Sohini Kar
@karsohini.bsky.social
Associate Professor of International Development | LSE | Economic Anthropologist
It's been a few years in the making, but a global pandemic, pregnancy, and a baby (now 4...) later, my work on financial activism is now out in the latest issue of Cultural Anthropology (open access)!
It's that time of year!! 🎁❄️📚📚🤓
That's right! The latest issue of Cultural Anthropology is out now! Check out all eight new research articles open-access here: journal.culanth.org/index.php/ca
That's right! The latest issue of Cultural Anthropology is out now! Check out all eight new research articles open-access here: journal.culanth.org/index.php/ca
November 19, 2025 at 1:12 PM
It's been a few years in the making, but a global pandemic, pregnancy, and a baby (now 4...) later, my work on financial activism is now out in the latest issue of Cultural Anthropology (open access)!
Well played, London Underground.
October 22, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Well played, London Underground.
Have always loved Tagore's Kabuliwala. A lovely piece on its meaning now.
As the new custodians of control try to gild their politics with culture, let us not be deceived by beauty rehearsed in service of power. Art was never meant to perfume oppression, nor to soften the edges of tyranny.
scroll.in/article/1087...
Moska Najibullah writes
scroll.in/article/1087...
Moska Najibullah writes
October 13, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Have always loved Tagore's Kabuliwala. A lovely piece on its meaning now.
I had debilitating nausea in pregnancy that required anti-nausea tablets. Perfectly safe, but even as a well-informed, pro-biomedicine person, I was anxious to take it b/c of the discourse around medicines in pregnancy. Putting this kind of anxiety on women for taking a Tylenol is unconscionable.
The President says pregnant women should stay away from Tylenol due to possible autism link. World health authorities strongly disagree, say the drug is safe in pregnancy.
World health officials reject Trump's claims that Tylenol is linked to autism
The President says pregnant women should stay away from Tylenol due to possible autism link. World health authorities strongly disagree, say the drug is safe in pregnancy.
n.pr
September 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I had debilitating nausea in pregnancy that required anti-nausea tablets. Perfectly safe, but even as a well-informed, pro-biomedicine person, I was anxious to take it b/c of the discourse around medicines in pregnancy. Putting this kind of anxiety on women for taking a Tylenol is unconscionable.
Reposted by Sohini Kar
If you are still looking for that reading at the intersection of environment, health, extraction and disposession (with a dash of the digital)...
💻New in Geo!🛢️
'Minecraft's territory: Alberta's oil sands, settler knowledge infrastructure & digital geographies' by @jeremyjschmidt.bsky.social
This paper traces how the data used for a Minecraft extension are tied to broader extractive networks of knowledge production.
doi.org/10.1002/geo2...
'Minecraft's territory: Alberta's oil sands, settler knowledge infrastructure & digital geographies' by @jeremyjschmidt.bsky.social
This paper traces how the data used for a Minecraft extension are tied to broader extractive networks of knowledge production.
doi.org/10.1002/geo2...
September 23, 2025 at 9:25 AM
If you are still looking for that reading at the intersection of environment, health, extraction and disposession (with a dash of the digital)...
Reposted by Sohini Kar
Sorry to disappoint.
🔎New! A Reform UK government isn’t inevitable, argues @timbale.bsky.social.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
A Reform UK government isn’t inevitable - British Politics and Policy at LSE
Joanna Bale interviews Tim Bale about the prospect of Reform UK ending up in power, and the obstacles along the way.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
September 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Sorry to disappoint.
Deleted. Please get in touch with me if you would like access to one of my papers. Always happy to share.
If you’re on academia dot edu, let me suggest that you strongly consider deleting your account.
September 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Deleted. Please get in touch with me if you would like access to one of my papers. Always happy to share.
on.ft.com/3Vi46FW Memo to women: get ready to work for free again
Memo to women: get ready to work for free again
The gender pay gap is tediously persistent and worse than we thought
on.ft.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:36 AM
on.ft.com/3Vi46FW Memo to women: get ready to work for free again
Reposted by Sohini Kar
When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine,"
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
"Everyone Drank Raw Milk!" No They Didn't
YouTube video by Farm to Taber
youtu.be
September 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine,"
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
“I am looking directly into a tent at another mother who is in hell.” www.vogue.co.uk/article/gaza...
How Do We Talk To Our Children In This Moment?
“Images of dead, injured and starving children are, rightfully, in our newspapers and on our screens and on our phones,” writes Nell Frizzell. “Whatever is coming, I want my children to remember how i...
www.vogue.co.uk
August 29, 2025 at 10:37 AM
“I am looking directly into a tent at another mother who is in hell.” www.vogue.co.uk/article/gaza...
Every day of this administration I wonder how it’s the same country I did my undergraduate and graduate degrees in as an international student. (Even given the changes after 9/11…)
I know there's a lot happening today, but this is sneaking in under the radar. This proposed new rule would absolutely crush foreign PhD students, potentially making it impossible for them to enroll with any certainty of their ability to finish www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
August 28, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Every day of this administration I wonder how it’s the same country I did my undergraduate and graduate degrees in as an international student. (Even given the changes after 9/11…)
Reposted by Sohini Kar
“On Tuesday, the government announced a “nationally significant” water shortage in England, which means the whole country is at risk of running out if the dry weather continues”
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
How can England possibly be running out of water?
While famously rainswept, climate crisis, population growth and profligacy mean the once unthinkable could be possible
www.theguardian.com
August 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
“On Tuesday, the government announced a “nationally significant” water shortage in England, which means the whole country is at risk of running out if the dry weather continues”
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Reposted by Sohini Kar
The second piece in our AI series explores how the growing energy demand for training and running artificial intelligence models is driving increased investment in fossil fuels - and how accounting techniques distract from the surge in tech company data centre emissions
on.ft.com/4lkAjXN
on.ft.com/4lkAjXN
August 7, 2025 at 8:22 AM
The second piece in our AI series explores how the growing energy demand for training and running artificial intelligence models is driving increased investment in fossil fuels - and how accounting techniques distract from the surge in tech company data centre emissions
on.ft.com/4lkAjXN
on.ft.com/4lkAjXN
"If these practices continue to expand, and trying to buy things or earn money begins to feel increasingly like making a series of bets in the dark, then more and more people will start to suspect the corollary: that the house always wins."
on.ft.com/4od2MRM
on.ft.com/4od2MRM
Dynamic wages make work a gamble
Ride-hailing and food-delivery companies’ new pay models use algorithms to decide bespoke fees
on.ft.com
August 5, 2025 at 11:27 AM
"If these practices continue to expand, and trying to buy things or earn money begins to feel increasingly like making a series of bets in the dark, then more and more people will start to suspect the corollary: that the house always wins."
on.ft.com/4od2MRM
on.ft.com/4od2MRM
Reposted by Sohini Kar
Why did Alberta's response to health concerns over oil sands extraction in Peace River include an extension to Minecraft?
It was a long enough story (and important enough for thinking about geology and politics) for me to write this article: doi.org/10.1002/geo2... #oilsands #alberta #minecraft
It was a long enough story (and important enough for thinking about geology and politics) for me to write this article: doi.org/10.1002/geo2... #oilsands #alberta #minecraft
Minecraft's territory: Alberta's oil sands, settler knowledge infrastructure and digital geographies
In 2017, the Alberta Geological Survey published an extension to Minecraft that allows players to virtually mine bitumen in Peace River. This article traces how the data used for the Minecraft extens...
doi.org
June 2, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Why did Alberta's response to health concerns over oil sands extraction in Peace River include an extension to Minecraft?
It was a long enough story (and important enough for thinking about geology and politics) for me to write this article: doi.org/10.1002/geo2... #oilsands #alberta #minecraft
It was a long enough story (and important enough for thinking about geology and politics) for me to write this article: doi.org/10.1002/geo2... #oilsands #alberta #minecraft
Important findings: "Access to university has not yet had a great deal of attention from the new Government. But given its importance as a route to social mobility, it should be considered a key part of the Government’s Opportunity Mission." www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
The Opportunity Index – What does it tell us about access to HE? - The Sutton Trust
Looking at access to university using our latest region-level and constituency-level data.
www.suttontrust.com
May 27, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Important findings: "Access to university has not yet had a great deal of attention from the new Government. But given its importance as a route to social mobility, it should be considered a key part of the Government’s Opportunity Mission." www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion...
Solidarity to international students and scholars at Harvard and beyond. Photo from my time there as an international postdoc on campus.
May 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Solidarity to international students and scholars at Harvard and beyond. Photo from my time there as an international postdoc on campus.
❤️ CC Class of 2025.
Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman welcomed to Columbia College's graduation ceremony with sustained jeers and boos.
Minutes later, students break out in loud chants of "Free Mahmoud":
Minutes later, students break out in loud chants of "Free Mahmoud":
May 20, 2025 at 7:21 PM
❤️ CC Class of 2025.
Reposted by Sohini Kar
I understand looking for historical parallels when we’re at the stage of warning signs, but when the evil arrives the priority is to deal with what’s actually in front of you.
April 15, 2025 at 6:36 AM
I understand looking for historical parallels when we’re at the stage of warning signs, but when the evil arrives the priority is to deal with what’s actually in front of you.
Does anyone have a PDF of Das & Poole's 2004 Introduction to 'Anthropology in the Margins of the State,' before I have to recall the book from the library?
April 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Does anyone have a PDF of Das & Poole's 2004 Introduction to 'Anthropology in the Margins of the State,' before I have to recall the book from the library?
What could possibly go wrong with using data that is inherently flawed and biased to predict murders? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
UK creating ‘murder prediction’ tool to identify people most likely to kill
Exclusive: Algorithms allegedly being used to study data of thousands of people, in project critics say is ‘chilling and dystopian’
www.theguardian.com
April 9, 2025 at 7:49 AM
What could possibly go wrong with using data that is inherently flawed and biased to predict murders? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Remember, the oligarchs always live in other places, as we in London well know... on.ft.com/4lo57b5
Former Google chief Eric Schmidt buys £42mn London mansion
US buyers emerge as major force in UK capital’s property market
on.ft.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Remember, the oligarchs always live in other places, as we in London well know... on.ft.com/4lo57b5
On crashing the economy, Trump to Liz Truss: "Hold my beer." Anyone have a lettuce going?
Goldman Sachs has raised its 12-month recession probability from 35% to 45%, but that will rise further should the tariffs come in this week.
Goldman Sachs expects a recession if tariffs take effect on Wednesday
Goldman Sachs has raised its 12-month recession probability from 35% to 45%, but that will rise further should the tariffs come in this week.
www.businessinsider.com
April 7, 2025 at 11:30 AM
On crashing the economy, Trump to Liz Truss: "Hold my beer." Anyone have a lettuce going?
Time to pull out Lauren Berlant’s Cruel Optimism again.
April 5, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Time to pull out Lauren Berlant’s Cruel Optimism again.
Reposted by Sohini Kar
Revealed preferences theory suggests that Wall Street executives value their ability to call their subordinates gay at approximately 8 trillion dollars
April 3, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Revealed preferences theory suggests that Wall Street executives value their ability to call their subordinates gay at approximately 8 trillion dollars