The notion of relational authoriality, which consistency demands I acknowledge emerged in conversations with Jana Bacevic, conveys a relational realist perspective on the question of authorship. It rejects the notion of the liberal individual as the origin of a text… Read More ›
Tag Archive for ‘Politics’
What’s the difference between academia and politics?
In his wonderful memoir, Adults In The Room, Yanis Varoufakis reflects on the frustrations of politics and how they compare to academia. From loc 5504: Possibly because of my academic background, this was the Brussels experience I least expected and found most frustrating…. Read More ›
The Politics of Agency
Ever since I was a philosophy student, I’ve been interested in how we conceptualise individuals and groups. The two are connected in my mind because, if groups are composed of individuals, our concept of individuals is going to condition our… Read More ›
Conservatism eats itself: An irreverent look at the conservative mind by Deborah Talbot
by Deborah Talbot Conservative politics are everywhere, but what is it, and what are they really like? In the cities, you don’t notice conservatism. It’s there, for sure, but is pretty quiet about itself. Political parties of a more left… Read More ›
BREAKING NEWS: Social Science Faculty at Humboldt-University Berlin occupied!
Well, this is not breaking news. The occupation of the Social Science Faculty of the HU-Berlin started last Wednesday, 18 January, but I only found out about it today. Although I work in an institute which is part of the… Read More ›
The Return of the Unabomber
Twenty years ago Theodore Kaczynski, a Harvard-trained maths prodigy obsessed with technology’s destruction of nature, was given eight consecutive life sentences for sending letter bombs in the US post which killed three people and injured 23 others. Generally known as… Read More ›
Brassed Off (Oldham Coliseum until 1 October)
BRASSED OFF 7 SEP – 1 0CT 2016 “I don’t know anyone who admits to voting Tory but t’buggers keep getting in”. Brassed Off film fans will very much enjoy the Oldham Coliseum Theatre production of the hugely successful… Read More ›
Reclaiming ‘aspiration’ for the left
This is powerful stuff from Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK’s Labour Party, in his recent LSE lecture: I am not talking here about the aspiration of the delusional Del Boys – “This time next year Rodney, we’ll be millionaires” –… Read More ›
Gender, class and the politics of ‘privacy’
A wonderful article by Lisa Mckenzie reflecting on the exposures of the Panama Papers in terms of the broader gendered and classed politics of privacy: Working-class single mums claiming benefits will be asked very personal questions about what for anyone… Read More ›
Creativity inside and outside universities
by Deborah Talbot The Alternative Academia Network held its second meeting on the 14th February 2016. The aim is to discuss how creativity works inside and outside universities. The following are notes from the presentation by Deborah Talbot, which explores… Read More ›
The Hypnotic Inanity of Donald Trump
I just surprised myself by sitting through this entire 40 minute compilation of Donald Trump’s insults during the Republican primaries: I found them weirdly hypnotic, albeit intellectually deadening. Perhaps this explains the strange quality of Trump’s speech?
The Language of Donald Trump
An entertaining (and accurate) video via Phil BC:
Judith Butler on the Performativity of Assembly
A collection of lectures relating to her new book Notes Towards a Performative Theory of Assembly.
Letter to Stella Creasy MP re: Syria
by Heena Khaled Dear Stella Creasy Around 2009 I met you for the first time at an event, and then you came and spoke at a women’s event I organised. I followed you ever since and you have been an… Read More ›
Jeremy Corbyn: Hope and Possibility
A Summary of the Speech Jeremy Corbyn’s winning speech after a stunning win of an undisputed majority today came after 99 rallies around the country. Today was poignantly the 100th gathering. And what a remarkable inspiring speech. A true leader:… Read More ›
Post-democratic political culture: how good leaders go bad
Absolutely fascinating comments offered by Varoufakis in response to unfolding events in Greece: In the wake of Tsipras’s unexpected move on Thursday to call early elections, Varoufakis said: “Tsipras made a decision on that night of the referendum not only to surrender… Read More ›
The private eye’s guide to being a plain speaking politician
This might be a bit mystifying to non-UK readers but Jeremy Corbyn, a left-wing politician likely to be the new leader of the British Labour Party, has provoked what we might call an enthusiastic reaction in the British media. In… Read More ›
Cameron on Extremism – the good, the bad and the ugly!
by Sufyan Ismail With extremism in our midst, David Cameron unveils a 5-year plan, with four planks, to tackle one major extremism threat. David Cameron’s speech on his 5-year plan to tackle extremism covered a huge amount of ground to… Read More ›
Book Review: Group Conflict and Political Mobilization in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf: Rethinking the Rentier State
Conflict and Political Mobilization in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf: Rethinking the Rentier State – Justin Gengler (Indiana University Press, 2015) review by Bradley Williams The 2011 Bahraini Uprising seemed to confirm that Bahrain does not conform to the orthodox… Read More ›
Media & Politics 101
via @FoulExpress & @MUSLIMSHOW
Author Meets Readers: Wendy Brown’s Undoing the Demos
Author Meets Readers: Wendy Brown’s Undoing the Demos Date: Tuesday 30 June 2015 Time: 4-6pm Venue: Vera Anstey Room, LSE Old Building, Houghton Street. Author: Wendy Brown (Political Science, UC Berkeley) Readers: Anne Barron (LSE Law), Nick Couldry (LSE Media… Read More ›
The hollowing out of local government in the UK
This agenda has gone very far in an extremely short space of time: Councils of all stripes have been outsourcing for decades, which is why your local traffic warden is usually tramping the streets on behalf of a private firm…. Read More ›
Don’t like unions? Fine
(HT anniecxxx)
The coming authoritarianism
(HT Artist Taxi Driver)
Call for Papers: The Futures We Want: Global Sociology and the Struggles for a Better World
Call for Papers at the ISA World Forum, Vienna, 10-14 July, 2016 Theme: The Futures We Want: Global Sociology and the Struggles for a Better World Dear colleagues, We would like to call your attention to the call for papers… Read More ›
Who came second in the UK election?
Two very interesting maps by Kieran Healy showing the disjunct between first and second place candidates in each constituency in the UK under our absurd voting system. It’s an important analysis worth reading in full.
Five ways to deal with 5 years of a Conservative government
An excellent post by Rebecca Winson on the CLASS blog. Important advice for left-wing sociologists in the UK who are currently in a state of mild despair: If you’re in work – or maybe even if you’re not – join… Read More ›
The Future of Social Critique – Collaborative Seminar, at Loughborough University on 2 June 2015
This Day event will take place in the James France Building, room CC021, from 10.30-4.30pm – 2 June 2015, and will focus on the Future of Social Critique. The event was organised to celebrate the careers of two renowned colleagues… Read More ›