Rob Ralston
@policyrelevant.bsky.social
Lecturer in Public Policy at Edinburgh Uni researching corporate power and planetary health - currently global plastics treaty | ‘most improved PhD student’ 2017-18 | part-time Kieran Tierney Ultra
the Cass Sunstein new yorker interview is as bad as everyone is saying, but I would say is not entirely unrepresentative of his work
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
September 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
the Cass Sunstein new yorker interview is as bad as everyone is saying, but I would say is not entirely unrepresentative of his work
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
the behavioural economics of 'nudge' is characterised by the same tensions and inconsistencies evident in this piece
www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
6 years in and I have finally figured out the unwritten rules of academic CVs that nobody tells you about
September 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
6 years in and I have finally figured out the unwritten rules of academic CVs that nobody tells you about
Pretty significant breakthrough in tackling undue corporate influence in global climate governance
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
September 16, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Pretty significant breakthrough in tackling undue corporate influence in global climate governance
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
After years of pressure from CSOs, UNFCCC will require observers to disclose who is funding their participation at COPs. More to do obviously, but a major step
kickbigpollutersout.org/COP30-next-s...
average nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 percent in Paris thanks to regulation and public policy
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
August 31, 2025 at 1:30 PM
average nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 percent in Paris thanks to regulation and public policy
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
shows what can be achieved by political actors that are brave enough to challenge vested interests and prioritize public health and wellbeing
my ‘not a dictator even though many people are asking for one’ shirt has a lot of people asking questions already answered by the shirt
August 25, 2025 at 8:48 PM
my ‘not a dictator even though many people are asking for one’ shirt has a lot of people asking questions already answered by the shirt
incredible visualization of the scale of global plastic production
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
August 11, 2025 at 9:56 AM
incredible visualization of the scale of global plastic production
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
2019 levels would fill Central Park to a height of 423 metres, with a project tripling of petrochemical production by 2060 (unless we do something about it)
reporting on the weighty issues at UN plastic treaty negotiations, which is that the UN AV logo that they have on all the cameras goes unnecessarily hard
August 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
reporting on the weighty issues at UN plastic treaty negotiations, which is that the UN AV logo that they have on all the cameras goes unnecessarily hard
as the battle over plastics resumes at the final round of UN plastic treaty negotiations, I will be fighting my own battle as a pale scottish person suffering through a heatwave in Geneva
August 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
as the battle over plastics resumes at the final round of UN plastic treaty negotiations, I will be fighting my own battle as a pale scottish person suffering through a heatwave in Geneva
[promotion panel]: can you tell us about your use of innovative teaching methods?
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
July 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
[promotion panel]: can you tell us about your use of innovative teaching methods?
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
[me, taking a sharp intake of breath]: well
this era is the pinnacle of cycling fashion in my view
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
July 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
this era is the pinnacle of cycling fashion in my view
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
nothings going to top madonna’s de rosa bike
replace ‘cookies’ with ‘new idea for an article’ and you have the liminal space of academia that is the month of july
July 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
replace ‘cookies’ with ‘new idea for an article’ and you have the liminal space of academia that is the month of july
‘The flat would benefit from upgrading and modernisation’
are you high ESPC
are you high ESPC
July 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
‘The flat would benefit from upgrading and modernisation’
are you high ESPC
are you high ESPC
back on my history of plastics / processed food research project, and have become fixated on why Pepsi was *obssessed* with farmyard animals in the 90s
July 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
back on my history of plastics / processed food research project, and have become fixated on why Pepsi was *obssessed* with farmyard animals in the 90s
on the eve of 'Dan Hannan Freedom Day' I decided to re-read his now classic brexit fan-fiction
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
June 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
on the eve of 'Dan Hannan Freedom Day' I decided to re-read his now classic brexit fan-fiction
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
genuinely impressive to be able to write something this delusional
www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...
it's been years at this point
June 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
it's been years at this point
the most evergreen of evergreen posts
June 20, 2025 at 1:42 PM
the most evergreen of evergreen posts
[colleague]: hey rob, I hope this email finds you well - just wanted to check how you're getting on with the first draft
how your email finds me:
how your email finds me:
June 17, 2025 at 2:36 PM
[colleague]: hey rob, I hope this email finds you well - just wanted to check how you're getting on with the first draft
how your email finds me:
how your email finds me:
back on my archival research on Big Food and plastic pollution
This is the message to shareholders in PepsiCo's 1970 annual report, which boasts of the company's promising research into a 'burnable plastic bottle' that will solve the 'solid waste problem'
This is the message to shareholders in PepsiCo's 1970 annual report, which boasts of the company's promising research into a 'burnable plastic bottle' that will solve the 'solid waste problem'
June 2, 2025 at 7:37 PM
back on my archival research on Big Food and plastic pollution
This is the message to shareholders in PepsiCo's 1970 annual report, which boasts of the company's promising research into a 'burnable plastic bottle' that will solve the 'solid waste problem'
This is the message to shareholders in PepsiCo's 1970 annual report, which boasts of the company's promising research into a 'burnable plastic bottle' that will solve the 'solid waste problem'
Adobe’s Acrobat repeatedly asking if it can generate a garbage summary of the article I’m trying to read
May 30, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Adobe’s Acrobat repeatedly asking if it can generate a garbage summary of the article I’m trying to read
writing a paper on the temporal dimensions of corporate power and been reading some of Niklas Luhmannn's work on 'present futures'
I always struggled to get into systems theory, but found this paper so interesting (and way ahead of its time in many ways)
www.jstor.org/stable/40970...
I always struggled to get into systems theory, but found this paper so interesting (and way ahead of its time in many ways)
www.jstor.org/stable/40970...
May 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
writing a paper on the temporal dimensions of corporate power and been reading some of Niklas Luhmannn's work on 'present futures'
I always struggled to get into systems theory, but found this paper so interesting (and way ahead of its time in many ways)
www.jstor.org/stable/40970...
I always struggled to get into systems theory, but found this paper so interesting (and way ahead of its time in many ways)
www.jstor.org/stable/40970...
I’m also glad to see someone else shouting into the void about this 🙃
May 29, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I’m also glad to see someone else shouting into the void about this 🙃
was in Napoli earlier in the week and these were the scenes after a 0-0 draw
thoughts and prayers with their neighbours tonight
thoughts and prayers with their neighbours tonight
May 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
was in Napoli earlier in the week and these were the scenes after a 0-0 draw
thoughts and prayers with their neighbours tonight
thoughts and prayers with their neighbours tonight
Kaufmann, Goodwin, Mounk, Pinker
The definitive Nightmare Blunt Rotation
The definitive Nightmare Blunt Rotation
May 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Kaufmann, Goodwin, Mounk, Pinker
The definitive Nightmare Blunt Rotation
The definitive Nightmare Blunt Rotation
on a zoom call and I can’t unmute because a guy is practicing the bagpipes outside my office
an excuse so comically stereotypical that I have to assume my colleagues think I’m lying
an excuse so comically stereotypical that I have to assume my colleagues think I’m lying
May 22, 2025 at 5:13 PM
on a zoom call and I can’t unmute because a guy is practicing the bagpipes outside my office
an excuse so comically stereotypical that I have to assume my colleagues think I’m lying
an excuse so comically stereotypical that I have to assume my colleagues think I’m lying
can’t wait to read this
May 22, 2025 at 12:27 PM
can’t wait to read this