There's been a tonne of interesting stuff to read on China's green export boom, developmental green industrial policy & even US energy transition politics in the past couple weeks; here is an annotated list from me & @70sbachchan.bsky.social buttondown.com/polycrisisdi...

I did this a couple of years ago and really benefitted from it! Great to get feedback but even better to read exciting new work from other ECRs before it’s published… 🤓🥰

Hey @geographers.bsky.social and #geographers please pass this great opportunity on in your networks!

🧵1/What is Global China? @meredeboom.bsky.social & I argue it’s not one thing, but a plural, evolving imaginary. We trace 6 paths—Other, Integration, Bridge, Status, Threat, Alternative—showing how China’s global role is imagined, claimed & contested as meanings collide & open possibilities.

'Global China' is suddenly everywhere, from think tank reports to political speeches to academic texts. But what political work does the term 'Global China' itself do? @jessicadicarlo.bsky.social and I identify six 'paths' of Global China: Other, Integration, Status, Bridge, Threat, & Alternative.

Great to see this article published in @politicsandspace.bsky.social: 'Displaced decarbonization: Climate necropolitics and the contested spatialities of green hydrogen in Namibia' By @meredeboom.bsky.social 📝 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Despite near-full dams after recent rains, Windhoek remains under Category D drought since mid-2023. The city’s persistent water crisis highlights infrastructure and planning gaps, with severe implications for public health, equality, and sustainable urban living.

Long seen as a neutral player in global affairs, Zambia’s foreign policy is shifting under new pressures—from Western donors, Chinese investment, and its own strategic ambitions. africasacountry.com/2025/04/zamb...

Namibia | DeBoom analyses how Namibia strategically hedges its green hydrogen ambitions with ongoing oil and gas exploration. The state frames both as compatible paths to low-carbon resilience, raising critical questions for a just and sustainable energy future in Southern Africa.

New Dig: Second episode in two-part series with @iliasalami.bsky.social and @70sbachchan.bsky.social on global geopolitical and geoeconomic conjuncture. Why economic weapon failed against Russia and China, struggle to control energy transition, and so much more! www.thedigradio.com/podcast/new-...

The most important paper on democratic backsliding I've read this year

Inequality in action; inaction on inequality: Africans overwhelmingly see their governments as failing to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. See Afrobarometer’s survey in this week’s issue of The Continent (pg 21)

Almost half a year’s worth of rain fell in 24hrs on Botswana, a semi-arid country. At least 15 people died & widespread flooding has caused extensive damage to homes, businesses & roads. This is the devastating reality of the worsening #ClimateCrisis, this is why we urgently need to #EndFossilFuels

Poverty is on the rise across the African continent. The pain, however, is not evenly distributed. On average, lived poverty is at its worst level in a quarter-century of Afrobarometer surveys.

"Chinese authorities in recent months have made it more difficult for some engineers and equipment to leave the country, proposed new export controls to retain key battery technologies, and moved to restrict technologies for processing critical minerals" www.ft.com/content/d48e...

All Protocol Observed Welcome to Issue 190 of The Continent The world order is disintegrating. Whose interests will the African Union serve now? Read it here: bit.ly/TC190

We could really use your help. We’re beginning this year with a big push for new subscribers – because the more subscribers we have, the easier it is for us to raise funding to keep doing the kind of journalism we do. Our subscription details are here 👇

Aquifer levels in parts of western Kansas that rely on groundwater for everything from drinking to irrigation fell more than a foot last year, Kansas Geological Survey scientists said Tuesday. via @kansasreflector.com www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ogal...

A much-needed bright spot today: grad students, this is an awesome opportunity to work with @cplusc.bsky.social & @pmbigger.bsky.social on climate work that matters this summer--without risking your ability to make rent. The fellowship is 20 hours/week, $50/hour, 100% remote, flexible scheduling.

Learn all about our new work on the geography of wealth in Tom's Conversation piece!

A few months ago, I published my inaugural research article in @politicalgeography.bsky.social titled 'Gatekeeping Beyond the State: The Mombasa Port (...)'. It was a challenging but very rewarding experience, and hopefully, there will be many more articles to come! doi.org/10.1016/j.po...

"We need to re-imagine the world order to one in which our concerns are taken seriously." Powerful writing here on the future of pan-Africanism. #Africa

I'm always eager for a @thecontinent.bsky.social headline to slap a grin on my face.

All Protocol Observed. Welcome to Issue 183 of The Continent. This week, we travel to Beitbridge, where movement is free for the right price. Get your free copy here: bit.ly/TheContinent...

All Protocol Observed Welcome to Issue 181 of The Continent. Trump is back: on the African continent we must build the post-American world order we want; the sun is setting on liberators in southern Africa; and rebuilding limbs in post-war Tigray. Read the full issue here: bit.ly/TC181

The once-dominant liberation parties of southern Africa are having a terrible 2024. It’s getting more difficult to win elections with struggle credentials alone.