Jose Atiles

@joseatiles.bsky.social

Associate Professor of Criminology, Law, and Society, Department of Sociology, University of Illinois | personal account

Part II of my law and petro-masculinity project, "International Law and Petro-Masculinity" is now on SSRN (and looking for a journal to call home). I would *love* comments from the brilliant international law community on here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

International Law and Petro-Masculinity

The concept of "petro-masculinity" refers to a psychological and cultural association between fossil fuel extraction and use and the values of histori

papers.ssrn.com

Without full sovereignty, Puerto Rico is significantly constrained in its ability to design independent fiscal or monetary policies — leaving the island vulnerable to tourism investments that are becoming increasingly financialized.

Financial Speculators See Big Opportunities in Puerto Rico

Without full sovereignty, Puerto Rico is significantly constrained in its ability to design independent fiscal or monetary policies — leaving the island vulnerable to tourism investments that are becoming increasingly financialized.

jacobin.com

As I conclude a great year with the OpEd Project, I'm happy to share my latest piece in Jacobin. It examines how tax incentives have become intertwined with Puerto Rico's tourism industry, reshaping the archipelago's political economy and fueling financial speculation. jacobin.com/2026/06/puer...

Financial Speculators See Big Opportunities in Puerto Rico

Without full sovereignty, Puerto Rico is significantly constrained in its ability to design independent fiscal or monetary policies — leaving the island vulnerable to tourism investments that are beco...

jacobin.com

A familiar story about cryptocurrencies is that they emerged under the promise of financial emancipation. Crypto-assets and blockchain technologies were imagined as tools to decentralize state power, bypass corrupt institutions, and democratize economic life botpopuli.net/the-crypto-s...

The Crypto-State

A familiar story about cryptocurrencies is that they emerged under the promise of financial emancipation. Crypto-assets and blockchain technologies were ...

botpopuli.net

Puerto Ricans are Americans who have no vote in Congress, no representation in the Electoral College, little power to challenge military buildup. Now the archipelago finds itself being used as an unaccountable platform & staging ground for US adventurism in Latin America jacobin.com/2025/12/trum...

Trump Wants Puerto Rico to Be the US’s Aircraft Carrier

Donald Trump is aiming to restore US supremacy in the western hemisphere through presidential will, military power, and emergency authority, unconstrained by Congress or international law — a strategi...

jacobin.com

Donald Trump is aiming to restore US supremacy in the western hemisphere through presidential will, military power, and emergency authority, unconstrained by Congress or international law — a strategic reorientation that runs through Puerto Rico.

Trump Wants Puerto Rico to Be the US’s Aircraft Carrier

Donald Trump is aiming to restore US supremacy in the western hemisphere through presidential will, military power, and emergency authority, unconstrained by Congress or international law — a strategic reorientation that runs through Puerto Rico.

jacobin.com