Paul Langley
@paullangley.bsky.social
Prof. Economic Geography, Durham, UK.
Managing Editor @econsocjournal.bsky.social
Finance, money, FinTech, and more.
https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/paul-langley/
Managing Editor @econsocjournal.bsky.social
Finance, money, FinTech, and more.
https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/paul-langley/
Pinned
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance | Finance and Society | Cambridge Core
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance
www.cambridge.org
Co-authored with @andrewleyshon.bsky.social for a forthcoming special issue of @finandsoc.bsky.social, this essay takes Elon Musk's planned FinTech makeover of X as a provocation for a critical analysis of so-called 'embedded finance' and the evolution of FinTech
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
A fantastical and unsustainable mega-project pushed by elites disconnected from reality and backed by huge volumes of fickle and self serving financial capital. Sounds familiar
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
End of The Line: how Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelled
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance
ig.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
A fantastical and unsustainable mega-project pushed by elites disconnected from reality and backed by huge volumes of fickle and self serving financial capital. Sounds familiar
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
The dark side of Japanese convenience stores - on.ft.com/3Jvk9Ok via @FT @msteinbrg.bsky.social
The dark side of Japanese convenience stores
Rising wages and an ageing workforce put pressure on existing staff
on.ft.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:25 PM
The dark side of Japanese convenience stores - on.ft.com/3Jvk9Ok via @FT @msteinbrg.bsky.social
Welcome to platform capitalism
nowadays every app wants to be a platform, and platform logic requires that they become the *only* platform.
that's why they all start as Specific: The Tool That Does A Thing and five years later announce they're rebranding as Totalizr: We Manage Your Life
that's why they all start as Specific: The Tool That Does A Thing and five years later announce they're rebranding as Totalizr: We Manage Your Life
November 4, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Welcome to platform capitalism
Reposted by Paul Langley
53 years young and still trending
October 31, 2025 at 7:47 PM
53 years young and still trending
Reposted by Paul Langley
Pull up for a bumper issue, nine articles, from ecologization as a mode of economization to the prompting of generative AI models in UK government, with stops in Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya and the US along the way!
www.tandfonline.com/toc/reso20/c...
www.tandfonline.com/toc/reso20/c...
Economy and Society
Dedicated to Michel Callon, 1945–2025. Volume 54, Issue 3 of Economy and Society
www.tandfonline.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Pull up for a bumper issue, nine articles, from ecologization as a mode of economization to the prompting of generative AI models in UK government, with stops in Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya and the US along the way!
www.tandfonline.com/toc/reso20/c...
www.tandfonline.com/toc/reso20/c...
One vision, fried chicken
The AI bubble has reached its ‘fried chicken’ phase ft.trib.al/VGyrH8K
The AI bubble has reached its ‘fried chicken’ phase
This is nuts. When’s the crash?
ft.trib.al
October 31, 2025 at 8:33 PM
One vision, fried chicken
Reposted by Paul Langley
Racism, colonialism, and tax havens: tracing the offshore world’s hidden histories, by Miguel A. Rivera-Quiñones
Racism, colonialism, and tax havens: tracing the offshore world’s hidden histories
This article advances a decolonial intervention in International Political Economy (IPE) by examining the centrality of racism in the formation of offshore zones under British and American colonial...
www.tandfonline.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Racism, colonialism, and tax havens: tracing the offshore world’s hidden histories, by Miguel A. Rivera-Quiñones
Just in case anyone is listening, please note that UK universities cannot operate successfully on the basis of continuous reduction of academic staff and academic staff pay. No amount of staff wellness sessions will change this.
October 29, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Just in case anyone is listening, please note that UK universities cannot operate successfully on the basis of continuous reduction of academic staff and academic staff pay. No amount of staff wellness sessions will change this.
FinTechs large (and small) are frantically updating their platforms so that AI agents can pay, borrow, invest, etc. This is the logical extension of the transformation of people into FinTech "users" (rather than consumers) which has already reordered social relations
thepaypers.com/payments/new...
thepaypers.com/payments/new...
Mastercard and PayPal accelerate agentic commerce | The Paypers
Mastercard expands partnership with PayPal to contribute to the adoption of agentic-driven transactions for consumers and businesses.
thepaypers.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
FinTechs large (and small) are frantically updating their platforms so that AI agents can pay, borrow, invest, etc. This is the logical extension of the transformation of people into FinTech "users" (rather than consumers) which has already reordered social relations
thepaypers.com/payments/new...
thepaypers.com/payments/new...
I'm a little older
October 27, 2025 at 10:04 PM
I'm a little older
Yet, when everything is in crisis, everything is still in crisis
When everything is unprecedented, nothing is unprecedented.
October 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Yet, when everything is in crisis, everything is still in crisis
The next General Election is a way off, but it seems likely that more people will vote against political parties that they don't want to be elected than will vote for the party that they want to be elected. Strange times in British politics
October 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The next General Election is a way off, but it seems likely that more people will vote against political parties that they don't want to be elected than will vote for the party that they want to be elected. Strange times in British politics
This is from a couple of months ago, but I am adding it to the 'PE is in serious trouble' files on.ft.com/4oS7GEc via @FT
Private equity fundraising slides as sector’s downturn deepens
Firms are struggling to raise money even as they offer discounts to attract new investors
on.ft.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
This is from a couple of months ago, but I am adding it to the 'PE is in serious trouble' files on.ft.com/4oS7GEc via @FT
Reposted by Paul Langley
Co-authored with @andrewleyshon.bsky.social for a forthcoming special issue of @finandsoc.bsky.social, this essay takes Elon Musk's planned FinTech makeover of X as a provocation for a critical analysis of so-called 'embedded finance' and the evolution of FinTech
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance | Finance and Society | Cambridge Core
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance
www.cambridge.org
October 20, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Co-authored with @andrewleyshon.bsky.social for a forthcoming special issue of @finandsoc.bsky.social, this essay takes Elon Musk's planned FinTech makeover of X as a provocation for a critical analysis of so-called 'embedded finance' and the evolution of FinTech
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
'Alarm bells’ is central banking speak for big trouble on.ft.com/478INMg via @FT
Andrew Bailey warns ‘alarm bells’ ringing over private credit market
BoE governor draws parallel with practices before 2008 financial crisis
on.ft.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM
'Alarm bells’ is central banking speak for big trouble on.ft.com/478INMg via @FT
Reposted by Paul Langley
The talks between the Trump administration and firms including Apollo and Cerberus mark an unprecedented effort to enlist some of Wall Street’s biggest investors directly in US national security on.ft.com/47juZ1S
October 21, 2025 at 5:20 AM
The talks between the Trump administration and firms including Apollo and Cerberus mark an unprecedented effort to enlist some of Wall Street’s biggest investors directly in US national security on.ft.com/47juZ1S
After more than a decade of below inflation pay rises (i.e pay cuts), very significant job losses and intensified workloads, absolutely no mention whatsoever of staff in this sticking plaster response to the crisis in UK universities.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
University tuition fees in England to rise with inflation every year from 2026
Bridget Phillipson confirmed the plans for the next two years, with fees to increase automatically after that.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 8:32 PM
After more than a decade of below inflation pay rises (i.e pay cuts), very significant job losses and intensified workloads, absolutely no mention whatsoever of staff in this sticking plaster response to the crisis in UK universities.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Co-authored with @andrewleyshon.bsky.social for a forthcoming special issue of @finandsoc.bsky.social, this essay takes Elon Musk's planned FinTech makeover of X as a provocation for a critical analysis of so-called 'embedded finance' and the evolution of FinTech
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance | Finance and Society | Cambridge Core
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance
www.cambridge.org
October 20, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Co-authored with @andrewleyshon.bsky.social for a forthcoming special issue of @finandsoc.bsky.social, this essay takes Elon Musk's planned FinTech makeover of X as a provocation for a critical analysis of so-called 'embedded finance' and the evolution of FinTech
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Paul Langley
If you enjoyed @kateconger.com and @rmac.bsky.social's
Character Limit, and wondered about Musk’s ambitions to turn X into a fintech behemoth, then you might be interested in a new Open Access paper by @paullangley.bsky.social
and me on fintech's 'disappearance'.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Character Limit, and wondered about Musk’s ambitions to turn X into a fintech behemoth, then you might be interested in a new Open Access paper by @paullangley.bsky.social
and me on fintech's 'disappearance'.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance | Finance and Society | Cambridge Core
Embedded finance and FinTech disappearance
www.cambridge.org
October 20, 2025 at 2:25 PM
If you enjoyed @kateconger.com and @rmac.bsky.social's
Character Limit, and wondered about Musk’s ambitions to turn X into a fintech behemoth, then you might be interested in a new Open Access paper by @paullangley.bsky.social
and me on fintech's 'disappearance'.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Character Limit, and wondered about Musk’s ambitions to turn X into a fintech behemoth, then you might be interested in a new Open Access paper by @paullangley.bsky.social
and me on fintech's 'disappearance'.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
India has increasingly become the celebrated example of FinTech led financial inclusion and digital economic development.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/dig...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/dig...
The State and Software Capital | Mila Samdub
India’s digital public infrastructure and the promise of the world’s largest online consumer market
www.phenomenalworld.org
October 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
India has increasingly become the celebrated example of FinTech led financial inclusion and digital economic development.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/dig...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/dig...
FICO under fire
on.ft.com/4q5c9Uy via @FT
on.ft.com/4q5c9Uy via @FT
Let the US credit score wars begin
Competition is a good thing if it lowers the costs or expands the credit-rating system
on.ft.com
October 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
FICO under fire
on.ft.com/4q5c9Uy via @FT
on.ft.com/4q5c9Uy via @FT
A little weekend reading for the UK Prime Minister
German far right setting agenda as opponents amplify its ideas, study finds
German far right setting agenda as opponents amplify its ideas, study finds
Normalisation of far-right stances likely to affect success of such parties at ballot boxes across Europe, say researchers
www.theguardian.com
October 18, 2025 at 8:13 AM
A little weekend reading for the UK Prime Minister
Insightful comparative historical political economic analysis of the coming AI bust.
A sobering read that gets past the sensationalism. Recommend.
A sobering read that gets past the sensationalism. Recommend.
Really enjoyed doing a deep dive for @transformernews.ai on what an AI collapse might look like – how much bigger than the dotcom boom would it be? Would it leave infrastructure behind to build upon? Could we get a 2008-style chain reaction? www.transformernews.ai/p/what-happe...
What happens when the AI bubble bursts?
The world is prepping for an AI crash. History points to what that might look like
www.transformernews.ai
October 16, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Insightful comparative historical political economic analysis of the coming AI bust.
A sobering read that gets past the sensationalism. Recommend.
A sobering read that gets past the sensationalism. Recommend.
A stellar line-up has been assembled to support the development of early career economic geographers.
This annual Summer Institute has boosted many research trajectories, so it's definitely worth applying if you're eligible.
This annual Summer Institute has boosted many research trajectories, so it's definitely worth applying if you're eligible.
Pls share: Applications open for Summer Institute in Economic Geography, Toronto, 5-10 July 2026
Featuring: Lars Coenen, Karen Lai, Devika Narayan and Stefan Ouma
Early career economic geographers (broadly defined) are welcome to apply. Stipends available. www.econgeog.net/Toronto2026
Featuring: Lars Coenen, Karen Lai, Devika Narayan and Stefan Ouma
Early career economic geographers (broadly defined) are welcome to apply. Stipends available. www.econgeog.net/Toronto2026
Toronto 2026 | Summer Institute in Economic Geography
www.econgeog.net
October 16, 2025 at 4:54 PM
A stellar line-up has been assembled to support the development of early career economic geographers.
This annual Summer Institute has boosted many research trajectories, so it's definitely worth applying if you're eligible.
This annual Summer Institute has boosted many research trajectories, so it's definitely worth applying if you're eligible.