I Said I Reach For My Revolver

Apparently, the AHRC, to whom I have obediently genuflected as funders of my doctorate in various publications, has taken it upon itself to lead a programme across the research councils to fund academic research on the basis of its contribution to "Connected Communities". This became clear to me because the Observer claimed that they'd been forced to incorporate the Big Society into their funding priorities at the weekend, an allegation they strongly deny, although not, as they claim, refute. What they deny, though, is that they have coerced into including empty government buzzwords in their funding priorities, not that empty government buzzwords are included in their funding priorities. This is craven toadying, and made worse by the fact that it is craven toadying on the back of what was already craven toadying; the Connected Communities programme, which depoliticises struggles within them through a meaningless rhetoric of wellbeing in exactly the way you'd imagine something that could contribute to Big Society would, predates the current government. I would not, however, sign the petition urging the AHRC to remove the Big Society from its six strategic funding areas, as so far as I can see the AHRC does not have six strategic funding areas and so the request is ill-formed.