This page offers a progressive pedagogical process to understand and analyze how the Koch brothers and Koch Indutries have strategically designed and set in motion a constellation of organizations in order to defend their interestes and their ideology.

Step 1 – The history of Koch Industries

• Who is Charles Koch? Present his background, the history of Koch Industries and the structure of the governance of the company. Analyze the role played by Charles Koch’s political views and values in the strategy of the company.
• Deliverable: 2-page research note by email two days before, and 15-minute presentation during the class
• Sources: Schulman (2015, Ch 5 & 6), and Mayer (2016, Ch 1)

Step 2 – An ideology and a plan

• Introduce Richard Fink, his career and his role in the Koch galaxy. Present the main arguments of the article (Fink, 1996). Use your previous work and Doreian & Mrvar’s (2021) analysis to explain how Fink’s ideological strategy structured the Kochtopus.
• Deliverable: 2-page research note by email two days before, and 15-minute presentation during the class
• Sources: Fink (1996) and Doreian & Mrvar (2021)

Step 3 – Chasing the Kochtopus

• Carefully read Schulman (2015, Ch 6 & 13), Mayer (2016, Ch 5, 6, 7 & 8) and Leonard (2019, Ch 19)
• Each time you encounter an organization (firm, university, think tank, NGO, …) that is directly linked to Koch Industries or the Koch brothers, classify it in a table like this:

• Start mapping out the Kochtopus with the Koch brothers and Koch Industries at the top and the organizations they use to further their interest classified using Fink’s (1996) typology of Universities, Think tanks and Implementation groups

Step 4 – The Kochtopus in action

• Show how the Koch brother’s network has been strategically translated into concrete, purposeful tactics in order to slow down our understanding of climate change.
• Identify the synergies between their actions and decisions, as well as with those of other actors with similar interests (other oil companies, etc.)
• Sources: Oreskes & Conway (2010, Chapter 6), Brulle (2014; 2019) and Doreain & Mrvar (2021)

Step 5 – Revolving doors at Koch Industries

• How do Koch Industries use revolving doors to further their interests?
• Deliverable: 2-page research note by email two days before, and 15-minute presentation during the class
• Sources: Greenpeace reports and Open Secrets

Step 6 – Fighting regulation

• What is the “American Clean Energy and Security Act” (also known as ‘Waxman-Markey bill’)? What is its history, intent, content and who are its support?
• How did corporate interests, in particular those tied with the Koch industries, mobilized against it? How did the Koch brothers take position against it?
• What happened in the end? What was implemented concretely?

Final integration

• Explain the ideological and strategic rationale behind the Koch brothers’ attack on the climate change movement. Detail how this shaped the infamous ‘Kochtopus’, what it is made of and how it emerged decade after decade. Provide a mapping of the Kochtopus.
• Use the “American Clean Energy and Security Act” (‘Waxman-Markey bill’) as a case study to illustrate how the Kochtopus can be set in motion to fight against climate regulations and actions.
• Suggestion: Make sure you articulate all aspects of your analysis to show a causal link between the historic ‘Fink strategy’ and the purposeful undermining of the ‘Waxman-Markey bill’. Be as detailed as possible regarding the case (actors and parties involved, organizations mobilized, funding and money channeled, etc.) and cite your sources at every turn.