Alice Han (韩思琪）

Historian, economist and would-be baker

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@jk_rowling Amen

[J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling]

You can keep telling yourself this, but you're simply wrong. I'm a left-leaning liberal who's fiercely anti-authoritarian, and if you couldn't deduce that from my work you haven't understood a word of it.

I'm not an ideologue. I mistrust ideologies. I've never met an ideologue who wasn't prepared to deny a bit of inconvenient truth to keep their world view intact and I include ideologies with which I find myself in broad sympathy. On the other hand, I am an idealist. I believe in human beings. We are undeniably capable of terrible acts, but the evidence is that we are astoundingly collaborative and mutually supportive, especially when times are hard.

My values haven't changed; what's changed is the political landscape. What was once my natural home (a pragmatic centre-left party focused on dealing with economic disparity, championing social liberalism and equal rights) is now dominated by an illiberal, identity-based strain of politics I consider elitist, harmful and out of touch with the day-to-day concerns of regular people, particularly women (and I've still lived more than half of my life as a non-wealthy woman, and some of that time was spent in poverty).

There are women with whom I make common cause in the TERF wars I disagree with on other things. Within obvious limits (sucking up to literal Nazis) I don't particularly care about their personal politics. The reality is that there's currently an assault on women's rights unparalleled in my lifetime, and it's coming from both left and right. If ever there was a time for women across the political spectrum to come together, it is now.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@jk_rowling Thank you for this. I have the same fears and concerns and would like to start a platform, a woman-sphere if you will, where women can discuss this and advance themselves without the strait-jacket of partisan and identity-based politics.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@JohnathanBi I can’t wait for everyone to see it! Thanks for enlightening and edifying us.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@GE_Appliances Nightmare experience: (1) New fridge broke down after only a few months. GE sent 2 technicians (after a lot of calling), both failed to fix it. Now 3 weeks of waiting for a promised new fridge. This is inhumane; waiting for a working fridge now for 4 MONTHS!

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@GE_Appliances Thanks! I just got a response.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@GE_Appliances terrible quality & customer service. Bought fridge 3 months ago. Technician cancelled, waited days for repair. Gas seal kit broken, will take 1-2 weeks to source. Lost hundreds of $$ in food, spent hours on phone. No word on loaner fridge. w/o fridge for a week.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@GE_Appliances Hi! I just sent you a private message and haven’t received any response yet.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@nana so disappointed in the service. No communication to confirm appointment even after the 48hrs stated on website. We’re without fridge for 5 days! Feel completely powerless to do anything. No number to call or person to reach. The fridge is only 4 months old.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@jordanbpeterson Thomas Sowell would be fascinating to hear (especially his turn from the Left and learning from Friedman). Niall Ferguson is an economic historian who is strongly influenced by the Austrian school. Both would be excellent speakers, I think!

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@TheRealEGS also Tatte does good pastries and cakes and I hear they have good breakkie options too

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

@TheRealEGS Crema cafe is alright--it's local. My favourite (healthy/ kind of hippy) is Life Alive. Know how you feel--I was an undergrad.

[Future of Diplomacy @futurediplomacy]

@futurediplomacy staff at our Secretaries of State Project event with Secretary Albright last week. @Laliceshan

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

Nail-biting final Germany-Argentina. Geh schon, Deutschland! #FifaWorldCup #2014 #dermannschaft

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

Thank the Lord! UN rejects Australia's 'feeble' bid to strip Tasmanian forest heritage status http://t.co/iDn8nef2h6 via @guardian

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

New post for new snazzy HIR online. #revamped #india #china #blogging http://t.co/OtGumVu2Dp

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

RIP Franz Ferdinand.

[Alice Han (韩思琪） @Alicesqhan]

Stunningly visceral trailer for m'colleague's new Julius Caesar production @victorialavelle #7thmagpietheatrecompany http://t.co/EnCBecM4gB

[QandA @QandA]

Politics at its best is a battle of ideas, not a clash of personalities. @JoshFrydenberg & @edhusicMP join #QandA http://t.co/i6aKjJdIFD