Alison Phipps አሊሰን
banner
alisonphipps.bsky.social
Alison Phipps አሊሰን
@alisonphipps.bsky.social

UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Education, Languages & Arts at University of Glasgow

Alison Phipps OBE FRSE FRSA FAcSS a University of Glasgow professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies and holds the first UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts. She has been awarded the Minerva Medal of the Royal Philosophical Society and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. .. more

Political science 27%
Art 20%

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Eek. "In controlled experiments...AI systems successfully swayed political views in ways that should alarm anyone concerned about democratic integrity. The most unsettling part though was that the most persuasive models were also the ones spreading the most inaccurate information."
How AI Chatbots Changed 26% of Voters' Political Views
Why AI Conversations Outperform Billions in Political Advertising
substack.com

Reposted by Alison Phipps

It appears that the Government is finally waking up to the harm from misinformation and disinformation, at least for public health and measles vaccination.

She is. She is.

Reposted by Alison Phipps

He really was

Just by way of encouragement. The world hasn’t ended because my metrics are based on wonky algorithms. My apple trees blossom. The harvest is plentiful.

So unsubscribe first - maybe gradually. Reduce dependence. I’m accidentally locked out of a fair few platforms as I happen to share my name with another Prof and so we both get daubed with ‘impersonation’- She’s wonderful. Neither of our citation metrics are remotely correct. If they exist at all.

“The defining feature of modern life isn’t surveillance per se—it’s dependence. You don’t need to be watched constantly if your ability to participate in society is routed through systems that can be selectively turned off.” Thomas Karat open.substack.com/pub/karat/p/...
When Access Stops Being a Right
Here’s a quiet shift most of us haven’t fully clocked yet.
open.substack.com
I remember when he was seen as a thoughtful MP
Employment rates for non-EU born are now *above* those for the UK born.

Gap used be nearly 10 percentage points.

A tribute to the success of UK immigration/immigrants and labour market integration, especially in recent years.

Something government should celebrate..

Reposted by Alison Phipps

The Iranian regime takes brutality to a whole new level. It will commit any atrocity to maintain its hold on power. The citizens confronting it are among the bravest in the world.

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Starmer blamed his decision to appoint Mandelson on the vetting. Cooper blamed her decision to proscribe Palestine Action on the advice. Starmer blamed his decision to ennoble Matthew Doyle on the vetting. And now Kinnock blames the latest u-turn on the advice

Spot the pattern?

Reposted by Alison Phipps

When you impose hostile immigration policies they inevitably end up being discriminatory. More often than not it is women and children who face the most discrimination from them. By its very nature, immigration is an intersectional issue. Labour is making things worse with their policies. 2/2

Reposted by Alison Phipps

As with most immigration rules to be honest, for a variety of reasons, such as differing surnames, as here, but also gender pay gaps, likelihood of being the primary carer of children, restrictions on family reunification etc etc etc. 1/2
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
New UK border rules for dual nationals are discriminatory against women, campaigners say
British women in Spain and Greece face ‘huge problems’ entering UK because of differing surname rules
www.theguardian.com
Blimey. Looks like Matt Goodwin, who seems to think the Handmaid's Tale is an instruction manual, is in the pay of an Orban think tank, funded by Russian oil money.
Orbán’s pay cheques: Reform candidate fuelled by profits from Russian oil
The Reform candidate at this month’s byelection claims he wants to put Britain first, but is he still on the payroll of Viktor Orbán’s far-right propaganda unit?
goodlaw.social
I’m not normally that person but….

It’s really annoying that Democracy for Sale a has hardly been credited anywhere in last 24 hours for breaking story of Labour Together paying to spy on journalists *almost two weeks* ago

Hadn’t expected Tory press office to be the exception!
the loss of the World Service would be a tragedy and huge lost of soft power for Britain

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Sharply falling migration will be "boon for Starmer but problem for Reeves who will count cost in hard cash".

Latter clearly correct but not convinced by the former - doubt fall in published figures outweighs political impact of higher taxes/worse services..

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
UK migration could be negative this year – how will that hit the economy?
Universities, builders and health trusts are feeling the squeeze, as thinktank says effect of zero net migration could be similar to Brexit
www.theguardian.com
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.

Thanks Clare

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Lord Bolney of Labour Friends of Israel wrote the report with the recommendation of proscription.

youtube.com/shorts/15EXA...
Why the UK says 'Palestine Action' supporters are terrorists
YouTube video by CNN
youtube.com
It *literally* does.

Thats what it is. A document which says youre British.

Reposted by Alison Phipps

The campaign, "Resist and Unsubscribe" isn't for everyone, but it should be. If we hope to derail the MAGA authoritarian regime that has taken hold of the United States, this is the most powerful statement that can be made. Hit 'em where it hurts! 🗽 www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...
DVDs and public transit: Boycott drives people to ditch Big Tech to protest ICE
A sweeping boycott has begun — targeting tech giants who participants believe are enabling President Trump and his immigration crackdown.
www.npr.org

1) Proscription is not needed to deal with credible threats of violence, other mechanisms already exist

2) who gave the advice and where did it originate? To what extent are vested interests providing ‘advice’ or ‘concern about public safety?’

These are the follow-ups.
Yvette Cooper is forced to watch Sue Parfitt, the 83 year old CofE priest who's been charged under the terrorism act

Cooper repeats what she said on Sky this morning about proscribing Palestine Action, blaming the advice. And for good measure she spreads the blame to MP's too

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Yvette Cooper is forced to watch Sue Parfitt, the 83 year old CofE priest who's been charged under the terrorism act

Cooper repeats what she said on Sky this morning about proscribing Palestine Action, blaming the advice. And for good measure she spreads the blame to MP's too
Huge evening at Democracy for Sale as Labour Together’s investigation into journalists leading Sunday Times

Want to thank all our supporters: without you, this story would never have happened

Really shows the power of independent journalism

Do support, if you can

democracyforsale.substack.com
Democracy for Sale | Peter Geoghegan | Substack
A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.
democracyforsale.substack.com

UofG quit already too

Thank you so much and for you companionship as it’s words formed and fell

Reposted by Alison Phipps

“Folding a River” is an anthology of poetry and ineradicable orality, embodying decolonial possibilities. Grateful for the gifts this book offers, @alisonphipps.bsky.social and Tawona.

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Why are Scottish schools still using Twitter when the site was used to create deepfake sexual images of children? Why is the Scottish government permitting this? Why are councils permitting this? Why are teachers permitting this? If you care about the safety of children get off that site right now.