Anthony Kelly
@anthonypkelly.bsky.social
teaching fellow, ucd ics | phd, lse media & comms | reactionary political influencers and their social media audiences | views my own
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power
February 4, 2026 at 7:40 PM
My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
Micheál Martin has been a TD for 37 years. He’s been in government for 25 of those years and in cabinet for 20 of those years. He’s been either Tánaiste or Taoiseach since June 2020.
And every time he’s asked to anything other than build a data centre, he acts like he’s just been handed the job
And every time he’s asked to anything other than build a data centre, he acts like he’s just been handed the job
The Government cannot "wave a magic wand and just deliver" flood relief schemes, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said, as he visited affected homes and businesses in Co Wexford
Govt cannot 'wave magic wand and deliver' flood relief
The Government cannot "wave a magic wand and just deliver" flood relief schemes, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said, as he visited affected homes and businesses in Co Wexford.
www.rte.ie
February 2, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Micheál Martin has been a TD for 37 years. He’s been in government for 25 of those years and in cabinet for 20 of those years. He’s been either Tánaiste or Taoiseach since June 2020.
And every time he’s asked to anything other than build a data centre, he acts like he’s just been handed the job
And every time he’s asked to anything other than build a data centre, he acts like he’s just been handed the job
A very large thank you to @briony.bsky.social for taking the time to engage with my research and to the folks at @reacpolrn.bsky.social for facilitating this interview!
📣New interview📣
@anthonypkelly.bsky.social discusses how the often antagonistic relationship between reactionary content creators and their audiences mediates exclusionary politics.
reacpol.net/antogonism-i...
@anthonypkelly.bsky.social discusses how the often antagonistic relationship between reactionary content creators and their audiences mediates exclusionary politics.
reacpol.net/antogonism-i...
Interview: Conceptualising the Role of Audience Antagonism in the Mediation of Reactionary Politics (Anthony Kelly) - Reactionary Politics Research Network
This interview is based on Anthony Kelly’s article, “On the Interface of Influencers and Antagonists: Conceptualising the Role of Audience Antagonism in the Mediation of Reactionary Politics.” (2025)
reacpol.net
February 2, 2026 at 4:47 PM
A very large thank you to @briony.bsky.social for taking the time to engage with my research and to the folks at @reacpolrn.bsky.social for facilitating this interview!
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
Imagine if the hype was around the Greens' rise rather than Reform
Imagine if instead of putting far-right issues on the agenda, mainstream parties talked about hope, justice, redistribution, public services etc
That would put real change on the table and that's why Reform is a safer bet for them
Imagine if instead of putting far-right issues on the agenda, mainstream parties talked about hope, justice, redistribution, public services etc
That would put real change on the table and that's why Reform is a safer bet for them
Help us make hope normal again.
Join the Green Party now.
Join the Green Party now.
January 23, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Imagine if the hype was around the Greens' rise rather than Reform
Imagine if instead of putting far-right issues on the agenda, mainstream parties talked about hope, justice, redistribution, public services etc
That would put real change on the table and that's why Reform is a safer bet for them
Imagine if instead of putting far-right issues on the agenda, mainstream parties talked about hope, justice, redistribution, public services etc
That would put real change on the table and that's why Reform is a safer bet for them
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
The idea that journalists, politicians, groups or - you know, women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people - should "stay on the pitch" doesn't really hold up.
Foreign Minister's account has 60k followers - 40 likes, 13k views?
Blue ticks straight to the top of the queue with misogyny, bile.
Foreign Minister's account has 60k followers - 40 likes, 13k views?
Blue ticks straight to the top of the queue with misogyny, bile.
This is the 'engagement' that the Irish government has been using to justify remaining on X. These are the top replies to a randomly chosen recent post.
January 10, 2026 at 8:59 AM
The idea that journalists, politicians, groups or - you know, women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ people - should "stay on the pitch" doesn't really hold up.
Foreign Minister's account has 60k followers - 40 likes, 13k views?
Blue ticks straight to the top of the queue with misogyny, bile.
Foreign Minister's account has 60k followers - 40 likes, 13k views?
Blue ticks straight to the top of the queue with misogyny, bile.
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
New Gist: The Abuse Factory
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
The Gist: The Abuse Factory
X, the child abuse imagery app, revealed our state has no red lines. This is the Gist.
www.thegist.ie
January 10, 2026 at 2:07 PM
New Gist: The Abuse Factory
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
It shouldn't be difficult to act swiftly and without hesitation when the question posed is "Is it OK to work with the child sexual abuse material factory?" But our state failed this most straightforward of tests this week.
www.thegist.ie/the-gist-the...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
New blog post! Joshua Farrell-Molloy explains how Irish #far-right groups use #masculinity and republican symbols to frame themselves as defenders of #Ireland. www.sv.uio.no/c-rex/englis...
Masculinity and Militant Traditions: The Shaping of a Home-Grown Irish Far-Right
- C-REX – Center for Research on Extremism
Joshua Farrell-Molloy elucidates how masculinity helps explain performances of militant republican aesthetics by Irish far-right actors, who bind a revolutionary past to contemporary opposition to imm...
www.sv.uio.no
January 10, 2026 at 10:34 AM
New blog post! Joshua Farrell-Molloy explains how Irish #far-right groups use #masculinity and republican symbols to frame themselves as defenders of #Ireland. www.sv.uio.no/c-rex/englis...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
🚨NEW PAPER
The Logic of Connective Faction:
How Digitally Networked Elites and Hyper-Partisan Media Radicalize Politics
w/ @yunkangyang.bsky.social & @mikecowburn.bsky.social
Online radicalization doesn't just affect the public.
It also reshapes how elites & parties behave. doi.org/10.1080/1058...
The Logic of Connective Faction:
How Digitally Networked Elites and Hyper-Partisan Media Radicalize Politics
w/ @yunkangyang.bsky.social & @mikecowburn.bsky.social
Online radicalization doesn't just affect the public.
It also reshapes how elites & parties behave. doi.org/10.1080/1058...
The Logic of Connective Faction: How Digitally Networked Elites and Hyper-Partisan Media Radicalize Politics
Across democratic systems, ideological cleavages increasingly emerge not only between but also within political parties. At the same time, hyperpartisan and digitally networked media ecosystems amp...
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 8:36 AM
🚨NEW PAPER
The Logic of Connective Faction:
How Digitally Networked Elites and Hyper-Partisan Media Radicalize Politics
w/ @yunkangyang.bsky.social & @mikecowburn.bsky.social
Online radicalization doesn't just affect the public.
It also reshapes how elites & parties behave. doi.org/10.1080/1058...
The Logic of Connective Faction:
How Digitally Networked Elites and Hyper-Partisan Media Radicalize Politics
w/ @yunkangyang.bsky.social & @mikecowburn.bsky.social
Online radicalization doesn't just affect the public.
It also reshapes how elites & parties behave. doi.org/10.1080/1058...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
January 3, 2026 at 12:12 AM
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
📃 NEW PUBLICATION 📃
I’m very happy to see this article published in the latest issue of @meejatheory.bsky.social. The article conceptualises the generative role of audience antagonism in the mediation of reactionary politics and is available to read open access here: lnkd.in/ew5jr-Yh
🧵
I’m very happy to see this article published in the latest issue of @meejatheory.bsky.social. The article conceptualises the generative role of audience antagonism in the mediation of reactionary politics and is available to read open access here: lnkd.in/ew5jr-Yh
🧵
December 22, 2025 at 10:10 AM
📃 NEW PUBLICATION 📃
I’m very happy to see this article published in the latest issue of @meejatheory.bsky.social. The article conceptualises the generative role of audience antagonism in the mediation of reactionary politics and is available to read open access here: lnkd.in/ew5jr-Yh
🧵
I’m very happy to see this article published in the latest issue of @meejatheory.bsky.social. The article conceptualises the generative role of audience antagonism in the mediation of reactionary politics and is available to read open access here: lnkd.in/ew5jr-Yh
🧵
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
Join us for the book launch of Global South Creator Cultures on Tuesday, 20 January, 17:30–19:00, at King’s College London.
Further information and registration details: www.tickettailor.com/events/digit...
@kingsdh.bsky.social
@digitalculturekcl.bsky.social
@mediaindustries.bsky.social
Further information and registration details: www.tickettailor.com/events/digit...
@kingsdh.bsky.social
@digitalculturekcl.bsky.social
@mediaindustries.bsky.social
December 17, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Join us for the book launch of Global South Creator Cultures on Tuesday, 20 January, 17:30–19:00, at King’s College London.
Further information and registration details: www.tickettailor.com/events/digit...
@kingsdh.bsky.social
@digitalculturekcl.bsky.social
@mediaindustries.bsky.social
Further information and registration details: www.tickettailor.com/events/digit...
@kingsdh.bsky.social
@digitalculturekcl.bsky.social
@mediaindustries.bsky.social
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
My latest in @lawfaremedia.org: Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVE) closely resemble two other forms of mass violence that have evaded simple characterization: incels and school shooters. Ambitious efforts to better classify such violence should be applauded. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-te...
A Terrorism of Vengeance
Understanding incels, school shooters, and the new category of terrorism, “nihilistic violent extremism.”
www.lawfaremedia.org
December 16, 2025 at 8:07 PM
My latest in @lawfaremedia.org: Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVE) closely resemble two other forms of mass violence that have evaded simple characterization: incels and school shooters. Ambitious efforts to better classify such violence should be applauded. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-te...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
I am looking for a Senior Researcher (at least 2 years postdoctoral exp.) for the LivePlatforms project into how people make livelihoods in the platform economy; a 5-year FT post based in the School of Info and Communication Studies at UCD. Do share widely!
universityvacancies.com/university-c...
universityvacancies.com/university-c...
Senior Researcher, UCD Information&Comms Studies,Temp 56 months | University Vacancies Ireland
universityvacancies.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM
I am looking for a Senior Researcher (at least 2 years postdoctoral exp.) for the LivePlatforms project into how people make livelihoods in the platform economy; a 5-year FT post based in the School of Info and Communication Studies at UCD. Do share widely!
universityvacancies.com/university-c...
universityvacancies.com/university-c...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
New paper out with @dasalgon.bsky.social: “Far-Right Agenda Setting: How the Far Right influences the Political Mainstream” doi.org/10.1017/S1475676525100066 #openaccess in @ejprjournal.bsky.social🧵
October 7, 2025 at 7:14 AM
New paper out with @dasalgon.bsky.social: “Far-Right Agenda Setting: How the Far Right influences the Political Mainstream” doi.org/10.1017/S1475676525100066 #openaccess in @ejprjournal.bsky.social🧵
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
Anyone who perceives Kirk as “civil” or as “doing politics the right way” is betraying their comfort with the ablative world Kirk worked so hard to create, secure in their belief that the grinding wheel will never touch *their* skin.
One wonders where that belief arises from.
One wonders where that belief arises from.
September 13, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Anyone who perceives Kirk as “civil” or as “doing politics the right way” is betraying their comfort with the ablative world Kirk worked so hard to create, secure in their belief that the grinding wheel will never touch *their* skin.
One wonders where that belief arises from.
One wonders where that belief arises from.
This feels like a *very* strange time to be revising an article that looks at how Kirk’s fans and followers engaged with his coverage of the 2024 US presidential election. Certainly some major updates required 😬
September 13, 2025 at 11:28 AM
This feels like a *very* strange time to be revising an article that looks at how Kirk’s fans and followers engaged with his coverage of the 2024 US presidential election. Certainly some major updates required 😬
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
New special tribunal for Ukraine will pave the way for holding Russian leaders to account for the invasion.
Piece by DCU's Dr Andrew Forde @drandrewforde.bsky.social for @uk.theconversation.com.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/4lyWwSn
Piece by DCU's Dr Andrew Forde @drandrewforde.bsky.social for @uk.theconversation.com.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/4lyWwSn
July 1, 2025 at 9:13 AM
New special tribunal for Ukraine will pave the way for holding Russian leaders to account for the invasion.
Piece by DCU's Dr Andrew Forde @drandrewforde.bsky.social for @uk.theconversation.com.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/4lyWwSn
Piece by DCU's Dr Andrew Forde @drandrewforde.bsky.social for @uk.theconversation.com.
Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/4lyWwSn
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
🚨 One day left to apply for the @vox-pol.bsky.social next gen conference happening in Prague on the 25-26th of September. We are bringing together ECRs to build a proper community researching (violent) online extremism.
Submit your proposal: lnkd.in/esikzmnK
Full CfP and details: shorturl.at/3YIKk
Submit your proposal: lnkd.in/esikzmnK
Full CfP and details: shorturl.at/3YIKk
June 24, 2025 at 12:58 PM
🚨 One day left to apply for the @vox-pol.bsky.social next gen conference happening in Prague on the 25-26th of September. We are bringing together ECRs to build a proper community researching (violent) online extremism.
Submit your proposal: lnkd.in/esikzmnK
Full CfP and details: shorturl.at/3YIKk
Submit your proposal: lnkd.in/esikzmnK
Full CfP and details: shorturl.at/3YIKk
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
New publication 📢 📢 lnkd.in/eDkiZejm
Very pleased to share our new publication (with Fiona O'Rourke) in Men and Masculinities journal, which focuses on how our research about misogynistic and homophobic banter in digital spaces fed into an educational toolkit (download for free men4change.co.uk ).
Very pleased to share our new publication (with Fiona O'Rourke) in Men and Masculinities journal, which focuses on how our research about misogynistic and homophobic banter in digital spaces fed into an educational toolkit (download for free men4change.co.uk ).
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
June 18, 2025 at 10:55 AM
New publication 📢 📢 lnkd.in/eDkiZejm
Very pleased to share our new publication (with Fiona O'Rourke) in Men and Masculinities journal, which focuses on how our research about misogynistic and homophobic banter in digital spaces fed into an educational toolkit (download for free men4change.co.uk ).
Very pleased to share our new publication (with Fiona O'Rourke) in Men and Masculinities journal, which focuses on how our research about misogynistic and homophobic banter in digital spaces fed into an educational toolkit (download for free men4change.co.uk ).
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
We were delighted to have supported @anthonypkelly.bsky.social 's recent symposium "Reaction(ary) Media)" on situating influencers, audiences, and antagonisms.
Read more on the event and its findings at the blog link below 👇
digitalpolicy.ie/reactionary-...
Read more on the event and its findings at the blog link below 👇
digitalpolicy.ie/reactionary-...
Reaction(ary) Media: International Symposium Convened by Centre Member Anthony Kelly - UCD Centre for Digital Policy
05.06.2025. Reaction(ary) Media: International Symposium Convened by Centre Member Anthony Kelly On May 29th, the UCD Centre for Digital Policy supported
digitalpolicy.ie
June 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
We were delighted to have supported @anthonypkelly.bsky.social 's recent symposium "Reaction(ary) Media)" on situating influencers, audiences, and antagonisms.
Read more on the event and its findings at the blog link below 👇
digitalpolicy.ie/reactionary-...
Read more on the event and its findings at the blog link below 👇
digitalpolicy.ie/reactionary-...
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
Now it's all official, I can let people know that I have been awarded an #ERCAdG ERC Advanced Grant for my LivePlatforms project to critically examine the actors involved in determining how - or whether - people make livelihoods in the platform economy.
#PlatformWork #DigitalLabour
#PlatformWork #DigitalLabour
📣 Good news: 281 top researchers have just won ERC Advanced Grants!
The new funding, worth nearly €721 million, is part of the 🇪🇺 EU’s #HorizonEurope programme.
Find out more 👉 europa.eu/!JYKxkD
#ERCAdG #FrontierResearch @ec.europa.eu
The new funding, worth nearly €721 million, is part of the 🇪🇺 EU’s #HorizonEurope programme.
Find out more 👉 europa.eu/!JYKxkD
#ERCAdG #FrontierResearch @ec.europa.eu
June 17, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Now it's all official, I can let people know that I have been awarded an #ERCAdG ERC Advanced Grant for my LivePlatforms project to critically examine the actors involved in determining how - or whether - people make livelihoods in the platform economy.
#PlatformWork #DigitalLabour
#PlatformWork #DigitalLabour
I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in making last week’s symposium—Reaction(ary) Media: Situating Influencers, Audiences, and Antagonisms—a huge success. What a fabulous gathering of speakers, chairs, and audience participants. Here are some of the highlights!
🧵
🧵
June 3, 2025 at 10:32 AM
I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in making last week’s symposium—Reaction(ary) Media: Situating Influencers, Audiences, and Antagonisms—a huge success. What a fabulous gathering of speakers, chairs, and audience participants. Here are some of the highlights!
🧵
🧵
Hi folks! I’m very excited to announce details of a one-day international symposium I’m hosting on Thursday 29 May 2025 (09:00–17:30) at @ucddublin.bsky.social.
You can find more information on @ucdischool.bsky.social’s website: www.ucd.ie/ics/events/r...
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You can find more information on @ucdischool.bsky.social’s website: www.ucd.ie/ics/events/r...
🧵
April 23, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Hi folks! I’m very excited to announce details of a one-day international symposium I’m hosting on Thursday 29 May 2025 (09:00–17:30) at @ucddublin.bsky.social.
You can find more information on @ucdischool.bsky.social’s website: www.ucd.ie/ics/events/r...
🧵
You can find more information on @ucdischool.bsky.social’s website: www.ucd.ie/ics/events/r...
🧵
Reposted by Anthony Kelly
"As with the resurgence of the far-right, the rise of tech oligarchs is the result of a long series of mainstream failures"
A few thoughts on reactionary tech oligarchy by @jfarkas.bsky.social and I for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/26/t...
A few thoughts on reactionary tech oligarchy by @jfarkas.bsky.social and I for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/26/t...
January 27, 2025 at 2:22 PM
"As with the resurgence of the far-right, the rise of tech oligarchs is the result of a long series of mainstream failures"
A few thoughts on reactionary tech oligarchy by @jfarkas.bsky.social and I for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/26/t...
A few thoughts on reactionary tech oligarchy by @jfarkas.bsky.social and I for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/01/26/t...