iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I'm going, also first time at 4S (and at an STS conference). A colleague and I at @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social are presenting on this panel on 10/9 at 3:40pm. Happy to chat!

Resisting the Datafied University: Technosolutionism, Austerity, and Higher Education 2
Fri, October 09
3:40 PM - 5:30 PM
Chestnut West
Mezzanine
Open Panel
Session Chairs
Panel Organizer
Emma May, PhD Student, Rutgers University

Panel Organizer
Britt Paris, britt, Associate Professor, Rutgers University

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Pretty network visualizations of some very concerning relationships. I am reminded of Galaskiewicz's 1985 sociological study of CEOs and golf clubs. Data from that here, images from the FT article. networks.skewed.de/net/ceo_club

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

OWS has a complicated legacy. It's worth reflecting on. I saw that I was quoted in a news article on about S17 in 2012 and this still rings true. The shows of force today are not those of us reminiscing about Occupy; they're people organizing & resisting today's oppressive systems & policies.

The early morning protests and marches were marked by festive cheer, with demonstrators throwing confetti and glitter, carrying balloons and singing "happy birthday." But some protesters also reflected a more somber tone on the anniversary of the day when they set up a nearly two-month camp in nearby Zuccotti Park to protest against income inequality, corporate greed and money in politics.

"It's kind of a day of reflection, a day of celebration, a day that reflects some collective muscle and show of force. And I also think to remind not just ourselves but the world ... that things haven't really gotten better in the last year. In many ways they have gotten worse," said Ian Williams, 27, a graduate student at New York's Hunter College in social work. "And the project we're sort of embarking upon is a long term one."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

@thegraduatecenter.bsky.social friends: on Weds 9/16, 2-3:30pm, I'll be facilitating an IRL workshop for @cunygcdi.bsky.social on Git & GitHub. We'll learn key concepts + fundamentals. We'll discuss the strange & interesting things we find on the platform. RSVP: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

A flyer for GC Digital Initiatives advertising A Scholar's Introduction to Git and GitHub, September 15, 2:00 to 3:30pm, in person. A hand's on introduction to Git and Github for tracking changes and sharing scholarly projects and open science. QR code link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM-KnWwNTGiguP5XKhajCIeUjNd9BjYzTEwfUu2CBH6CEn4A/viewform

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Exploring this virtual world of @cee.wtf's, I made of a selection of my Bluesky feed. One of the first characters was @beta.nyc coming up to me to talk about @citycamp.nyc (coming up on 9/19/26 at Hunter College). I enjoy vibecoded projects that embrace the weirdness & worldmaking of Internet art.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Out of NYC for a few more days before the CUNY grind resumes. Today I saw this gorgeous 8 point buck wandering through the yard on returning from an outing. It's my first instance of seeing a piebald deer. Wishing this buck, which in some states is protected from hunting, a long, peaceful life.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

X suddenly making me verify my humanness, seemingly every time I log in, is a good moment to ask... why am I still wasting time and attention in that disinformation, slop, and bot -filled hellhole?

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Attended an excellent session this afternoon at the @civicsoftech.bsky.social 2026 conference, which included a case study of a failed adoption of a vendor-owned AI product, and an overview of minimalist computing principles aimed at thinking about edtech. www.civicsoftechnology.org/2026conference

A screenshot from the Civics of Technology 2026 conference program, describing a session:

Artful Deception: One University's Roll-Out of a (Failed) AI Tool

Dr. Sue Kasun (Caw-sun)

Dr. Erin Anderson

Three unwitting AI-early adapter faculty in good faith applied to adopt a new university AI tool in their classes. However, the university came up short on the tool's promise. Fallout from the university pilot is explored in this session.

Using a Minimal Computing Framework to Re-Imagine EdTech

Lee Skallerup Bessette

The workshop will present the concept of minimal computing and then invite participants in groups to come up with a minimal computing EdTech solution. Participants will leave with a new framework for thinking about EdTech specifically and technology more generally.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

This is both infuriating (as reminder of how much money is being thrown at this fascist ethnic cleansing campaign of mass deportations) and exciting (as a means of prompting people to think otherwise). NYC costs at $9,814,566,134 or $3,544 per taxpayer. What are our priorities as a country?

A screenshot from the Economic Policy Institute Cost of Deportations Calculator, which shows that taxes from New York City being spent on mass deportations total $9,814,566,134, or $3,544 per tax payer. It also shows other things that money could be spent on that actually serve a public benefit.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

A few glimpses from a mostly offline week in Maine, enjoying natural beauty, the outdoors, and having seemingly nothing to do with deadlines, AI, or LinkedIn.

A picture of a rock pile on a mountain in Maine.

A picture of trees and a mountaintop view of lakes in Maine.

A picture of a sunset in a bay in Maine.

A picture of a kayak paddle on a lake in Maine.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

I concur. Photo taken June 2018, when I went to The Louvre, on my first trip to Europe.

A photo of the Mona Lisa on display in The Louvre, taken in June 2018.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Dismantling and defunding public health infrastructure might have something to do with it...

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

www.404media.co/these-are-th... Last night I saw that AI generated flyers popping up in Park Slope. The food is good at both places, new flyer design... Not so much. The article above is a good crowd sourced collection of the worst offenders of this strange new trend.

An obviously AI generated flyers outside a restaurant.

Two obviously AI generated flyers at a restaurant.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2... Been in Berlin all week and attempting to take trains to Brussels today, though delays are already piling up. It is indeed brutally hot out (and inside).

A screenshot from the article https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jun/27/europe-heatwave-germany-poland-france-uk-temperature-heat-latest-news-updates

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I couldn't make it in person to The Institute for Network Cultures (INC) Exit Fest, so I'm glad to catch the live stream on The Inbetween: etherport.org/publications... Full program: networkcultures.org/geert/events... #INCExit #MediaStudies #DigitalStudies #DigitalHumanities #SWTech

A flyer for the INC Exit Fest. https://networkcultures.org/geert/events/incs-exit-fest/

A screenshot from The Inbetween stream of INC Exit Fest.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Today, I take great pleasure in reading this headline in the NY Times. What a good year it's been for NYC so far. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/n...

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Cheers to the guys shouting "fuck yeah Mike!" during the AVTT/PTTN show at Kings Theater in Brooklyn last night whenever Mike Patton did his thing. I was there with you in spirit, while in an audience section a bit confused by the Mr Bungle & Faith No More songs woven into the set. What a show.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

After a riveting day two of @gctlc.bsky.social's Critical AI Literacy Institute (CALI), now attending the COGE public hearing at @brooklynlawschool.bsky.social & glad to see a strong @beta.nyc presence. Many interesting testimonies & varying perspectives in the room. cc @cunypitlab.bsky.social

A photo from the NYC Charter Revision Commission Commission Hearing on Modernizing Government and Streamlining Government Technology in June 11, 2026.

A sign that says Critical AI Literacy Institute <- Room 9205/9206.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Got to help out today with the @gctlc.bsky.social's 2026 Critical AI Literacy Institute, in my capacity as a fellow w/ @cunyailab.bsky.social. Such fun & interesting conversations with faculty across CUNY, across disciplines. @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social #CriticalAI #AILiteracy #CriticalPedagogy

A sign that says "Critical AI Literacy Institute <- Segal Theater"

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Just visited @thetrumpsonian.bsky.social . It is heavy, it is profound, it is hard to sit with. Worth visiting to get off of streams & screens, & take in the scope of it all. What a disgusting failure in delivering "justice" we've lived through as our mad wannabe king builds himself a fortress.

A photo from the Trump-Epstein Memorial Library.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

A parallel communications infrastructure pumping out racist conspiratorial uncle mode on a platform he owns a majority share of. Equally fascinating as it is horrifying. Did the authors post their data set and analysis anywhere? This should be on a Github repo.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

A very fun evening workshop w/ @dairfutures.bsky.social. Relaxing, soothing, inspiring. Good conversation, made some new friends. Highly recommend if you can go to a future one. Some of the pages will end up in DAIR's zine library (where creators consented to share): zines.dair-institute.org

A photo from the Distributed AI Research Institute Possible Futures zine-making workhsop.

A screenshot of the video "A Message from the Future II: The Years of Repair" illustrated by Molly Crabapple: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m8YACFJlMg

A slide that says "a page from a future you want to live in."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Fantastic mouse-over animation in this petition page. @purgepalantir.bsky.social

A screenshot of text from the petition, with a purple Sphere with the text "New capability unlocked: Palantir integration."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Meme lifted from x.com/TrungTPhan/s...

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

A good, full weekend of life in NYC. Simultaneously a bad weekend for subway service interruption due to MTA trackwork. Friday: comedy & cats night at Brooklyn Brainery. Saturday: @schoolofdata.nyc in LIC. Sunday: #TaxTheRich #FightOligarchy rally w/ @sanders.senate.gov in the Bronx.

A picture of people petting a cat at Brooklyn Brainery

Open remarks at NYC School of Data, given by Councilmember Carmen Da La Rosa.

Photos from a game of by the CUNY PIT Lab for the NYC School of Data.

A photo of Bernie Sanders speaking at the #TaxTheRich #FightOligarchy rally at Lehman College.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Fun stuff for #NYCOpenDataWeek at the NYC PIT Pop-up in The Oculus WTC. Two more days @cunypitlab.bsky.social @beta.nyc nycpitpopup.org

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

@schizanon.bsky.social thanks for the add but I prefer techno-skeptic. Skepticism is healthy, particularly in hype-driven, speculative financial markets that endlessly push deterministic narratives of progress. Some good reading in the techno-skeptic frame: www.disconetwork.org/technoskepti...

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

@cunypitlab.bsky.social NYC PIT Pop-Up has a great lineup for #NYCOpenDataWeek 2026. Learn more at nycpitpopup.org and stop by their storefront in The Oculus WTC (#53, South Concourse, Main Floor C2) this week. @beta.nyc @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social @newamerica.org #CivicTech #PITech #OpenData

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Tuesday 3/24/26 at 6pm ET I'm hosting this online panel for #NYCOpenDataWeek on public scholarship at @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social & @ccnysustainability.bsky.social, #civictech, & #opendata. RSVP here: opendataweek.nyc/event/forgin... @beta.nyc @cunypitlab.bsky.social @metagov.bsky.social

A flyer for the 3/24/26 at 6pm ET panel event for NYC Open Data Week. RSVP here:

https://opendataweek.nyc/event/forging-links-between-public-scholarship-civic-tech-and-open-data-a-showcase-of-cuny-public-scholarship-practice-space-ps2-projects/

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

New paper: "Opportunities, challenges, and conspicuous absences: An integrative review of the social work literature on artificial intelligence." For a special issue of critical perspectives on technology and social work. Check it out: anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/articl... #SocialWork #SWTech #CriticalAI

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

"Set against the backdrop of the administration’s declarations that it is retaliating against people for their political speech, the expansive new requirement approved last week is a serious threat to constitutional rights."

"In a blow to the First Amendment and privacy, the Trump administration last week approved a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plan to collect social media handles from people applying to change their immigration status. The new requirement, which was approved for one year, comes after the administration has openly declared its intent to use social media handles to screen people for speech it dislikes.

The more than 3 million people applying each year for immigration status changes — such as seeking work or travel authorization, a green card, or citizenship — will now be required to give the government their social media handles. In some cases, they must also provide the handles of their young children, spouses, and parents, many of whom are U.S. citizens, green card holders, or are otherwise in the United States legally. The new rules will require them to submit any social media handles they have used over the past five years, whether used in a personal or professional capacity or even on behalf of an organization. This covers platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube as well as messaging services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and GroupMe."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

"This version of campus “neutrality” resulted in a two-tiered system for free speech. Free inquiry and academic freedom for most topics; censorship and chilled speech when donors and politicians complained."

"Dozens of statements on controversial matters from academic freedom to the murder of George Floyd remain on our university websites. This version of campus “neutrality” resulted in a two-tiered system for free speech. Free inquiry and academic freedom for most topics; censorship and chilled speech when donors and politicians complained. The reason for this two-tiered result is both obvious and unavoidable: There is no objective standard for what qualifies as “political” or “controversial.”

The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have highlighted the repressive side of neutrality once again. Recently, our university held what it described as a “Community Gathering” to memorialize Pretti. But the event could hardly be described as a community gathering with diverse perspectives and recollections on his death. It was instead a choreographed video presentation staged to erase any political valence from a death that was, by definition, political: Pretti was killed by the state while participating in a popular protest movement."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

This tracks for City Journal and the many wretched, revanchist urban politics it holds onto tightly like clutched pearls at the sight of poverty - views which this reviewer clearly fits in the mold of.

A screenshot of articles in City Journaly by John McMillian

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Friday morning at #SSWR2026: a roundtable on philosophy of science perspectives w/ Beth Counselman-Carpenter, Melissa Thompson, & @jbsinger.bsky.social. This will to be a fun jam of ideas & viewpoints. @sswrorg.bsky.social sswr.confex.com/sswr/2026/we... #SWTech #CriticalAI

A flyer for the roundtable "More Than Prompt Engineers: Philosophical Perspectives on Generative AI in Social Work Scholarship."

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

A slice of joy and hope from 1/9/26: scenes from the @cunypitlab.bsky.social x @beta.nyc NYC Public Interest Tech Pop-up Open House and Relaunch. I had so many conversations with people of very different backgrounds in a relatively short amount of time. Grateful to be in its orbit nycpitpopup.org

A picture from the NYC PIT Pop-Up Open House and Re-Launch on January 9, 2026. Rev Dr. Katie Cumiskey giving opening remarks.

A picture from the NYC PIT Pop-Up Open House and Re-Launch on January 9, 2026. BetaNYC Executive Director Noel Hidalgo giving historical context to pop-up spaces, infoshops, hackerspaces, and other open spaces that birthed much of the open data movement.

A shrine to Octavia E Bulter at the NYC Public Interest Technology Pop-Up.

A cake for the open house and re-launch of the NYC Public Interest Technology Pop-Up on January 9, 2026.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Some photos from yesterday's "No War, No Kings, No ICE" march. NYC street scenes can be so interesting to capture; the carnivalesque aspects of these kinds of big planned demos comes out in the cityscape, especially when ending up in Times Square. Reminded of OWS #MayDay protests outside Disney.

A picture of a protest behind a sewer steam vent in NYC.

Picture of a protester in NYC dressed in a bald eagle costume with a sign that says "Truth is patriotic," and a photographer taking their picture.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

NYC DORIS on @wnyc.org ❤️ "Mamdani’s victory suggests ... arguments on behalf of the poor, working class, and disenfranchised ... have reentered the civic mainstream, carrying with them a history that is longer, and more complex, than current headlines may suggest." www.archives.nyc/blog/2026/1/...

A screenshot of the article's title and first two paragraphs.

A screenshot of the final paragraph of the article.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Been testing out more distraction management tools this week while in a virtual writing boot camp. So far, fairly effective. Doesn't clear off my massive backlog of writing but mitigates some potentially lost time and headspace. Brick is kinda neat, and a good companion to Cold Turkey Blocker.

Screenshot of the app Brick stating "THIS IS A DISTRACTION"

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Snowfall in Prospect Park today. Grateful for these simple yet magical pleasures that still make me feel like a kid who experiences wonder in the world around me, especially in these times.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Who's going to the Grand Challenges for Social Work 10th anniversary event, the GCSW Festival of Ideas, on 1/14/26? It's right before the start of #SSWR2026 @sswrorg.bsky.social grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/join-the-202...

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Bodega cats are the joy ambassadors of New York City. Even if that means sometimes they just want to take a nap and are telling you to chill out and take a nap. This little guy, Zorro, was pretty friendly today. Hadn't seen him in years. #bodegacats #NYC

A tuxedo-patterned bodega cat named Zorro

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Last session of @trebors2025.bsky.social's fantastic course, "AI Without Bosses." Three levels of participation - undergrad, grad & community - made for quite the learning cohort. Amazing mix of topics, readings, & guest speakers. Looking forward to where the #CooperativeAI #CooperativeStack goes.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

In 2022-2023 I spent a lot of time making elaborate diagrams about my increasingly busy & disjointed roles, projects, & identities in the midst of #PhDlife. My to-do list: classes, teaching, leadership in student gov, working a fellowship, & 2 big unfunded research projects. Also, my wedding.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Check this out! Glad to be a part of the @metagov.bsky.social community & make a few tiny contributions to its final form. Metagov is an excellent space for collective intelligence & deliberation around digital governance, with some brilliant minds & fun folks I've enjoyed getting to know.

Front matter image for Metagov's "Collective Governance for AI: Points of Intervention"

First two paragraphs for Metagov's "Collective Governance for AI: Points of Intervention"

Second two Paragraphs by Metagov's "Collective Governance for AI: Points of Intervention"

Credits for Metagov's "Collective Governance for AI: Points of Intervention"

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Proposals for the 10th NYC Open Data Week & NYC School of Data in March 2026 are accepted through 12/15/25. This is an excellent example of public scholarship & civic data literacy. @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social @cunygcdi.bsky.social @cunygcps2.bsky.social @cunypitlab.bsky.social opendataweek.nyc

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Who's going to #ECSWR2026, in Aberdeen, this April? www.ecswr2026.org

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Double-dipping IRL & on Zoom so I can simultaneously follow Celina Su's book launch talk & the expert panel downstairs about Zohran Mamdani's election victory last week, both occurring at @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social @humanitiescuny.bsky.social @gcsocialwelfare.bsky.social #budgetjustice

Photo of Celina Su's Budget Justice book launch and livestream of an expert panel on Zohran Mamdani's election to NYC mayor, both at The CUNY Graduate Center.

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Celina Su #budgetjustice: Kesi Foster (Partners for Dignity & Rights) links budget justice & direct democracy to contemporary struggles against top-down data center development, where massive public $ subsidies & antidemocratic policies fuel resource extraction practices & ecological harms.

Kesi Foster talking at Celina Su's "Budget Justice" book launch at The Graduate Center, CUNY

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Ian G. Williams @igraywill.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Celina Su reflecting on the simultaneous emergence of participatory budgeting and direct democracy, and her experience of Occupy Wall Street (and the wider movement of the squares) in the wake of the Great Recession. @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social @humanitiescuny.bsky.social

A photo from Celina Su's book talk on Budget Justice

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