Thorsteinn Kristinsson
@stennikr.bsky.social
Footloose academic. Interested in rising powers, relational IR, Liberal International Order, Asian regionalism, small state studies.
📍Taipei, Lund, Reykjavik
Institute of International Affairs, University of Iceland
https://ams.hi.is/en/people/294/
📍Taipei, Lund, Reykjavik
Institute of International Affairs, University of Iceland
https://ams.hi.is/en/people/294/
If and when Taiwan faces a crises of its own, we have to hope that there are some traces of liberal norms and basic human decency left in the international system.
By joining the US in supporting settler colonialism and genocide in Palestine, Taiwan is helping extinguish what's left of those norms.
By joining the US in supporting settler colonialism and genocide in Palestine, Taiwan is helping extinguish what's left of those norms.
November 13, 2025 at 11:41 AM
If and when Taiwan faces a crises of its own, we have to hope that there are some traces of liberal norms and basic human decency left in the international system.
By joining the US in supporting settler colonialism and genocide in Palestine, Taiwan is helping extinguish what's left of those norms.
By joining the US in supporting settler colonialism and genocide in Palestine, Taiwan is helping extinguish what's left of those norms.
International sympathy for Taiwan has always been impaired by its (often unfair) association with US foreign policy.
In the age of Trump and US decline, Taiwan urgently needs to dispel this narrative. It needs to reach out, make more friends, and tell its own story as something more than a US pawn.
In the age of Trump and US decline, Taiwan urgently needs to dispel this narrative. It needs to reach out, make more friends, and tell its own story as something more than a US pawn.
November 13, 2025 at 11:41 AM
International sympathy for Taiwan has always been impaired by its (often unfair) association with US foreign policy.
In the age of Trump and US decline, Taiwan urgently needs to dispel this narrative. It needs to reach out, make more friends, and tell its own story as something more than a US pawn.
In the age of Trump and US decline, Taiwan urgently needs to dispel this narrative. It needs to reach out, make more friends, and tell its own story as something more than a US pawn.
Yes, that's correct. But governments are determined by majorities in the House of Representatives, so those elections are the defining ones.
June 26, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Yes, that's correct. But governments are determined by majorities in the House of Representatives, so those elections are the defining ones.
This is definitely an improvement on the Westminster system in my view, but it's not a PR system since it still aggregates votes towards two large parties or coalitions.
Voters of smaller parties have their voices heard (via 2nd or 3rd preference) but they don't get seats in parliament like in PR.
Voters of smaller parties have their voices heard (via 2nd or 3rd preference) but they don't get seats in parliament like in PR.
June 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
This is definitely an improvement on the Westminster system in my view, but it's not a PR system since it still aggregates votes towards two large parties or coalitions.
Voters of smaller parties have their voices heard (via 2nd or 3rd preference) but they don't get seats in parliament like in PR.
Voters of smaller parties have their voices heard (via 2nd or 3rd preference) but they don't get seats in parliament like in PR.
As far as I can tell, the Austrialian system for the house of representatives is a variant on the Westminster system. It has the same single member constituencies, but instead of using FPTP to determine the winner, the votes get transferred around by preference until someone reaches half the votes.
June 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
As far as I can tell, the Austrialian system for the house of representatives is a variant on the Westminster system. It has the same single member constituencies, but instead of using FPTP to determine the winner, the votes get transferred around by preference until someone reaches half the votes.
It's counterpart is the UK's Westminster system which uses FPTP single member constituencies, which favour large parties allowing them clear majorities with far less than half the vote.
June 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
It's counterpart is the UK's Westminster system which uses FPTP single member constituencies, which favour large parties allowing them clear majorities with far less than half the vote.
Hey Andrew, thanks for this!
However, what I mean by proportional representation are systems where multiple parties can get seats in parliament proportionally to the share of national votes they receive (like in most of Europe). This is typically achieved by having large multimember constituencies.
However, what I mean by proportional representation are systems where multiple parties can get seats in parliament proportionally to the share of national votes they receive (like in most of Europe). This is typically achieved by having large multimember constituencies.
June 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Hey Andrew, thanks for this!
However, what I mean by proportional representation are systems where multiple parties can get seats in parliament proportionally to the share of national votes they receive (like in most of Europe). This is typically achieved by having large multimember constituencies.
However, what I mean by proportional representation are systems where multiple parties can get seats in parliament proportionally to the share of national votes they receive (like in most of Europe). This is typically achieved by having large multimember constituencies.
Definitely better than FPTP.
But I still much prefer our proportional representation parliamentary systems.
But I still much prefer our proportional representation parliamentary systems.
June 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Definitely better than FPTP.
But I still much prefer our proportional representation parliamentary systems.
But I still much prefer our proportional representation parliamentary systems.
Brief thread here.
A new piece by me in @thediplomat.com.
I argue that, despite considerable speculation to the contrary, #China will not invade #Taiwan in the near future.
In fact, the Trump administration's trade wars are decreasing that likelihood.
I argue that, despite considerable speculation to the contrary, #China will not invade #Taiwan in the near future.
In fact, the Trump administration's trade wars are decreasing that likelihood.
Why China Will Not Invade Taiwan (For Now)
China has little to gain and everything to lose by altering the world’s current geopolitical trajectory.
thediplomat.com
May 17, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Brief thread here.
Beijing has long dreamed off a more 'multipolar' order for this very reason. It has no reason to create a global crisis just as Trump is delivering it.
May 16, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Beijing has long dreamed off a more 'multipolar' order for this very reason. It has no reason to create a global crisis just as Trump is delivering it.
The belligerence of US foreign policy towards friends and foes alike, is charting a geopolitical trajectory that is highly favourable to China.
By fatally undermining US alliances, the Trump administration has all but ensured that the US will confront China alone in the coming decades.
By fatally undermining US alliances, the Trump administration has all but ensured that the US will confront China alone in the coming decades.
May 16, 2025 at 7:08 AM
The belligerence of US foreign policy towards friends and foes alike, is charting a geopolitical trajectory that is highly favourable to China.
By fatally undermining US alliances, the Trump administration has all but ensured that the US will confront China alone in the coming decades.
By fatally undermining US alliances, the Trump administration has all but ensured that the US will confront China alone in the coming decades.