Proud academic dad moment! My daughter Lily has published a paper in the Columbia Journal of History, ‘Naturalising the Empire: Landscape, Taxonomy and the Plantocratic Picturesque in the Eighteenth-Century British West Indies’ static1.squarespace.com/static/6192f...

If you are watching the Hackney Half tomorrow, please give me a cheer! Here’s my race number (you can track me on the app) and fundraiser: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

Would you like to become a trustee of the Geographical Association? We're seeking nominations for 2 trustees to be elected by the membership. Keen to see nominations from wide range of backgrounds e.g. early career teachers, primary colleagues. Closing date is 4 May. geography.org.uk/ga-elected-t...

GA Elected Trustee nominations - Geographical Association

The Geographical Association (GA) is looking for two new Elected Trustees to join its Board of Trustees from September 2026.

geography.org.uk

On 17 May I am running the 2026 Hackney Half in aid of Hackney Night Shelter (@hackneyns.bsky.social) where I volunteer. It which provides temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness and support to find more secure places to live. Can you support? justgiving.com/fundraising/...

Alastair Owens is fundraising for Hackney Night Shelter

Help Alastair Owens raise money to support Hackney Night Shelter

justgiving.com

Today is the publication date for Matthew Hilton's Charity After Empire: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

How charity helped shape Britain after empire

qmul.ac.uk

Had a piece published in @timeshighered.bsky.social (Campus) on collaborative PhD research in the arts and humanities. www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/bette...

Better together? The secret to successful collaborative arts and humanities PhD research

Insights into managing collaborative relationships in arts and humanities PhD research, based on Alastair Owens’ extensive experience with museums and doctoral students

timeshighereducation.com

Thrilled to announce that the #CockneyYiddishPodcast has been shortlisted for the independentpodcastawards.com/IPA25/en/pag... in the History and the Culture categories @engageqm.bsky.social @migrationmuseum.org @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @jewishmuseumldn.bsky.social @thegentleauthor.bsky.social

A key piece of research...

Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Hot off the press, the British Academy's Cold Spots: Mapping Inequality in SHAPE Provision in UK Higher Education report. Read it if you care about universities or access to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for the rising generation. 1/5

Very interesting and probably a sign of more to come elsewhere in the country... www.gre.ac.uk/articles/uni...

A real privilege to have been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year in the @timeshighered.bsky.social #THEAwards (as has my legendary biology colleague @larschittka.bsky.social). And wonderful to see @qmul.bsky.social shortlisted for University of the Year.

Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering@qmulse.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Queen Mary is delighted to be a ‘University of the Year’ finalist in the #THEAwards! And we’re so proud Professors @larschittka.bsky.social and @alastairhackney.bsky.social have been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year. @timeshighered.bsky.social. tinyurl.com/ebe8yx23

Record number of students took GCSE Geography this year over 302,000 (up from 180,000 15 years ago). Congratulations to Geography teachers and students celebrating!

Steve Brace@stevebracegeog.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Good news for geography in the GCSE results day with a record 302,000+ entries. Many congrats from @geographicalassoc.bsky.social to all the young people receiving their results and we hope, whatever you go onto, that you continue to take your geography with you geography.org.uk/gcse-results...

This has been a great project to be a part of -- come explore the Bengali history of east London! www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Queen Mary partners on Bengali heritage walk marking 25 years of the Swadhinata Trust

qmul.ac.uk

Enjoyed World Economic History Congress in Lund, Sweden, though at certain moments couldn’t help reflecting that economic history seems to have lost its way. I heard some great papers and a brilliant final session I went ‘Decolonising affluent societies’ (sadly sparsely attended) gave some hope!

We're taking part in Open House Festival 2025! 🏠 On Sunday 14th September we'll be running two social history tours of our Mile End campus, led by @alastairhackney.bsky.social and Nadia Valman. Booking will open on 20th August ⚡ programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/1432

British Academy postdoctoral fellowships scheme is now open. The deadline is 1 October. Time to get talking with potential host institutions and mentors about planning an application for this year or instead waiting for a future round. (The scheme is annual).

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships is a three year award made to an annual cohort of outstanding early career researchers in the humanities or social sciences.

thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Raunchy Handel’s Semele at Royal Opera House last night. Pretty Yende a fabulous diva Semele, Ben Bliss a virile Jupiter, and Alice Coote a persuasive Juno. Other roles just as good and nice taught choruses. Only cried twice. Go see - POWER30 gets 30% off

On the 17 June 1995 I moved to Hackney, probably the best thing I've ever done. Here's to the next 30 years!

Great to be at UWE for the South West Geography Conference organised by wonderful Geography South West - how many free conferences are there nowadays? What an opportunity! Jon from The GA is kicking things off with a look at green skills. @stevebracegeog.bsky.social @alastairhackney.bsky.social

Schubertiade! Come hear world-class musicians in Mile End at our 5th Ragged School Music Festival, 20-22 June 2025 Alina IBRAGIMOVA, violin Marie-Elisabeth HECKER, cello Elisabeth LEONSKAJA, piano Pavel KOLESNIKOV, piano Samson TSOY, piano Tickets: raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/fifth-ragged...

Fifth Ragged School Music Festival: Schubertiade - Ragged School Museum

20–22 June 2025 This June, the Ragged Music Festival returns with a very different kind of edition.

raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk

Last call! New perspectives on nineteenth-century childhoods at the Ragged School Museum, London E3, 1pm-8pm, Wednesday 4 June. Free but please register by 4pm on Friday 30 May (so we can plan catering): buytickets.at/qmul19c/1704...

Queen Mary College’s (@qmul.ac.uk) new Crittall windows — a feature of its Engineering Building Stage 2 development (designed by Playne and Lacey Architects) advertised in East London Papers, July 1965

REMINDER: We offer bursaries of up to £500 per head to support UK-based postgraduate and early career researchers to arrange panels on London-related topics for academic conferences. See here for further details on how to apply (please repost to help spread the word!)

Conference Panel Bursary | The London Journal

The London Journal is eager to support early career scholars present their work on London at conferences and publish articles based on this work. To that end, the Journal is pleased to annouce a conference panel bursary.

thelondonjournal.org

Hackney Half done (and a bit quicker this year at 1:48). Thank you to everyone who cheered me on and supported my fundraiser

Race day! #HackneyHalf www.justgiving.com/page/alastai...

Join us for 'New perspectives on nineteenth-century childhoods', 1pm-8pm on Wednesday 4 June 2025 at the Ragged School Museum, London E3. Panel discussions followed by keynote lecture by Prof Josephine McDonagh (Chicago). Free, but booking essential: www.tickettailor.com/events/qmul1...

Fascinating @suttontrust.bsky.social report on geography of social mobility in England. Using constituencies, highest ranked areas are in London (East Ham, top). Demonstrates critical importance of education at all levels and wider measures to tackle child poverty www.suttontrust.com/our-research...

The Opportunity Index - The Sutton Trust

An unprecedented insight into the geography of opportunity and social mobility in England.

suttontrust.com

Our @geographicalassoc.bsky.social statement on the crisis impacting UK Higher Education Geography. We urge universities to maintain their current capacity for geography and to capitalise on its growth in schools and relevance to the workplace and wider economy. geography.org.uk/ga-higher-ed...

GA Higher Education geography statement - Geographical Association

As the subject association for geography the Geographical Association is concerned about the funding position of many UK universities...

geography.org.uk

Our @geographicalassoc.bsky.social statement on the crisis impacting UK Higher Education Geography. We urge universities to maintain their current capacity for geography and to capitalise on its growth in schools and relevance to the workplace and wider economy. geography.org.uk/ga-higher-ed...

GA Higher Education geography statement - Geographical Association

As the subject association for geography the Geographical Association is concerned about the funding position of many UK universities...

geography.org.uk

Work Awayday at QE Olympic Park — feels like I am on A Level Geography field trip

When you live on the flight path for Buck Palace