Dr Alina Utrata
@alinau27.bsky.social
Tech & Politics. Career Development Research Fellow at St Johns College, Oxford. PhD from Uni of Cambridge via Queen's University Belfast & Stanford. Host of Anti-Dystopians. she/her
Agent, @agentbal.bsky.social
www.alinautrata.com
Agent, @agentbal.bsky.social
www.alinautrata.com
Pinned
Dr Alina Utrata
@alinau27.bsky.social
· Nov 13
The Anti-Dystopians | Alina Utrata | Substack
The Politics Podcast About Tech. Click to read The Anti-Dystopians, by Alina Utrata, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
alinautrata.substack.com
Hello Bsky!
Re/intro: I'm a political theorist of technology corporations & Silicon Valley at Oxford University. I host and produce the Anti-Dystopians, the politics podcast about tech (with new episodes incoming!)
Podcast: www.alinautrata.com/podcast
Newsletter: alinautrata.substack.com
Re/intro: I'm a political theorist of technology corporations & Silicon Valley at Oxford University. I host and produce the Anti-Dystopians, the politics podcast about tech (with new episodes incoming!)
Podcast: www.alinautrata.com/podcast
Newsletter: alinautrata.substack.com
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
After a boutique on South Street received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for selling breast binders for gender-affirming care, the region’s transgender community worries about the potential wider impacts.
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
January 5, 2026 at 5:14 PM
After a boutique on South Street received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for selling breast binders for gender-affirming care, the region’s transgender community worries about the potential wider impacts.
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
🔗 www.inquirer.com/health/passi...
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
What in the Gestapo is going on in Grand Rapids?
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
January 5, 2026 at 4:12 PM
What in the Gestapo is going on in Grand Rapids?
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
January 5, 2026 at 1:19 PM
BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.
January 5, 2026 at 12:27 PM
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
So many in media are ill-equipped to interview officials about what’s happening because they begin with the presumption of legitimacy and don’t know enough about history or U.S. foreign policy to foment intelligent pushback and hold officials accountable.
January 4, 2026 at 11:32 PM
So many in media are ill-equipped to interview officials about what’s happening because they begin with the presumption of legitimacy and don’t know enough about history or U.S. foreign policy to foment intelligent pushback and hold officials accountable.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
A large part of Maduro’s security team was killed in the US raid that led to his capture, according to the Venezuelan Defense Minister.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
January 4, 2026 at 5:19 PM
A large part of Maduro’s security team was killed in the US raid that led to his capture, according to the Venezuelan Defense Minister.
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Amazing record for the FIFA
January 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Amazing record for the FIFA
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Trump going on national television and essentially saying that we just annexed Venezuela and are going to steal its most precious natural resource and will kidnap any Venezuelan leader who disagrees may be the craziest presidential address of my lifetime
January 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Trump going on national television and essentially saying that we just annexed Venezuela and are going to steal its most precious natural resource and will kidnap any Venezuelan leader who disagrees may be the craziest presidential address of my lifetime
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Bombing Venezuela and kidnapping Maduro is completely consistent with US Imperialism’s long and bloody history in Latin America.
Lest anyone for a single moment thinks this latest coup is a somehow a dramatic breach of long-term US foreign policy.
January 3, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Bombing Venezuela and kidnapping Maduro is completely consistent with US Imperialism’s long and bloody history in Latin America.
It's not often that I am speechless with this administration, but genuinely stunned by this.
President Trump claims that the United States carried out airstrikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro, following a series of explosions and fires reported around Caracas in the early hours of the morning.
n.pr/3Ymyqkg
n.pr/3Ymyqkg
Trump claims U.S. strikes, Maduro captured as explosions hit Caracas
President Donald Trump claimed overnight that the United States carried out airstrikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro.
n.pr
January 3, 2026 at 10:39 AM
It's not often that I am speechless with this administration, but genuinely stunned by this.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
New: Inside the Tech Cult: How Venture Capital Plans to Exist Democracy.
My conversation with @ojutel.bsky.social on the Nerd Reich pod. We talk about the failing bets that have helped to radicalize tech VCs, who now wish to cash in on democracy and humanity itself.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fT...
My conversation with @ojutel.bsky.social on the Nerd Reich pod. We talk about the failing bets that have helped to radicalize tech VCs, who now wish to cash in on democracy and humanity itself.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fT...
Inside the Tech Cult: How Venture Capital Plans to Exit Democracy
YouTube video by The Nerd Reich with Gil Duran
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 6:28 PM
New: Inside the Tech Cult: How Venture Capital Plans to Exist Democracy.
My conversation with @ojutel.bsky.social on the Nerd Reich pod. We talk about the failing bets that have helped to radicalize tech VCs, who now wish to cash in on democracy and humanity itself.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fT...
My conversation with @ojutel.bsky.social on the Nerd Reich pod. We talk about the failing bets that have helped to radicalize tech VCs, who now wish to cash in on democracy and humanity itself.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-fT...
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
One of my highlights of 2025 was linking up with @gilduran.com and sharing notes on VC Cults. Delighted to appear on @nerdreich.bsky.social
youtu.be/u-fThWjJP8A
youtu.be/u-fThWjJP8A
Inside the Tech Cult: How Venture Capital Plans to Exit Democracy
YouTube video by The Nerd Reich with Gil Duran
youtu.be
January 2, 2026 at 7:09 PM
One of my highlights of 2025 was linking up with @gilduran.com and sharing notes on VC Cults. Delighted to appear on @nerdreich.bsky.social
youtu.be/u-fThWjJP8A
youtu.be/u-fThWjJP8A
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Mamdani: For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty
January 1, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Mamdani: For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
orcas have the chance to do the funniest thing
December 31, 2025 at 5:25 PM
orcas have the chance to do the funniest thing
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
“One of the lawyers, said: “It is impossible to dispute that a 15-year-old British child was in 2014-15 lured, encouraged and deceived for the purposes of sexual exploitation to leave home and travel to [IS] territory …”
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
European human rights court questions UK decision to strip Shamima Begum of citizenship
Begum’s lawyers argue she was child trafficking victim when she travelled to live under IS in Syria in 2015
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:18 PM
“One of the lawyers, said: “It is impossible to dispute that a 15-year-old British child was in 2014-15 lured, encouraged and deceived for the purposes of sexual exploitation to leave home and travel to [IS] territory …”
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
“To tell the system when to power up, Mercedes engineers propose a living body detection device. This detects a person approaching the vehicle by measuring changes in the static electricity surrounding the car. A live person would have a static charge, a dead one would not.“
(Just a patent fwiw)
(Just a patent fwiw)
Mercedes Brings Sci-Fi To Reality With Palm Scanner Tech For Cars
A new patent would literally let you wave to open your car.
carbuzz.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:46 AM
“To tell the system when to power up, Mercedes engineers propose a living body detection device. This detects a person approaching the vehicle by measuring changes in the static electricity surrounding the car. A live person would have a static charge, a dead one would not.“
(Just a patent fwiw)
(Just a patent fwiw)
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
I also declined Diary of a CEO’s invitation to have a “balanced and insightful discussion” about whether feminism “delivered on its promise of liberation for women.”
They ended up titling it, “Has modern feminism betrayed the very women it promised to empower?”
open.substack.com/pub/jessica/...
They ended up titling it, “Has modern feminism betrayed the very women it promised to empower?”
open.substack.com/pub/jessica/...
Enough of 'Just Asking Questions'
Platforming extremists is killing democracy—and women
open.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I also declined Diary of a CEO’s invitation to have a “balanced and insightful discussion” about whether feminism “delivered on its promise of liberation for women.”
They ended up titling it, “Has modern feminism betrayed the very women it promised to empower?”
open.substack.com/pub/jessica/...
They ended up titling it, “Has modern feminism betrayed the very women it promised to empower?”
open.substack.com/pub/jessica/...
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
Rather than engaging in discrimination, Mel Curth has been the target of a political movement that seeks to silence and/or oust LGBTQ people from academia. Ms. Curth will continue to fight back against these harmful allegations.
Brittany M Stewart, Esq.
Brittany M Stewart, Esq.
December 30, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Rather than engaging in discrimination, Mel Curth has been the target of a political movement that seeks to silence and/or oust LGBTQ people from academia. Ms. Curth will continue to fight back against these harmful allegations.
Brittany M Stewart, Esq.
Brittany M Stewart, Esq.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
This is an excellent but deeply distressing forum to read while perched in Delaware, the place where so many of these oligarch-sovereigns domicile their company-states, where the bipartisan political class is wholly at their service, & where corporations can even vote if they own local real estate.
Curious about the tech billionaires' claims to sovereignty mean for the international order?
Check out our @risjnl.bsky.social forum on this topic, organized by the brilliant @maharafiatal.bsky.social!
Check out our @risjnl.bsky.social forum on this topic, organized by the brilliant @maharafiatal.bsky.social!
Oligarchic sovereignty: Technology and the future of global order | Review of International Studies | Cambridge Core
Oligarchic sovereignty: Technology and the future of global order
www.cambridge.org
December 24, 2025 at 7:13 PM
This is an excellent but deeply distressing forum to read while perched in Delaware, the place where so many of these oligarch-sovereigns domicile their company-states, where the bipartisan political class is wholly at their service, & where corporations can even vote if they own local real estate.
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
🚨 Our new special forum is now online! 🚨
Check out this video with forum editor @maharafiatal.bsky.social about the inspiration for this forum on oligarchic sovereignty: technology and the future of global order.
📘 ➡️ buff.ly/DZ5unBk
📺 ➡️ buff.ly/BEyxt2M
Check out this video with forum editor @maharafiatal.bsky.social about the inspiration for this forum on oligarchic sovereignty: technology and the future of global order.
📘 ➡️ buff.ly/DZ5unBk
📺 ➡️ buff.ly/BEyxt2M
December 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
🚨 Our new special forum is now online! 🚨
Check out this video with forum editor @maharafiatal.bsky.social about the inspiration for this forum on oligarchic sovereignty: technology and the future of global order.
📘 ➡️ buff.ly/DZ5unBk
📺 ➡️ buff.ly/BEyxt2M
Check out this video with forum editor @maharafiatal.bsky.social about the inspiration for this forum on oligarchic sovereignty: technology and the future of global order.
📘 ➡️ buff.ly/DZ5unBk
📺 ➡️ buff.ly/BEyxt2M
Reposted by Dr Alina Utrata
What Maha said, including some thoughts from me about what Elon Musk’s DOGE takeover indicates for theories of corporate (computer) capture, and other really thoughtful reckonings with corporate power and Silicon Valley oligarchs by brilliant scholars
👇👇👇
👇👇👇
2025 was a terrible, depressingly relevant year to be a scholar of technology and corporate power. Some of us tried to make sense of WTF happened here (free to read): doi.org/10.1017/S026...
Oligarchic sovereignty: Technology and the future of global order | Review of International Studies | Cambridge Core
Oligarchic sovereignty: Technology and the future of global order
doi.org
December 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
What Maha said, including some thoughts from me about what Elon Musk’s DOGE takeover indicates for theories of corporate (computer) capture, and other really thoughtful reckonings with corporate power and Silicon Valley oligarchs by brilliant scholars
👇👇👇
👇👇👇