Peter E Marshall
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poltheorypete.bsky.social
Peter E Marshall
@poltheorypete.bsky.social
120 followers 260 following 23 posts
PhD in Political & Social Thought from the University of Kent. BA & MA from Royal Holloway. Casual Academic at York St John.

Ideology, creativity, poststructuralism, and related political theory.

he/him

https://poltheorypete.wordpress.com/
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Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our next monthly pick for February is "Food policy and state formation in Senegal and Uganda" by Alex Nadège Ouedraogo and Klaus Schlichte (both University of Bremen). Be sure to give it a read!

#OpenAccess #Food #Sengal #Uganda

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Food policy is a predominantly overlooked vector of state formation in Africa. Comparing the trajectories of food policy in Senegal and Uganda, this article shows how internationally embedded food policies underpin state domination. It highlights three themes – early colonial food policies, the rise of organisational knowledge and the internationalisation of state domination through multilateral “assistance”. This argument is based on field research in both countries and on official documents and secondary literature. Its theoretical orientation draws upon a historical sociology of the State, as opposed to the idea of the heroic nation-state or the State as a component of “global ‘governance'”. We claim that food policy is highly politicised and that its effects on the State deserve much more attention in International Relations (IR), on the one hand, and state theory on the other. To study politics around food, we argue, would help to globalise IR.
February 16, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
New #OnlineFirst Publication!

"Anti-gender Normativity and Advocacy in Turkey – Making a Case for Practice Diffusion" by Hüsrev Tabak and Marella Bodur Ün is now out. Do give it a read!

#Norms #Gender #Turkey

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
his article offers a practice-oriented perspective on the near-simultaneous rise of anti-genderism in the post-2010 context. Using the Turkish case, it argues that normative isomorphism across different locales is not always the result of recent norm diffusion; their simultaneous and isomorphic emergence can be attributed to the diffusion of practices that enact pre-existing normative frameworks. Empirically speaking, this would mean re-reading the rise of anti-genderism as also a process of practice diffusion, no doubt, within the broader context of the growing influence of right-wing populism and illiberalism. The research suggests focusing on the diffusion of practices rather than norms per se, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of global normative similarities and claims of globality.
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our second monthly pick for February is "Liminally Positioned in the South: Reinterpreting Brazilian and Chinese Relations with Africa" by @janahoenke.bsky.social, @eric-cezne.bsky.social, and Yifan Mia Yang. Do give it a read!

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This article brings to fore long-standing intricacies and dilemmas in Brazil’s and China’s international positioning. It reveals the complex discursive repertoires shaping the Brazilian and Chinese sense of Self in the world, in the Global South, and, more particularly, in relation to Africa. It engages with the concept of “liminality” to highlight how constructing South–South relationships and invoking Southern identities have been ambiguous, indeterminate—thus liminal—endeavors in these countries’ international affairs. By dissecting their diplomatic and corporate narratives towards Africa, our analysis demonstrates, notwithstanding tensions and contradictions, how Brazilian and Chinese actors have creatively acted upon this liminality to pursue foreign policy goals and economic projects. In doing so, the article stresses the floating, ambiguous nature of powerful constructs such as “South” (and “West”), and binary oppositions between them. It concludes by discussing how a liminality perspective allows us to understand the unfixed and multifaceted nature of roles and identities in international relations.
February 9, 2026 at 10:49 AM
poltheorypete.bsky.social
As part of my teaching at Uni of Kent, I sat in on the lectures for the modules I taught on. On 20/10/22, the second half of the lecture turned into us all watching BBC News waiting for Liz Truss to resign.

If the below is true, I'll have to replicate that in my lecture (the 1st of term!) tomorrow
February 8, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our first monthly pick for February is the #OpenAccess article, "Debunking Brazilian Exceptionalism in its Africa Relations: Evidence from Angola and Tanzania" by @barnabyjdye.bsky.social (Kings College London) and Mathias Alencastro. Be sure to give it a read!

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
From 2003, President Lula heralded a new dawn in Brazil’s expanding African relations. Brazil was claimed to be unlike other exploitative powers because of its cultural, geographic and historic connections; Africa’s true brother. Despite the passing of two decades and a number of scandals, this narrative of exceptionalism remains. Studies on Brazil–Africa relations tend to focus on the Brazilian state as the key, essentially benign agent. Our analysis uses the case studies of Angola and Tanzania to debunk the idea of Brazilian exceptionalism. We demonstrate the significant, overlooked agency of corporations in shaping and implementing Lula’s Africa Policy, and determining its developmentally dubious outcomes. Additionally, the paper shows how political elites in Africa directed Brazilian government and companies into their political and business norms. Thus, Brazil–Africa relations replicated much of the typical economic patterns of the continent’s trade, with oft-controversial and corrupt investment in commodity extraction and infrastructure.
February 4, 2026 at 9:32 AM
poltheorypete.bsky.social
Matthew Goodwin researched the far-right in the same way that Smeagol researched the One Ring
January 27, 2026 at 3:24 PM
poltheorypete.bsky.social
If you have worked at the UoK(C), it's good to know that becoming an MP may be in your future!
pippacrerar.bsky.social Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 21d
NEW: Former academic Matt Goodwin has been announced as Reform UK's candidate for the Gorton & Denton byelection.
January 27, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
New #OnlineFirst #OpenAccess article!

"The US-Sino Tech War Through the Eyes of Secondary States: An Analysis of the Reactions of the US Five Eyes Allies to Huawei’s 5G" is by Zeno Leoni (KC London) & Eugenio Lilli (@ucddublin.bsky.social).

#US #China

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This paper contributes to the scholarly debate on secondary states’ agency in the context of US–China technological competition by examining how members of the Five Eyes (FVEY) intelligence alliance, excluding the United States, responded to perceived security risks posed by Huawei’s 5G infrastructure. While all FVEY states ultimately excluded Huawei from national networks, the pathways to this outcome diverged markedly, reflecting differences in threat perception, institutional processes, political priorities, and strategic cultures. Australia acted decisively, leveraging established mechanisms to implement a hardline stance; Canada and New Zealand proceeded cautiously, balancing domestic politics and trade concerns; and the United Kingdom initially resisted US pressure before reversing course amid domestic scrutiny. These variations show that alliance cohesion cannot be assumed, even among long-standing intelligence partners, and that convergence in policy outcomes does not imply convergence in underlying rationale, though all members ultimately reached a de facto similar outcome. The study underscores the limits of US influence over allied interpretations of asymmetric technological threats and highlights the critical role of secondary states in shaping technological geopolitics. By illuminating how liberal democracies navigate security, economic, and political imperatives in asymmetric competition, it provides insights into the challenges of multilateral coordination over emerging technologies.
January 27, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The final article in Global Society 40(1) is "The BNO Visa Scheme in UK–China Relations: A Geopolitical Tool" by James F Downes and Kenneth Lai (both Hong Kong Metropolitan University). Please do give it a read!

#BNO #UK #China

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Since 2019, social movements and protests in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have attracted considerable international attention. In response, the UK Government has implemented measures such as the British National (Overseas) Visa Scheme and this paper examines the attitudes of British political parties towards the BNO Visa Scheme for Hong Kong immigrants, within the context of UK–China relations. By analyzing parliamentary speeches from Hansard (2019–2023) alongside political debates, the qualitative analysis in this paper makes an original contribution to the academic literature in outlining the UK’s sense of historical responsibility, in framing the BNO Visa issue in humanitarian terms. In addition, the paper explores how the decline in UK–China relations has strengthened strategic support for the BNO Visa Scheme and influenced immigration policy, as well as the UK government’s approach to decolonisation in international relations.
January 26, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
We are very excited to announce that @jusimon.bsky.social will be joining Global Society as an Associate Editor!

Julia previously guest edited our special issue 'Authoritarian Governmentality and Counter-Conduct from the Local to the Global', linked below.

www.tandfonline.com/toc/cgsj20/3...
Global Society
Authoritarian Governmentality and Counter-Conduct from the Local to the Global. Volume 39, Issue 1 of Global Society
www.tandfonline.com
January 23, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The 5th article in Global Society 40(1) is "Conceptualising Global Environmental Governance Through the Lens of Coloniality" by Gabriela Kütting (@rutgersu.bsky.social) and Wendy Godek (Roger Williams University). Do give it a read!

#Governance #Environment

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In this article, we unpack and critically engage with the contemporary dynamics of global environmental governance. We specifically address the persistence of uneven relations of power despite the attempts under the “participatory turn” to enhance democratic decision-making among environmental actors. We argue that rather than foster equity and justice, contemporary environmental governance institutions reinforce and replicate existing power relations. To illustrate our argument, we situate the concept and practice of global environmental governance historically and employ the concept of coloniality to illustrate the different mechanisms that uphold and reproduce power. We argue that this more nuanced understanding of how power is operationalised in global environmental governance provides a valuable tool for analysing the dynamics of participation and inclusion.
January 21, 2026 at 12:04 PM
poltheorypete.bsky.social
Tweet from @LeftieStats: "Actual quote from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood" Picture reads: "When I was in justice, my ultimate vision for that part of the criminal justice system was to achieve, by means of AI and technology, what Jeremy Bentham tried to do with his Panopticon. That is that the eyes of the state can be on you at all times." Image of philosopher Michel Foucault with his hands on his head covering his ears
January 20, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The 4th article in Global Society 40(1) is "Punching Above Their Diplomatic Weight: De Facto States’ Civil Society Organisations in International Affairs" by @butrintberisha.bsky.social & Eiki Berg (both University of Tartu). Do give it a read!

#Diplomacy

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
How do domestic civil society organisations (CSOs) in Kosovo, Taiwan and Palestine engage internationally, circumventing obstacles caused by absence of universal recognition and United Nations (UN) membership? We address this question by comparatively analysing the activities of these “lightweights” and integrating two streams of research on CSOs and de facto states. Conceptually, the article engages with the actorness of domestic CSOs, by highlighting a range of methods utilised to facilitate de facto states’ international interactions and mobilise international support. We focus on specific issue areas and types of activities, highlighting various forms of CSO engagement with different audiences and the themes they seek to convey – such as state recognition, sovereignty and self-determination – through their outreach efforts. It appears that CSOs create a united front with de facto states’ foreign policy institutions and make some efforts to affect international affairs by drifting across (non)recognition settings.
January 19, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The third article in Global Society 40(1) is "The Post-War Evolution of Globalisation and International Order: From Liberal to Neoliberal International Order" by Carlos Hernan Ramirez (Kindai University). Do give it a read!

#Globalisation #Ideology

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Great-power tensions, regional conflict, and income inequality are some of the principal troubles facing the international community. The blame for this current global turmoil is commonly framed as the outcome of globalisation gone awry. This article challenges this conclusion. First, globalisation cannot be the primary explanation for these outcomes since it is not an ideology, a distinct set of ideas, or a programme of policies. Globalisation is only a framework of integration that necessarily requires ideas, tenets, and strategies to animate it. Second, it is important to distinguish between two different periods of discrete global order: the Liberal International Order which began in 1945 and ended in 1980 followed by the Neoliberal International Order which finished in 2015. Concomitantly, the ideology, principles, and policies that infused each order determined the substance of globalisation during each period. Conflating liberal and neoliberal ideologies and the orders they imbued obscures the fact that their substance and consequences diverged significantly. A proper scrutiny of each order and its underlying ideology would also induce a careful examination of globalisation particularly of the benefits accrued during the liberal period. Ultimately, it was the implementation of neoliberal policies that are at the root of the current turbulence.
January 15, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The second article in Global Society 40(1) is by @jusimon.bsky.social (@unibremen.bsky.social), "An Analytics of Far-Right Populist Contestation and the Case of ‘Awakened Mothers’ in US Public Education and Beyond". Do give it a read!

#OpenAccess #Populism

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Populism research is in a conceptual impasse at a time when the populist far right increasingly openly pursues illiberal and anti-democratic recalibrations of social and political relations throughout society. Drawing on a Foucauldian governmentality/counter-conduct perspective, this paper proposes an analytics of contestation that translates the study of populism into an analysis of reflected and productive contestational practices related to specific facets of (neo)liberal democracy. It visibilises distinct far-right/populist patterns of shaping ‘resisting’ subjectivities, techniques of counter-practice, underlying truth-claims as well as particular fields of intervention. Most significantly, this approach theorises and systematically incorporates the epistemic dimension of the ongoing struggles. The unique merits of the resulting line of inquiry are substantiated on the basis of the very first empirical study on the US-based organisation Moms for Liberty (M4L). The study elucidates the specificities of the constructed subjectivity of ‘awakened mothers’ in contemporary populist far right activism in education policy (and beyond).
January 12, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
The first article in Global Society 40(1) is "Rhythms of Learning in NGO-Supported Village Associations in Western Uganda" by Karembe F. Ahimbisibwe, Kellen Aganyira, Dianah Nampijja, Constance Mudondo, & Stella Achen. Do give it a read!

#NGO #Uganda #OpenAccess

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This article explores how a non-governmental organisation (NGO) facilitates patterns of learning, unlearning, and relearning and, in so doing, strengthens people’s livelihoods in rural Uganda. We conceptualise how NGO-supported village associations become avenues for learning trajectories that potentially “free” citizens from perpetual poverty. Based on qualitative data collected from members of village associations in western Uganda, we illustrate how a local NGO facilitates learning new knowledge, unlearning prevailing habits and practices, and relearning for gradual self and community improvement. Drawing on Alhadeff-Jones's (2017; 2019; 2020) conceptualisation of rhythms of time and space and emancipation, we coin the term “rhythms of learning” to analyse how marginalised citizens collectively – and incrementally – learn to improve their livelihoods under the aegis of an NGO. This analysis provides insights to development practitioners on how to promote incremental learning and change in illiberal settings where radical transformation of power structures is circumstantially difficult.
January 7, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
We are starting 2026 with the publication of Global Society 40(1). We will be highlighting each of the articles over January. If you would like to read the whole issue now, it is linked below.

www.tandfonline.com/toc/cgsj20/4...
Global Society
Volume 40, Issue 1 of Global Society
www.tandfonline.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Before the Global Society team sign off for the winter break, we want to remind you that Global Society has an open call for special issue proposals. Please follow the link below for more details. We look forward to receiving your proposals!
globalsociety.bsky.social Global Society @globalsociety.bsky.social · Nov 27
We are accepting special issue proposals! We welcome proposals relating to any area of global and international studies as well as interdisciplinary scholarship. For more info, contact us or follow the link below 👇
1. [email protected]
2. www.tandfonline.com/action/journ...
News & offers from Global Society
Guidance for Special Issue proposals
www.tandfonline.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:12 AM
poltheorypete.bsky.social
2025 has been rough on the job-front. Despite it all, I'm really proud of myself that I passed my viva and have published two works from the thesis - especially the Philosophy and Social Criticism paper (linked). Fingers crossed, more should be coming in 2026!
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Image of a screenshot of Peter E. Marshall's Google Scholar page, showing three publications. The first is "Mapping Ideology and Poststructuralism: From Negative Foundations to Politicizing Thought via Contingency and Creativity" in The Routledge Handbook on the Lived Experience of Ideology. The second is "On ideological and creative forces" in Philosophy & Social Criticism. The third is "Ideology and creativity: poststructuralism, abundant difference, and plastic production" stored with the University of Kent.
December 18, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our final monthly pick for December is the #OpenAccess article, "WAW, No Women? Foucault’s Reverse Discourse and Gendered Subjects in Diplomatic Networks" by @anntowns.bsky.social (@ University of Gothenburg). Be sure to give it a read!

#Diplomacy #Gender #Women

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This study has two aims. Empirically, it examines women ambassador networks, hitherto overlooked in diplomacy scholarship. Such women-only networks are fascinating, as they cut across state-based alignments that typically shape diplomatic networks. Using Women Ambassadors of Warsaw (WAW) as a case, the analysis is based on interviews with its members in 2020. Theoretically, the aim is to draw on Michel Foucault’s notion of “reverse discourse” to build upon but trouble prior attempts to theorise the place of women and femininities in diplomacy. Rather than coherent scripts or stable roles, I argue, “women” are better conceived as a discursive subject position that is unstable, contradictory and reversing. Indeed, the members of WAW articulate surprisingly shifting and contradictory claims about women and the rationales of a women-only diplomatic network. Reverse discourse provides leverage for understanding these shifts, the article contends, but the analysis also shows the difficulties in reversing fragmented discourse.
December 17, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
We have a new #OnlineFirst article out, "“Anti-Intellectualism?” Situating Javier Milei’s Discourse About Science" by @valearvejita.bsky.social and @claudiocormick.bsky.social (both @CONICET). Be sure to give it a read!

#Milei #Science #Neoliberalism

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The relationship between far-right and science has gained increasing scholarly attention, yet existing analyses often rely on broad labels such as “anti-scientific” or “anti-intellectual” without sufficient conceptual precision. This lack of precision, in turn, commonly leads to an inadequate analysis of the discourse of figures such as Argentine President Javier Milei. This article attempts to overcome this limitation by applying to Milei’s case a novel theoretical framework that distinguishes between two complementary dimensions of anti-science attitudes: an epistemological axis and an ethical–political axis. Empirically, the study draws on roughly 109 h of public statements produced by Milei between December 2023 and July 2025, analysed through a qualitative discourse approach inspired by grounded theory. The findings show that Milei selectively targets publicly funded intellectuals and institutions, framing them as corrupt, useless, or indoctrinating, while simultaneously praising market-oriented knowledge producers. Epistemologically, however, he does not reject science per se; instead, he frequently celebrates scientific progress and expert authority, except in specific cases such as climate change where his market fundamentalism overrides scientific consensus. We show that Milei’s discourse is better understood as a “war over science” – an attempt to appropriate science under neoliberal logics – rather than as wholesale anti-scientific rejection.
December 9, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our second monthly pick for December is "The Organisation Matters: Comparing Christine Lagarde’s Policies on Gender Equity at the IMF and the ECB" by Pamela Blackmon (Penn State University). Be sure to give it a read!

#OpenAccess #IMF #Gender

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
The Organisation Matters: Comparing Christine Lagarde’s Policies on Gender Equity at the IMF and the ECB
Published in Global Society (Vol. 39, No. 3, 2025)
www.tandfonline.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
We have a new #OnlineFirst article out in Global Society: "Artificial Intelligence and the Algorithmic Discursive Sphere: Policymaking Dilemmas and the Rise of a New Public Intellectual" by Branislav Radeljić (@nebrija.bsky.social).

#AI #Power #Democracy

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This paper explores the multifaceted relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), programming languages, and ethical-political structures, emphasising how AI development both reflects and reshapes global power dynamics. When prompted about its participation in political discourse or its potential to function as a public intellectual (a hybrid human–nonhuman actor that redefines the link between technology, politics, and public reason), generative AI often expresses a willingness to engage with complex ideas, while simultaneously acknowledging its limitations in terms of original thought and its inability to advocate for social change. It tends to prioritise neutrality over taking definitive stances, which raises critical concerns. This neutrality may inadvertently contribute to inequality, particularly in the context of the divide between the Global North and the Global South. Moreover, the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China, combined with AI’s growing role in decision-making processes, underscores its potential to privilege certain agendas – often those aimed at power maximisation and wealth accumulation. This paper argues that the promise of AI must be weighed against its risks, especially in high-stakes domains, and that meaningful accountability demands more than ethics-as-branding. By framing AI as a sociotechnical artifact embedded in ideology and power, the study highlights the need for global, pluralistic, and enforceable ethical frameworks in the face of accelerating digital transformation.
December 5, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
Our first monthly pick for December is the #OpenAccess article, "Gender, Financial Deepening and the Production of Embodied Finance: Towards a Critical Feminist Analysis" by Adrienne Roberts (@manchester.ac.uk). Be sure to give it a read!

#Equality #Finance

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
This article critically interrogates the ways in which gender equality has been linked to processes of financial deepening, partly via a global coalition of public and private institutions that have come together in recent years to promote an instrumentalist gender equality agenda. Corporations, banks and financial firms are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the contours of the global gender equality agenda and reproducing narratives regarding the need to (1) financially “empower” women, (2) uphold women as the “saviours” of national economies post-2008 and (3) “tap in” to the productive (i.e. profitable) potential of women's bodily capacities. Drawing on Marxist and feminist theory, I develop an approach to theorising the inherently embodied and gendered nature of finance that reveals the ways in which these tropes obscure the labour associated with social reproduction, promote the commodification of women's bodily capacities to produce, and support the differential production of bodies while simultaneously masking embodied forms of difference.
December 1, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Peter E Marshall
globalsociety.bsky.social
A new #OnlineFirst article, "For a Better Future: How Parenthood Affects Attitudes toward War" by Shih-chan Dai (@ National Chengchi University) and Navida Chun-han Wang (@umich.edu), is out with Global Society! Be sure to give it a read!

#War #Gender #Parent

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
How does parenthood affect individuals’ attitudes toward war? Existing literature on public support for war offers some explanations as to when the public is more likely to support the use of military force. Yet, it has largely overlooked an essential factor: parenthood. Building on rational choice and social identity theories, we argue that individuals who are parents are less likely to support war. Individuals with children face greater uncertainty and are more vulnerable to the damages that war could bring. In addition, the shift in identity as parents affects how individuals perceive security threats. We test our hypothesis using the World Value Survey Wave 6 (2010-2014). The results show that parenthood decreases the likelihood of expressing support for war, for both females and males, even after controlling for other demographic traits and country-level covariates such as exposure to militarised violence and gender inequality. Our findings contribute to the literature on security studies and public opinion and suggest a need to consider the impact of parenthood.
November 27, 2025 at 9:54 AM