It finally happened, I think a student used G(AI) for a paper in my seminar... aka my nightmare

Teaching a course on democracy and civil society in these times feel increasingly difficult. I came back here after months of being absent just to say this.

🚨Job offer🚨 I‘m recruiting a student research assistant to support me in my research project at the @mpifg.bsky.social ➡️ Apply online: career.mpifg.de/jobposting/c... ➡️ Closing date: September 30, 2025 Please share widely! 🙏🏻

How can nonprofits and philanthropies talk about the important work they’re doing? The 14th Symposium on Public Policy for Nonprofits, hosted virtually by @independentsector.bsky.social, #ARNOVA, and Non-profit Policy Forum, is bringing expert panels together to discuss on September 12.

NEW: A ChinaFile investigation into China's powerful, but leaky, internet censorship system at locknet.chinafile.com 1/21

🎓 I successfully defended my PhD on transnational environmental NGO strategies in China and Turkey this week! I was busy taking a long nap after the intensity of the past year 😴😅 Massive thanks to my brilliant advisors + amazing colleagues. Longer post here: tinyurl.com/4vpzrhpp

I wrote an op-ed about China’s double-carbon policy and its implications for global climate change action 🌱 You can access it here: tinyurl.com/45tbfhm5

Next exciting on my list is @ipsa.org congress in July. If you are going, let me know!

Now that I am done writing my dissertation, I am back to doing “fun” stuff. Started a paper on protest visuals today! Super excited to be back to work ☺️

Why am I forced to use AI whenever I do a google search. There is no way to turn it off either. So I did what any sane human should do, changed the search engine I am using.

*Call for Applications* We’re excited to announce the Second Max Planck Summer School for Women in Political Economy! Link to the conference website: www.mpifg.de/1343511/2025... Please share widely! @mpifg.bsky.social @palmapolyak.bsky.social

Amazing read for these days following all the postdoc rejections I am dealing with: On getting rejected (a lot) open.substack.com/pub/miryahol...

Even more interesting things are happening. China’s response to the #Tiktokban ended up being allowing international users to register on #Douyin

#tiktokrefugees has arrived to Xiaohongshu. I am amazed and curious about what will happen, here are some posts: It seems that Chinese netizens are generally welcoming, although there is a group that thinks they will ruin the app.

You know who knows climate change e is real? Insurance companies.

The call is out! In Oct 2025, Aotearoa/New Zealand hosts the world’s most significant climate adaptation event: #AF2025. Online & in-person. Hosted by UC & UN World Adaptation Science programme & consortium sponsors. A key focus is Oceania & Indigenous solutions. Join us! adaptationfutures2025.com

Love this

People who think “the markets” will save us from climate change do not understand that capitalism created climate change.

This is the end of Germany

Your 'doom quote' for today: "If humans make the earth basically uniihabitable for many of the plants and animals and civilizations alive today, no matter our other accomplishments, I believe we will have failed as a species." www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/665274...

Germany has fallen.

To understand global south anger at the COP29 climate finance goal it's crucial to understand two key numbers. 1️⃣ "At least" $300bn/year - developed nations agreed to "take the lead" in mobilising this for developing countries 2️⃣ $1.3tn/year - a wider, vaguer goal They sound pretty big! But...

Check out this follow list! Everyone here is an organizer, activist or expert committed to electing democrats and empowering you to resist the trump agenda. bsky.app/profile/dwor...

Hey #energysky #econsky #academicsky, If you haven't tried, try #Google's #NotebookLM podcast feature. Just upload a paper and hit go. I plan to use these for my class. It seems to do a decent job at AI generating the podcast.

Last century, Marxists grappled with the ‘agrarian question’: was the peasantry disappearing and, if not, what could be done? Now, after decades of breakneck urbanisation, China is seeing its face from the other side: are the cities filling up as planned and, where not, what to do? By Jane Hayward.

Optimist: the cup is 1/2 full Pessimist: the cup is 1/2 empty Excel: the cup is January 2nd

COP29 Groundhog deja vu Day all over again and again all over again…

The terrifying feeling of hitting the “submit application” button

Adding to the must-read list!

Most fruits exported to Europe from Turkey were found with high pesticide levels and will likely be sent back. Guess where they’ll go? To communities that can’t afford safer food. The injustice is staggering. Food safety isn’t being talked enough www.gazeteipekyol.com/amp/haber/15...

I’ve had this feeling for a while that we’re witnessing the end of social media as we know it. But Bluesky? It feels like the good old days, and I’m loving it. Before I start sounding like “back in my day”, I’ll stop here

A couple thoughts on this story by Elsie Chen and me: -Upper-middle class urban China has become cool and fashionable! Little of that has reached foreign audiences except maybe through TikTok, because of the firewall and all those expelled journalists… apnews.com/article/chin...

Can't believe this wasn't a thing yet— 50 *women* in political economy I follow & you should too! 💡 Send me more! 🙋‍♀️ go.bsky.app/QFrdfh3

"I need to build a Chinatown here asap", says the mayor of the town where BYD is opening an EV factory in Turkey. No time for an organic formation of a migrant community in the age of supply chain wars 🙃 www.egedesonsoz.com/manisaya-cin...

I think there's a chance that climate emergencies could end up overwhelming the second Trump presidency, exacerbating the president's bad tendencies and perhaps the dynamics that put him back in power.

Gonna add all of these to my wish list 📚

Here is a starter pack of MPIfG researchers and alumni. Hit follow for research on economic sociology and political economy! If you are a current or former MPIfG researcher and would like to be added, please let us know in the comments. #socsky go.bsky.app/P1fDXjf

Are you a Master's student and would like to work on the link btwn the #climate crisis and wealth #inequality? I'm currently looking for a student assistant @mpifg.bsky.social. Please let me know if you're interested and feel free to share with others! career.mpifg.de/jobposting/e...

#bookoftheday Currently reading Tyranny of the Minority by Levitsky and Ziblatt. Their analysis of how minority rule undermines democratic institutions feels eerily relevant in today’s era of rising authoritarianism—a fascinating read so far!

A trans woman won a 60K¥ settlement from a mental hospital in China that had forcibly confined her for 97 days & subjected her to electroshocks to change her gender identity. The hospital “tried to ‘correct me’, to make me conform to society’s expectations."🧵 www.theguardian.com/world/2024/n...

Also a list here to follow #ChinaSky Click Follow All I need to add a lot of starter packs to grow the list, but will get to this later this week (convert to lists and merge with this list) bsky.app/profile/did:...

When I was interviewing NGOs in China, almost everyone kept bringing up "that thing that happened in 2019." They all said it changed everything for civil society—today is a pretty grim turning point.

After the sentencing of the 45, Jimmy Lai is back in court tomorrow. He must not be forgotten. Keep saying his name. My column (free to read): www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

this means i am late to join bsky

Spent two days having exchanges on amazing papers by so many different doctoral researchers. Also got to present my findings on ☘️ tENGO strategies ☘️ @mpifg.bsky.social It was quite a blast to have a safe space with peers to discuss and get inspired by each others’ work! 🌱🌝

What would the best way for a doctoral researcher to attend #CoP29 ?