This is my last day at Oxfam. Pause for mass sobbing….. But when I explained my plans to keep blogging in some form, including on whatever post-Dexit FP2P emerges, a colleague accused me of resembling some kind of ageing rocker who keeps announcing his retirement, only to reappear within months. It’s quite common, apparently. Seems that bands like Mötley Crüe just can’t let go of the limelight.
So here (to repeat somewhat) is what happens next:
I sign off from Oxfam at the end of today, and head for a more genteel lifestyle of academia, training assorted would-be influencers (the policy variety, not the tiktok nonsense), grandchild-care, the allotment and staring out the window at the rain.
Meanwhile, I’ll go into a huddle with Oxfamistas to work out what my future role will be on the blog. We will draw on the results of the reader survey, so please help out by giving us your views.
Whatever happens, though, I will stop editing guest posts – if you want to write for FP2P, please contact Amit Srivastava (a great editor, btw) on asrivastava2@oxfam.org.uk.
Meanwhile, If you want to stay in touch with me, switch to d.j.green@lse.ac.uk. Despite the enshittification of twitter, I’ll keep tweeting on @fp2p, at least til something better emerges. And there’s always good old LinkedIn. I’ll keep updating the pick of my outpourings on my website.
And I’ll be back here later this week with a few outstanding posts. By comparison, it took Ozzy Osbourne 3 years after announcing his retirement to get back on stage. That’s him on the right, in case you thought it was Amit.
Update: thanks Tobias Denskus for this tribute post, although rumours of my retirement are somewhat premature!
Thank you Duncan. I so appreciate all you have done. All the very best with your next steps.
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Thanks Celia!
Thank you for all your thoughts and wisdom…and challenge! Good luck with this next chapter…and keep rocking!
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thanks Zaza!
End of an era Duncan. Good luck with everything. Glad to hear you’ll carry on blogging in some form. Working with you getting this thing set up was one of the smaller but most enjoyable gigs in my time at Oxfam. Take care and thanks for all the ideas and conversations.
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Thanks Eddy, you made everything so easy for technophobes like me!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and precious analytical work during all these years. Jolanda
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Thanks Jolanda
Hello Duncan
Thanks for all the useful stuff
I retired 5 years ago.
and , oh my god , getting used to it
My come back world tour is planned spring 2030
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Thanks Rudy, look forward to the tour
Gracias Duncan por tu trabajo estos años en este blog. Y por seguir en activo aunque sea con otra intensidad.
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Gracias Jaume, como dices, seguire en activo, hasta en estas paginas (todavia estamos en discusion…)
All the best with your new chapter. You have provided a guidpost to some of us through your blog and happy to hear your continuation of FP2P. Glad we will be seeing you more in PNG. Lukim yu.
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Thanks Josephine, look forward to it!
Is that you on Amit’s (Ozzy’s) shoulder?
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Charming, as ever, Neil
Seriously though – an amazing run. And I look forward to your superb blogs continuing with the verve and breadth we have grown to love.
Yours has been one of the few blogs I make a point of reading however full the inbox is, because I always enjoy it – thank you for all you have shared and glad it will continue one way or another! Wishing you all the best in the next chapter, and hope you get some time to decompress and say No to a few things in the interim.
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Sound advice Rachel, thanks!
Congrats Duncan on making a real contribution. You pointed us to interesting things and raised difficult questions. You are definitely an influencer … in the good way! And, most importantly, for making me laugh so often!
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Thanks Jaime, hope to be doing more with you in future, not less!
Wow what an extraordinary contribution and achievement this blog has been Duncan…. As has your time at Oxfam supporting and challenging so many ideas so eloquently and with a lightness that will be missed! Enjoy working out the ‘next phase’ and what’s in and outside the portfolio…..as one who is loving the next phase …highly recommended however we get there !! In solidarity and gratitude Penny
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Thanks as ever, Penny – still quoting your paper on the future of INGOs!
Dear Duncan,
A very big congratulations on your sort-of transition.
You’ve shaped my thinking again and again, and I’m going to miss your blogging greatly.
And on your point of going out in style, my husband recently went part-time and put together this play list to mark the milestone. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0yDBqaYi2GZx8anyr1tiwk
Thank you for everything,
Patti
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ooh, intriguing Patti, will definitely give it a listen as I lie in my hammock this summer!
Dear Prof. Duncan Green, sorry to hear that you are no longer doing good it. I do really like your blog style. So easy and enjoyable to read, unlike academia papers that make it not so easy to understand, probably intentionally 🙂 I hope to continue reading them your website.
Wish you all the best on your next journey!
Best regards,
James Aung
P.S. you are one of my fav prof 🙂
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Thanks James, and of course you were one of my favourite students!
Apologies for the typo as I was writing it on my phone. Meant to write “you are no longer doing this blog” but it went out “you are no longer doing good it” 🙁
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I did wonder…..
Thank you Duncan for sharing your wisdom and for holding up a mirror to the sector over all these years! Your sharp reflections will be missed. Best of luck!
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Thanks Dieneke!
Now we’ll finally see Duncan Unleashed. Give us the good stuff now that the corporate overlords can’t hurt you.
Your postings have been interesting and important and often a good starting point for exploring issues that I might otherwise have missed or ignored.
But you don’t need to do any more on being the first person ever to leave paid employment. Retiring at retirement age is pretty well covered elsewhere.
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Ermm, I’m not retiring John, but thanks for the snark
Dear Duncan,
Thankyou for all that you have written. You do not perhaps realise how important your writings have been for those at the other, isolated end of the Aid, development business in understanding all that is going on and answering all that gets thrown at us. Wishing you all the best
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Coming from you Masood, that means a lot – heartfelt thanks for all your great insights over the years. Hope we actually meet in person one of these days!
All the best Duncan. You are so approachable, so great at editing, your writing is brilliant and also mentors in an unassuming manner. From Poverty to Power is a brand itself and equated with Duncan Green. Very less I have written but you were my first to go person to turn it around and provide a platform to share . Gratitude.
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Aw, thanks Vanita, it’s been lovely working with you
Wishing you all the very best, Duncan – your work has informed so much of my development thinking and teaching! (Is there news on the new edition of HCH? It is a/the key text on a module I created this year for my UGs and the new edition was good timing.) As the kids say, ‘not gonna lie’ – will really miss P2P in its current iteration – I love it! Will be sure to follow on the website. Thanks so much for this resource, it has honestly been invaluable – and fun.
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Thanks Jo, hard copies of the new edition of HCH just dropped – v exciting. Publication 13th June, so not sure if copies available much before then. Discussions on future of the blog ongoing…..