Author Profile: A Blake Ewing

About A Blake Ewing

A Blake Ewing is a second year DPhil student in political theory at Oriel College, Oxford, where he works on the interrelationship between ideology, philosophy and history. He holds a MSc at The London School of Economics and a BA from Colorado College. His main interests centre around the intersection between ideas and politics and exploring how historical events shape and change how we construct political ideologies. He is a graduate member of Oxford's Centre for Political Ideologies and also co-runs a politics and international relations seminar series at Oxford's Rothermere American Institute. Before coming to Oxford he worked in Washington as a journalist, writing mainly for The Economist, and also as a writer/researcher at the World Bank. Other interests are journalism, intellectual history, economic and political development and, when in need of a diversion, West Ham United Football Club.

Remembering Peter David

Posted on May 15, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

Last week, whilst teaching a course at Colorado College, I wrote a piece for The Economist about a bill to allow civil unions in the state, which was combined with reporting on Obama’s announcement in support of gay marriage and … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, US Politics | Leave a comment

Last weekend’s disrupted Oxbridge Boat Race demonstrated what is right with British society

Posted on April 11, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

Much is already written about Trenton Oldfield’s sensational swim (and luckily-timed duck) that disrupted this year’s Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race which has made him Fleet Street’s latest example of Britain’s Radical Left. Mr Oldfield is labelled as both a fool and … Continue reading →

Posted in British Politics, Political Theory | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Forget the taxes row: If Osborne is serious about fiscal stability he should wield the axe on Trident

Posted on March 22, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

Today’s Guardian has a special section on George Osborne’s contentious budget. Some of the coverage is predictable tendentious comment – mostly critical, of course – but there is a good piece on Osborne’s sturdy resolve to meet his five-year budget … Continue reading →

Posted in British Politics, Terrorism and Security | 1 Comment

What is Political Thinking?: A Q&A with Professor Michael Freeden

Posted on March 17, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

Recently retired from Mansfield College, Oxford, Professor Michael Freeden, a political theorist is best known for his work on political ideologies, a subject often maligned as an inferior cousin of political philosophy and political theory. Marx did no favours for … Continue reading →

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Contraception and the contradictions of American conservatism

Posted on March 6, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

Amid the ongoing debate over America’s economic fortunes, the culture wars begin anew – just in time for election season. Part of this is due to President Obama’s poorly managed and much maligned health care compromise over whether religious organisations must include … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Theory, US Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Santorum’s week is no more than a reflection of Romney’s weakness

Posted on February 18, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

I’ve been reluctant to write about the rise of Rick Santorum (or to use this week’s most popular, and annoying, bit of journalese: ‘the Santorum surge’) because I figured his momentum would have slackened by the time I hit ‘post’. … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Government, Political Science, US Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Blizzard musings: snow should make us think about weather — and government

Posted on February 5, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

It is a wintry day here in Oxford – the first proper one this academic year. But as Professor Marc Stears reminds us via Twitter, it is a far milder snowstorm than the ‘snow-pocalypse’ in December 2010. That caused a … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development, Environmental Policy, Political Theory | Leave a comment

Florida’s Hispanic vote: a false dawn for Romney

Posted on February 1, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

“I’m beginning to feel we might win,” said Mitt Romney, the Republican frontrunner during a Florida campaign stop on Monday. He is not one to boast; but it was hardly an outrageous statement. Most commentators agreed. Nate Silver, the New … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Government, Democracy and Elections, US Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Can Newt keep going?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by A Blake Ewing

As the Republican nomination’s field narrowed ahead of the South Carolina primary (no more Rick Perry; no more John Huntsman) we saw a four horse race for votes among the party’s three ideological camps. Mitt Romney is the businessman-turned-politician who … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Government, Democracy and Elections, US Politics | 1 Comment

Rocky Mountain High

Posted on December 6, 2011 by A Blake Ewing

I have an article in this week’s Economist on the policy mess surrounding medicinal marijuana in the US. Roughly 16 states allow medicinal use, to some degree, but California has the most users and Colorado has the most sophisticated for-profit market. … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative Government, Political Science, US Politics | Leave a comment