10.1111/1468...
While announcing a major investment in EV charging in South Africa, BYD says it has no plans to manufacture in the country. Seems this is a buildout to support expanding imports, posing a challenge to OEMs.
techcentral.co.za/byd-south-af...
techcentral.co.za/byd-south-af...
BYD to blanket South Africa with megawatt-scale EV charging network
Construction of the 1MW supercharger network will commence in the second quarter of 2026, BYD has announced.
techcentral.co.za
October 16, 2025 at 12:47 PM
While announcing a major investment in EV charging in South Africa, BYD says it has no plans to manufacture in the country. Seems this is a buildout to support expanding imports, posing a challenge to OEMs.
techcentral.co.za/byd-south-af...
techcentral.co.za/byd-south-af...
This new report highlights challenges to Brazil's EV transition, largely focusing on the alternate technological path of ethanol hybrids.
theicct.org/publication/...
theicct.org/publication/...
Electric vehicle development and strategies among leading automakers: Comparing Brazil with other major markets - International Council on Clean Transportation
This brief examines the electric vehicle (EV) deployment strategies of the leading automakers in the Brazilian light-duty vehicle market and compares them with approaches adopted in other major region...
theicct.org
October 15, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This new report highlights challenges to Brazil's EV transition, largely focusing on the alternate technological path of ethanol hybrids.
theicct.org/publication/...
theicct.org/publication/...
There's a good case that this year's economics Nobel has more relevance to meaningful climate action than the prize given to Nordhaus in 2018.
on.ft.com/4nY0RAe
on.ft.com/4nY0RAe
Why green growth needs creative destruction
Big business lobbying holds back growth, Nobel-winning economists suggest
on.ft.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
There's a good case that this year's economics Nobel has more relevance to meaningful climate action than the prize given to Nordhaus in 2018.
on.ft.com/4nY0RAe
on.ft.com/4nY0RAe
Reposted by Benjamin H. Bradlow
Aghion (et al) have a paper on China, they recognised long ago & before many that the Chinese model departs from the East Asia model in having a Darwinian struggle-to-the-death competition of firms behind a wall of protection. It pairs Schumpeterian growth theory w the economics of industrial policy
October 13, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Aghion (et al) have a paper on China, they recognised long ago & before many that the Chinese model departs from the East Asia model in having a Darwinian struggle-to-the-death competition of firms behind a wall of protection. It pairs Schumpeterian growth theory w the economics of industrial policy
Looking forward to this!
In The Invention of the Future, Bruno Carvalho lays out “a history . . . of humanity’s belief in progress and a better future as demonstrated in the spread of urbanization.” Read the full review in Kirkus:
THE INVENTION OF THE FUTURE | Kirkus Reviews
A history as well as a philosophical examination of humanity’s belief in progress and a better future as demonstrated in the spread of urbanization.
www.kirkusreviews.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Looking forward to this!
Stella Li may end up the most important business figure to shape global manufacturing — and climate change — since Henry Ford.
on.ft.com/4n0am0b ‘The Stella show’: the executive at the heart of BYD’s global push
on.ft.com/4n0am0b ‘The Stella show’: the executive at the heart of BYD’s global push
‘The Stella show’: the executive at the heart of BYD’s global push
Stella Li is steering the Chinese carmaker through price wars at home and tariffs abroad in its pursuit of EV dominance
on.ft.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Stella Li may end up the most important business figure to shape global manufacturing — and climate change — since Henry Ford.
on.ft.com/4n0am0b ‘The Stella show’: the executive at the heart of BYD’s global push
on.ft.com/4n0am0b ‘The Stella show’: the executive at the heart of BYD’s global push
Something strange about how history and qualitative methodologies are so deeply embedded in the work of the last few economics Nobel picks, while the field itself does not appear to reward these interests in younger scholars.
October 13, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Something strange about how history and qualitative methodologies are so deeply embedded in the work of the last few economics Nobel picks, while the field itself does not appear to reward these interests in younger scholars.