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Simon Mabon

@profmabon.bsky.social

1.3K followers 1.4K following 54 posts

Professor of International Politics, author, podcaster. Lancaster University. SEPAD. Sectarianism, geopolitics, sovereignty, nomos, political theory. The Struggle for Supremacy (CUP) Houses built on sand (MUP) Saudi & Iran (IB Tauris) .. more

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Political science 62%

Sociology 35%

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Jonty Este @jonty98.bsky.social · 3d

The two years of fighting since October 7 have transformed the Middle East: MIddle East expert Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social looks into the aftermath of the Hamas attacks and Israel's war on Gaza
theconversation.com/the-two-year...

The two years of fighting since October 7 have transformed the Middle East

The impact of the October 7 attacks and Israel’s response will reverberate for decades to come.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · 3d

The impact of the October 7 attacks and Israel’s response will reverberate for decades to come.

The two years of fighting since October 7 have transformed the Middle East

The impact of the October 7 attacks and Israel’s response will reverberate for decades to come.

tcnv.link

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Foreign Policy Centre @fpcthinktank.bsky.social · Sep 10

🇸🇾 🎉Thank you to all who joined us in Parliament for our roundtable on Syria’s transition nine months on.

Our expert panel reflected on interim governance, legal reform & the prospects for meaningful accountability.

📝 A takeaway report will be out soon: fpc.org.uk/join/

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Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social · Aug 1

Much deserved!

I’ll get you a celebratory coffee next time you’re around. (Catch up long overdue).

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Maryam Aldossari @maryamaldossari.bsky.social · Aug 1

The mathematics of starvation: how Israel caused a famine in Gaza.
Israel controls the flow of food into Gaza. It has calculated how many calories Palestinians need to stay alive. Its data shows only a fraction has been allowed in.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

The mathematics of starvation: how Israel caused a famine in Gaza

Israel controls the flow of food into Gaza. It has calculated how many calories Palestinians need to stay alive. Its data shows only a fraction has been allowed in

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · Aug 1

As U.S. aid flows to Israel, settler violence in the West Bank is surging – with little state restraint. Experts say it’s part of a larger strategy to forcibly reshape the region. buff.ly/CpMDami
By @aperliger.bsky.social, UMass Lowell

The quiet war: What’s fueling Israel’s surge of settler violence – and the lack of state response

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Patrick Dunleavy @patrickdunleavy.bsky.social · Jul 30

John Simpson
“The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights warns that countries are becoming bolder in attacking dissidents in the UK. Russia, China & Iran are the worst, but Bahrain, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, & the UAE have all attacked people here.”

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Francesco Belcastro @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social · Jul 25

"There are other more incendiary options. One would be for the UK and others to properly adhere to their obligations under international law." @profmabon.bsky.social on the Gaza genocide.
theconversation.com/gaza-is-star...

Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action

Israel’s allies should look at what was done to isolate South Africa during the apartheid years.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · Jul 24

Israel’s allies should look at what was done to isolate South Africa during the apartheid years.

Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action

Israel’s allies should look at what was done to isolate South Africa during the apartheid years.

tcnv.link

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Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social · Jul 24

And how this sits alongside what is happening in Syria.

Neoliberal pragmatism in operation again?

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · Jul 14

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

‘Humanitarian city’ would be concentration camp for Palestinians, says former Israeli PM

Ehud Olmert says forcing people into camp would be ethnic cleansing, and anger at Israel is not all down to antisemitism

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Simon Mabon, Mauro Gatti

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 5

Britain re-establishing diplomatic relations with Syria, announces David Lammy

Foreign secretary says it is in UK’s ‘interests to support new government’ as in first visit by British minister for 14 years Britain is re-establishing diplomatic relations with Syria after the country’s years-long civil war, foreign minister David Lammy has announced during a visit to the capital Damascus. “There is renewed hope for the Syrian people,” Lammy said in a statement. “It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians.” Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Peter Thorne, Jamie Hannaford, Jesse H. Kroll , and 4 more Peter Thorne, Jamie Hannaford, Jesse H. Kroll, Jamie Morgan, Simon Mabon, Pepper D. Culpepper, Vincent Raoult

Norm Charlatan @normcharlatan.bsky.social · Jul 2

Indiana Jones will be played by a rotating cast of three adjuncts who answer to two different associate deans

GeekTyrant @geektyrant.com · Jul 2

Disney Reportedly Planning Full Reboot of the INDIANA JONES Franchise

It looks like Indiana Jones might actually be headed for the reboot treatment. According to a recent report from DisInsider , Disney and Lucasfilm are considering a full relaunch of the iconic adventure...

buff.ly

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Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Joanna Bryson, Leo Lucassen , and 2 more Timothy Snyder, Joanna Bryson, Leo Lucassen, Scott Gehlbach, Simon Mabon

Judah Grunstein @judah-grunstein.bsky.social · Jul 1

Trump and Miller are intent on building an unaccountable domestic secret police force that would be the world's third-biggest security force by funding levels, after the US and China's *militaries*.

That kind of funding dwarfs its stated purpose, which tells you what its real purpose will be.

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · Jun 24

A judge ruled Anthropic training AI on books without permission was legal, but pirating the books was not. This is ultimately a very damaging decision but there are many other cases working their way through the legal system that have worse facts

www.404media.co/judge-rules-...

Judge Rules Training AI on Authors' Books Is Legal But Pirating Them Is Not

A judge rules that Anthropic's training on copyrighted works without authors' permission was a legal fair use, but that stealing the books in the first place is illegal.

www.404media.co

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Somdeep Sen @somdeepsen.bsky.social · Jun 24

This is such an important day for New Yorkers. Rooting for Mamdani! www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

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Reposted by Ralf Michaels, Simon Mabon

Adil Haque @adhaque.bsky.social · Jun 23

“So, bottom line – all of these arguments are really trying to dress up purely preventative action into something more legally respectable. These arguments are not just weak, they are fatally weak.”

Peak Marko.

Hang it in the Louvre.

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Kevork Oskanian @drkevorko.bsky.social · Jun 23

The EU's pathetic response to Trump's Iran attack: Europe jettisoned its principles to suck up to a president that doesn't even know they exist

responsiblestatecraft.org/us-strikes-i...

The EU's pathetic response to Trump's Iran attack

Europe jettisoned its principles to suck up to a president that doesn't even know they exist

responsiblestatecraft.org

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · Jun 22

The US president’s decision to join israel’s air campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme is the death knell of the old rules-based order.

US joins Israel in attack on Iran and ushers in a new era of impunity

The US president’s decision to join israel’s air campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme is the death knell of the old rules-based order.

tcnv.link

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Zeteo @zeteo.com · Jun 22

“Donald Trump has guaranteed that Iran will be a nuclear weapons state in 5 to 10 years from now.”

Iranian writer @tparsi.bsky.social tells @mehdirhasan.bsky.social that US bombing of Iran would push Tehran toward developing nuclear weapons.

Watch the full conversation:
zeteo.com/p/breaking-t...

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Phil Dobbie @phildobbie.bsky.social · Jun 19

If you want to understand the background in the Iran-Israel war, and where it could lead us, you really need to listen to this week’s Why Curve, with Simon Mabon from Lancaster University, Listen to the full episode here: whycurve.com/episode/worl...

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Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social · Jun 16

“When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you.”

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · Jun 13

Stark regime change message from Netanyahu here. “As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom. The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c9...

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Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social · Jun 5

A wonderful thread.

Frith 🐉 An Odd Type of Dragon @oddtypeofdragon.bsky.social · Jun 4

Important news: the Weston Library in Oxford (part of the Bodleian) has added a small baby play space.

And they've called it the Toddleian.

Reposted by Simon Mabon

Shibley Telhami @stelhami.bsky.social · Jun 4

All alone in the world: The US vetoes a UN Security Council resolution demanding permanent ceasefire in Gaza, which was supported by all 14 other Security Council members. news.un.org/en/story/202...

US vetoes Security Council resolution demanding permanent ceasefire in Gaza

A draft resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza failed to pass in the UN Security Council on Wednesday after the United States cast its veto – blocking the initiative backe...

news.un.org

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Frith 🐉 An Odd Type of Dragon @oddtypeofdragon.bsky.social · Jun 4

Important news: the Weston Library in Oxford (part of the Bodleian) has added a small baby play space.

And they've called it the Toddleian.

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · May 28

Today's front page 📰

UK Government is accused of 'mockery' as trade envoy visits Israel

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Reposted by Simon Mabon

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · May 28

“Any facts that contradict the gospel of Trumpism are treated as heretical. These various initiatives… comprise a unified assault. The Trump administration has launched a comprehensive attack on knowledge itself, a war against culture, history, and science.”

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

The New Dark Age

The Trump administration has launched an attack on knowledge itself.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by David M. Schultz, Ingrid Piller, Patricia Owens , and 7 more David M. Schultz, Ingrid Piller, Patricia Owens, Andrew Leyshon, Sylvain Laurens, Simon Mabon, Diane Marie Amann, Allan D. McDevitt, Claire Jowitt, Catherine Spooner

Annalisa Nicholson @apuddleofmuddle.bsky.social · May 27

Academia in 2025: For weeks I’ve been working through botched copy-edits of my monograph, outsourced by the publisher to a company I’d never heard of, until it finally dawned on me the terrible job might be AI. A quick search confirmed the company recently launched new AI software, which now means..

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Simon Mabon @profmabon.bsky.social · May 22

Thanks for bringing my rough sketches up to standard!