Talk:Ian Bremmer

General tone
Look at some similar articles. This one reads like a PR piece, not an encyclopedia article. Flatterworld (talk) 05:29, 21 December 2010 (UTC)


 * That's just what I was thinking. His claim of coming up with "America First" a century after it was coined is absurd. 65.68.190.219 (talk) 08:00, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

I tend to agree. I saw this guy on a TV show and couldn't get oriented as to what he is about. I consulted Wikipedia for more perspective and found nothing useful. I have found that a number of Wikipedia articles have this problem Editors seem to have a hard time presenting the big picture. In this case, I still have no clear idea of what Ian Bremmer is about. ---Dagme (talk) 15:28, 14 January 2013 (UTC)

An interesting contrast is the Wikipedia entry for Fareed Zakaria, a close colleague of Bremmer. In that article, there is a long section called "Political Views". This section presents diverse perspectives on his political views, which enable the reader to get some sense of what he is about. Something like this is completely absent from the entry on Bremmer. ---Dagme (talk) 15:54, 14 January 2013 (UTC)

Totally agree about the PR comment. Did his publisher write this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.216.12.38 (talk) 22:00, 12 November 2014 (UTC)

No, he probably written that personaly 195.29.212.250 (talk) 14:11, 1 June 2015 (UTC)


 * I've commented out a lot of the self-promotional material. Softlavender (talk) 01:14, 6 July 2016 (UTC)

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Severe Conflict of Interest issues
Making note of what I suspect to be several instances of undisclosed WP:COI issue. This article has already been noted to have issues along the lines of WP:NPOV and WP:NOTADVERTISING, which appear to stem largely from four accounts:
 * User:Ngedana appears associated with Eurasia Group. Per Xtools, 20% of the text on the page currently is written by this user, the largest of any editor. Edits focus on him and related topics.
 * 67.86.120.150, a New Jersey-based IP address, has the most edits to this page by far, although they were excessively adulatory and the original text is mostly gone. It created the article for Bremmer, his company, and his book.
 * 67.250.41.182, also editing almost exclusively to add information about Bremmer, geolocated to New York.

Update: From other articles, here are users that appear to pop up solely to add external links or otherwise embellish Bremmer/Eurasia Group-related content. I made note of some of them on the Eurasia Group talk page here, but as I go through other books and accounts it's going to be more convenient to put them all together in one place. This was not how intend to spend my Saturday morning, but here we are anyways :) :) :)
 * JaneEG (guessing EG = Eurasia Group), whose 2010 edits almost exclusively focused on Ian Bremmer, his book, or adding citations and laudatory references to Bremmer in articles like State capitalism.
 * User:Brianharper89, edits to Eurasia Group earlier this year mostly later undone.
 * User:Shenning18, who has exclusively edited on the Eurasia Group page after the edits by Brianharper89 were undone.
 * Eganjali, who made the page for Bremmer’s The J Curve (book) and has made no edits since 2006, when the account evidently intervened to delete an AfD discussion.
 * 24.136.27.77, A Chicago-area IP with only four edits, all from 2010 and all about Bremmer and links to articles about him field.
 * Numerous other IP accounts that only edit to add information related Bremmer, his company, or his works. Some examples include 69.86.1.174, 69.193.191.194, and 81.143.141.233.

In short: It appears several accounts near where Bremmer and his company are located have been driving the production of this article and other related ones for several years, using it as an advertising platform. Evidence an employee of the company specifically created an account to specifically edit as well. I am going to do major cleanup and will refer to this discussion section to justify rather large deletions of content, if necessary. WhinyTheYounger (talk) 03:57, 13 June 2020 (UTC)


 * This is worrying, and I’d be the first to call out WP:COI and WP:PAID editing. I applaud your efforts. But I think a bit of the proverbial baby has been thrown out with the bath water here, as you also removed citations to the Wall Street Journal and the New York Stock Exchange. I’m not saying either are due in context, but they should probably be discussed. Symmachus Auxiliarus (talk) 14:55, 13 June 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the heads up. Perhaps out of annoyance I am assuming bad faith, which I'll be careful to avoid going forward. That said, I think the WSJ source you're referring to though is still problematic, or at the very least redundant--the link was just a book review (and the book is already detailed in the body, though I have initiated AfD discussions for it, because of the above-mentioned COI issues but primarily the fact that the book does not seem to meet WP:NBOOK standards, per my understanding). I'm not sure what you're referring to regarding the NYSE thing--I believe I removed an NYSE link on Eurasia Group, but that was because it was NYSE announcing a partnership with Eurasia Group in what seemed to be a press release. WhinyTheYounger (talk) 15:39, 13 June 2020 (UTC)


 * Can these accounts be added as COI to the top of this article and to the talk pages of Eurasia Group? Just to make everyone well-aware of these problems. Snooganssnoogans (talk) 14:57, 13 June 2020 (UTC)

Addressing COI Issues/Updates

 * As we discussed on our talk pages as well as the Eurasia Group talk page, I'm a Eurasia Group employee weighing in to hopefully help address the COI issues outlined above. Though many predate my time with the company, I will do whatever I can to assist. I also want to reiterate my thanks for the helpful information you provided on Wikipedia's COI policies.

In addressing some of the COI issues on Ian Bremmer's page, some items were removed that might still warrant inclusion. I wanted to highlight those, as well as some other suggested updates:


 * 1. In the introduction, I believe there was previously a reference to Ian Bremmer being referred to as a "guru" in the political risk field. While I can appreciate how that would sound too promotional/self-congratulatory coming from someone within our company, both The Economist and The Wall Street Journal have described Ian Bremmer this way. Perhaps an update along these lines would make sense: "Ian Bremmer is an American political scientist and author. Most widely known for advances in political risk, Bremmer has been referred to as a "guru" in the field by The Economist and The Wall Street Journal.
 * 2. Also in the introduction, we'd like to mention that Ian Bremmer co-founded GZERO Media, a media company featuring digital programming as well as a US national public television show called GZERO World with Ian Bremmer.
 * 3. As with the Eurasia Group page, we thought it would be worth providing a bit more detail on the nature of the company's work. Perhaps something like the following: "Initially focused on emerging markets, Eurasia Group has expanded to include frontier and developed economies, in addition to establishing practices focused on geo-technology and energy issues. Since 2006, Bremmer has co-authored Eurasia Group’s annual Top Risks report, a forecast of the 10 key geopolitical risks for the year ahead."
 * 4. I also created a GZERO Media draft for consideration as a new sub-section under the Career section of Ian Bremmer's page.
 * 5. I understand there were issues with the way Ian Bremmer's books were handled in the past. I wanted to propose a few additions for consideration in the Writing sub-section: Bremmer's 10 books on global affairs include the New York Times Best Seller Us vs Them: The Failure of Globalism and The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall, selected by The Economist as one of the best books of 2006.
 * 6. In the event that it's appropriate in the Writing section to cite some of the additional major publications to which Ian Bremmer has contributed, he has also published articles in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Foreign Affairs.
 * 7. In the Appointments section, could this help as a citation for the note that Ian Bremmer was knighted by Italy's government? https://www.theeditorial.com/essay/2016/12/14/ian-bremmer-95
 * 8. In the Philanthropic Work section, another note that might be worth including about the Eurasia Group Foundation is that it partnered with Marginal Revolution University to develop Globalization, Robots, and You, a free, one-week curriculum exploring the pros and cons of globalization.

Because of my COI, I understand that I cannot directly edit this article. I remain grateful for any guidance/feedback on these and any other issues. Thank you! --Brianharper89 (talk) 19:29, 15 July 2020 (UTC)


 * No problem, I'll look through these more closely in the coming week. Adding numbering to the bullets as well for the sake of convenient reference. Off the bat, a few things to note:
 * 2, 4. For G-zero-related things, note that G-Zero world article is under discussion for merger, which I proposed awhile ago, but given low traffic to the page, has remained stagnant. You can read my reasoning there on the talk page, which other independent editors may or may not agree with. Part of the issue is around 80% of the article at least was written by WP:SPAs, "single-purpose accounts", with at least one bearing a name directly traceable to a person previously employed by Eurasia Group. In any case, the viability of the page is questionable, so it might be advisable to combine what is WP:NOTABLE from that article with your draft for G-Zero media; as it stands, I am skeptical an independent section is warranted under WP:NPRODUCT or WP:NCORP given that the only independent sources you cited appear to be the single Telly Award page (which, correct me if I am wrong, is not Indian Telly Awards, right? If not, the notability of the awards themselves seems suspect.) The PBS page is not independent insofar as it is the hosting platform of the show itself.
 * 3. From WP:NPRODUCT, inclusion of specific services or products, like the annual report, are still subject to notability requirements: If the products and services are not notable enough for their own article, the discussion of them should be trimmed and summarized into a shorter format, or even cut entirely if the products are not significantly mentioned in reliable secondary sources. It would help significantly if you were able to locate mention of independent, significant, and reliable sources mentioning the development of the company's services and/or the annual report.
 * 7. That source doesn't seem verifiable, in that it does not mention even a specific date of knighthood or the order. Combined with something else (even a primary source, like Italian documentation available on the open web of the ceremony with his name) it would work, but on its own "Italian knight" is too vague.
 * 8. The standard for inclusion of philanthropic work is still going to default to independent, significant, and reliable coverage. MRU is not independent because it is the partner organization in question.
 * WhinyTheYounger (talk) 20:34, 16 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks for your quick follow-up. I'll try to address the points as best I can below.
 * 2, 4. "G-Zero" can be a bit confusing, as it refers to two separate things: one is the concept of a G-Zero world, which Ian Bremmer laid out in one of his books. It is described under the Key Concepts section of Ian's page as well as in this G-Zero world Wikipedia page, which, as you pointed out, was apparently created by someone affiliated with Eurasia Group. GZERO Media, on the other hand, is a company that features digital programming, a newsletter, and the referenced PBS show, which is called GZERO World with Ian Bremmer. I assumed keeping the section concise and similar to the recommended language included on the Eurasia Group page was best, but if helpful, episodes of the PBS show GZERO World with Ian Bremmer have been referenced or linked to in POLITICO, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and in an article for TIME that Ian wrote. I believe the Telly Awards I referenced differ from the Indian Telly Awards, as the Telly Awards website I linked to lists a 212 area code (New York) phone number. Noted that the PBS page would not be considered independent; I simply included it to highlight notability (eg, the show and company that produces it are noteworthy enough to have a PBS show).
 * 3. On the question of the Top Risks report and Eurasia Group's services, I was again trying to mirror the recommended language that was accepted on the Eurasia Group page. Also, I might have been unclear, but I wasn't suggesting this be included as a separate page or new section; I was simply suggesting new sentences to explain these central aspects of the firm's work. While I'm not sure how much luck we'd have finding independent sources that lay out the timeline of developing these products, the Top Risks report receives considerable media coverage each year--previous reports, for example, have been referenced by CBS News, Bloomberg, CNN, and MSNBC, among others.
 * 7. Noted on the knighthood. I couldn't find much else of a mention that was publicly available, but I'll certainly let you know if I come across anything.
 * 8. Noted on philanthropic work as well.


 * Thank you again! Brianharper89 (talk) 21:04, 17 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Based on your responses and my reading of the relevant policy, I've implemented the following based on the initial list.
 * 1. ❌: I am hesitant to include "guru" specifically, because, as you mentioned, it sounds promotional. The lead section is ideally supposed to summarize/reflect the contents of the body, and it is clear from the lead as it stands that a) Bremmer is a specialist focused on political risk and b) runs Eurasia Group, a business that provides consulting services to that end. The Economist (I do not have access to the WSJ article) writing that Bremmer is "a rising guru in the area [who] has written some provocative books on the subject" of political risk is insufficient to reflect a widespread consensus that Bremmer is indeed a widely acknowledged "guru" (and I would argue rising guru is an important qualifier there). In comparison, the lead for Noam Chomsky, a designated Good Article, contains reference to Chomsky's status as a "father of modern linguistics" with three independent citations using the exact wording; more importantly, the lead does so reflecting the body of the article, which spends several well-sourced paragraphs explaining his research and its impact on the field. The standard for inclusion of things like "guru" or "recognized expert" etc. is high, particularly in the lead. There is arguably room for a more neutral expansion of the lead describing the general focus of Bremmer's works, however.
 * 2/4. : Sentence in lead added. I added the section you drafted without the Telly Award reference, which, barring further evidence of notability, is not noteworthy for inclusion. I made mild revisions, mainly to reflect the merger of G-Zero world with Every Nation for Itself.
 * 3. ✅: My bad for misreading. For reference, the EG page justifiably includes reference to the Top 10 Reports insofar as they are a product of EG, and as your sources demonstrate, they do have significant, independent coverage in reliable sources. This does not necessarily justify the transposition of content from the EG page here, however (cf. Madeleine Albright's page does not include much detail about Albright Stonebridge Group), but I can accepted inclusion for the sake of completeness. I did removed "since 2006" since I was unable to find that language in the sources (forgive me if I missed it), but if there's a primary source indicating that date as well, that's fine, and I can add it in.
 * 5. : Economist ref. for J-Curve added. Since there is no existing description of Us vs. Them, I didn't put anything about it in. A quick google search indicates it may well qualify for an independent article, and/or at least a sub-section on this page, both of which you are free to draft.
 * 6. ❌: Unless he is a regular, paid contributor to a give publication, and/or a given article of his generates significant coverage in its own right, my assumption is there is not a compelling reason to include examples of outlets Bremmer has written for. See, for instance, the page for Andrew Sullivan, a B-class article which discusses his writing career in terms of employment or works of great impact, but does not bother to list every publication in which a single article of his has been carried.
 * 7/8. ❌ per initial explanation.
 * WhinyTheYounger (talk) 01:21, 2 August 2020 (UTC)

Syrian origin
Ian says in this tweet that he is the grandson of "Armenian and syrian immigtant" not Armenian from Syria. He has both ancestries. https://x.com/ianbremmer/status/666977780085731328?t=_f3b1jrFPyPPo6YPGn0V9Q&s=09

He also said on his FB page that his grandmother came from Syria, in the comments he was asked what the breakdown of his heritage was, Bremmer replied: Armenian/Syrian/German/Italian/native American.

https://m.facebook.com/ianbremmer/photos/a.382808748558842/627155227457525/?type=3&mibextid=CDWPTG Whatsupkarren (talk) 13:15, 26 December 2023 (UTC)