The golden ticket is a good description of what the country receives: asylum seekers like my father who worked tirelessly for the community, such as volunteering at Crisis at Christmas on Xmas day, chairing charities, and supporting youth football on Sundays on top of his normal work.

Finally... hopefully, we're getting there. UK isn't and will not be a country where, as an immigrant, I have to prove everyday that I 'deserve' to live here whereas a fascist tech billionaire can call to overthrow the government through a video call in the middle of London.

🚨 New project alert! Introducing @studyorecap.bsky.social, a multimedia news platform on all things Turkish politics in Türkçe. The team includes long-time parliamentary reporters Ceren Bayar and Yıldız Yazıcıoğlu + Günsu Durak and Demet Şöhret. Subscribe for daily coverage straight from Ankara:

Trump has been looking for ways to withhold federal funding from NYC and blue cities since he came back into office. He’s been doing it under the guise of a clampdown on municipalities that have sanctuary protections in place that might interfere with his mass detention and deportation campaign.

I think this is true for the UK politics too..

I think this is true for the UK politics too..

Those were the days..

This is a very detailed and nuanced discussion about the state of democracy in the USA. Harcourt suggests that the current situation can be best understood through the concept of 'counterrevolution' rather than authoritarianism, totalitarianism or fascism.

I have my own disagreements with Przeworski, particularly about his understanding of the relationship between democracy and authoritarianism. But, of course, his contribution to democracy and authoritarianism studies cannot be and should not be overlooked. Here is the latest interview with him.

Przeworski also offered some refreshingly frank words on how little we often know. This fact about Juan Linz, a great intellectual partner to my late mentor, the wonderful scholar Alfred Stepan, is a gem. Contingency, as Stepan often told me, is key. Never lose sight of it.

I have my own disagreements with Przeworski, particularly about his understanding of the relationship between democracy and authoritarianism. But, of course, his contribution to democracy and authoritarianism studies cannot be and should not be overlooked. Here is the latest interview with him.

Like everything else, in the mouth of people like Trump, the term 'common sense' is also cut off from its wider context and is turned in to a 'sheer relativism.' Common sense has never been meant to be suggested to take the place of science in the rhetorical tradition. It indicates another realm+

Like everything else, in the mouth of people like Trump, the term 'common sense' is also cut off from its wider context and is turned in to a 'sheer relativism.' Common sense has never been meant to be suggested to take the place of science in the rhetorical tradition. It indicates another realm+

Here we go, Trump got his lesson from Erdogan - "corrupt opposition" is exactly Erdogan's rhetoric against the opposition. The opposition's presidential candidate are in prison on corruption charges.

I've just wanted to check whether this post on X by Goodwin is real or not. And,yes,it's real. In case you still wonder, no, we immigrants are not eating the swans.

Finally, I got it: it's all about convincing right wing voters accusing Starmer for being authoritarian by using immigration argument. What a hypocrisy..

I’m interested to see how the digital identity cards argument unfolds on the radical right. It’s obvious that it’s been connected to immigration policy so as to appeal to the right. But the right get a long way framing Starmer as ‘two-tier’ repressive & eager to criminalise opponents. So…

I truly don't understand what is this to do with the immigration. There is also Right to Work check that we, as immigrants, need to go through in order to be able to work. It's a digital system. If the employer is not doing this I don't see how ID would be helpful on that matter. Genuinely..

Keir Starmer is my new source of anxiety (as if I don't have enough!)

I hope this isn't the summary of the speech that he's going to deliver. He seems like he forgets the exigency that calls the speech!! It's supposed to be a response to the far-right not to the left. But, of course, this is what Starmer is good at it, isn't it? www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f9444c6...

I've just wanted to check whether this post on X by Goodwin is real or not. And,yes,it's real. In case you still wonder, no, we immigrants are not eating the swans.

Thesis writing diary 19: Can I start my PhD all over again without undoing what I've learned and done so far so that I can read more? 🙃🤔 No!?

Joking over rigged elections is normalizing it.

So, he actually said that! I'm sure he got his lesson from him.

Did he really say this!?

“Everything must change for everything to remain the same.” — The Leopard (1963) I first watched The Leopard in post-revolutionary Tunisia. That line, on how elites can manage change, & its gorgeous young star, Claudia Cardinale, transfixed me. Claudia, born & raised in Tunis, died on Tuesday 🧵

I also believe that this is true in general. But we can't rely merely on this. Lots of things are happening everywhere, including the US, which people had thought it wouldn't and couldn't happen. Thus, we still need to fight because common sense isn't given; it can always be shaped and reshaped.+

Here is me talking with @diegocupolo.bsky.social about authoritarianism and Turkish politics in the context of Erdogan regime's latest crackdown on the main opposition party (CHP) whose presidential candidate and dozens of mayors are in prison. Maybe a couple of points to highlight:

Here is me talking with @diegocupolo.bsky.social about authoritarianism and Turkish politics in the context of Erdogan regime's latest crackdown on the main opposition party (CHP) whose presidential candidate and dozens of mayors are in prison. Maybe a couple of points to highlight:

Last week I had a bit in @theguardian.com about how rhetoric provides a vocabulary for people to think/argue with. Here's my colleague @robtoes.bsky.social explaining how exactly that was done by online reactionaries inventing 'Boriswave'. Read & learn. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Today we'll talk about the latest crackdown on the opposition by the Erdogan regime in Turkey and the opposition's response.

Why are the American president's claims about autism the first item on British news bulletins? He's not our president, the advice doesn't apply here and he's not presented any evidence to support his assertions. So why spread these claims? What make this the biggest story in the UK?

The truth: we need migration. The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it. Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality. Reject it. Draw the line.

What I'd like to see is a politician (just one politician) to stand up and say directly to Farage's face: 'You can't do this not only because it's unlawful but because the UK isn't and will not be the country that you want it to be.'

What a great start to the week! I live in the UK with ILR, and I can't go back to my country. You've no idea how this makes us feel. I'll do everything to stop this happening. But are people in this country ready to fight for the people they haven't met?

Can u stop saying this? Thank god politics isn't just about what the media says.. this won't happen!

Those were the days when no one really cared about authoritarianism, but everyone was talking about populism. Now in the last month of my PhD, I see new articles about authoritarianism every day, and my timeline is full with the stuff on authoritarianism. Normally, I should be worried more about+

That's very informative and helpful..

Today, the main opposition party in Turkey's held its extraordinary Congress, which was organised as a legal safeguard regime's assault on the opposition. I listened to Ozgur Ozel's (head of the party) speech. He was offensive and confident, and like a leader, he knows what he's doing. The question+

Yes, debate and persuasion are not the same thing. But the main issue underlying this discussion is not that left doesn't want to persuade but what is legitimate to debate as @devawo.bsky.social brilliantly puts.

I'll be joining Recap podcast next week (23 September, Tuesday) to discuss the outcome of the CHP Congress and how the opposition might respond to the ongoing assault by the regime in Turkey. It's going to be in English - 16.00 TR time, 14.00 UK time, 09.00 US time.

Erdogan loves face-to-face meeting and believes he knows how to handle Trump. Trump, for his part, is unusually favorable towards Erdo. Still, one wonders whether Erdogan's team has fully gamed in the possibility that Trump will throw their boss under the bus... just because he can.

It's been a tumultuous time for the Labour Government at present - and Conference next weekend might be the last thing they want. Compass members can join us LIVE at 6pm on Tuesday 23rd as we sit down with @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social MP and @jemgilbert.bsky.social to discuss what's next!

Yes, exactly.. Alan Finlayson: "As long as Labour prefers the language of force, law and managerial necessity, it will lose – and what’s more, it will deserve to. The rest of us will have to find our own ways to push back against what’s coming." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I'll be joining Recap podcast next week (23 September, Tuesday) to discuss the outcome of the CHP Congress and how the opposition might respond to the ongoing assault by the regime in Turkey. It's going to be in English - 16.00 TR time, 14.00 UK time, 09.00 US time.

More politics of authoritarianism..

This seems like a very timely and important issue - we're going through very crucial times for social democracy everywhere.

The politics of authoritarianism. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/s...

I'm sorry @fromtga.bsky.social, but this article would have made sense about 600 days ago. Now it should be past tense. US democracy is gone and the rest of us should take note and adjust accordingly. Maybe the UK and France still have 400 days.

"Yes, Yes, to Ta-Nehisi Coates, you listen."