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Paul Cairney

@paulcairney.bsky.social

5.2K followers 1.7K following 270 posts

Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of Stirling, UK. Past my best. Photo 11 years out of date. https://paulcairney.wordpress.com/cv/

Videos

Political science 58%

Business 12%

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

Philip Cowley @philipjcowley.bsky.social · 5h

A reminder: people say "guru" because it uses fewer characters than "charlatan". But still, do come along...

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 6h

We'll be exploring the Thatcher legacy & her impact on British politics today at the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social on 20 Oct.

With former Thatcher minister, Gillian Shephard; Conservative peer Simone Finn; legendary politics guru @philipjcowley.bsky.social & me.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/still-that...

Still “Thatcher’s Britain”? The Thatcher Legacy, 1925-2025

Join the Mile End Institute to explore why Margaret Thatcher continues to cast such a shadow across British politics!

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 11d

The 'what did we learn on our summer holidays?' anonymous memo itself archive.ph/5imGV

archive.ph

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Reposted by Paul Cairney, Robert C. Richards

prof toni haastrup @tonihaastrup.bsky.social · 11d

This is….and imagine all the other ways this manifests… and across different contexts

JazzReads📚 @jazzreads.bsky.social · 11d

So exhausting..

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Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · 15d

Using political science to inform our understanding of the challenges of preventive health policymaking: ‘Can this time be any different?’

paulcairney.wordpress.com/2025/09/25/u...

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Using political science to inform our understanding of the challenges of preventive health policymaking: ‘Can this time be any different?’

By Paul Cairney, John Boswell, Hashum Mahmood, Annie Bliss. This post summarises our new article in Social Science & Medicine. Advocates of preventive health and care policy often feel like the…

paulcairney.wordpress.com

Reposted by Paul Cairney

Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry @covid19inquiry.scot · 21d

We will hear from:
🔵 Professor Nicole Busby - Professor in Human Rights, Equality and Justice, @uofglasgow.bsky.social
🔵 Professor @paulcairney.bsky.social - Professor of Politics and Public Policy, @stir.ac.uk

For more information please visit our website: covid19inquiry.scot

Professor Nicole Busby is Professor of Human Rights, Equality and Justice at the University of Glasgow. They have over 30 years of experience focused on EU law, labour law, equality law, and human rights. She holds a PhD in Law, with a specialism in EU and UK sex equality law. She has held key advisory roles and currently serves on the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Incorporation and Implementation Oversight Board.

Professor Paul Cairney is Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Stirling. He specialises in UK and Scottish Government policymaking, with a particular focus on public health and inequalities. He served as Special Advisor to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee inquiry into effective government decision-making, and as an Expert Witness to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, providing a written report and oral evidence on Scottish political governance.

Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · 26d

Yes, in that there are high/low state versions of the same vague ambition

Reposted by Chris Hanretty

Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · 26d

New political science analysis of the renewed push for preventive health: ‘Can it be any different this time around?

doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

Redirecting

doi.org

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

polprocessrsch.bsky.social @polprocessrsch.bsky.social · Aug 28

📢 UPDATE! The submission deadline has been extended to September 15th. As always, we look forward to reviewing your proposals.—COPPR Team policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration

Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-September 15, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals October 15, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propo…

policyprocessresearch.org

Reposted by Paul Cairney

polprocessrsch.bsky.social @polprocessrsch.bsky.social · Aug 25

🏛️ Do you map belief systems, coalitions, and policy subsystems? The Advocacy Coalition Framework remains a cornerstone of policy process research — and so is #COPPR26. Submit your ACF work by Aug 31. policyprocessresearch.org/coppr26-prop...

COPPR26 Proposal Submission & Registration

Important Dates to Remember June 5, 2025-August 31, 2025: Open call for pre-COPPR workshops, papers, panels, and roundtable proposals September 30, 2025: Notification of accepted or rejected propos…

policyprocessresearch.org

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

Clemens Hoffmann @clemhoffmann.bsky.social · Aug 22

We had a wee Stirling in-house think about the relationship between critical climate justice and Policy Studies with Andrea Schapper @envjusticeresstir.bsky.social, @paulcairney.bsky.social, @hyeyoonpark.bsky.social, @neilcrawford.bsky.social
and Hannes Stephan
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

New directions in climate justice? A dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars

New directions in just climate policymaking can emerge from the dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars. Current climate…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · Aug 22

New Directions in Climate Justice? A Dialogue Between Critical Climate Justice and Policy Studies Scholars

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

New directions in climate justice? A dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars

New directions in just climate policymaking can emerge from the dialogue between critical climate justice and policy studies scholars. Current climate…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

polprocessrsch.bsky.social @polprocessrsch.bsky.social · Aug 20

Rob DeLeo at Bentley University’s Public Policy Program is pleased to host a US COPPR Satellite for 2026. Scholars who cannot travel to Bern but would like to convene in person can register to attend COPPR Bentley from January 21 – 23. policyprocessresearch.org

Conference on Policy Process Research

policyprocessresearch.org

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

John Holbein @johnholbein1.bsky.social · Aug 20

Political scientists: can you help me with something?

I'm adding suggested podcast episodes to my Politics of Public Policy syllabus this year.

I need a podcast episode on these two topics:

-Agenda Setting
-Policy Feedback

Anything come to mind?

Thanks in advance!

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Reposted by Paul Cairney, Ben Worthy

Guillermo M. Cejudo @gmocejudo.bsky.social · Aug 18

Policy fragmentation and incoherence are inevitable in the real world

@paulcairney.bsky.social
Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised)

@policysciences.bsky.social

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised) - Policy Sciences

Policy Sciences - Classic studies of ‘perfect’ policymaking use an ideal-type to identify and reflect on policymaking in the real world. I use this approach to review studies that seek...

link.springer.com

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

polprocessrsch.bsky.social @polprocessrsch.bsky.social · Aug 15

Experiencing a hurting stalemate about going to #COPPR26? Send us your proposals and you can attend in person or online!

Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · Aug 13

This is our most likeable article:

So you want to be a systems leader? doi.org/10.1080/2574...

For the less likeable version open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/5-6

youtu.be/I-9OPkABTdY?...

Frank's Most Likeable Song Ever

YouTube video by avi tekin

youtu.be

Reposted by Paul Cairney

Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social · Aug 12

*PSA Book Recommends* 📚 Looking for a thought provoking summer read? Check out this year's Mackenzie Book Prize shortlist for ideas.
📚

WJM Mackenzie Book Prize 2024/25 - Shortlist Announced | The Political Studies Association (PSA)

We are pleased to announce the shortlisted books for the WJM Mackenzie Book Prize 2024/25!A huge thank you to all those who nominated a book for this esteemed prize that celebrates the distinctive…

buff.ly

Reposted by Adam Wellstead

Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · Aug 12

The Conference on Policy Process Research 2026 is in Bern, Switzerland, January 20-23. You can submit your paper or presentation ideas here - policyprocessresearch.org - and can attend in person or online.

20-23 January 2026, COPPR, University of Bern

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

Reposted by Luxembourg

Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · Aug 11

Fair play to whoever cooked up the spam emails that are getting through the usual filter: an email apologising to a customer, then someone replying in confusion, someone replying to the reply, and so on. It is a decent copy of the reply-all emails you get at work.

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Reposted by Paul Cairney

polprocessrsch.bsky.social @polprocessrsch.bsky.social · Aug 11

Not sure what to submit to #COPPR26? We have SIX different session formats, check them out:
policyprocessresearch.org/coppr-26-ses...

Session Information

The Conference on Policy Process Research (COPPR) is focused on advancing policy process research through a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches. COPPR offers six types of sessio…

policyprocessresearch.org

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Paul Cairney @paulcairney.bsky.social · Aug 11

So you want to be a systems leader?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

So you want to be a systems leader?

Systems leaders are trusted actors who help many people to collaborate to address wicked policy problems. These policy problems resist simple solutions by a few powerful actors in one center of gov...

www.tandfonline.com

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