Forgiveness is good for the soul. Debt forgiveness is the juice that keeps the economy fresh. If all debts were honoured then capitalism would close up shop. Debt forgiveness can be egalitarian. Social movements promoted the forgiveness of odious debts incurred by developing world governments. Debt cancellation has been a …
What is the physics of society? Its chemistry, its biology? We are beings who live through these material stuffs. Biochemistry matters for mind and behaviour. For example, the distribution of energy in the form of food is a critical question for health, for cultural symbolism, for life. The distribution of …
Everyone develops their own set of software tools over time. There are lots of handy specialist software programmes out there. Look out for those that have a strong support community around them. This is what makes R such a pleasure to learn and Nvivo so frustrating. I’ve selected ones I …
Visiting the art college and the Informatics school reminds me how uncreative most academic buildings and arrangements are. Many bear a striking resemblance to Dunder Mifflin, a monastery made of MDF, or the offices of a well established but slightly shady law company specialising in lengthy divorce battles. Students are …
My study is illicit market ecosystems. The counterparts are global insecurity markets. These are growing markets in policing and public order solutions. They extend from gear – riot shields, body cameras, conducted energy devices like the Taser – to eyes – surveillance methods, smart policing algorithms. Each device produces a …
In the early stages of the PhD, you work to ‘reduce the problem space’. Define the problem using the smallest number of steps, variables or data points. This shows you the scope of your study. Then elaborate the problem in as many contexts as you think it applies. This shows …
Is someone likely to use it to detonate under me at a conference (‘but surely you know that Bodkins has covered your very argument in her seminal work in the journal of Ipretendtoreadit studies?’) Am I likely to meet the author and give them a bland ‘loved the article’, and …
Inspired by a discussion of corporate fraud and wage theft I am aiming to incorporate this work into my Illicit Markets course: Smith D (2013) The “Hyper-meritocracy” – an Oxymoron Led by Criminal Morons. In: New Economic Perspectives. Available at: http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2013/10/hyper-meritocracy-oxymoron-led-criminal-morons.html(accessed 14 October 2020). Akerlof GA, Romer PM, Hall RE, …
Is it neoliberal, or just capitalist? Is it performative, or just displayed? Is it paradoxical, or just contradictory? Is it dichotomous, or just separate? Is it criminalised, or just unlawful? Is it totemic, or just symbolic? Is it a practice, or just an activity? Is it bounded, or just limited? …
When you start out as a research student, what do you think your main area of work will be? It might be data collection, the many challenges of access to a field, learning new skills to wrangle data, and always writing, writing, writing. It is a surprise when most of …
