{{for|the Scottish footballer|Jock Kirton}}{{Short description|Founder and director of G7 and G20 Research Groups (born 1948)}} {{More footnotes|date=September 2022}} [[File:John James Kirton.jpg|thumb|John James Kirton]] '''John James Kirton''' (born 1948)<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2003 |title=Canadian Who's Who 2003 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |editor-last=Lumley |editor-first=Elizabeth |volume=XXXVIII |page=725}}</ref> is a professor [[emeritus]] of [[Political science|Political Science]] at the [[University of Toronto]]. He is the founder and director of the [[G7]] Research Group and the [[G20]] Research Group, the co-founder of the Global Health Diplomacy Program with [[James Orbinski]], and the co-founder of the [[BRICS]] Research Group with [[Marina Larionova]] of the [[Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=University of Toronto Faculty |url=https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/931-john-kirton |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=discover.research.utoronto.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=John J. Kirton {{!}} Department of Political Science |url=https://www.politics.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/john-j-kirton |access-date=2025-11-26 |website=www.politics.utoronto.ca}}</ref>
==Education== Kirton received a B.A. in [[Political science|Political Science]] from the [[University of Toronto]] in 1971, an M.A. in [[International relations|International Affairs]] from [[Carleton University]] in 1973, and a Ph.D. in International Studies from the [[Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies]] at [[Johns Hopkins University]] in 1977.<ref name=":0" />
==Career== At the [[University of Toronto]], Kirton directed the G7 Research Group, the Canadian Foreign Policy Research Group, the G20 Research Group, the BRICS Research Group, and the Global Health Diplomacy Program.<ref name=":0" /> His research areas include global summit governance, Canadian foreign policy, global health governance, global finance, and global environmental governance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ISPI ETS (Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale Ente del Terzo Settore) |url=https://www.ispionline.it/en/bio/john-kirton |url-status=live |website=ispionline}}</ref>
Kirton's work on Canadian foreign policy includes a neorealist analysis of Canada's role as a principal power, developed in his books ''Canada as a Principal Power'' (co-written with David DeWitt) and ''Canadian Foreign Policy in a Changing World''.<ref>{{cite web |title=CANADA AS A PRINCIPAL POWER: A Study of Foreign Policy and International Relations, DeWitt & Kirton (review) |url=https://www.cmreviews.ca/cm/cmarchive/vol11no5/canadaprincipalpower.html |access-date=31 January 2026 |website=Canadian Materials Reviews}}</ref>
In the field of trade and environment, Kirton led a team that developed an analytical framework for assessing the environmental effects of the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) and studied the role of the [[Commission for Environmental Cooperation]] in the region. He has also served as a member of Canada's [[National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}
=== Publications === Kirton is the author or editor of more than 35 books. He is the editor of the Global Governance book series and co-editor (with [[Miranda Schreurs]]) of the Global Environmental Governance book series, both published by [[Routledge Publishing]]. He was co-editor (with [[Michele Fratianni]] and [[Paolo Savona]]) of the Global Finance series published by [[Ashgate Publishing]]. He is also co-editor of several publications on the G7 and G20, and of a series titled "Health: A Political Choice" published by GT Media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=University of Toronto |date=October 12, 2025 |title=Health: A Political Choice – The Future of Health in a Fractured World |url=https://www.g7g20.utoronto.ca/books/hapc2025/index.html |access-date=December 23, 2025 |website=Global Governance Program at the University of Toronto}}</ref>
== Other activities == Kirton serves on the board of the NATO Council of Canada (formerly [[the Atlantic Council of Canada]]) and the [[Empire Club of Canada]]. He was a member of the board of the [[Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs]] until 2013<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couchiching Conference |access-date=December 23, 2025 |title=Couchiching Conference |url=https://thecic.org/couchiching-conference/ |website=Website of the Canadian International Conference}}</ref> and continues in an advisory role for Couchiching events, which are now hosted by the [[Canadian International Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Couchiching Conference – Couchiching Team, including John Kirton |url=https://thecic.org/couchiching-conference/ |access-date=31 January 2026 |website=Canadian International Council}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * Kirton, John. [https://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/07/05/issues-problems-overview-oped-cx_jk_summit08_0707kirton.html "A Primer on the G8,"]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''Forbes'', July 7, 2008. * Woods, Allan. [https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2010/06/03/g8g20_summit_junkies_gear_up.html "G8/G20 summit junkies gear up,"] "Toronto Star," June 3, 2010.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirton, John}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian Anglicans]] [[Category:Canadian political scientists]] [[Category:Academic staff of the University of Toronto]] [[Category:University of Toronto alumni]] [[Category:Carleton University alumni]] [[Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni]] [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Canadian academics]] [[Category:Canadian male writers]] [[Category:Canadian editors]] [[Category:Canadian international relations scholars]] [[Category:Political science educators]] [[Category:Canadian non-fiction writers]] [[Category:Canadian political writers]]