Neoliberalism, eh? That handy catch-all insult that helps mainstream liberals not say "capitalism", that helps radicals not have to think very hard about how to think or communicate. Nota bene, I am not saying it is not real, that it does not matter, that there is not a usefulness to the term. Just that we tend... Continue Reading →
“You might say that; I couldn’t possibly comment…”
A comment under this rather excellent review of a good sounding book about intellectual women (Arendt, Sontag, Didion and that crowd) and 'toughness/emotional labour." Heartless women and men—in academia, the professions, and life in general—appear cold, frightened and thus defensive, and often near panic. The very opposite of what one expects from a seasoned, focused,... Continue Reading →
“The making of a petrol station” #Afterthethesis
The making of a petrol station and the “on-the-move consumer”: Classification devices and the shaping of markets Frank Azimonta, , , Luis Araujob, Industrial Marketing Management Volume 39, Issue 6, August–September 2010, Pages 1010–1018 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2010.06.020 Abstract This paper addresses the issue of classification devices and their role in shaping markets. We depart from the notion... Continue Reading →
“Concerned Markets”
"Geiger et al. (2014) use the term ‘‘concerned markets’’ to refer to situations in which controversies set in motion an ongoing dynamic of criticisms and justifications during which actors tap into different explanations or principles of justice and thereby negotiate the construction of a shared world." (Blanchet and Depeyre, 2016: 42) Blanchet, V. and Depeyre,... Continue Reading →
Mythical Mail Weight and Localness
For the benefit of those lucky enough not to know (living outside the UK), the Daily Mail is a particularly horrific tabloid newspaper. One of its many vile repertoires is to police the bodies of celebrities (mostly, but not entirely) the female ones. If a celebrity under the gaze of the Mail gains a couple... Continue Reading →
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
From page 19 of this excellent report of an intriguing-sounding event.
On the mental costs of case study research…
Here's something that can't go in my methodology chapter, cos it's too special-plea-dy. True nonetheless. “In actuality, the demands of a case study on a person’s intellect, ego, and emotions are far greater than those of any other research strategy. This is because the data collection procedures are not routinized.” (Yin, 1994:55)
“Confer”ence – the clue is in the name; excellent #transitions event in Lausanne
A brilliant event - the "2nd PhDs in Transitions Conference: Theory and Practice" - took place in Switzerland, last week. Organised by four enterprising PhD students, it was a 48 hour space for students at different stages of the process (from touching naive enthusiasm all the way through to night-sweat panic) to exchange ideas and... Continue Reading →
The tyranny of small decisions…
A transformational change in Australia’s assessment of cumulative impacts is required, including the comprehensive assessment of the direct and indirect impacts of coal mining, if the Reef is not to suffer from the “tyranny of small decisions.” As described by Odum (1982), this phenomenon involves a big decision arising post hoc from an accretion of... Continue Reading →
My first actual academic article?! On hostility to renewable energy…
This one started life as a "Conversation" article (never published) and was expanded into a perspectives piece for the journal Energy Research & Social Science. Many thanks to the editor, the peer reviewer and to Sarah "The Wife" Irving and Joe Blakey for their careful proof-reading. Whoop!! "Wind beneath their contempt: Why Australian policymakers oppose... Continue Reading →
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