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Ultimately, this approach further entrenches a "risk shift" in English social policy, transferring the burden from collective state risk pooling directly onto the shoulders of individuals who are seldom able to bear it.

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The policy uses "resilience" to legitimize interventions aimed at changing individual behaviours, such as through debt advice and budgeting classes, rather than addressing the underlying material conditions of poverty.

In this article, I argue that the CRF encapsulates a fundamental "resilience paradox": Claimants are expected to demonstrate self-sufficiency, yet they are seeking help precisely because of a lack of material security.

In January 2026, the UK govt announced the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). While the CRF ostensibly aims to provide immediate relief for those struggling with essential costs, it places a significant new focus on promoting "financial resilience".

Iñigo Aldama @inigoaldama.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

JUST PUBLISHED! Great to see my commentary published in Critical Social Policy today: "The resilience trap: Deepening the 'risk shift' in social policy via the crisis and resilience fund". journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... More in the following posts:

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Reposted by Matt Donoghue

I'm immensely glad to share that my article with Matthew Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social has just been published in Territory, Politics Governance! @rsa-tpg.bsky.social 🎉 Our findings transform how we think about minority nationalism and the welfare state 🧵 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

tandfonline.com

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

I really enjoyed working on this article, it was great to be a part of realizing Iñigo's idea! Read the thread below for more!

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

If capitalism continues through this, this will be the story of the welfare state in the second half of the century. A new double movement responding to the fact that paid labour can no longer be the primary way of maintaining human welfare.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

We could be using technology to live in an age of abundance. But given capitalism requires scarcity to drive surplus value, what we'll likely get is obscene profits for a few, and mass uncompensated unemployment for the rest.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

This is more or less what I try to impart on my students. AI is here to stay and it's silly to not acknowledge that. So we must teach people how to use AI interfaces as tools to enhance -not replace - work. If you use AI to save time and cut corners, it WILL end badly for you - or someone else.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Campus looking alright in the sunshine

You hang on my every word, and I appreciate you for that.

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I can see, for example, how it might have helped someone organise ideas which has led to a certain argument construction. Of course, what I might be seeing is AI's argument and writing. But as I am hypersensitive to it this year, I'm not sure... I'll report back.

Where students have declared AI use, they have had to explain how they have used it, and why it doesn't breach my rules. In the essay itself, I have either not seen obvious AI use, or I have seen (so far!) much more considered and reflective AI use.

Only just started marking this semester. But a strong reflection already on AI use. I don't know if it's AI use settling in now it's been around a few years, or that I require a signed AI declaration with explanation/justification, but in the essays I've marked so far, there's a noticeable shift.

But with the post-EU agreements across the island of Ireland, Schengen remains potentially tricky because of NI. If the UK was compelled to join Schengen it would change the calculus for Ireland, but if Ireland didn't want to join it would mean a hard border, so... tough decisions all round!

It is largely CTA related, yes. One of the reasons Ireland didn't want to/wasn't in Schengen was because the power balance within the CTA was in favour of the UK. UK's Visa rules trumped Ireland's for example. And as the most important trading partner, Ireland had to follow the politics more.

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It also doesn't change the fact that I know I don't know what I'm doing, but it helps me appreciate the workings of a method I want to use in a grant project, and will be hiring a computational social scientist to make it legit. If I get the money. Which depends on me understanding this method...

If you'd told me a month ago - let alone when I started off in academia - that I'd be using cloud computing to run a code an AI had written for me to analyse almost 4.5m words of text, I wouldn't have believed you. But here we are.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

This looks really interesting, George. I'll subscribe. Will you be considering guest pieces or pitches at any point?

George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Reposted by Matt Donoghue

🚨I’m delighted to announce the launch of Arguably – a new publication for progressive ideas and debate – alongside @camvargas.bsky.social. Columnists include @benjudah.bsky.social, @davidlawrenceuk.bsky.social and @ZoeGrunewald.bsky.social. Subscribe now to receive our launch piece: Arguably.uk

arguably.uk

Arguably | George Eaton | Substack

The new home of progressive ideas and debate. Click to read Arguably, a Substack publication. Launched 3 days ago.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Walking out of the lecture theatre realizing I've given my last proper lecture of the academic year, vs the realization that I have hundreds of essays landing on my desk soon

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

#academicsky people! Do I have any contacts who might be willing to chat to this dunce about Natural Language Processing #NLP, particularly as it pertains to multilingual Semantic Network Analysis? I have many questions!

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Come and work with us! Happy to answer questions about the school etc.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Does anyone have any recommendations for a *reliable* and *accurate* programme/app that converts references into different styles (e.g. x/y/z/ to APA etc.)?

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Another oil shock. *IF ONLY* we could generate energy without oil?! Mad, I know, but maybe huge windmills, or maybe even something that harnesses the sun? Waves move about a lot, maybe some Brainiac could invent something that turns moving water into energy?! One of those billionaire fellas maybe?

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

I'd say it's not the quotes themselves, but the use of the quotes can be symptoms - especially when they're used by hegemonic forces! 😂

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

To benefit from even a partial notion of "democratic capitalism" you would need to have been alive between ~1945-1979. Democratic capitalism in Liberal economies lasted about 34 years. It lasted longer (maybe still there) in the Nordic countries. As with everything, continental Europe is a mixed bag

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Automating alienation. Fantastic.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

I try to do this too when I mention it during lectures. I also emphasise that if students are to use AI properly, they will have to do a lot of fact checking and verification of data. Often meaning that the time they'll save won't be very much at all.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

For one of my modules this semester, I put a statement in my handbook to say that use of Generative AI to produce essays is not permitted. I decided I needed to give more specific guidance on what I will - and won't - accept.

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Reposted by Matt Donoghue

ProfAFinlayson @profafinlayson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

From The Times last Saturday. Starmer's ministry provides empirical proof of the fact that (contrary to what the Labour leadership has believed for many years) you can't govern without an ideology: something organising your outlook and mobilising people to action. www.thetimes.com/article/2cb4...

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Largely depressing reading. But the takeaway point is that something has to give at some point, some how.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Humanity is hurtling so quickly downhill. Lazy warmongering. I'm sure it helps that the targets had already been dehumanised.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

I keep hearing the Green Party have been doing divisive and sectarian politics. Does anyone have any examples? Or is this Labour Party entitlement to a core vote they actively dislike?

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Reposted by Matt Donoghue

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 27/02/2026

The current argument of the British right is that Muslims turned out in "blocs" with "family voting" to cast their ballots for a party led by a gay Jewish man, and this shows that multiculturalism has failed, voting is "sectarian" and we are in a crisis. Hmmmmmm.

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Reposted by Matt Donoghue

Aurelien Mondon @aurelmondon.com · 27/02/2026

What Goodwin's reaction shows is that reactionaries claim to talk for "the people" but truly hate the people and them having a say in how things should be run It shouldn't surprise us that reactionaries are elitist and anti-democracy obviously and yet this has been obscured through skewed coverage

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Imagine if Matt Goodwin's campaign strategy was to NOT tell people to vote Reform. Absolute galaxy brained genius of the far right. A brain too big for academia etc etc

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Delighted to see the news in Gorton and Denton this morning - on multiple fronts.

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Today marks the 15,000th day this year it has rained in Ireland.

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

What's the point of anything anymore

IPR @uniofbathipr.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Reposted by Matt Donoghue

We’re hiring a Policy Engagement Manager! We’re seeking a Policy Engagement Manager to strengthen and enhance engagement with #PublicPolicy across the University of Bath’s research portfolio. 🔗 www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy... #PolicyJobs #HigherEducation #ResearchImpact #JobVacancy

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Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Don't worry - it's been raining in Wicklow so the reservoir the Dubs use to steal all our water will be nice and high 😉

Matt Donoghue @drdonoghue.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

It's a trick question. And an awful one at that.