Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 18/09/2026My only contribution has been made in the classroom—in the conversations, questions, arguments, moments of doubt and sudden sparks of insight shared with my students—and in whatever stays with them afterwards, in their heads and hearts. Let’s see what comes of it. 010
Reposted by Christian DimmerAstra Taylor @astra.bsky.social · 13/09/2026And that, fundamentally, is the prospect that terrifies end times fascists more than anything else. What keeps these men up at night is … us. It’s the possibility that a popular and vigorous movement will rise up and defend this planet and the many life-forms who call it home.” 511250
Reposted by Christian DimmerNaomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Since it can be hard to believe that political and corporate elites would actively give up on our shared future on this singular planet, we made a short film so folks can hear from the end timers and judge for themselves. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...theguardian.comNaomi Klein and Astra Taylor: the future according to end times fascismIn a new video, Klein and Taylor outline a ominous evolution taking shape on the far right – and how to stay loyal to this planet and each other 341536609
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Your scholarship and your writing is outstanding and deeply inspiring! 140
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026The task is therefore not simply to identify an enemy, but to understand the system: map the actors, feedback loops, dependencies and incentives, and identify leverage points across scales and subsystems. We need systemic intervention, not a war against a symptom. 3/3 010
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Many different actors, institutions and incentives interact, each behaving rationally within their own subsystem while collectively producing an increasingly dysfunctional whole. 2/3 110
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 11/09/2026I have my difficulties with the “war” metaphor. Who, after all, is the Secretary of War here? Like climate change and unregulated AI, this is a wicked systems problem. There is no single enemy, command centre or actor to defeat. 1/3 252
Reposted by Christian DimmerDavid McNeill @davidamcneill.bsky.social · 09/09/2026I went to Nanmoku in Gunma to ask: what happens to societies that begin to depopulate and shrink? Japan is finding out. My piece in The Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/world/asia-p...irishtimes.comJapan’s disappearing village fights to avoid extinctionSome years pass without a single baby in Nanmoku. Now the mountain community is searching for a way to avoid extinction 072
Reposted by Christian DimmerBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 03/09/2026This is really important. “What the far right feels about cities isn’t physical fear. It’s discomfort. Canadian urban planner @brenttoderian.bsky.social decodes this feeling as: “I’m not the majority any more, it isn’t my city anymore.” Via @simonkuper.bsky.social in @financialtimes.comft.comMyth of the big, bad megacityWhat the right feels about metropoles isn’t physical fear. It’s discomfort 115232
Reposted by Christian Dimmerrain-singer.bsky.social @rain-singer.bsky.social · 04/09/2026 107112232831
Reposted by Christian DimmerBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Imagine inventing something so awful that the world has decided to call it “pervert glasses.” 419227
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 02/09/2026“Of course, we want to believe that the real economic benefits are yet to come. But right now, it’s hard to say that the impact has truly trickled down.” Beware of cataclysmic money, Jane Jacobs warned. It can undermine resilience by creating dangerous dependencies. 010
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 31/08/2026You always have to ask: cool for whom—and where in Odaiba? It’s a huge place, and few people ever ventured beyond Palette Town or Decks. For me, as an urbanist, Odaiba has always been cool. But then, I’m a nerd who loves long, extended urban walks and sometimes emptiness in a crowded city. 000
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 31/08/2026For those who enjoyed Koenji’s #Awaodori festival last weekend,here’s a short article of mine exploring its history.The bottom line:what looks “traditional” is sometimes invented—and there’s nothing wrong with that.Traditions are made, remade and reinvented.So why not invent some exciting new ones?mascontext.comPlace-making in Kōenji: (Re)Invented Spaces and TraditionsShort essay by Christian Dimmer. 041
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Odaiba has never been popular enough to justify the gigantic investment required to reclaim the land& build it. Yes, it had the Gundam, Palette Town, the Statue of Liberty, the beach & Decks. But attractions are not the same as a city. For all the money poured into Odaiba, it never truly came alive. 110
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 31/08/2026A rapidly ageing society w/ shrinking workforce needs migrants.Not only are care givers in short supply;every work-intensive sector is competing for a shrinking pie.That’s a demographic fact. Make of it what you will,Mr & Ms populist.It’s time to stop feeding fear& start developing positive visions.politician.is 051
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 30/08/2026As we see in the U.S., pandering to anti-foreigner sentiment for short-term political gain—often to outflank the far right—doesn’t just harm the economy. It manufactures the resentment it claims to respond to. 011
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 27/08/2026The treacherous thing about climate change is how differently it plays out locally: more snow in New York or around Sea of Japan, prolonged droughts across parts of Europe, alongside unprecedented, freak weather events. Resilience thus cannot be one-size-fits-all. We need locally grounded toolkits. 041
Reposted by Christian DimmerWilliam Andrews @william-andrews.bsky.social · 24/08/2026My interview with the Books on Asia Podcast about my biography of Adachi Masao, released next week by @awaibooks.bsky.social booksonasia.net/podcast/boa-...booksonasia.netBOA Podcast 93—Adachi Masao: Pink Films, Red Politics with William Andrews - Books on AsiaJohn talks to Tokyo-based researcher, writer and translator William Andrews about Pink Auteur, Red Outlaw, his new biography of this provocative filmmaker and revolutionary. 0168
Reposted by Christian DimmerAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 23/08/2026Mark Carney: "In recent days. the US proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair, and undermine the net benefits for Canada, and called into question the reliability of any deal. In short, they asked too much and they offered too little ... You're at war when you get attacked. We got attacked." 406114132821
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 24/08/2026TOKYO JAZZ JOINTS @tokyojazzjoints.bsky.social is a documentary photography project that set out to document Tokyo's myriad jazz bars and cafes back in March 2015, with little idea of how far and wide it would eventually reach. www.tokyojazzjoints.com 090
Reposted by Christian DimmerThe Japan Times @japantimes.co.jp · 20/08/2026Commentary: Japan's response to the U.S. campaign against the ICC is emerging as a critical test of its long‑standing commitment to international justice and a rules‑based order.ebx.shThe time to defend the International Criminal Court is nowDespite reticence to confront destabilizing U.S. behavior, there are risks to Japan’s interests and wider support for the ICC should it choose not to firmly respond. 32313
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Working in/ on participatory planning, I’m not quite sure whether I should be scared or delighted by this. Ideally AI could act as a neutral arbiter, helping surface competing interests, make trade-offs more transparent. The question is whose values shape the AI& who gets to challenge its decisions. 031
Reposted by Christian DimmerSteven Vertovec, Futures of Difference @fod-soc.bsky.social · 20/08/2026The future of diversification is no longer Europe or North America. It is Africa, Asia & Latin America. Sakura Yamamura (RWTH Aachen) argues the shift has to reach our frameworks too, not just our case studies. And that temporal orientation is itself a form of difference.futuresofdifference.substack.comHow Do Social Categories Work Across Scales?Short · Sakura Yamamura on decentering Western frameworks as diversity moves to the Global South 032
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Beautiful hearts and minds. The world needs more of such Japan-style courtesy and mindfulness. 050
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Brave new world … but clearly not working for everyone. In my humble view, there is nothing wrong with cash. It provides a small but important freedom and resilience dividend in an economy increasingly dominated by monopolistic Big Tech firms. #freedomdividend #resiliencedividend 040
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Urban #resilience has long been framed around disaster response & reconstruction. But since Crimea (2014) many democracies are already living in a grey-zone conflict. Sabotage, cyberattacks, drones, infrastructure disruption are becoming part of the planning context. thediplomat.com/2026/08/taiw...thediplomat.comTaiwan’s Urban Resilience Drills Are Becoming a Core Part of DeterrenceThe Han Kuang drills are a useful step, but it should lead to more measurable questions for Taiwan’s ability to weather a crisis. 071
Reposted by Christian DimmerAmerican-Refugee @american-refugee.bsky.social · 20/08/2026We must preserve literacy. So long as most people can read (and will do so voluntarily), representative government still has a chance. Post-Industrial societies ignore the unread masses at the peril of losing all the human rights gains of the last century. With a worsening climate, this is critical. 041
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026The general feeling is that we need to circle the wagons around the last vestiges of democracy worldwide. It also means strengthening our real-world, offline communities and their resilience before the AI bubble bursts and its ripples together with that of the Hormuz crisis hit local economies hard. 262
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 20/08/2026For once feeling relieved as an old-fashioned, unapologetic cash-only person … 030
Reposted by Christian DimmerJJWalsh @jjwalsh.bsky.social · 19/08/2026We need more of this support from government leadership who know and see our contribution and value as a part of Japan's economy and communities 041
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Finally, some voices of reason. Living in Japan is not easy, given the language and cultural barriers, and those of us who make our lives here have chosen to be here. We pay taxes, create economic value, raise children who are Japanese citizens, and contribute to society in countless other ways. 1163
Reposted by Christian DimmerEric Doherty @ericdoherty.bsky.social · 21/03/2026There is no solar power crisis. No wind power crisis. No insulation crisis. No heat pump crisis. No e-bike crisis. No electric bus crisis. But there is a #fossilfuel crisis. And a #climatecrisis. 15818387
Reposted by Christian DimmerChristian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026This is an exciting development for #sustainability & #resilience researchers in Japan & the EU. Both face many shared challenges—and have much to learn from each other in accelerating the urgently needed socio-ecological #transition. euraxess.ec.europa.eu/worldwide/in...euraxess.ec.europa.euJapan officially joins Horizon EuropeJapan has officially become associated with Horizon Europe, strengthening international cooperation between Japanese and European research and innovation communities. 093
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026This is an exciting development for #sustainability & #resilience researchers in Japan & the EU. Both face many shared challenges—and have much to learn from each other in accelerating the urgently needed socio-ecological #transition. euraxess.ec.europa.eu/worldwide/in...euraxess.ec.europa.euJapan officially joins Horizon EuropeJapan has officially become associated with Horizon Europe, strengthening international cooperation between Japanese and European research and innovation communities. 093
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 18/08/2026I just found this wonderful and innovative photography project by @philo.gay : Using the railway network as a flatbed scanner via @alfie.photography 060
Reposted by Christian DimmerDavidB @david.eurosky.social · 18/08/2026France doesn't have 100 million visitors coming by plane and roaming around the country. Most of them come by car or train and stay in one or two spots (on the beach or in the countryside) for their summer vacation. 021
Reposted by Christian DimmerDavidB @david.eurosky.social · 18/08/2026And this is so completely insane. When people (including the JP government, I assume) see the top countries (France and Spain) they don't understand that 75% of these visitors are other Europeans coming for summer vacation and staying in one spot designed for this. ⤵️ 100
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 17/08/2026New infra to address choking effects of tourism on transit systems, already operating@ capacity. It raises a bigger question: r we adapting infrastructure to accommodate multiplying tourist numbers, or asking how much tourism our cities can actually absorb w/o undermining everyday life of residents? 372
Reposted by Christian Dimmergquaggiotto.bsky.social @gquaggiotto.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Once an ontology becomes institutionalised, the institution begins reproducing it. This is why inherited systems are so persistent. Departments, files, professional roles do not survive simply because people have failed to imagine something better digitalstatecraft.substack.com/p/reimaginat...digitalstatecraft.substack.comReimaginationWhy real transformation begins by questioning the objects, categories and relationships around which institutions are built. 033
Reposted by Christian DimmerAndreas Sieber @andreassieber.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Holy shit! While I complain about 37C of #climate induced heat at my desk in the Netherlands, in #SouthKorea potatos “boil“ under ground 😳 www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...theguardian.comPotatoes ‘boil’ in the ground as record heatwave sweeps across swathes of AsiaSouth Korean farmers are suffering in record heat, as Hong Kong reports its highest ever temperature and Japan swelters through newly designated ‘cruelly hot’ days 046
Reposted by Christian DimmerSheila Foster @sheilarose.bsky.social · 16/07/2026This is a boss move by Mamdani! "In announcing the role, Mamdani’s office noted that New Yorkers pay some of the highest energy rates in the nation...The appointment marks Mamdani’s latest step to bring down costs for New Yorkers." He's killin it' @mayor.nyc.gov gothamist.com/news/mamdani...gothamist.comMamdani appoints NYC's first 'public utility advocate' to help lower energy costsIn announcing the role, Mamdani’s office noted that New Yorkers pay some of the highest energy rates in the nation. 0246
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 16/08/2026It is a real honour to be included alongside so many inspiring urban thinkers and changemakers. Grateful to be part of a community of people imagining—and working towards—more just, resilient and liveable cities. Thank you so much for including me @brenttoderian.bsky.social ! 0326
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 16/08/2026The real test is not kilometres counted, but whether people actually feel safe cycling. 150
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Tokyo is known for bold quantitative targets—and often achieves them, at least on balance sheet. But those who cycle here know how few genuinely protected bike lanes exist. Too often “cycling infrastructure” means little more than paint on the road, leaving cyclists dangerously close to moving cars. 150
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 15/08/2026A very important article that sheds light on a little explored issue. Highly recommended! 032
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 15/08/2026The problem is that these floods expose a deeper failure of urban planning. When cities build on floodplains and steadily erase green space, they lose their capacity to absorb water. We then spend billions engineering our way out of a crisis we planned ourselves into. 0143