Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1h

Important read 👇

Klaudia Wegschaider @wegschaider.bsky.social · 2d

🚨 New Working Paper with R.Bauböck + @sumpierrez.bsky.social

We introduce the concept of incongruent suffrage.

This describes when there are voting rights but no candidacy rights for a group. Or vice versa.

The paper includes descriptive data & exploratory case studies.

doi.org/10.33774/aps...

Title: Incongruent Suffrage
Authors: Klaudia Wegschaider, Rainer Bauböck, Sebastián Umpierrez de Reguero
Abstract: Candidacy rights and voting rights are not always congruent. Although voting rights are extensively studied, historical and contemporary incongruencies in suffrage have been widely overlooked. We propose a typology of suffrage incongruency that we apply to the enfranchisement of non-citizen residents and non-resident citizens—two categories recently at the center of enfranchisement scholarship and reform efforts. Using an original dataset that covers 165 countries and 61 years (1960-2020), we identify past and present voting-only incongruencies and candidacy-only incongruencies. Existing theories of suffrage extension focus on the voteshare maximizing logic of incumbents. However, these explanations cannot account for why only one part of suffrage is extended. With two exploratory case studies of Switzerland and the United Kingdom, we inductively arrive at potential explanations for why voting-only and candidacy-only incongruencies arise and resolve in democracies. We conclude with a research agenda on the causes and consequences of suffrage incongruencies.

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 4h

Important read 👇

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 5h

New post just out:

The relationship between Russia and the European radical right goes well beyond Reform's Nathan Gill being bribed.

In this post I trace the history back to the 1990s and look at the threat it poses now.

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/r...

Russia and the rise of the radical right

Marine Le Pen meets with Putin before the 2017 French Presidential election (Photo credit Mikhail Klimentyev/AFP via Getty Images)

open.substack.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 4h

”But I don’t think it’s dishonest. I’m mostly me on the dating app – just maybe asking better questions.”

Still ”academic misconduct”, no?

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder

Where once people were duped by soft-focus photos and borrowed chat-up lines, now they have to watch out for computer-generated charm. But it’s one thing to use a witty phrase – another thing entirely...

www.theguardian.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 5h

With blue passports, however.

Brendan May @brendanmay.bsky.social · 16h

Absolutely superb effort by all those who voted for this, many of whom are now dead.

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 19h

academics exchanging stories about what radicalized them

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 20h

👀

Notes from Poland @notesfrompoland.bsky.social · 20h

Poland has secured an exemption from accepting relocated migrants under the EU's new migration pact, says the government.

"I said that there would be no relocation of migrants in Poland, and there won’t be!" celebrated Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Poland says it will be exempted from EU migrant relocations

notesfrompoland.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 21h

👌

Board of Deputies of British Jews @boardofdeputies.bsky.social · 2d

Faith leaders and Politicians standing together to bridge divides following Heaton Park attack and suspected arson on Peacehaven mosque.

Last night we welcomed the new Minister for Faith & Communities Miatta Fahnbulleh to our latest event of the Optimistic Alliance.

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 23h

Mood.

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

”[#Takaichi’s] election may also blunt the rise of Sanseito, a right-wing populist party that surged in July on an anti-immigration platform.” Or it may boost the PRR. Why go for the milder mainstream copy?

www.cnn.com/2025/10/10/a...

Japan’s aspiring leader drums to relieve stress. She has many reasons to reach for her sticks | CNN

Staunch conservative and longtime lawmaker Sanae Takaichi is days away from becoming Japan’s first woman prime minister, and she inherits a daunting list of challenges.

www.cnn.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

🤔

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 1d

The picture of Farage with the T shirt from Gill’s briber’s wife, taken the day Gill appears her Pro Russian TV channel, is taken in Gill’s office

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 1d

Farage on Gill and Pro Russian media bribes” I told him not to go. He defied me and went. I was completely unaware of any statements that he made."

Farage with pro Russian media (and wife of briber) on the day Gill made his statements in 2018

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

30+?!? 😂 #YouWin

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

Granted, attendance drops towards the end of the course but ”near-empty” uh-uh.

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d

'It is no secret that student attendance has plummeted in recent years, with near-empty lecture halls a staple of the post-pandemic world.'

Really? I lecture to all our 1st years. Lecture hall is full, not near-empty. Student engagement picked up last year and (early days) seems stronger again. 1/2

Fiction ‘brings lectures to life’ as academics face empty classes

University ‘whodunnit’ inspired by attempts to tackle poor attendance as scholars look for novel ways to engage mainstream audiences

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

Important event 👇

Aaron Winter @aaronwinter.bsky.social · 1d

Really looking forward to participating in this event:

Theology, Churches & the Mainstreaming of the Far Right

15 October 2025
7:00-8:30 pm
Online
Register using the QR code

Theology, Churches & the Mainstreaming of the Far Right

15 October 2025
7:00-8:30 pm
Online
Register using the QR code

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

“Migrants who come here have everything going for them,” he said. “They share two-bedroom flats with 10 people. ”

”Everything going for them” doing some heavy lifting here.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

‘The Algarve is Chega’s kingdom’: resort city’s voters tempted by far-right party

Chega voters in Albufeira hope party can use Sunday’s local elections as springboard for nationwide takeover

www.theguardian.com

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

Blur (2), Railroad Jerk (2) and Teenage Fanclub (3) (ping @benrosamond1.bsky.social @misterdavidwelsh.bsky.social @jackmusso.bsky.social)

Lady4Freedom @sassylassiein2024.bsky.social · 1d

My all time favorite band since the 80s, Depeche Mode (5x). 🖤🌹

How about you??!! 😎

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

Point 👇

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

Nothing says “America First” like letting another country put an Air Force base in Idaho

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 1d

Just had a very interesting (albeit slightly depressing) conversation with @polphilpod.bsky.social for his ”Political Philosophy Podcast”. Topics covered: the politics of migration; 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿; challenges to liberalism; creeping authoritarianism, end of the world (sort of). Thanks for the invite for Toby!

a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a door and says `` thank you '' .

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a door and says `` thank you '' .

media.tenor.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

Point (2) 👇

Staffan I Lindberg /V-Dem Institute @silindberg.bsky.social · 2d

Typical for autocracy...now in the US....
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Trump’s attack on George Soros is the next step in the autocrat’s handbook | Kenneth Roth

Having already attacked judges, lawyers, media companies and universities, the president has set his sights on civil society

www.theguardian.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

TF for that.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado wins Nobel peace prize

Leader of country’s opposition receives award after scrutiny surrounding committee and comments by Donald Trump

www.theguardian.com

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

Point (2) 👇

Nick Reeves #FBPE #NAFO @nickreeves.bsky.social · 2d

The Tories are heading towards extinction because once you've fed voters with enough far-right poison, they vote for the real fascists, not your pale copy. They vote for the leaders, not the Tory followers scrabbling along after them.

You defeat fascism by fighting it, relentlessly, tooth and nail.

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

Point 👇

Tanja Bueltmann @tanjabueltmann.net · 5d

I say this with the bluntness it requires: they will get people murdered if this continues. This is not just populism anymore either: it’s completely unhinged and a deliberate choice that does endanger lives. I am not saying this lightly at all.

Screenshot of an Express article; it says: Robert Jenrick lists 30 'activist judges' he vows to axe in war on UK's open border

In a bold move, Robert Jenrick is set to unveil a controversial plan targeting what he calls 'activist' judges, at the Conservative Party conference.

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

Here we go (again) 👇

John Pring, DNS @johnpring.bsky.social · 2d

A trio of leading Tories have used misleading and offensive statements at their annual conference in Manchester to scapegoat disabled people who rely on support from the benefits system and whip up hostility towards them.
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/tory-trio-mi...

Tory trio mislead party conference on disability benefits as they stir up hostility towards disabled claimants

A trio of leading Tories have used misleading and offensive statements at their annual conference in Manchester to scapegoat disabled people who rely on support from the benefits system and whip up…

www.disabilitynewsservice.com

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Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

👀

Rachel Bitecofer @rachelbitecofer.bsky.social · 2d

🚨🚨🚨As Rutgers professor and anti-fascist researcher @Mark__Bray and his family tried to escape death threats, they found their tickets to Spain had been cancelled at their gate at Newark airport. apple.news/At9zbVrllRta...

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport — Guardian US

Rutgers University professor who published book on antifa was informed at boarding gate that his trip was cancelled

apple.news

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 2d

“While not defending the placards, many of the protesters we spoke to insisted they had *genuine concerns* about the safety of women and children.” 👀

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The battle for Scotland's flag: Why the right has adopted the saltire

The saltire has long been embraced by supporters of Scottish independence – but now it is being unfurled for a different cause.

www.bbc.co.uk

Pontus Odmalm @podmalm.bsky.social · 3d

@edinburghuni.bsky.social is “[t]he only Scottish university to be ranked among the top 15in Europe//…//which is also the fifth best in the UK.” Bittersweet given the ongoing cutbacks on people and resources.

www.scotsman.com/education/be...

Here are the 15 best universities in Europe - including the University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh University is the only institution to be recognised among the best in Europe, according to the 2026 THE World University Rankings.

www.scotsman.com

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