Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 1h

As I'm navigating a research stay in Catalunya, I realize how silly it is to speak English here- people belonging to Latin languages should pick a Latin language to communicate among each other, it's so much easier.

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 18h

Many of the people I interview are concerned by what fake news can do to religious leaders and institutions. And what do you think of fake news? #Pope #fakenews #posttruth

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 18h

Why am I speaking of fake news? Because they're very important when we talk about religion and the Internet. Especially with the rise of AI, fake images circulate widely- like the picture of Pope Francis wearing a Balenciaga coat.

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 18h

Religion & fake news

Do you know that there are prehistoric beings that are half human and half fish?

You probably didn't know because... it's fake news. An early example of intentional spreading of post-truth by Spanish artist Joan Fontcuberta
www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/what-was-on/...

Joan Fontcuberta: Stranger Than Fiction | National Science and Media Museum

A major exhibition of the incredible fictions of Joan Fontcuberta, Stranger Than Fiction featured six documentary narratives mixing fact with fiction and science with art.

www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 23h

If you happen to be in Nijmegen...

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 1d

My very first research was a survey about ICU beds in Europe when I was working as research assistant for an NGO and it got published without my name on it.

The fun part is that I decided for a career in academia anyway

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

Please let me know when you find out…

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

I mean, there’s a lot of published papers with a bad methodology. It depends by the field of course, but having methodological issues don’t make for sound papers…

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

It looks great!

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

But also the other way round…

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

It's no mystery I love the Young Pope... so, I used this among the quotes for the summer school we had in Erfurt at the end of September.

What do you think? Does a religious leader who doesn't show himself commit "media suicide"?

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

" If I may, Holy Father, what you are proposing is nothing short of suicide, media suicide."

(Paolo Sorrentino, The Young Pope, Episode 2)

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 4d

Quote:

"And so, for my first address, you will see to it that the light is so dim, no photographer, no TV cameraman, and not even the faithful will see anything of me but a dark shadow, my silhouette. They will not see me because I do not exist."

👇

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 5d

Everything can be made into an object of study.

But is everything interesting?

Not at all. Welcome to academia!

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 6d

At least we can see the glass half full... more research!

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 6d

Yes! I also met @genderedform.bsky.social and we produce great research together!

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 6d

Controversial opinion:

Only people who are very very good should read their presentations at conferences, because it's more difficult to engage the audience when reading (vs presenting freely)

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Reposted by Dr. Giulia Evolvi

Kai Arzheimer @kai-arzheimer.com · 9d

Excellent question. Unfortunately, the answers seems to be: yes

RRResRobot @rrresrobot.bsky.social · 19d

The #RadicalRight in the US: L. de Jonge, V. Georgiadou, D. Halikiopoulou, et al. “Is the Far Right a Global Phenomenon? Comparing Europe and Latin America: A Scholarly Exchange”. In: Nations and Nationalism 31.1 (2025), pp. 7-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nana.13074.

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 7d

In two occasions I almost got academic positions I REALLY wanted (I was the second in the list), and I realize only now that they were in places I absolutely don't like... so maybe it's destiny protecting me from living where I won't be truly happy

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 8d

All the best for your new position!

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 8d

Many of the groups I study also are populist in using digital media as an alternative to the "mainstram media," which are seen as in the hands of political elites.

A grounding text on populism is Ernesto Laclau's "On Populist Reason" www.amazon.it/Populist-Rea...

On Populist Reason : Laclau, Ernesto: Amazon.it: Libri

www.amazon.it

Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 8d

What I know, is that far-right leaders often use populist communication to interact with people who feel marginalized, so they can present themselves as one of them.

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 8d

What is populism?

Populism is how the "common people" are seen as separate and different from the "elites"

I attended the 9th Populism Specialist Symposium in Thessaloniki and I mainly learned that... I still have a lot of learning to do on populism.

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 9d

Me: they’ll release the movie of the cat in the hat

Toddler: really? Can we watch it tomorrow?

Me: No it’s in 2026, next year

Toddler: WHAT? I’ll be 4 in a year! I’ll be old! I won’t even like movies anymore!

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Dr. Giulia Evolvi @giuliaevolvi.bsky.social · 10d

This is Mount Olympus in case you’re looking for Zeus

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