I remember Zoolander. I remember sitting in the Odeon Cinema near the central library (the cinema is long gone) and howling with laughter - properly howling we were - with my friend Matt. At the climax (spoilers) the baddie, Murgato (Will Ferrell) is exasperated with the cluelessness of Derek Zoolander, male model and, well, moron.... Continue Reading →
Any other kicks to the nuts, 2020? In the next 8 weeks? Asking for a friend…
3 billion animals killed in the Australian fires. Economic and psychological devastation from Covid lockdowns Trump-ism stronger (whether he wins or loses this election - the closeness of it means whatever happens, more bad shit happens.) Climate "action" (always a feeble joke) even more stalled. The ex-participants in so-called "social movements" having learnt that "activism"... Continue Reading →
On #climate bullshit – interview with Dr Hayley Stevenson
A couple of weeks ago the academic journal Globalizations published a new article. "Reforming global climate governance in an age of bullshit" by Dr Hayley Stevenson. I'm the social media editor of another academic journal, Environmental Politics, and I tweeted it from @Env_Pol. It got a lot of Twitter love... I asked Dr Stevenson, who... Continue Reading →
Looting the Ivory Tower: “Making the most of community energies”
Super-useful on DECC (RIP) and the "Community Energy" strategy - the costs of getting it. Should be read alongside that paper by Phil Johnstone Andy Stirling and Ben Sovacool about Policy Mixes for Incumbency Honest about risk of academic blindness from using one theory (SNM) and not paying close enough attention to interviewees, and what... Continue Reading →
Looting the Ivory Tower: “Acceleration of Urban Sustainability Transitions:A Comparison of Brighton, Budapest, Dresden, Genk, and Stockholm”
Heaps of good stuff - conceptually, methodologically, empirically, in here. Useful for mice who want to bell the cat (though the article itself doesn't suggest a particular way/particular ways). The title: The Acceleration of Urban Sustainability Transitions:A Comparison of Brighton, Budapest, Dresden, Genk, and Stockholm The authors: Franziska Ehnert, Niki Frantzeskaki , Jake Barnes, Sara... Continue Reading →
Academic article: “Between innovation and restoration; towards a critical-historicizing understanding of social innovation niches”
So, as promised, I am going to start "looting the ivory tower" for useful work on social innovation (despite my reservations about the term - see here and here). First up, well - a brilliant article ... The title: “Between innovation and restoration; towards a critical-historicizing understanding of social innovation niches” The authors: Bonno Pel &... Continue Reading →
STRN announces partnership with Bilderberg Group
The Sustainability Transitions Research Network today proudly announces a Mutual Love Partnership (MLP) - with the influential Bilderberg Group. The STRN, which has been in operation for almost a decade, acts as a platform for the exchange of ideas and a forum for chest-beating and prestige battles. It will be subsumed within the Bilderberg Group,... Continue Reading →
Fear eats the soul – of COVID19, narking and Trump/Johnson approval ratings
Over the last few days I've seen some facebook posts/tweets/etc expressing anger/bewilderment that a) people are phoning up the cops to inform on neighbours who are going out more than the narks think they should b) the approval ratings for clearly failed "leaders" like Trump, Johnson and Morrison are going UP even though they are... Continue Reading →
Trying to talk with people about (stopping) the end of the world. And failing.
Since I got back from 7 weeks and 10 tonnes of climate criminality, the same conversation - if you can call it that - has been had several times. Here's the dynamic of it (not obviously direct quotes, for various reasons, and a certain l'esprit d'escalier, but this is my website, so suck it up).... Continue Reading →
The law of two feet: or “refusing to be #egofodder” #Manchester today
You have two feet. One is for learning, the other is for contributing. If you find yourself in a place where you are doing neither, it is your responsibility to respectfully use your two feet (or wheels) to go somewhere that you are. If you don't, chances are you're gonna be ego-fodder. Respectfully: So, no... Continue Reading →
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