Mikko Kuisma

Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian boy and stood around as he bled to death, video shows Israeli forces blocked Palestinian ambulances while a 14-year-old lay bleeding for at least 45 minutes.

Truly horrifying. A very difficult read.

[& the BBC at its best]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

As we have repeatedly tried to explain to a government intent on punishing universities, graduate outcomes will always be poor if you underpay every sector. (Nb y axis starting at 50)

Yesterday, those who teach Intro to Sociology at Florida colleges (as opposed to universities) received a ready-made curriculum from the state and were ordered to teach it.

Yes, you read that correctly. The *state* is enforcing a curriculum on college profs, complete w/ the following restrictions:

Nigel Farage unveils Reform UK frontbench team and warns over dissent Leader says move should end claims of one-man band and shows party is ‘creating a machine for government’

"We're not like other parties, and I won't tolerate disloyalty," says Farage, as he introduces a cabinet that is 50% disloyal people from another party.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Finland moves to tighten Kela's home care allowance for newcomers The law proposal still needs approval by the legislature.

Finland needs more and better integrated immigrants.

Is there any example anywhere where discriminating against migrants in the social welfare system has positively contributed to that effect?

Screenshot of the first page of a Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy article titled “Bottom-of-the-pyramid business model meets social assistance: Repurposing social protection in the Africa context” by Marion Ouma and Jimi O. Adesina, showing the abstract and keywords.

The blog post is based on an article by Marion Ouma and Jimi O. Adesina, published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy (Open Access).

doi.org/10.1017/ics....

When Bottom of the Pyramid Models Reshape Social Assistance How Bottom of the Pyramid models and financial inclusion reshape cash transfers in Kenya, revealing the financialisation of social assistance.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

"What Happens When the Bottom of the Pyramid Meets Social Assistance?" by Marion Ouma and Jimi Adesina.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/02/12/w...

In our hyper-polarized age, Donald Trump can barely get a majority of *his own party* to deny that he is a racist. 46% of Republicans say the term racist describes Trump (5%) or that they have no opinion (41%).

Die Karikatur zeigt Trump und Chameini, die sich freundschaftlich umarmen, vor einer Landschaft mit See und Bergen. Links steht ein bärtiger Mann mit schwarzer Kopfbedeckung und Brille, rechts ein Mann mit blondem Haar, blauem Anzug und roter Krawatte. Beide lächeln und haben die Arme umeinandergelegt. Über ihnen steht in einer Sprechblase: „1. Wir schaffen die Todesstrafe ab, 2. Wir steigen aus der Atomkraft aus, 3. Wir schmeißen alle religiösen Fundis raus!“ Unter dem Bild steht der Titel „Das Wunder von Genf“. Die Zeichnung ist im Stil einer politischen Karikatur gehalten und spielt offenbar satirisch mit politischen Gegensätzen und überraschender Einigkeit.

Guten Morgen!

Screenshot of the first page of an academic journal article by Siena Cardi-Ross and Zahid Mumtaz on Iraq’s hybrid welfare regime, showing the article title, authors, abstract, and keywords

The blog post is based on an article by Siena Caridi-Ross and Zahid Mumtaz, published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy (Open Access).

doi.org/10.1017/ics....

Iraq’s hybrid welfare regime and the limits of social protection This post explores Iraq’s fragmented welfare system, where state provision, informal support and insecurity coexist, and why this matters for policy reform.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

"Iraq’s Hybrid Welfare Regime: Understanding a Fragmented System of Social Protection" by Siena Caridi-Ross and Zahid Mumtaz.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/02/10/i...

‘It can be survivable’: Inside Keir Starmer’s efforts to stop a coup The British leader is moving fast to calm his Labour colleagues as the Mandelson scandal threatens to engulf his premiership.

Senior Labour MP to Politico on Starmer: “He’s totally defenseless when Morgan goes. It’s all terminal now.”

www.politico.eu/article/it-c...

Gordon Brown ‘deeply regrets’ bringing Peter Mandelson into his government Former prime minister says revelations about Epstein’s influence on UK politics caused him revulsion

There is a long tradition of powerful men discovering, years later, that deals made with the devil age poorly…

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Labour minister commissioned report on journalists Exclusive: Material gathered was personally given to Josh Simons when director of pro-Starmer thinktank, say sources

McDonnell: “If the reports of [Labour Together’s] activities in surveilling journalists are accurate it is clear that this organisation and its operators and controllers are bringing our party into disrepute.”

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Melania review – Trump film is a gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest Dispiriting, deadly and unrevealing – there is a decent documentary to be made about the former model from Slovenia, but this one is unredeemable

”The star rating for this film was corrected on 2 February 2026. A formatting issue led an earlier version to be awarded one star, when the reviewer’s intention was zero.”

www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ja...

Trump administration favored Germany’s far right in Washington visit A planned meeting collapsed after State Department officials told the German embassy it refused to meet with center-left German lawmakers.

"The planned meeting collapsed after State Department officials told the German Embassy in Washington that it was prepared to receive only Christian Democratic and AfD lawmakers, excluding the SPD and the Greens."

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Screenshot of the first page of an academic journal article titled “A Scoping Review on the Conceptualisation of Employer Engagement in the Employment of Vulnerable Workers” by Renate Bosman and co-authors, published in Social Policy and Society. The page shows the article title, authors, affiliations, and abstract.

The blog post is based on an article by Renate Bosman, Hanneke van Heijster, Irmgard Borghouts, and Charissa Freese, published in Social Policy and Society.

doi.org/10.1017/S147...

Reframing employer engagement in inclusive labour markets How employer engagement shapes inclusive labour markets, and why a multi-stakeholder perspective matters for policy, practice and research.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

"Reframing Employer Engagement: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective" by Renate Bosman et al.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/02/05/r...

Front page of a journal article titled “Comparative pension reform pathways in Latin America and Southern Europe,” by Marina Angelaki and Leandro Nicolas Carrera, published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy, showing the article title, authors, affiliations, and abstract.

The blog post is based on an article by Marina Angelaki and Leandro Nicolas Carrera, published in the Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy.

doi.org/10.1017/ics....

What drives successful pension reform? Lessons from two regions A cross-regional analysis of pension reforms shows how institutions, legacies and negotiation shape feasible and lasting reform in ageing societies.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

“What can we learn from pension reforms in Latin America and Southern Europe?” by Marina Angelaki and Leandro Nicolas Carrera.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/01/29/w...

As School Academic Misconduct Officer, I approve of this article 👇

youtu.be/MLIP0ZtoiO4?...

Cartoon of Trump welcoming cartoon and film villains to his Board of Peace

@bjennings90.bsky.social is on fire - again. (www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...)

First page of an academic journal article titled “Economic, Normative, and Moral Reasoning in Employer Attitudes to Maternity Leave” by Helen Kowalewska, published in Social Policy and Society in 2025.

The blog post is based on an article by Helen Kowalewska, published in Social Policy and Society.

doi.org/10.1017/S147...

Maternity Leave as Risk or Right? How Employers Really Respond Despite legal rights, maternity leave remains uneven in practice. This post explores how employers justify support, resistance and discrimination.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

“Maternity Leave as ‘Right’ or ‘Risk’? How Employers Justify Support or Resistance” by Helen Kowalewska.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/01/22/m...

Screenshot of the opening page of an academic journal article titled “Territory and solidarity: evidence from Taiwan’s pension policy reform” by Wei-Ting Yen and Ming-Jui Yeh, published in the Journal of Social Policy, showing the title, authors, affiliations and abstract.

The blog post is based on an article by Wei-Ting Yen and Ming-Jui Yeh, published in the Journal of Social Policy.

doi.org/10.1017/S004...

Why Territory Matters for Solidarity in Taiwan’s Pension Reform New research shows how territorial state identity shapes welfare solidarity, using Taiwan’s pension reform to explain why borders matter for welfare policy.

New on the Social Policy Blog:

"Why territory matters for solidarity: evidence from Taiwan’s pension reform" by Wei-Ting Yen and Ming-Jui Yeh.

socialpolicyblog.co.uk/2026/01/20/w...

The Age of Academic Slop is Upon Us what happens when AI automates "normal science"?

I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...