Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Laura McAtackney

Florian Foos @florianfoos.bsky.social · 2d

🚨 We have a cool new ESRC PhD studentship opportunity on the topic of political persuasion for someone interested in campaigning, field experiments and/or computational methods @lsegovernment.bsky.social, in collaboration with
@campaign-lab.bsky.social. All info 👇
www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse...

LSE Collaborative Studentship with Campaign Lab

www.lse.ac.uk

1 29 31

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

I don’t think there is an ideal
solution to what you’ve noted is a growing issue but my experience of living in places where flags were used in a v similar (intimidating) way and nothing was done is the far right does not back down, but rather is enabled, by the inaction of everyone else.

1 1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

We are one of the richest countries in the world, we can sit back and let flags be erected and can do nothing to take them down, at least from city centres? Money can be found if it is needed, if we dont think it’s intimidating white people we do nothing. I find it shameful.

1 1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

White man reply guys, maybe your sense of entitlement to the flag and ‘claiming it back’ or your silent embarrassment isn’t what the ppl targeted by the flags need. What can we do? Visible shows of support, use of the flag in inclusive ways, shaming copying English Far Right, removing the flags?!

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

How do we know there is a risk a h&s? I’d guess most people would be pleased to see them gone knowing what they are being used for. Are the Far Right so strong that flags can’t be removed from city centres without due care? That is truly desperate.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

What one does when flags are erected to intimate marginalized people is take them down, not ‘say nothing’ because it doesn’t really affect you and you can just hope it goes away.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

And you’re based in Stockholm so how exactly are you confronting this intimidation on the streets of Cork, Dublin etc? How are you explaining this to your friends living in those spaces who find it extremely threatening? It’s great being an oracle of big white man defiance from afar.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

Symbols are contextual and meaning can be hijacked, as it is now. If we allow the Far Right to use flags in ways that intimidate by displaying them through town centres and do nothing we are allowing them to be misused. And you’re putting your unthreatened sense of self above those targeted.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

what’s the risk? We are not a nation that covers it streets in the national flag there isn’t a precedent for this use and i can tell you from experience the cheap replicas currently covering the cities will be in rags in weeks and will need to be removed.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

A lot of that is about intention, local flags are to celebrate sport, the parish, the local. Whereas the tricolour in many ways has been used sparingly, it referenced a state born from colonialism, partition and conflict and it’s not a flag that traditionally flies on the streets.

1

Reposted by Laura McAtackney

Gerard Cunningham @faduda.bsky.social · Jan 12

Handy guide

4 12

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 2d

Mostly yhey need taken down and i don’t think they necessarily need replaced - although i like your suggestions! - our roads don’t usually display flags so why are we allowing the far right to (let’s be frank) copy the English in their anti-migrant street dressing?

1 1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

I’m talking about the exclusionary use of the state flag, not the tricolour. I don’t need a wikipedia explanation, thanks.

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

Absolutely.

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

People can kid themselves all they like that the flag is inclusive and about national pride but who is using it and how is important. When cheap replicas are being placed high up poles it feels not very far from my experiences of growing up in the North and similar gaslighting about what it meant.

2 4 33

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

Let’s not kid ourselves there isn’t something very sinister about allowing city centres to be covered by tricolours erected by the Far Right in Ireland and few moves to take them down. The national flag is not the problem but how it’s being used as an intimidatory and exclusionary symbol.

3 10 68

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

The desire of the British state to curtail and prevent protest on ongoing social injustice issues is not new but their desire to legalize their authoritarian turn is worrying and should be resisted. #FreePalestine

Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 3d

Home Secretary tells Sky News that “there is a gap in the law” when it comes to frequent, repeated protests on the same issue. Hence she will be giving police greater powers to move them to another location or time.

1 3 9

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d

Reposting for a colleague in the States who is in need of a kidney transplant. Any donation can help him spread awareness! gofund.me/5b2b9dc48

Donate to Help Prof G Find a Kidney Donor!, organized by Albert Gonzalez

Help me keep this fire burning! I have a genetic kidney condition and am seeking a li… Albert Gonzalez needs your support for Help Prof G Find a Kidney Donor!

gofund.me

1

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 5d

The last resistors of the fascists are the archivists! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US archivist ousted after refusing to let Trump give Eisenhower’s sword to King Charles – reports

The Trump administration ultimately gave the King a replica sword on the president’s recent state visit

www.theguardian.com

5

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 9d

Happy Michaelmas to all who celebrate (oh how i wish it was the start of our university term today, week 4!)! www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

The Michaelmas customs associated with 29 September in Ireland

From harvest and pilgrimage to legend and lore about púca and the weather, Michaelmas used to be an important day in the Irish calendar

www.rte.ie

2 7

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 11d

Useful thoughts on kneecap and anti-colonialism, esp generational diff in attitudes to Ireland’s past (and present). Of the difficult issues that prevent deeper examination: who benefited from colonialism and the role whiteness has always played in denial of the colonial? www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Why Kneecap have become poster boys for Irish anti-colonialism

'They represent the new symbols and soundtrack of Irish anti-colonial resistance for a generation that aren't actually evoking violent nationalism'

www.rte.ie

1 6

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 17d

The event was the culmination of small amount of seed-funding we had to host some workshops and bring a lot of brilliant ppl into the same rooms. Thinking about how we centre survivors, move beyond the archive, really co-produce outputs. So many things to think about. Thanks to all who shared.

9

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 17d

Still digesting all the important conversations we had on Friday on our UCC ‘Dealing with Difficult Pasts’ event w/ panels on institutional abuse and gendering experiences of the North. While no one can question the importance of the Troubles it has meant other intersections are left in its shadow.

1 1 11

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 17d

Not only fantastically interesting but of course critically important workshops like this are taking place!

Dr Katherine Blouin @isisnaucratis.bsky.social · 22d

The program for the upcoming hybrid workshop on Endangered Heritage in Egypt, Sudan and Palestine is now out!
I cannot overstate how much I am looking forward to this important event
everydayorientalism.wordpress.com/2025/09/15/c...

Cities on the Edge Workshop: Program is Out!

The program for the workshop Cities on the Edge: Documenting, Preserving, and Teaching Endangered Urban Heritage in Egypt, Sudan and Palestine is now out! The event will take place on Oct. 31 and N…

everydayorientalism.wordpress.com

1 7

Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 24d

It is possibly the stupidest thing i’ve ever seen; i had to share it to deplete its time in my head!

1