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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson
@jmchickson.bsky.social
410 followers 600 following 27 posts
Political theorist and policy researcher at the Heseltine Institute, University of Liverpool.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · May 6
Delighted to share that @mwojciechowska.bsky.social and I have published our article, Why go local? Developing the research agenda for “local political theory”, in the European Journal of Political Theory. It's available open access here: doi.org/10.1177/1474...
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · 1d
Contributions for this collection come from
@timchristiaens.bsky.social
Laila Mourad
Yujing Tan, @crystalennis.bsky.social & Shivant Jhagroe
Elia El-Khazen
Gianluca Iazzolino
@rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · 1d
Building on our workshop last year on The Global Politics of Precarity and Insecure Work, @stellamorgana.bsky.social and I are delighted to share a collection of 6 original commentary articles on this theme in @gpejournal.bsky.social

Read the full introduction here: doi.org/10.1332/2635...
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Reposted by James Hickson
theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 28d
What is the endgame in this toxic immigration debate: is it friends and neighbours thrown out of the country? | Jonthan Liew
What is the endgame in this toxic immigration debate: is it friends and neighbours thrown out of the country? | Jonthan Liew
The notion of remigration was abstract, but the right is dragging it towards respectability. If the goal is homogeneous whiteness, they should say it, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by James Hickson
liamthorp.bsky.social
Liam Thorp @liamthorp.bsky.social · Sep 7
I’ve been frustrated to see so much of the ongoing story about asylum seekers and the protests against them covered without hearing from those seeking asylum and now being met with hostility and hatred

I set out to speak to those directly affected to find out about the impact this is having 👇
We escaped war and torture but now we feel unsafe in Britain
Special report: Amid protests and rising aggression towards asylum seekers across the country, we spoke to those being targeted
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
44 440 940
Reposted by James Hickson
politicalquarterly.bsky.social
Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · Sep 3
@jacknewman.bsky.social and @jmchickson.bsky.social discuss the tensions and ambiguity at the heart of the devolution agenda

"Although the what of English devolution appears to be settled for now, the why remains much more volatile."
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
The government’s devolution bill is justified along economic growth lines. This risks the devolution agenda as a whole if it doesn't materalise.
politicalquarterly.org.uk
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Sep 3
Nice to be back in Manchester today for the MANCEPT workshops, where I presented on radical municipalism and republican political theory as part of the workshop on The City as a Normative Political Space: Institutions, Relations, and Republicanism.
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Reposted by James Hickson
politicalquarterly.bsky.social
Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · Aug 28
"Although the what of English devolution appears to be settled for now, the why remains much more volatile."

@jacknewman.bsky.social and @jmchickson.bsky.social discuss the tensions and ambiguity at the heart of the devolution agenda
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
The government’s devolution bill is justified along economic growth lines. This risks the devolution agenda as a whole if it doesn't materalise.
politicalquarterly.org.uk
2
jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Aug 22
Congrats Bruno! Well deserved.
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Reposted by James Hickson
alwalker.bsky.social
Alex Walker @alwalker.bsky.social · Jul 30
My take on the hefty English devolution & community empowerment bill that was introduced earlier this month.

One of several reforms the govt is quietly getting on with, it marks a shift towards a more coherent, standardised framework and places English devolution on a firmer constitutional footing.
bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk
Bennett Institute for Public Policy @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk · Jul 30
The English devolution bill marks a major shift in how England is governed, with more powers for mayors & local areas—but concerns remain over accountability & local voice.

@alwalker.bsky.social explores this big moment for the governance of England.

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/english...
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Reposted by James Hickson
politicalquarterly.bsky.social
Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · Jul 23
Localism, Levelling up, and Taking Back Control: tensions in the ambiguous justification of English devolution

@jmchickson.bsky.social @jacknewman.bsky.social

#Englishdevolution #politicaldecentralisation #takingbackcontrol #levellingup #localism

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
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Reposted by James Hickson
livuniheseltine.bsky.social
Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place @livuniheseltine.bsky.social · Jul 21
New article in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social by @jmchickson.bsky.social and @jacknewman.bsky.social - a timely intervention following the recent publication of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
There is an increasingly powerful argument for the decentralisation of policy making in England's highly centralised political context. In recent years, this issue has represented one of the clearest....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
There is an increasingly powerful argument for the decentralisation of policy making in England's highly centralised political context. In recent years, this issue has represented one of the clearest...
doi.org
jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
Failure to live up to the full promise of devolution — by radically enhancing local democracies and disrupting centralised power — risks creating inherent instability (& lack of trust) throughout the devolution project, even as govt seeks to deliver continuity and momentum with it's Devolution Bill
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
More than this, whilst Conservative and Labour governments have both deployed multiple rhetorical justifications for devolution in England, it is their concern for policy efficacy — and increasing economic performance — that has most demonstrably shaped the actual delivery of devolution policy.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
However, we argue that policymakers have so far failed to acknowledge the tensions between these different justifications, or the extent to which they create different expectations for how English devolution will look, feel, and function in practice.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
In the article, we trace three normative arguments that have been used by recent governments to build the case for devolution in England: that devolution enhances democracy; that it promotes policy efficacy and government efficiency; and that it disrupts concentrations of power.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jul 21
NEW: @jacknewman.bsky.social and I have just published our new article 'Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution' open access in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read the article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
There is an increasingly powerful argument for the decentralisation of policy making in England's highly centralised political context. In recent years, this issue has represented one of the clearest...
doi.org
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
You can read the full blog here: blog.apaonline.org/2025/06/11/t...
The Republican Moment: Reviving Freedom and Democracy in an Authoritarian Age
Across the globe, authoritarianism is in the ascendancy. As Freedom House have reported, over the last two decades many repressive regimes across the world have increased their domestic power, and amp...
blog.apaonline.org
jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
Crucially, republicanism also demonstrates why we now need a deeper & more demanding democratic model; grounded on a more active model of citizenship as well as public institutions that can simultaneously constrain, diffuse, and channel power in order to neutralise sources of domination in society
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
In an age of resurgent authoritarianism - in politics and throughout society - reviving such republican insights within popular political discourse can help us to reveal both the increasing ubiquity of domination in contemporary life and the corrosive effect this has on our democracies.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
For republicans, domination typically describes the capacity of those with social, economic or political power to interfere arbitrarily in the lives of others. Even if this power is never actually exercised, living in its shadow makes it impossible to enjoy a life of meaningful freedom or equality.
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
Republicanism helps us to highlight the common thread that connects the autocratic aspirations of populist leaders, the disproportionate influence of the global '1%', and the overbearing forms of management associated with the modern workplace: domination
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 12
In a new blog for the @apaphilosophy.bsky.social, I explore how republican political philosophy can help us to illuminate the expansion of unchecked, arbitrary power in contemporary politics, and articulate why this poses such a threat to freedom and democracy blog.apaonline.org/2025/06/11/t...
The Republican Moment: Reviving Freedom and Democracy in an Authoritarian Age
Across the globe, authoritarianism is in the ascendancy. As Freedom House have reported, over the last two decades many repressive regimes across the world have increased their domestic power, and amp...
blog.apaonline.org
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Reposted by James Hickson
psapolthought.bsky.social
PSA Political Thought Specialist Group @psapolthought.bsky.social · Jun 11
If any members have any ideas for applications for this funding, please get in touch with the group convenors by 20 June 👇
polstudiesassoc.bsky.social
Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social · Jun 11
*PSA OPPORTUNITY* - New Excellence & Impact Fund available for PSA Specialist Groups.
📆 Apply by 30 June.
➡️ Full details online.
PSA Excellence & Impact Fund | The Political Studies Association (PSA)
In recognition and celebration of our 75th anniversary, we are launching this new PSA Excellence & Impact Fund.
buff.ly
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jmchickson.bsky.social
James Hickson @jmchickson.bsky.social · Jun 6
This sounds great Tom. Is there any registration to attend? I'd love to come along.
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