Huawei's Role in the Free World's Communications Network

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The US has decided that Huawei is not going to be allowed to supply goods to its telecommunications providers. Some countries, including close allies, such as the United Kingdom, have been much less forthright on the US side than one might expect. The question for other countries is much less straightforward: Do they see China as a fundamental threat? Or do they just view this as being another nuisance, along with the fact that the NSA is listening into their phone calls?

The one concept most valuable for understanding the news today might be Henry Farrell’s theory of weaponized interdependence. Whether it’s China’s influence over the NBA, the US ban of Huawei, or whether social media should be regulated on a global scale, Henry Farrell has played a key role articulating how global economic networks can enable state coercion.

Tyler and Henry discuss these issues and more, including what a big tech breakup would mean for security and privacy, why political economics suggests Facebook’s Oversight Board won’t work, what Italy might reveal about China’s future, his family connection to Joyce, his undying affection for My Bloody Valentine, why Philip K. Dick would have reveled in QAnon, why Twitter seems left-wing, and being a first generation academic blogger.

Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links.

Recorded October 7th, 2019 Other ways to connect

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