iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

"Los hombres y los pueblos sin memoria de nada sirven, ya que ellos no saben rendir culto a los hechos del pasado que tienen trascendencia y significación; por esto son incapaces de combatir y crear nada grande para el futuro". Salvador Allende, C Diputados, 1939. Allende vive.

011

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

🚨🚨My book "Fragmented Policy Change" is forthcoming in 2026 with @universitypress.cambridge.org! 🚨 🚨 Find a preview of the cover below. You can also check out the book description here: www.cambridge.org/core/books/f... Stay tuned! 🥳

033

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

033

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

New paper in New Political Economy! With @ingarade.bsky.social, we study central bank strategic politicisation management in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. Focusing on the Bank of England, we find that it devised 3 tactics to curb politicisation. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

tandfonline.com

The only game in town: central bank politicisation management and macroeconomic policy discourse at the zero-lower-bound

When the 2007–2009 Global Financial Crisis erupted, Bank of England officials supported expansive fiscal and monetary remedies. However, while Quantitative Easing (QE) was further expanded over tim...

111

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

tandfonline.com

The only game in town: central bank politicisation management and macroeconomic policy discourse at the zero-lower-bound

111

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

On the war in Iran, energy prices, gilt yields, and the UK government's "ironclad fiscal rules": Sadly, it seems that "setting [fiscal] rules for sunny days in the mid-2020s" was "painfully naïve" after all. 👇 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Towards a (Minority) Shareholder State? The Labour Government's Fiscal Framework

This article explores the politics of the fiscal framework launched by the Labour government in October 2024. Relative to the trajectory of fiscal frameworks in the UK since fiscal rules were first i...

000

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Department of Politics & International Studies, Uni of Cambridge @campolis.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

✍️The 2026 RA Butler Prize essay questions are now available. The RA Butler Prize is an annual essay competition in politics and international studies, open to students in Year 12 or the Lower 6th. www.polis.cam.ac.uk/about-us/pri...

011

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

arseblog @arseblog.com · 01/03/2026

If Arsenal do win the Premier League this season, they'll need to have the parade in the Cardiac Care unit because that's where everyone will be.

691227165

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

James Wood @thinkwoodist.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Did Congress forget the Fed controls inflation, or was forgetting the point? My paper in New Political Economy shows Congress engaged in strategic repoliticisation, where political conflict serves electoral interests and preserves the Fed's technocratic autonomy www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

tandfonline.com

Strategic repoliticisation: inflation, blame, and the fracturing of democratic accountability in the United States

When inflation returned to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic after decades of price stability, it created a critical test for the accountability mechanisms underpinning the system of d...

087

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

King's CHoSTM @kingschostm.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Congratulations to our PhD Francisca Valenzuela for passing her viva this Wednesday for her thesis "A comparative history of land telegraphy in nineteenth century South America." And many thanks to her examiners, Richard Noakes and Ana María Otero.

292

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

King's CHoSTM @kingschostm.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Applications are open until 17 April to our Hans Rausing Scholarship to enter an MA+PhD or PhD-only to study the history of science and/or technology from October 2026. Contact a prospective supervisor and find out more about the schemes here: tinyurl.com/mw84w7py

Poster advertising the for applications to Hans Rausing Scholarship 2026/2027 at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine at King’s College London. Indicates the call closes by 17 April 2026.

257

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Jo Michell @jomichell.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Chunky falls in 10 year gilt yields going a bit under the radar given all else going on. Good news for fiscal headroom. Would be different if move had been in the other direction; accusations would be levelled (mostly unfairly) at Reeves. Gilt market moves are mostly not driven by fiscal policy.

A chart of 10 year U.K. gilt yields showing a recent fall to under 4.4%

46424

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

University of Cambridge @cam.ac.uk · 12/01/2026

Why do #Venezuela and #Greenland matter to U.S. power? Professor Helen Thompson shares her analysis. Helen Thompson is Professor of Political Economy at @campolis.bsky.social and a Fellow at Clare College.

053

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

King's CHoSTM @kingschostm.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

The Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine at @kingshistory.bsky.social is inviting applications for prospective students to pursue a PhD in the History of Science and Technology. For more information, click here: tinyurl.com/mw84w7py

tinyurl.com

FUNDING | KingsCHoSTM

Funding Opportunities within King's CHoSTM

166

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.eurosky.social · 23/11/2025

People should know that foreign student fees cross-subsidise inadequate home student funding very heavily. There are no free lunches in British Higher Ed.

2393

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Duncan Bell @duncanbell.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

New book, coming soon! Duncan Bell & Douglas Mao, Utopia (Oxford UP, 2026) It's a short interdisciplinary volume in the recently launched OUP Literature and Politics series. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

global.oup.com

07313

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

"The government needs to take ownership of the Budget and use it to construct a convincing narrative. That means not blaming the OBR or HMT but explaining why tax reform is necessary, why it will be good for growth and public services and how pain will be fairly shared. www.ft.com/content/a06d...

ft.com

Blaming the OBR for the Budget maths is a waste of time

The government must explain why tax reform is necessary and desirable for fiscal sustainability

1014850

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Benjamin Alvarez @benjalvarez1.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

"The Tiny Desk has witnessed some pretty legendary guitar solos. Shrouded in fog, this one opens with some shred played by a puppet. Only the deeply beloved 31 Minutos could pull off such a dramatic feat, even at the Desk." youtu.be/UEqTIwRrWvA?...

15924

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

This truly is an excellent article. 👇

191

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

010

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Jo Michell @jomichell.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

As far as I can tell, and as you would expect, NIESR do not mention a "50bn black hole" anywhere in their report or commentary. Who is the BBC quoting here? No indication of where the phrase has come from, or what it refers to. Nor is there a link to the interview. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Rachel Reeves rejects claims of £50bn ‘black hole’ in finances

The chancellor hit back at the idea that the government faces so large a gap between spending and tax income.

66225

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Dom White @domw.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Three things to note on Gilts: i. The 30yr yield is historically quite elevated at 5.6%, the 10yr at 4.7-4.8% is a bit more normal - levels that were typical in the 2000s. What's (possibly) different is it was also normal for the economy to grow at 2.5% real, 5% nominal back then.

2194

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Neil Warner @neilwarner.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

I have a new article out on wage-earner funds, a famous attempt at economic democracy in Sweden in the 70s & 80s. It explores the funds' defeat, emphasising the issue's stronger resonance with businesses compared to workers & the Social Democratic Party journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

09430

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

James Wood @thinkwoodist.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

How do federal and state governments drive innovation in the US? My new paper @cjres.bsky.social shows how the 'Polycentric Innovation State' with multi-level, place-based policies is reshaping regional growth in places like Michigan and Maine academic.oup.com/cjres/advanc...

academic.oup.com

The US’ Polycentric Innovation State

Abstract. This paper analyses US innovation policymaking since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, as prevailing political economy accounts, such as the Vari

098

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

What a game. And what a legend Mo is. On and off the pitch.

000

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Joe Sarling @joesarling.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Great. As ever, this actually isn't about 'Green Book reforms' but much more about 'clearly stated strategic policy objectives *as set set by ministers* that form the basis for any objective appraisal of projects'. But, granted, that's much less catchy.

theguardian.com

Rachel Reeves to announce billions in regional spending after Treasury rule changes

Extra investment lined up for schemes such as energy projects, roads and rails outside London and south-east

2278

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Diane Coyle @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

I had to read this several times as “prioritise growth” and “hit universities over the head” are so mutually contradictory

21367123

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Ian Fraser @ianfraser.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

The Telegraph has deleted the seemingly made-up article titled “We earn £345k but soaring private school fees mean we can’t go on five holidays” featuring “Al & Alexandra Moy” from its website... but, if interested, you can access an archived version here. h/t @alanrew.bsky.social archive.is/s1GPF

50484172

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Diane Coyle @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

The early evaluations of Sure Start were rather negative - it took a long time for benefits to appear. Sometimes government has to do the right thing whatever Treasury assessment says, as there’s enough broad evidence about early years interventions

4539

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Department of Politics & International Studies, Uni of Cambridge @campolis.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

🏭💪💲 We have a few spaces left for this week's lecture on carbon politics, American power, and the almighty dollar with Mark Blyth, a political economist and Professor at Brown University, in this upcoming event titled "Burning Down the House". Register now: www.eventbrite.com/e/burning-do...

001

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

This is such a great book. Highly recommended! 👏👏👏 @jonathanpjwhite.bsky.social

076

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Omar Khan @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

It's obviously some time ago, and other things have changed, but the most negative period of public attitudes was over the 1960s and 1970s, when net migration was *negative*

Chart showing UK public attitudes to migrants or migration since 1960. Over 75% negative from 1960s-80s, then declining to 50% by 2000. Late 2010s suggest minority of public with negative attitudes, dropping below 25%, tho rising since

45915

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Every now again it’s useful to repeat advice about accessing papers that are behind a paywall that excludes you. Email the author. My estimate is that 90% of academics are so thrilled that a living, breathing, possibly even reading, person shows interest that they will swiftly send you a copy.

451434414

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Joint Center for History and Economics @historyecon.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Please join us on Tues 6 May at 5pm when Emile Chabal (@emile-chabal.bsky.social) will be speaking at the History & Economics Seminar (jointly with the Modern European History Seminar). Magdalene College, Cambridge. Click for further info & abstract. www.histecon.magd.cam.ac.uk/seminar_chab...

histecon.magd.cam.ac.uk

EMILE CHABAL

Transition, revolution, modernity: (re)thinking capitalism with Eric Hobsbawm

142

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

@jdportes.bsky.social do you know anything about this? “of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in the UK in 2024, 16,000 held a student visa.” Who are they? Also: shouldn’t this mean there are 16k asylum applications denied? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

theguardian.com

Labour targets international students claiming asylum after losses to Reform in local elections

Exclusive: Ministers understood to be drafting white paper this month in move to reduce legal migration

010

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

"Spending, tax, borrowing, and debt numbers... often take on the role of key standards for policy appraisal and debate... The means of policy commonly become the very goals governments want to achieve." @jtlabarca.bsky.social on Labour's fiscal framework

politicalquarterly.org.uk

Towards a (Minority) Shareholder State? The Labour Government's Fiscal Framework

The fiscal framework launched by Labour in October 2024 represents a contradictory enterprise.

011

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Miranda Green @greenmirandahere.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

They like Farage but don't share his hostility to net zero. And they worry about the whole, you know, possible racism thing *uptalk for this bit*. Illuminating new research from @steveakehurst.bsky.social on "Reform-curious" Labour voters and a host of policy dilemmas www.ft.com/content/deb2...

ft.com

What makes ‘Reform-curious’ Labour voters so hard to woo back

Downing Street fears Starmer will lose support to Farage but imitating him will alienate other groups it needs on side

33616

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

History & Policy @historyandpolicy.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

The recent establishment of the UK’s Office of Value for Money is the latest attempt to identify “efficiency savings” in government. Yet as @mrweatherburn.bsky.social argues in a new policy paper, similar efforts in the past have been fraught with difficulties. historyandpolicy.org/policy-paper...

historyandpolicy.org

The Gospel of Efficiency: DOGE and the UK Office of Value for Money in historical perspective - History & Policy

The establishment of the UK’s Office of Value for Money (OVfM) in late 2024 was accompanied by a claim that this new initiative would be ‘informed by lessons learned from the past’. Yet these lessons ...

088

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 30/04/2025

Public investment in the UK has lagged behind average OECD levels for over two decades. Read more ➡️ buff.ly/iPgoNzv

It is only
relatively recently that the UK has surpassed the public investment levels of even low
investors such as Germany and Italy.

031

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

On a clear day @icanseeforever1.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

This moment when the penny drops that trying to implement bathroom bans is an impossibility for the former Tory Chief Secretary Simon Clarke is delicious.

340100563363

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Catherine E. de Vries @catherinedevries.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

My sabbatical leave allowed me to reflect on my professional life. As I’ve stepped into more senior roles in academia (plus gotten a bit older), I often get asked:  “How do you keep writing academic articles, policy work, opinion pieces, while juggling everything else?” My answer: skillpower 🧵

922939

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

La tendencia a la desorientación del PS Chileno en tiempos electorales es digna de estudio.

000

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Matthei y la re legitimación del fascismo. Volviendo a los orígenes.

000

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

"Public debate on fiscal politics is commonly framed in terms of ‘black holes’, ‘maxed-out’ credit cards and household analogies. These terms hinder democratic deliberation" @jtlabarca.bsky.social on Labour's fiscal framework #BlogVersion #UKpol

politicalquarterly.org.uk

Towards a (Minority) Shareholder State? The Labour Government's Fiscal Framework

The fiscal framework launched by Labour in October 2024 represents a contradictory enterprise.

022

José Tomás Labarca @jtlabarca.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Blog version of my @politicalquarterly.bsky.social piece. Labour's fiscal framework is a contradictory enterprise. The investment rule and PSNFL leave little room for non-financial public investment and constrain all non-financial public corporations. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/towards...

politicalquarterly.org.uk

Towards a (Minority) Shareholder State? The Labour Government's Fiscal Framework

The fiscal framework launched by Labour in October 2024 represents a contradictory enterprise.

031

Reposted by José Tomás Labarca

Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 11/04/2025

Yield on 10y Treasuries back above 4.5%. We're not sure who's selling but we know who the holders are. I wrote a short post with some hopefully helpful dataviz based on TIC and financial accounts. Key points: 1. Foreign holdings as % of total: declining since 2008. benjaminbraun.org/posts/treasu...

410338