How can storytelling help – or harm – the problem of extreme wealth inequality? @michaelvaughan.bsky.social Annalena Oppel, @Jonathanmijs.com & @wealtherty.bsky.social offer four simple questions for creative content producers to reflect on. #LSEInequalitiesBlog

How to tell better creative stories about wealth inequality

Four questions for creative storytellers to reflect on if they're motivated to help tackle the problem of wealth inequality in drama series, movies and novels

blogs.lse.ac.uk

“Musk has become increasingly important in European politics in recent years at a time when his wealth has increased in hugely exponential terms” @michaelvaughan.bsky.social was quoted in @theguardian.com on Elon Musk’s outsized influence over political processes. buff.ly/xfxoeqz

Elon Musk posted twice as often on UK race and immigration as about SpaceX in IPO run-up

Guardian analysis of X feed shows how keen world’s richest person was to air his views and ‘interfere’ in British politics

theguardian.com

Our new working paper with @lse-sticerd-case.bsky.social lays out the foundations for an extreme wealth line 📉 It examines the harms that excess wealth causes to people, societies, economies, democracies and the planet. @ingridrobeyns.bsky.social, @michaelvaughan.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/h8nKk6t

The Extreme Wealth Line Initiative couldn't be more timely, and I'm proud I could contribute to these two papers with @ingridrobeyns.bsky.social and Tania Burchardt

Ingrid Robeyns@ingridrobeyns.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The Extreme Wealth Line project is a transdisciplinary initiative aiming at the introduction of an extreme wealth line (EWL), just like we have an extreme poverty line. The project has now published its two foundational papers, as LSE-III working papers #171 and #172: www.lse.ac.uk/internationa...

“I want to understand: Where are the taboos? Where are the things that we find difficult to talk about?” – Elif Shafak spoke to @afsee-lse.bsky.social about inequalities – and how literature can expand our worldview #LSEInequalitiesBlog blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities...

How art and literature can expose inequalities – Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak discusses how art and literature can expose inequalities, break taboos and expand our worldview in an age of populist politics and polarisation

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Do you think people having extreme wealth affects you? We went with @adambrichto.bsky.social to talk to people in a town centre owned by a billionaire to find out. #extremewealth #extremewealthline #wealthinequality #taxthesuperrich

Me, in the Guardian today, on Reform voters and sympathisers in England's post-industrial towns www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

While most people prefer equal inheritance, wealthy individuals are more willing to support unequal transfers when they help preserve wealth across generations ➡️ based on new experimental evidence now published with @natrinh.bsky.social and @dariatisch.bsky.social in @sfjournal.bsky.social

Nhat An Trinh@natrinh.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Excited to share a new #OA study with @dariatisch.bsky.social and @schechtlm.bsky.social🎉We show that while most people prefer equal inheritance, wealthy individuals are more willing to support unequal transfers when they help preserve wealth across generations ➡️ academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...

In this blog, we explain why we need to have an Extreme Wealth Line, just like the Extreme Poverty Line. Also, having a line as a social indicator does not necessarily commit one to a limit on wealth possession via taxation only; it's a regulative ideal. blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities...

Let’s be clear – an Extreme Wealth Line is not a cap on wealth

An extreme wealth line (EWL) defines a level where the harms associated with extreme wealth become socially unacceptable. It is not the same as a cap on wealth

blogs.lse.ac.uk

📜Fresh off the press: Annett Heft, @michaelvaughan.bsky.social, Barbara Pfetsch & I attempted to find a level for defining social media affordances that permits conceptualizing differences between platforms and uses, and is thus useful for theory building. doi.org/10.1093/ct/q...

Differential social media affordances: an actor type-centric, intermediate-level approach using the case of social movements

Abstract. Social media have profoundly changed social communication practices across a vast range of contexts. To theorize these changes, numerous authors

doi.org

My article on the tv hit Succession and its media reception finally out. Keywords Schadenfreude, fantasy, dynasties. My argument being that it is a fantasy-driven construct appealing to a middle class desire to see the rich as miserable people destined to fall. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

From the figure of the obscene rich to the fantasy of its destruction: on Succession, schadenfreude and the godlike power of the super-rich on screen

A significant part of contemporary popular culture portrays the rich as obscene, self-destructive, addicted and deranged. This article analyses the affective intensities circulating around this tro...

tandfonline.com

In November's Budget, the Chancellor can reform taxes on wealth to achieve three wins - raising revenue, tackling inequality and boosting growth. Find out more at fairnessfoundation.com/win-win-win

Win-Win-Win

Taxing wealth for fairness, revenue and growth

fairnessfoundation.com

Amazon workers' weekly wage = 1 pebble Jeff Bezos net worth = THE ENTIRE BEACH

Now out in @cpsjournal.bsky.social. In our new article, @denis-cohen.bsky.social @thmskrr.bsky.social and I show that where local rent prices increase more, residents with lower incomes become more likely to support the radical right AfD. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

In London, hate will never win.

Just got round to listening (not something I can normally bear to do when I’m involved but wanted to hear what the other contributors had to say). Anyway…I really enjoyed it, so you never know: you might too!

How is the far right shaping our future?

Podcast Episode · LSE IQ podcast · 02/09/2025 · 33m

podcasts.apple.com

👉 Stories about economic change are never neutral. They make politics. In my new article in Sociological Theory @sociologicaltheory.bsky.social, I show how narratives about economic disruption become a source of legitimacy: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

We have a 🚨 new open access paper 🚨 with @polcommjournal.bsky.social We show how platforms can simultaneously concentrate and fragment political power. We analysed Italy's Five Star Movement across 5 platforms to understand multi-platform dynamics in political organisations. doi.org/10.1080/1058...

Affording Fragmented Audiences: Multi-Platform Deliberation within the Five Star Movement

We examine how multi-platform digital environments influence intra-party dynamics within political organizations, focusing on the Italian Five Star Movement (M5S) as a paradigmatic case of extreme ...

doi.org

Some thoughts on our recent report for @jrf-uk.bsky.social - and why we shouldn't shy away from the problem of unfair influence in talking about wealth inequality @wealtherty.bsky.social

LSE Inequalities@lseinequalities.bsky.social · last yr.

To engage people on the problem of wealth inequality, we should focus on the “unfair influence” wielded by those at the top, write @michaelvaughan.bsky.social, @wealtherty.bsky.social & Annalena Oppel, even if that causes outrage. @jrf-uk.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/GAf0Es5

This book is brilliant - insightful, timely, and also written quite beautifully. If you are confused about or interested in how politics "feels" in the present conjuncture of UK/US politics, read it! @benandersongeog.bsky.social @ajsecor.bsky.social www.gold.ac.uk/goldsmiths-p...

The Politics of Feeling

Populism, Progressivism, Liberalism

gold.ac.uk

Absolutely dystopian juxtaposition from the Guardian front page. Difficult to understand how anyone of decency and conscience can defend this government at this point. Just sheer moral degeneracy to arm a state that does this and arrest people for objecting. Wtf are we doing as a country?

NEW✨ ‪ @michaelvaughan.bsky.social @lseinequalities.bsky.social reviews Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters by Thomas Piketty @thomaspiketty.bsky.social and Michael J. Sandel @politybooks.bsky.social 👇

Thomas Piketty and Michael Sandel on the struggle for equality - LSE Review of Books

Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters is a wide-ranging discussion between economist Thomas Piketty and philosopher Michael J. Sandel on ways to think about and achieve real equality.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” Starmer’s policy: a transfer of resources from the poorest, straight to the arms industry.

Story Tech: Power, Storytelling, and Social Change Advocacy by Filippo Trevisan @michaelvaughan.bsky.social‬ @lseinequalities.bsky.social @ariadnevromen.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social @livunipress.bsky.social @uofmpress.bsky.social #Review by Juliana Reimberg @cu-cardiffbusiness.bsky.social‬

Storytelling for advocacy in the digital age - LSE Review of Books

Story Tech: Power, Storytelling and Social Change Advocacy by Filippo Trevisan, Michael Vaughan & Ariadne Vromen examines digital storytelling for advocacy.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

🧵New @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @lseinequalities.bsky.social report by @wealtherty.bsky.social @michaelvaughan.bsky.social and Annalena Oppel: We showcase three different ways of talking about wealth inequality and what difference it makes to public attitudes. 1/3 www.jrf.org.uk/wealth-fundi...

Talking about wealth inequality

Looking at perceptions of, and attitudes towards, wealth and wealth inequality — and how to increase public support for a fairer distribution.

jrf.org.uk

Are you concerned by huge & escalating racial wealth inequalities in the UK? Please come to hear the launch of our @lseinequalities.bsky.social report for @runnymedetrust.bsky.social on 10th June. Features @shabna.bsky.social @kojokoram.bsky.social Faiza Shaheen & us! www.lse.ac.uk/Internationa...

Racial justice and wealth inequality: a call for action

Public event at LSE | Shabna Begum, Esiri Bukata, Kojo Koram, Mina Mahmoudzadeh, Mike Savage, Faiza Shaheen | Tues 10 June, 6.30 to 8.00pm

lse.ac.uk

Given the local election results in the UK, a short #thread - based on much of our own research - on the vicious cycle of radical right support that we have seen in many countries. 1) When radical right parties (such as Reform) are electorally successful established parties move right on immigration

The wealth of billionaires is growing very fast (7-9%/year). Let's be clear: a 2% wealth tax is an important first step, but it won't be enough to stabilize the ⤴️ concentration at the top. 5-10% is the minimum to stop inequality from rising. These questions must be part of open, democratic debates.

World Inequality Lab@wid.world · last yr.

Want to #TaxTheRich? Try the new version of the Global #WealthTax Simulator 🎛️ ✔️Select any region/country or the world as a whole ✔️Input your preferred tax rates ✔️Adjust depreciation or tax evasion parameters ✔️See how much revenue you'd raise ▶️ wid.world/news-article... We tested with France 👇🇫🇷

138 NGO leaders tell Keir Starmer: "It is unacceptable that taxing extreme wealth was not looked at before cutting UK aid." www.bond.org.uk/press-releas...

Move to cut UK aid will “destroy Labour’s legacy on international development” say NGO leaders in letter to PM and Treasury | Bond

138 leaders of NGOs from across the UK, including Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, World Vision UK, ONE, Christian Aid, Action Aid UK, Islamic Relief,

bond.org.uk

Out today - new article with @wealtherty.bsky.social on visual representations of wealth inequality, by UK news media and civil society orgs journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...