Xander Kirke
xanderkirke.bsky.social
Xander Kirke
@xanderkirke.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in International Relations at Northumbria University. Research: extremism, terrorism, political myth, and ontological security. Also vice Chair of Chelsea Pride, the official LGBTQ+ supporters group for Chelsea FC.
Pinned
Since moving from the other place last year, I haven't really introduced myself. I'm an academic, with research interests primarily in extremism, terrorism, myth, and ontological security. I have a few bits of info and publications to share in this thread. (1/6)
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🎉 Our #BISA2026 call and homepage is OPEN NOW 🎉

Have a look at our call for papers down below - submissions for papers open on the 24th of September 🌟

We are so excited - more here 👉 conference.bisa.ac.uk

@visitbrighton.bsky.social
@simonrushton.bsky.social
@julietdryden.bsky.social
September 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
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🚨 CfP: @mybisa.bsky.social @isanet.bsky.social Newcastle Workshop, 10-12 October. Deadline 13 June:

www.isanet.org/Conferences/...

📣 Hartmut Behr's and my workshop on "Improvisation, Temporalities, and Political Practice: Improvisation as Action Model in a World of Crises and Uncertainty"
BISA-ISA Joint International Conference 2025, Newcastle
www.isanet.org
May 23, 2025 at 3:25 PM
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Exciting things ahead! 📢

Working on something connected to culture/cultural production of the far right? Consider submitting a panel or paper to our section 'Everyday Extremism: The Rise and Normalisation of the Far Right'!
📯 Introducing a ✨ NEW conference ✨ for researchers specialising in extremism, democracy, and populism

🥇 Inaugural Conference of @ecpr-ead.bsky.social
🕰️ New and Old Challenges of #Populism and #Radicalism
💂‍♂️ Hosted by @qmul.ac.uk
📅 9–10 June 2025
✍️ Submit your Panel or Paper by 3 March
Inaugural Conference of the Standing Group on Extremism and Democracy, Queen Mary University of London, 9 – 10 June 2025
New and Old Challenges of Populism and Radicalism
buff.ly
January 24, 2025 at 4:04 PM
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Hopefully the AfD result will also put an end to all the "Trump/Musk/Vance will boost the far right in Europe" bullshit that has been going around.
February 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
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I wonder if this election had been held a week/10 days ago, if the far right AfD might have done better. Big turnout, possibility of some counteraction to the Trump comments/Musk interference. The centre is wounded, but has held.
February 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
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A response from Football v Homophobia to media enquiries about #comingout in men’s football

👉 www.footballvhomophobia.com/fvh-response...

#FvH2025 🩷⚫️ #LGBTQ
January 28, 2025 at 2:49 PM
My trip back from Kiel was less than ideal as my flight got cancelled, meaning I had to stay an extra 24 hours. Still, I got to see a few cool sights in an admittedly freezing and foggy Hamburg!
January 23, 2025 at 3:48 PM
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The answer isn’t to broaden what terrorism is - it’s to refer people capable of violence to the right services. Prevent wasn’t the right service in this case.
January 22, 2025 at 9:47 PM
On my way back from Kiel, Germany back to the UK after having an excellent workshop. Presented a paper that seemed to go down but definitely needs work. Great start to 2025!
January 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM
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Today i am starting a 5 part series on the twenty five ideological and instructional manifestos of the Com Network I've collected thus far.

In this first piece I examine the documents written by Yegor Krasnov, the founder of Maniacs Murder Cult (MKY) 1/

www.maargentino.com/part-1-knive...
Knives Among the Shadows: The First Manifestos of the Maniacs Murder Cult Under Yegor Krasnov (Part I)
Introduction Over the past several months, I have collected 25 ideological, or attacker manifestos, or instructional materials from The Com Network and its adjacent groups. There is a fair amount of m...
www.maargentino.com
December 19, 2024 at 1:55 PM
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Two Liverpool supporters who shouted homophobic abuse at Chelsea fans have been banned from attending matches for 3 years, reports @liverpoolecho.co.uk

Merseyside police’s Iain Wyke: “This type of behaviour displayed by these men to be convicted for #hatecrime has no place in football.”

#FvH2025
Liverpool FC fans banned for homophobic abuse at Chelsea match
Police said they hoped the ban would act as a deterrent to others
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
December 19, 2024 at 10:35 PM
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Thrilled to share the cover of the ed. collection @amaramarasingam.bsky.social and I have authored! This book brings together a wonderful lineup of chapters, each offering a sociological lens on the complex issues surrounding violent extremism.

Available soon!

A thread introducing the chapters...
December 15, 2024 at 1:55 PM
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Also, if anybody would like to hire me, that would be swell.

I’m quite good at research on borders and ontological security.
December 12, 2024 at 7:46 AM
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New Gender Update out in @ejpgjournal.bsky.social. With data from the new wave of the EES, I show a strong increase in support for the far right among young voters. Especially the share of young men who consider voting for the far right has exploded.
bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...
December 13, 2024 at 4:52 PM
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www.e-ir.info/pdf/106801

We live in anti-theoretical times. All the more reason to share this short but insightful piece by @HaroKarkour on the value of much maligned IR theory to the contemporary age. #Realism #Trump #Morgenthau #Carr #Niebuhr.
www.e-ir.info
November 27, 2024 at 9:18 AM
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Man—identified Nazi—planned terrorist attack at London law firm to ‘intimidate’ immigrants

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...
Man planned terrorist attack at London law firm to ‘intimidate’ immigrants
Cavan Medlock found to have committed act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts
www.theguardian.com
December 11, 2024 at 3:03 PM
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MI5 forced to ‘pare back’ counter-terrorism work due to rogue states, says chief
MI5 forced to ‘pare back’ counter-terrorism work due to rogue states, says chief
Ken McCallum says service must make ‘uncomfortable choices’ as it faces more aggression from Russia, China and Iran MI5 has had to “pare back” its counter-terrorism focus because of the growing threat from Russia and other hostile states, the security…
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2024 at 11:36 PM
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“Queer supporters are not your EDI photo op. Queer footballers are not a novelty, hypothetical concept. We can do so much better.”

🏳️‍🌈⚽️🏳️‍⚧️

My thoughts on Rainbow Laces and why I think we need a new, stronger campaign 👇

transwrites.world/the-rainbow-...
The Rainbow Laces campaign isn't enough - Trans Writes
Last week was Rainbow Laces week. Football clubs up and down the pyramid dedicate matches to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Players can choose to wear the accessories in solidarity with LGBTQ+ fans and to signal t...
transwrites.world
December 9, 2024 at 12:17 PM
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University of Oslo is hiring 2-4(!) Associate Professors in Political Science. The call is open to candidates from all subfields. Deadline is February 3rd.

It comes with amazing colleagues, great work conditions, and lots of snow. Brown cheese, salmon, and cross-country skis can be supplementary.
2-4 Associate Professors in Political Science (271034) | University of Oslo
Job title: 2-4 Associate Professors in Political Science (271034), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Monday, February 3, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
December 7, 2024 at 12:50 PM
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Day 2 at the UN 🇺🇳:

Presented expert-level briefing on extremism in gaming spaces.

My take: Value of these spaces where people can ‘hang out’ & socialise shouldn’t be discounted and may defuse extremist ideation.

We must learn from past mistakes of CT re. misplaced intervention and suspicion.
December 7, 2024 at 5:28 PM
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In this Conversation piece, Danielle Tomson and I unpack the "participatory" dynamics of the right wing/conservative media sphere, describing them through the lens of "improv" theater: theconversation.com/how-right-wi...
December 4, 2024 at 3:46 PM
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The Proud Boys have not been designated a terrorist organization in America. They have been designated a terrorist organization in #Canada and #NewZealand. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Proud Boys written by me here.

📚 icct.nl/publication/...
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Swiping Right: The Allure of Hyper Masculinity and Cryptofascism for Men Who Join the Proud Boys
Little scholarly research exists on participants in crypto-fascist extremist organizations. In this research paper, Samantha Kutner, MA, communication studies, explores the scripts and narratives that attract a certain demographic of men to join the Proud Boys. She discusses how the broader themes of self-categorization, precarity, and deliberate provocation manifest themselves. These themes are embedded in a fascist agenda and are expressed through the group’s recruitment, communication, and in-group identification.
icct.nl
December 2, 2024 at 10:04 PM
Absolute privilege to see my MA students graduate today. They've worked so hard and fully deserve it. Can't wait to hear what they get up to next.

Also got a cheeky picture with the Lord Mayor. Very jealous of his robes!
December 2, 2024 at 5:50 PM