iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

Fun panel today at Cheltenham Literature Festival: Boom Time for Billionaires. Great moderation by Manveen Rana and fun to engage with Nick Chater about his excellent book It’s on You. #CheltLitFest

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I respectfully think that American history is littered with examples scandal driven political change, from the progressive era challenges to Standard Oil (broken up) to the modern day reactions to Enron (corp gov reform) and financial crisis (Dodd Frank). I’ve even got a book on this 😉

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

It’s not exactly Profiles in Courage is it? Good on @guychazan.bsky.social and @financialtimes.com for putting things on perspective.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Interesting discussion about responsibility and accountability of elites at the Rencontres Économiques, in which I argued that we on the panel were also part of the elite and thus the problem. I may have mentioned good populism as well. #reaix

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

At the Rencontres Économiques in Aix, where we finished today with Kyle Eastwood (double bass) and his band playing an homage to the music in his dad’s films. Imagine telling Dirty Harry you think it’s not bedtime.‘You’ve gotta ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well do ya, punk?’ #reaix

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I think the vice president needs a refresher on why Watergate mattered. I have an idea: put down Communion and pick up a copy of…

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Happy Father’s Day to all! Today my daughter decided I needed better social media presence for Billionaire Backlash. Behold the result.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Daughter got my prickly flowers for Father’s Day. I feel seen. ❤️

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Want to know why political scandals don’t work like they used to? Grab this exciting beach read for the summer.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

In other words, scandals as focusing events bowl over other items on the agenda by increasing demand for regulation and making the issue more important to voters, and it appears especially for inert voters. But what policy changed, you say? Well, we have book about that and invite you to read it!

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Very much enjoyed this piece, which managed to say something new, interesting and important about the Epstein files despite the nonstop media coverage. You might enjoy our new book on scandals and what they tell us about public opinion toward billionaires.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Excellent turnout and conversation on our panel “Is Democracy under Threat from Oligarchs and Corporate Capture?” at the Oxford Literary Festival today with @oliverbullough.bsky.social @sarahsteinlubrano.bsky.social and @stephenlaw.bsky.social

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Superb NYT article on the withering of even the pretense of noblesse oblige among the billionaires by @teddyschleifer.bsky.social . My only complaint is the headline: there is another Billionaire Backlash out there that is terrifying the billionaires 😉 www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/b...

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Exciting new book by @gabrielzucman.bsky.social ! May I recommend a great political science complement to it and a cracking good read.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Feisty exchange with Andrew Keen about the Epstein files and Billionaire Backlash, in which I defend academics and our students for doing the right thing.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

If you want to know how our forthcoming book Billionaire Backlash intersects with Kim Kardashian, check out this video my daughter made me to speak the 'young people'.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

I’ve got a book recommendation for you guys (out January 29 in UK, March 17 in US)

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

💯 Have I got the book for you @karaswisher.bsky.social . Coming out 29 January.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

For the second day running, FT investigative journalism does its job of speaking truth to power. Today looks at how well Trump donors have been doing post-donation.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Interesting that other peaks of usage of the word are at times of great division in the US: pre-civil war, gilded age, and red scare. But how many of these are down to @mcopelov.bsky.social 😉.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Great to see the Blavatnik School’s new neighbour, the Schwarzmann Centre for the Humanities, just about ready for the new academic year. Welcome!

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

It appears AGI is delivering everything its boosters promised.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Wait, haven't I seen this somewhere recently from real voters in actual elections?

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

We think some of the ones at this lecture may have made a mistake.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Trump is starting to lose his 2024 voters on economic policy. That is not true of immigration policies. Another incisive take by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com on what puts the US administration in future electoral peril.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Posting a picture of a relevant research thread because I’m too dumb to link to the thread directly.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Oren Cass in today’s FT has a conclusion for the ages as to where we need to look to understand the depravity of modern American ‘fiscal conservatives.’

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

The US state may no longer be submerged. Has the Trump administration discovered the way to make Americans appreciate public spending?

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

I’m afraid legacy media now giving space to billionaire conspiracy theorists.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Farmers v Starmer out in force on the streets of Oxford today.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Bailout confirms your point, but also weakness of UK state vis-a-vis companies that make most of their revenue elsewhere, eg HSBC then and tech giants now. I wrote a 2014 article about this.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Had a good interview with Amina Niasse from Reuters on the anger behind the United Healthcare shooting.

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Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Margrethe Vestager recognized by the FT as one of the world’s 25 most influential women for her work countering the domination of tech platforms in the economy. The @blavatnikschool.bsky.social is delighted that Margrethe Vestager will be joining us next year as our inaugural World Leaders Fellow.