In case you missed it, a couple of weeks ago a blog went up from @pnjackson.bsky.social on our site - looking at how the extreme right make use of dogwhistles, hiding their messages within what may be common language that for them has layered meanings. www.northampton.ac.uk/research-blo...
The latest blog is up! Following on from Prof. Paul Jackson's look at dogwhistles, Dr Dan Jones talks about how the extreme right have engaged with environmentalism - using mainstream language to cloak concept-dense narratives. www.northampton.ac.uk/research-blo...
Today our seminar is by the great Kate McCoubrey, exploring the Women's Division of the British Movement and activity in the Welsh Borderlands. You can read her great recent (open access) piece at compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirec...
Excerpt from the article: "The question here is not really one of whether such prayer is in fact an attempt to “dominate” – or the more obvious explanation, that during Ramadan one breaks ones’ fast by eating very briefly just before and then more properly after the evening Maghrib prayer (yes, like our own Maariv prayer). Rather it is about whether one has the right to publicly express their religious identity in this country. In this specific instance, an event to mark a key event in the Islamic calendar had been openly and legally booked for Trafalgar Square. Muslims present had every right to pray as a part of that."
The Jewish News, which I am proud to work for as Deputy Editor, has published an editorial on this week's Iftar prayers in Trafalgar Square
www.jewishnews.co.uk/voice-of-the...
The last few days to get an abstract in for our conference on the 12th of June, run in collaboration with CST's SAFE team. Emotion, Nationalism and Extremism - Contexts and Responses. In person at Northampton, deadline for abstracts 15th March. www.northampton.ac.uk/research-blo...
The legacy of Churchill is complex (in ways the debate around him usually isn't) - but there are a lot of incredibly racist and problematic things that make championing him an uncomfortable choice for a liberal leader. Perhaps Ed is a true fan of Churchill, but it feels like cheap jingoism.
It's certainly been a year so far in terms of my health, a very long year. But finally got my heart whibbles treated, and of course it is far worse for many others right now. And I'm writing again - heart made it hard to work, and I'm very grateful for the patience of editors!
Good news that Reform lost. And congratulations to the Greens, who are now ahead of the DUP in MPs. Much like Orpington, I suspect the biggest message is for the ruling party - Liberals thought Orpington meant a breakthrough, but 1964 taught them that it would be a marathon, not a sprint.
Last week we said goodbye to antifascist legend Gerry Gable. Was really honoured to be there, and more than a little emotional. I’d known Gerry for about 15 years, and he has had a profound impact on my life, as he did for many others. Miss you Gerry - and rest well. You deserve it.
It is a solid package - the stuff from Brown etc are great too. And a full run of Searchlight from the newspapers through to the start of 2018.
Ooh. You have the Gale Radicalism and Extremism package? That’s not common in UK HE. Some fantastic things in there - also some of the oral histories.
Last year Lenny Zeskind, this year so far Gerry Gable and now Chip Berlet. It feels like we are losing a generation of activists whose lessons we seem not to have yet fully absorbed.
Can safely say that I can't imagine a situation I'd allow it for my archive while there is breath in my body.
As for what? Well. Opposition through democratic power still held. Don't be afraid of the insurrection act being invoked - Trump relies on the threat of extreme act to force compliance with only unacceptable acts. If the courts and congress allow it, then the system is already broken.
An American friend commented that they were worried that the prospect of a civil war seemed possible. I wonder if it is not scarier to imagine a world where we continue to see this unfortunate slide without some kind of opposition? Most of the time in history nothing happens. Now? Something has to.
So why do I say all this? Am I just being a boring academic who studies fascism/antifascism? Well. I stick to my view that Trump isn't a fascist (not that I think it will help me get a US visa anytime soon!). However, I increasingly struggle to imagine what would be different if he was.
In this way the democratic inertia is overcome, and the state succumbs. Much of the established power tends to refuse to be the one that crosses the line of the old rules-based system, allowing fascism to flourish. Of course, we only have a few examples of fascism doing this through history.
First, it will seek to install leadership of state bodies based on ideology not capability. It must then subvert the mission of the state organisations that it can, and destroy those it cannot. It will also establish parallel para-state bodies that will, like a parasite, slowly engulf the host.
Fascism is a revolutionary political faith, but it is one that can come to power through democratic means. When it emerges into a state already formed, it has a state with its powerful institutions intact - but also the democratic inertia built up over decades and centuries of rule of law.
Another day, another defection, another tapping of the sign.
The most successful democratic party in the west hollowed itself out and seems to be at risk of sinking over the past decade - are there enough moderate mainstream Conservatives left to right the ship when the loons fly off to a new lake?
'The technology must be used because otherwise the boom [or bubble] fails' is such a bad argument. Why does it need wider adoption? It has specific use cases where the cost is worth it. Beyond that? Get back to developing actual artificial intelligence. And for God's sake, employ ethicists.
If the US treats its allies as hostile powers, it may find that those allies no longer think it is safe to have signals and air bases of the US on their land. The US is a huge power, but its ability to project that power has long relied on bases across the world.
I mean. Forever true I guess.
The hollowing out of talent in the Tories post-Cameron and the promotion of people of dubious quality has left them exposed to these 'former minister' defects stories. They had many ministers who aren't serious people - and now they go where unserious people go. Reform. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
If only anyone had known that local government faced funding issues. How could anyone know?! It's been such a closely guarded secret.
Gerry Gable, long-time editor of Searchlight, sadly died last weekend. The work of Gerry and his comrades forms our Searchlight Collection, the heart of the Searchlight Archive, and we are honoured to continue his legacy in some small way. Rest well, Gerry. www.northampton.ac.uk/news/remembe...
One of the great activists and instrumental in bringing @searchlightarchive.bsky.social to @uninorthampton.bsky.social
Very sad news - Gerry was a great of antifascism, a tenacious fighter against the darker angels of humanity's existence, and I was lucky enough to call him a friend. His legacy is a large one, and one that will continue. Rest well Gerry, you did good.
searchlightmagazine.com/2026/01/gerr...
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey: “Keir Starmer should condemn Trump’s illegal action in Venezuela. Maduro is a brutal and illegitimate dictator, but unlawful attacks like this make us all less safe.
“Trump is giving a green light to the likes of Putin and Xi to attack other countries with impunity.”