
John James Kirton (born 1948)
is professor emeritus of political science and the director and founder of the G7 Research Group, director and founder of the G20 Research Group, founder and co-director (with
James Orbinski) of the Global Health Diplomacy Program, and founder and co-founder (with Marina Larionova of the
) of the BRICS Research Group, based at
University of Trinity College
Trinity College (occasionally referred to as The University of Trinity College) is a college federated with the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Strachan originally intended Trinity as a university of strong Ang ...
in the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
.
He received his B.A. in Political Science in 1971 from the University of Toronto, his M.A. in International Affairs in 1973 from
Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning Worl ...
, and his Ph.D. in International Studies in 1977 from the
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consiste ...
.
He specializes in Canadian foreign policy, the
G7,
G8,
G20
The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation ...
,
BRICS
BRICS is an acronym for five leading emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The first four were initially grouped as " BRIC" (or "the BRICs") in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, who coined the t ...
and
global governance
Global governance refers to institutions that coordinate the behavior of transnational actors, facilitate cooperation, resolve disputes, and alleviate collective action problems. Global governance broadly entails making, monitoring, and enforc ...
, global health governance, and trade and the environment.
As a scholar of Canadian foreign policy, Kirton pioneered the complex neo-realist theory of Canada's emergence as a principal power in the world through his major books, ''Canada as a Principal Power'' (co-written with David Dewitt) and ''Canadian Foreign Policy in a Changing World''.
In the field of trade and environment, Kirton led the multinational, multidisciplinary team that developed an analytical framework for assessing the environmental effects of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and identified the many ways in which the
Commission for Environmental Cooperation, North America's first regional organization of consequence, enhanced ecological quality throughout the region and beyond. He has also served as a member of Canada's
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) was a Canadian advisory program created in response to the 1987 United Nations document ''Our Common Future'' by the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. The NRTEE focused on ...
.
The author or editor of more than 35 books, Kirton is the editor of the Global Governance book series as well as co-editor (with Miranda Schreurs) of the Global Environmental Governance book series published by
Routledge Publishing
Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...
; he was also co-editor (with Michele Fratianni and Paolo Savona) of the Global Finance series published by
Ashgate Publishing
Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham ( Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office i ...
. He is co-editor of several publications on the G7 and G20 and also a series on "Health: A Political Choice" published by GT Media.
He is active in various volunteer activities, and serves on the board of the NATO Council of Canada (formerly
The Atlantic Council of Canada) and the
Empire Club of Canada
The Empire Club of Canada is a Canadian speakers' forum. Established in 1903, the Empire Club has provided a forum for many thousands of different speakers.
Through a variety of presentation formats, the Empire Club invites local, national and in ...
. He was a member of the board of the
Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs for many years until 2013. He continues to play an advisory role for Couchiching events which are now hosted by the
Canadian International Council
The Canadian International Council (CIC; french: Conseil international du Canada, link=no) is a Canadian think tank on foreign relations. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada's role in international affairs. ...
.
Selected bibliography
''Reconfiguring the Global Governance of Climate Change'' (co-authored with Ella Kokotsis and Brittaney Warren (Routledge, 2022)
''Accountability for Effectiveness in Global Governance'' (co-edited with Marina Larionova (Routledge, 2017)
''China's G20 Leadership'' (Routledge, 2016)
''The Global Governance of Climate Change: G7, G20 and UN Leadership'' (with Ella Kokotsis; Ashgate, 2015)
''The G8-G20 Relationship in Global Governance'' (co-edited with Marina Larionova; Ashgate, 2015)
''Moving Health Sovereignty in Africa: Disease, Governance, Climate Change'' (co-edited with Andrew F. Cooper, Franklyn Lisk and Hany Besada; Ashgate, 2014).
''Africa's Health Challenges Sovereignty, Mobility of People and Healthcare Governance'' (co-edited with Andrew F. Cooper, Franklyn Lisk and Hany Besada; Farnham: Ashgate, 2013).
''Making Global Economic Governance Effective: Hard and Soft Law Institutions in a Crowded World'' (co-edited with Marina Larionova and Paolo Savona; Ashgate, 2010).
''Innovation in Global Health Governance: Critical Cases'' (co-edited with Andrew F. Cooper; Ashgate, 2009).
''Canadian Foreign Policy in a Changing World'' (Nelson Thomson, 2007).
''Financing Development: The G8 and UN Contribution'' (co-edited with Michele Fratianni and Paolo Savona; Ashgate, 2007).
''Governing Global Health: Challenge, Response, Innovation'' (co-edited with Andrew F. Cooper and Ted Schrecker; Ashgate, 2007).
An Environment-First Foreign Policy for Canada(Remarks prepared for an Experts Roundtable on "Foreign Policy Dialogue: Environment and Canadian Foreign Policy," Ottawa, May 12, 2003).
Governing Globalization: The G8's Contribution for the Twenty-First Century(Revised version of a paper prepared for a conference on "Russia within the "Group of Eight," sponsored by the Institute for Applied International Research, April 11–12, 2003).
Building Democratic Partnerships: The G8-Civil Society Link(Paper prepared for the Third Annual EnviReform Conference: Sustainability, Civil Society and International Governance: Local, North American and Global Perspectives, November 8, 2002).
''Governing Global Finance: New Challenges, G7 and IMF Contributions'' (co-edited with Michele Fratianni and Paolo Savona; Ashgate, 2002).
''Linking Trade, Environment, and Social Cohesion: NAFTA Experiences, Global Challenges'' (co-edited with Virginia Maclaren; Ashgate, 2002).
''Environmental Regulations and Corporate Strategy'' (with Alan Rugman and Julie Soloway; Oxford University Press, 1999).
''The G8’s Role in the New Millennium'' (co-edited with Michael Hodges and Joseph Daniels; Ashgate, 1999).
''Canadian Foreign Policy: Selected Cases'' (co-edited with Don Munton; Prentice-Hall, 1993).
''Canada as a Principal Power'' (with David Dewitt; John Wiley, 1983).
''The International Joint Commission Seventy Years On'' (with Robert Spencer and Kim Richard Nossal; Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto, 1981).
References
* Kirton, John
''Forbes'', July 7, 2008.
* Woods, Allan
"Toronto Star," June 3, 2010.
External links
G7 Information CentreG20 Information CentreBRICS Information CentreGlobal Health Diplomacy ProgramTrinity College in the University of TorontoEnviReform ProjectRoutledge Publishing's Global Governance SeriesRoutledge Publishing's Global Environmental Governance SeriesPersonal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirton, John
Living people
Canadian Anglicans
Canadian political scientists
University of Toronto faculty
University of Toronto alumni
Carleton University alumni
Johns Hopkins University alumni
1948 births