Sociologist of (queer) everyday security, belonging, and marginalisation in Georgia and beyond. PhD from @uclssees.bsky.social. He/they. https://davidrypel.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3mg3tegsccc2eThe Georgian government follows the established authoritarian trajectory and now targets the independence of universities. Please sign and share the petition below in solidarity with ISU. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1d4wxsBSJ_RV1CCLyx1MZ89fQZXpWwuLacjFtnAxDwCU/viewform?ts=699e70da&edit_requested=true02 Mar 2026 17:58 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg3tegsccc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3mcun7o3afs2vI’m looking forward to presenting my work (a book pitch??) this Saturday at the CEEShub 2026 conference in Tallinn. Reach out if you're around! In case you're attending, I’ll be part of Panel M-134 from 11:30–13:00. https://securityhub.ee/conference-programme/20 Jan 2026 17:04 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcun7o3afs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3m3ujrrirak2xI'm presenting my paper on how queers in Georgia (Sakartvelo) navigate and survive the enforcement of cisheteronormativity at the panel 3A-9 (9 am). Stop by if you're around! #Aleksanteri2025 [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Oct 2025 14:06 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3ujrrirak2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3m2acdiczrs23This is crazy news, and I hope it's not the end. Back in 2016, GIP was the only CEE think tank that replied to my cold call for an internship—this pretty much set me on the path of engaging with Georgia. [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2025 19:34 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2acdiczrs23https://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lz6dnkpu5k2jJoin us next Sunday (28/9) for an afternoon of political co-learning, community building, and creative resistance, with a focus on counter-narratives from diverse communities in the face of growing far-right ideologies. Please RSVP to receive updates. https://actionnetwork.org/events/festival-of-eastern-european-solidarity19 Sep 2025 07:27 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz6dnkpu5k2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lurq7mzkrc26Due to oppressive legislative changes, LGBTQI+ and other activist groups in Georgia (Sakartvelo) are no longer able to receive institutional financial support. Support them directly: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7353383983809753088-wvij?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAABjdOm4B6RyQi1fpB1Qf8qu9yk-X82BTeOo25 Jul 2025 09:26 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lurq7mzkrc26https://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lumnyxu26k2kThere are two wolves inside the person who decided that these two round tables would take place at the same time. #iccees202523 Jul 2025 09:04 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lumnyxu26k2khttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3luhx6sn3ak27I'll be talking about the movement away from/towards regimes of belonging as an everyday security practice tomorrow at #iccees2025. Come say hi if you're around! https://www.myeventflo.com/event-lecture.aspx?m=0&evID=2531&lectID=36280&list=021 Jul 2025 12:05 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3luhx6sn3ak27https://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lsgz5qdfjs2xI've spent the past ten minutes staring at the picture trying to decide whether it's meant to be a (bad) joke or I'm just reading too much into it. I still don't know.25 Jun 2025 16:17 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsgz5qdfjs2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lsger5smhc2xBahruz Samadov, @unikarlova.cuni.cz PhD student, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his research. What action are the university, Czech MFA and @digitalnicesko.bsky.social taking? [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Jun 2025 10:12 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsger5smhc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lrzs24homc2pI'm happy to share that I relaunched my ✨ personal website ✨ www.davidrypel.com (I may start blogging there too, if I ever find the confidence to share my hot takes outside my instagram)20 Jun 2025 10:05 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrzs24homc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lqmhz2zuzc2lECR question: How do you decide which academic association(s) to join, within your discipline/field and across, if you do interdisciplinary work? Does it depend on the conferences you attend or something else too? Do you prioritise national or international associations? Etc. #academicsky02 Jun 2025 09:36 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqmhz2zuzc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lplzojmnm22jI don't know who needs to know this, but I found an *extremely easy* way to sync annotated Zotero pdf files across devices + what seems a secure cloud provider today. Didn't expect my post-PhD to be this exciting. https://koofr.eu/blog/posts/koofr-with-zotero-via-webdav20 May 2025 11:54 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lplzojmnm22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lnitkhzo3k2bNice piece from @tamtagelashvili.bsky.social on Georgian Dream's use of political queerphobia. I'd just add that the (hetero)sexualisation of nation is not limited to the far-right; this is the cornerstone of nationalism (personification of nations as women etc.) https://feminism-boell.org/en/2025/04/16/protecting-people-how-anti-lgbtq-ideas-help-georgian-dream-consolidate-power23 Apr 2025 18:36 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnitkhzo3k2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3lkverroskc2yI'm happy to share that I passed my PhD viva (with no corrections). I am grateful to my examiners, Dr Cai Wilkinson and Dr Irina Petrova, for their insightful questions and comments *and* kind words. I wish more academic conversations were held in this spirit; academia needs more care. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Mar 2025 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkverroskc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/davidrypel.bsky.social/post/3ljaatrlsrs24In December, I submitted my PhD thesis on the everyday security and belonging of queer people in Georgia (Sakartvelo). Here are some key points as I wait for my viva. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/everyday-security-belonging-queer-people-georgia-sakartvelo-rypel-wzuhe28 Feb 2025 10:59 +0000at://did:plc:fyucqfa2bomfjsbbhsflhcze/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljaatrlsrs24