For those who haven't had the pleasure, the late Tony Gramsci (Italian Marxist, died in one of Mussolini's jails before the war) had a way with words. One of the phrases that gets, ah, trotted out is the following - "The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying but the new... Continue Reading →
Incumbency tactics – build a “common sense” (a la Gramsci)/capture the policy networks and possibilities
One of my favourite quotes about politics, policy etc is this "The definition of alternatives is the supreme instrument of power." It's by a basically forgotten American political scientist called E.E. Schattschneider. It kinda gels with a bunch of other stuff about institutional guard-rails, and Gramsci's notion of hegemony and common sense (as opposed to... Continue Reading →
#climate justice or just us? Of learning, time machines and the “what should have been done”#AFoI2018
May as well put cards on the table. I think we’re fubarred. I think that we’ve now left it “too late” and a grim meathook future is all we have to look forward too. There is probably still time to learn a bunch of new skills, use our technology specifically to soften the coming climate blows. ... Continue Reading →
It feels like they win when they lose – hegemonic accommodation and institutional entrepreneurs
I re-read Levy, D. and Scully, M. 2007. The Institutional Entrepreneur as Modern Prince: The Strategic Face of Power in Contested Fields. Organization Studies, 28(07): 971–991. while slogging around Alex Park with my backpack full of books and weights this morning. I had forgotten just how damn good it is, and how damn useful it will... Continue Reading →