Ashwini Vasanthakumar
ashwinivasantha.bsky.social
Ashwini Vasanthakumar
@ashwinivasantha.bsky.social
Legal and political theory | migration, authority, obligation, oppression and the ethics of resistance | writing a book on why immigrants should not 'integrate'

www.ashwinivasanthakumar.com
Pinned
A quick introduction to new followers: I am a political and legal philosopher working on diasporas and transnationalism, the ethics of immigration control, victims' duties, and transitional justice.

My first monograph looked at exile politics,
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
I wrote an essay for @bostonreview.bsky.social about what I learned about close reading when I taught at West Virginia University

www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
The Claims of Close Reading - Boston Review
Literary studies have been starved by austerity, but their core methodology remains radical.
www.bostonreview.net
November 26, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
“I had to take the baby from my crying wife’s arms.“ It hasn’t even been a year, and this is not a scandal anymore? What is wrong with us?
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
“Only by hardening life for new arrivals … can we hope to preserve British tolerance”.

Thought this was satire but it’s not.
Was trying to work out in which way Shabana Mahmood, an otherwise pretty unremarkable politician, could possibly be described as a "luminous golden star" who "dazzles like a blue-white supernova" and then I realised, its simply a willingness to be a bit more cruel to immigrants
November 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
am I even awake right now?
November 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
We have a new tenure-track job in @lsegovernment.bsky.social at AP level (empirical political science, open subfield): jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/... Please apply and share with colleagues who might be interested!
Assistant Professor in Political Science
Assistant Professor in Political Science, , <p style="text-align: center;"><em><span>LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university</span></em></p> <p style="text-ali...
jobs.lse.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Hey Ottawa folks: I gave some kids' books to Twice Upon a Time and they said they've receved fewer donations than usual for this time of year. So if you have any kids' books in good condition, or time or money to spare, here's the info:
Donate - Twice Upon a Time
twiceuponatime.ca
November 24, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Dress for the TSA pat down you want, not the TSA pat down you have.
Sean Duffy: "Dressing with respect -- whether it's a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. Let's try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport."
November 24, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Funded by Canada and philanthropic partners, the SINAA agreement will protect almost 800,000 square kilometres of land and water in the ecologically critical Qikiqtani region while building a strong, Inuit-led conservation economy. thenarwhal.ca/qikiqtani-in...
$270-million SINAA agreement funds Nunavut conservation | The Narwhal
The SINAA agreement aims to protect nearly 800,000 square kilometres and build a conservation economy in the Qikiqtani region
thenarwhal.ca
November 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
they were "controversial" for murdering palestinians at their food distribution sites.
November 24, 2025 at 7:13 PM
evergreen post
too many ridiculous things happening all at once
November 24, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
This is one of the most Germany-coded things that I have read in a while and I shall not be taking any further questions: www.middleeastmonitor.com/20251118-ger...
Germany’s decision to take in donkeys from Gaza for treatment – but not children – has sparked outrage
The news reads like a dark joke—but it isn’t. “Rescued little Donkeys from Gaza Find a Home in Oppenheim,” reports Allgemeine Zeitung, a regional newspaper in western Germany. On Instagram, the com…
www.middleeastmonitor.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Lest we forget
November 24, 2025 at 12:55 AM
This is about the size of it.
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
November 24, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
“we need to be nicer to men” bro they didn’t let women have their own credit cards til 50 years ago
November 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
There aren't simple solutions. There are solutions though. You ensure there are genuine safer means for people to seek asylum in the UK. There is no silver bullet, one shot, way of doing that which can be summed up in a three word slogan. It requires a multiplicity of different things, such as: 1/
What will Labour do when its asylum reforms don’t work?

James Baggaley: There are no simple solutions to the small boats crisis
There are no simple solutions to the small boats crisis
What will Labour do when its asylum reforms don't work?
www.newstatesman.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
I've never gotten over this. Ever. We marked the first year after his murder with a "play-in" event in Chicago. I had the idea for this and I have never forgotten him. You can see some of the photos from the event here: www.facebook.com/media/set/?v...
November 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
This is the Turning Point USA spokesperson responding to a recent Islamophobic assault against students at the University of South Florida’s Muslim Student Association where several men associated with Warriors for Christ spit on students praying and waved bacon in their face.
November 23, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Call me picky if you will, but I'm going to say that the Israeli government's sustained attacks class as more than "testing the cease-fire"
November 22, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
NEW: Defence Minister David McGuinty said he could not confirm if Canadian officers attended an Israeli military seminar this week.

The seminar was held to “strengthen cooperation ... between the participating militaries.” www.readthemaple.com/minister-can...
Minister ‘Can’t Confirm’ If Canadian Officers Went To Israeli Seminar
The seminar reportedly focused on Israel’s experiences in waging its genocidal war on Gaza.
www.readthemaple.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
The Queens Daily Eagle remains undefeated.
Queens men meet — Queens Daily Eagle
The first man from Queens to be elected president and the first Queens resident to be elected mayor of New York City met for the first time in the Oval Office on Friday.
queenseagle.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Reposted by Ashwini Vasanthakumar
Last month, Germany filed preliminary objections in the case brought by Nicaragua alleging that Germany failed to prevent genocide or ensure respect for IHL in Gaza.

The ICJ should reject Germany's objections and decide the case on its merits.

My latest @justsecurity.org
November 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM