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feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane
@feargalc.bsky.social
2.4K followers 2.6K following 720 posts

Professor (Emeritus) University of Kent. Also Prof at University of Warwick.
Have taught & written about political conflict & peacebuilding for last 30 years. Still learning. Living in Peak District England but FROM Belfast in NI.
Politics nerd .. more

Videos
Political science 56%
Sociology 33%
Posts Replies Media Videos

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 7h
Agreed -and another 12 months of modest achievement at local government level won’t help.
Also not sure that surrounding himself with disgraced Tories will be a big vote winner for Farage?
rmcunliffe.bsky.social Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 8h
The anti-Farage backlash sentiment is a) real and b) not fully priced into most political analysis, in my view
yougov.co.uk YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 12h
Who would make the best PM?

Starmer 36% vs Farage 29%
Starmer 28% vs Badenoch 28%
Starmer 21% vs Polanski 19%

Badenoch 31% vs Farage 21%
Badenoch 28% vs Davey 25%
Badenoch 28% vs Polanski 22%

Davey 33% vs Farage 27%
Davey 23% vs Starmer 19%
Davey 20% vs Polanski 15%

Polanski 28% vs Farage 27%

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Andrew Scott, Feargal Cochrane

rmcunliffe.bsky.social
Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 8h
The anti-Farage backlash sentiment is a) real and b) not fully priced into most political analysis, in my view
yougov.co.uk YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 12h
Who would make the best PM?

Starmer 36% vs Farage 29%
Starmer 28% vs Badenoch 28%
Starmer 21% vs Polanski 19%

Badenoch 31% vs Farage 21%
Badenoch 28% vs Davey 25%
Badenoch 28% vs Polanski 22%

Davey 33% vs Farage 27%
Davey 23% vs Starmer 19%
Davey 20% vs Polanski 15%

Polanski 28% vs Farage 27%

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 12h
Reminds me of one of those films where a gaggle of super villains gets together for a fiendish heist -or perhaps a swindle?

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 2d
I agree -but not sure this is realistic option when senior politicians including the PM, cabinet ministers & main media organisations inc BBC & all senior journalists are still actively posting content there.
Rather than a ban -it needs to become socially unacceptable -like not picking up dog poo.
sandyofipswich.bsky.social Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d
Musk called for government of the UK to be violently overthrown. He has called for deportation of non-white people and implied support for introduction of apartheid- a system he knows well from his native South Africa. CSAM is horrible and a good reason to ban X now. What more reasons do we need?
goodlawproject.org Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 2d
'You Hate Free Speech' is the go-to Far Right smear every time a targeted group pushes back.

Would be great if headlines like this helped people understand that ugly tactic.

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

sandyofipswich.bsky.social
Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d
Musk called for government of the UK to be violently overthrown. He has called for deportation of non-white people and implied support for introduction of apartheid- a system he knows well from his native South Africa. CSAM is horrible and a good reason to ban X now. What more reasons do we need?
goodlawproject.org Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 2d
'You Hate Free Speech' is the go-to Far Right smear every time a targeted group pushes back.

Would be great if headlines like this helped people understand that ugly tactic.
Musk says X outcry is 'excuse for censorship'
The government is urging Ofcom to use all its powers – up to and including an effective ban – against X.
www.bbc.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 5d
It’s like he went to a ‘how to’ retreat run by Putin- or did a distance learning course at the very least. Little doubt now that he wants to expand the territorial footprint of the US, as his mentor is doing in Russia.

Reposted by W. Andy Knight, Feargal Cochrane

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 5d
The Trump doctrine exposes the US as a mafia state | Jan-Werner Müller
The Trump doctrine exposes the US as a mafia state | Jan-Werner Müller
The Venezuela incursion is in line with this logic, made even plainer as the US eyes Greenland
www.theguardian.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 9d
This does seem like a real gear change now -where it’s just gangsterism,with nothing to separate US policy from that of Putin. It’s the ‘Big fu*ks Small’ school of int diplomacy.
Really looking forward to hearing the UK Prime Minister condemning the naked aggression of the US government!

Reposted by Fabián Muniesa, Feargal Cochrane

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 9d
The ‘Putinization’ of US foreign policy has arrived in Venezuela
The ‘Putinization’ of US foreign policy has arrived in Venezuela
Trump is no longer bending the rules – he is demolishing them, with consequences far beyond Caracas
www.theguardian.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 9d
So much generalisation here —value really depends on individual circumstances. However, notion that UK degrees are world class ‘because’ UG is subsidised by Int students, obscures fact that desperation for this income has led to dependency & in some cases dire educational standards at MA level.

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 9d
This used to be called ‘state sponsored terrorism’
Is it fine now for a country to bomb another one if it feels like it?

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

petersbeaumont1.bsky.social
Peter Beaumont @petersbeaumont1.bsky.social · 9d
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Explosions reported in Venezuelan capital Caracas
Loud noises and low-flying aircraft heard in the Venezuelan capital and a southern part of the city was without power
www.theguardian.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 12d
Happy New Year all you beautiful people and I hope 2026 is a more peaceful year than the last 12 months ✊
a penguin wearing sunglasses and a tie stands in front of fireworks and the words happy new year
Alt: a penguin wearing sunglasses and a tie stands in front of fireworks and the words happy new year
media.tenor.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 19d
A masterpiece- well ahead of its time.

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 20d
That time you were interviewing and the candidate kept spouting on about themselves and clearly hadn’t thought one jot about how they would add value to your department!

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 24d
Those sweat glands be tested

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · 25d
Top project with a top scholar -what’s not to like? A 3 yr post doc will set up an academic career -so don’t be shy, do apply 👍💪

Reposted by David M. Farrell, Feargal Cochrane

rosaleenduffy.bsky.social
Rosaleen Duffy @rosaleenduffy.bsky.social · 25d
1/ 📣 Jobs alert! 3x 3 year post docs & 2 PhD studentships on the Global Methane Project with Jan Selby at Leeds Uni cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1...
Global Methane Politics | METH-POL | Project | Fact Sheet | HORIZON | CORDIS | European Commission
The ambition of the Global Methane Politics project is to produce a pioneering body of research that simultaneously establishes the distinctiveness of methane politics, investigates and demonstrates t...
cordis.europa.eu

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

hannaswork.bsky.social
Hanna Nielson @hannaswork.bsky.social · 26d
It’s here! It’s magic (realism)!

Thanks everyone who already snagged a copy of my debut novel, set in wintry, Celtic Tiger era Belfast.

Link in bio or below.

Want to review it? Get in touch for an ARC.

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · Dec 11
Generational change is polite way of saying deaths v new voters -& from these figs supporting #Brexit was def bad for your health as 56% more Leavers have died than Remainers.
3.2M leave voters have died since 2016 v 1.8m remainers. 🤔
I expect Reform to blame migrants for the disparity!

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · Dec 11
👏

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Jonathan M. Gilligan, Alan Richardson , and 4 more

dangercart.bsky.social
Ryan Bernardoni @dangercart.bsky.social · Dec 11
Stealworkers

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · Dec 10
Quite an intervention from JB over the last few days -not just about Stakeknife and NCND but also the implications for current and future credibility of UK gov & its legacy reforms/planned Legacy Commission.
(Hope CAJ makes a transcript/recording available for the non locally based.)
colinmurray.bsky.social Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · Dec 10
The @cajni.bsky.social annual lecture sees PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher excoriate the application and practice of Neither Confirm Nor Deny policy in NI as an "implacable dogma" in cases like Stakeknife which does not recognise the need for "flexible and nuanced" application in Legacy cases.

Reposted by Rory O’Connell, Feargal Cochrane

colinmurray.bsky.social
Colin Murray @colinmurray.bsky.social · Dec 10
The @cajni.bsky.social annual lecture sees PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher excoriate the application and practice of Neither Confirm Nor Deny policy in NI as an "implacable dogma" in cases like Stakeknife which does not recognise the need for "flexible and nuanced" application in Legacy cases.

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

bylinesnetwork.co.uk
Bylines Network @bylinesnetwork.co.uk · Dec 10
New analysis from Peter Kellner suggests the UK now has a clear pro-Rejoin majority – driven by generational change and millions of Leave voters switching sides.

@eastangliabylines.co.uk @stephenmcnair.bsky.social
Brexit: can Starmer seize this demographic opportunity?
Demography and disillusion join to give the government a real opportunity to transform our relations with the EU. Will Starmer dare seize it?
eastangliabylines.co.uk

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · Dec 9
While perhaps a second level issue the clear exasperation of the PSNI Chief Constable at the continuing role of MI5 in NI surely renders the publicly funded project focused on writing Britain's 'Official' History of the Troubles untenable now?
They've been promised full access to gov archives! LOL 🤣

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Belfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · Dec 9
PSNI chief Jon Boutcher has said MI5’s “relationship with Northern Ireland is a challenge” after a landmark report into the activities of IRA double agent Stakeknife exposed significant failures across the intelligence agencies during the Troubles.
Details of IRA double agent's recruitment revealed as police chief admits MI5’s relationship with NI is ‘a challenge’
PSNI chief Jon Boutcher has said MI5’s “relationship with Northern Ireland is a challenge” after a landmark report into the activities of IRA double agent Stakeknife exposed significant failures acros...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

channel4news.bsky.social
Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · Dec 9
Stakeknife: UK government urged to confirm identity of IRA spy

www.channel4.com/news/stakekn...
Stakeknife: UK government urged to confirm identity of IRA spy
A final report into an army spy known as 'Stakeknife' operating in the IRA during the Troubles, claims MI5 concealed  what it knew about the spy.
www.channel4.com

feargalc.bsky.social
Feargal Cochrane @feargalc.bsky.social · Dec 9
Congrats and looks great @allimcculloch.bsky.social & @drsiobhanbyrne.bsky.social just in time for my Christmas list 🎅 👍
allimcculloch.bsky.social Allison McCulloch @allimcculloch.bsky.social · Dec 9
Our book now has a cover and a preorder link! In it, @drsiobhanbyrne.bsky.social and I trace the rise of the WPS agenda & power-sharing as conflict resolution norms, chart their intersections, and reckon with the possible decline of both norms utpdistribution.com/978104980435...
Gender, Peace, and Power-Sharing
Gender, Peace, and Power-Sharing examines the rise of two powerful norms in international conflict resolution and post-conflict governance: power-sharing as ...
utpdistribution.com

Reposted by Feargal Cochrane

allimcculloch.bsky.social
Allison McCulloch @allimcculloch.bsky.social · Dec 9
Our book now has a cover and a preorder link! In it, @drsiobhanbyrne.bsky.social and I trace the rise of the WPS agenda & power-sharing as conflict resolution norms, chart their intersections, and reckon with the possible decline of both norms utpdistribution.com/978104980435...
Gender, Peace, and Power-Sharing
Gender, Peace, and Power-Sharing examines the rise of two powerful norms in international conflict resolution and post-conflict governance: power-sharing as ...
utpdistribution.com