James Ker-Lindsay

I know what you mean. For some reason people seem to post stuff without any context. It’s rather strange. But overall I’ve actually seen an improvement over the past month or so. More people do seem to be using it. But there’s still far too many on Twitter. Governments should all have BSKY accounts.

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Will the Rohingya Ever Return?

Eight years ago, hundreds of thousands of #Rohingya were forced to flee #Myanmar. Today they’re forgotten, living in dire conditions in the world’s largest refugee camp in #Bangladesh. But as resources are stretched, there’s pressure for them to return home. But will they ever?
youtu.be/_ltGPLDcFoM

Thanks. Yes, a much bigger win than expected. Interestingly, Turkey stepped back and didn’t support hardliner Tatar. Lots of guesses why: a wish better relations with the EU, not wishing to support an obviously unpopular candidate, a belief that talks will be obstructed by the Greek Cypriots anyway.

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Will Trump Finally Recognise Somaliland?

Another fantastic Youtube video on self-determination from @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social !

Will Trump finally recognise Somaliland !

#somaliland #self-determination @matt-gordon36.bsky.social @timglawion.bsky.social @maydhalalis.bsky.social @fadxigaraad.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8xo...

Agreed. But it also damages the EU. I suppose they think voting rights becomes an incentive for reform once in. I’m not so sure. Meanwhile, taking them in prematurely invites problems. It’ll erode the Union from within. I fully support enlargement. But the conditions are there for a good reason.

Great! So glad you saw it. It was a great piece. 🙂

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Are Serbia-Turkey Relations Collapsing?

Honored to see my Balkan Insight op-ed 📝 cited by @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social as a ‘straightforward explanation’ (9:31) of Turkey–Serbia dynamics in his latest video 🎥. It’s encouraging to see this topic gaining wider attention beyond policy circles. youtu.be/0-t7V0EtB5k?...

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy | Soner Çağaptay

🎧Under Erdogan, Turkey has diversified its foreign policy. What are the country's driving forces behind its external relations? Soner Cagaptay speaks with @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social about Ankara's shifting views of the West, implications for the region, and more.

So true. Really, I’ve never understood why the U.K. can’t seem to make the link between tax and services (or why politicians don’t make it clear). It wants European social welfare, but has the American obsession with low tax rates.

Agreed. But maybe the sense that Labour would be committed to this course could actually shore up support from many disillusioned pro-EU voters. They would then have a real reason to make sure Labour isn’t defeated by Reform. (I know Reform winning should be enough, but I’m not sure it is.)

True. But I think there’s also a critical psychological dimension here. Yes, actually doing anything would take time. But there would be a big confidence boost if people and businesses see that the relationship is being rebuilt. Just announcing a plan for customs union would have a dramatic effect.

But listed on the Nobel Prize site as a category. So, no, not an original one, but widely accepted as one nevertheless.

There’s always one! Every year! 🙂

Wait until someone tells him about the role of large scale immigration in making it all work!

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Understanding Irish Foreign Policy | Ben Tonra

#Ireland has a truly fascinating, controversial, but often misunderstood, foreign policy history. From WWII to Ukraine, neutrality to peacekeeping, Good Friday to Brexit, Trump to Palestine. Really great to discuss all this with @bentonra.bsky.social
youtu.be/hv5ggSV2-vQ

All this is very reminiscent of Brexit. Every senior officer I met opposed it. They knew it would damage British interests. But they didn’t want to wade into the public political debate. Meanwhile, they were faced with the other ranks who thought it was great because it was “British independence”.

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Will Trump Finally Recognise Somaliland?

Could (or should) #Trump recognise #Somaliland? The case for and against.
youtu.be/o8xoQU1w_r8

How did so many become so hateful?

I completely agree. To my mind, this was always the one and only potential benefit of Brexit. And yet, despite a massive majority, Starmer completely failed to seize the chance.

bsky.app/profile/orig...

Is the only correct answer.

Thanks so much. GOSH does amazing work in so many areas. Good luck!

Looks perfectly normal to me.

Oh, bugger! 😀

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Could Moscow Win Back Moldova?

#Moldova faces a truly critical election this weekend. Having pushed ahead with #EU membership, this could all be set back by pro-Russian parties, with help from Moscow. But why is all this happening? And why does it matter so much?
youtu.be/FuBrkvrbR8Q

I haven’t stopped looking at ideas of statehood. But, to most people, it doesn’t mean much, or else sounds far too nebulous or academic. I have been tightening up videos recently, and this was just one of those changes. But ideas of statehood and governance are most definitely still there. 🙂

Maybe the UK is finally getting over its strange fear of ID cards. Living in a country where they’re required, you soon see the benefits. Frankly, general privacy is over anyway. Perhaps that’s why people now feel far more at ease about the idea than they did 20 years ago. This is tame stuff now.

Yes. It was a profoundly stupid decision based on ignorance and lies. It has done untold damage to the U.K. Sadly, while many now see the damage, others don’t and appear willing to follow Farage deeper into the mess he helped create, adopting ever more racist language. Time to stand up to them.

Lisa Nandy was always an apologist for Brexit and pandered to ordinary Leave voters. She’s not going to go against them and their views now.

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy | Soner Çağaptay

🎧Under Erdogan, Turkey has diversified its foreign policy. What are the country's driving forces behind its external relations? Soner Cagaptay speaks with @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social about Ankara's shifting views of the West, implications for the region, and more.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6hJ...

YouTube video by Prof James Ker-Lindsay Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy | Soner Çağaptay

"Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy" with Soner Çağaptay and @jameskerlindsay.bsky.social. [5/5]

I’m not sure this has been really considered. (Or, it will have by the lawyers, but not publicly raised by the politicians.) Strangely, this could of course open up an implicit “nuclear” option: “If you allow Hamas into power, we recognise Israeli sovereignty.”