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George McKay

@georgemckay.bsky.social

Prof Media Studies. Writes about popular music, festival, disability, jazz, peace, protest, gardening, + most recently Oxford Handbook of...Punk Rock. Charcot Marie Tooth. Plays music: double bass, bands (jazz, folk)

91 Posts403 Follower273 Folgt
elia ayoub@ayoub.bsky.social · 3w ago

Jesus. 35 UK universities quietly- without debate - joined the Ministry of Defence’s “Battlefield Alliance” which seeks to “reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security” They’re destroying the social sciences and humanities while militarising the institutions

• Durham University • Newcastle University • Northumbria University • Lancaster University • University of Cumbria • University of Lancashire • University of Liverpool • University of Manchester • University of Huddersfield • University of Sheffield • University of York • Loughborough University • University of Lincoln • University of Nottingham • Aston University • University of Birmingham • University of Warwick • King's College London • Kingston University • Queen Mary University of London • University College London • University of Oxford • University of Portsmouth • University of Surrey • University of Bath • University of Bristol • University of Exeter • University of Plymouth • University of Edinburgh • University of Glasgow • University of Strathclyde • Cardiff University • Swansea University • Queens University Belfast • Cranfield UniversityFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 14 July 2026 UK Universities Betray Public Trust by Joining MoD's 'Battlefield Advantage' Alliance Without Debate A coalition of campaign groups has accused UK universities of quietly integrating themselves into Britain's defence infrastructure after 35 institutions signed up to the Ministry of Defence's Defence Universities Alliance (DUA). The Ministry of Defence says the alliance aims to "reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security", strengthen links between universities and the defence sector, and translate research into "battlefield advantage". Campaigners say the move represents a significant shift in the role of higher education and has taken place without meaningful public debate. Among the founding members are the University of Oxford, University College London, King's College London, the University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh, Cardiff University and Queen's University Belfast. "We are witnessing the formal incorporation of Britain's universities into the defence ecosystem," said Jinsella Kennaway, Founder and Executive Director of Demilitarise Education. "The Ministry of Defence is explicit about its intentions. Universities exist to advance knowledge and foster critical inquiry, not to become pipelines for military research and defence recruitment. Students and staff deserve to know who agreed to this and why." Campaigners are calling on all 35 universities to publish the governance documents and board minutes relating to their decision to join the alliance, and to explain whether staff and students were consulted. Many UK universities already maintain relationships with major defence companies, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo, Thales, Lockheed Martin and QinetiQ. Critics argue that the DUA formalises and accelerates the integration of academia, industry and the state. The coalition warns that, at a time of rising defence spending, universities risk becoming increasingly aligned with governme…
Liesbeth Corens@onslies.bsky.social · last mo.

This petition needs as many signatories as the Exeter one. Please sign and share — don’t let Hertfordshire managers get away with this just because a Russell Group one took the spotlight. #UKHE

Joanna Bourke@joannabourke.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Shocking news about redundancies in the Humanities at the University of Hertfordshire, despite their exceptional research activities. I have signed the petition against these actions: it would be great if you would as well: c.org/kDQynZV7J4 @bbkhistorical.bsky.social @bisa-bkk.bsky.social

Adam Tranter@adamtranter.bsky.social · last mo.

If you're in the UK and looking at this, thinking "This doesn't look like a very good thing", please do head to pavementoverload.com and support the campaign (you can send a letter to your MP).

Pavement Overload | Britain's Pavements Are Not For Sale

Delivery robots are operating on Britain's pavements with no law to permit them. The Living Streets Pavement Overload campaign is demanding Government action to protect pedestrians and public space.

pavementoverload.com

Frances Ryan@francesryan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The DWP’s own guidance says disabled people with lifelong and progressive conditions should not be reassessed more than once a decade – but the data shows these rules aren’t being followed. “Each time I have less fight left. They take lumps out of you,” Steve, who has a brain injury, told me.

Natalia Cecire @ncecire.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Academic departments deserve to be saved, supported, resourced, allowed to grow even if they're not "best in the country," "first in the REF," "top-ranked," "at a Russell Group uni," or whatever other austerity-brained nonsense senior managers have been using to flimflam you out of solidarity

Jo Grady@drjogrady.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Yesterday Kier Starmer announced Labour will nationalise British Steel, and save 2700 jobs. Today, the Uni of Nottingham put 2700 staff at risk of redundancy. This is just one university. Across the UK 15,000 higher education jobs need saving. Where is the rescue package for our universities?

Aparna Nair@disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 4mo ago

apparently Wikipedia has more rigorous standards than every university on the planet, university administrators, edtech enthusiasts, (certainly more than) AI bros, several prominent academic journals, and too many professors and teachers

Emanuel Maiberg@emanuelmaiberg.bsky.social · 4mo ago

after much deliberation and giving AI the benefit of the doubt, Wikipedia editors have had enough of AI slop. New policy bans LLM generated content, periodt www.404media.co/wikipedia-ba...

Claire E. Aubin@ceaubin.com · 5mo ago

I have seen a lot of cursed stuff in my time in academia but this is among the *most* cursed. Grammarly is generating miniature LLMs based on academic work so that users can have their writing ‘reviewed’ by experts like David Abulafia, who died less than two months ago.

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