People from lower socio-economic backgrounds are under-represented in think tanks. This amazing opportunity (which am proud to say the @smfthinktank.bsky.social is one of the host orgs for this year) is looking to change that. A genuinely entry level role... www.smf.co.uk/new-opportun...

New opportunity: Trainee Researcher - Social Market Foundation.

Research trainee opportunity with a think tank, as a participant in the Policy Futures Programme.

smf.co.uk

The average terror suspect arrested in England and Wales is now a white woman in her 50s as a result of the Palestine Action ban Almost 2,800 arrests were made for supporting the group in 6 months - surpassing the number of terror suspects detained in the previous decade inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Palestine Action terror ban remains in place after Home Office wins appeal

Government's decision to proscribe group 'struck a fair balance', Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr tells Court of Appeal

inews.co.uk

Under 16s to be banned from social media, and a white supremacist who fuels riots on our streets, still allowed to run a whole platform.

Refugee Festival Scotland 2026 is here! This beautiful front cover was created by Nii Sackey Vanderpuye and Anupa Joshy, who also designed this year's Refugee Festival Scotland Poster. At times like this, standing in solidarity with refugees is more important than ever. This festival does just that

The National@scotnational.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Tomorrow's front page 📰 Refugees are woven into Scotland

Having spent the day, much like every other day at present, listening to journalists and broadcasters restate unsubstantiated claims, and elide the fact of difference with a trigger for racist violence, here are simple rules even Chris Mason might grasp. ⬇️

theconversation.com/wes-streetin...

Wes Streeting’s health bill brings back ‘democratic control’ of the NHS in England – but what does it mean?

Abolishing NHS England sounds like a tidy fix. But the legal changes buried in the health bill could make the NHS more vulnerable than ever.

theconversation.com

‘We are living under a kind of house arrest, unable to go out, with an oppressive sense that an assault could occur at any moment.’ New from Luqman Saeed in Belfast: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/ju...

Luqman Saeed | In Belfast

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that we are living under a kind of house arrest, unable to go out, with an oppressive...

lrb.co.uk

There are, in my view, 25 things everyone needs to understand in light of recent events: 1) Those out in our communities last night were not protestors, but organised far right extremists. 2) Their actions align with fascist ideologies. 3) So yes: these are fascist practices on our streets. 🧵

They need to stop talking about legitimate concerns, start talking about racist thuggery; point out how net migration has fallen & small boats are a tiny %; explain our country can't function without migration; get serious about social media as a means to spread bile/organise riots.

Seeing our frail, complicted, older patients, who often need home visits, should be the bread and butter of GP work but is being squeezed out by the requirement for limitless online access. (We told you this would happen) 1/3 www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

GPs in England too ‘overloaded’ to help older people at risk of falling, say MPs

NHS bosses giving evidence to public accounts committee admit current position is unacceptable

theguardian.com

Remember that recent paper claiming to show that "ideological bias" determined the results obtained by immigration policy research teams? A careful, open-code reanalysis by @kauspurg.bsky.social & Josef Brüderl finds that the result arises from a coding error. —> doi.org/10.31222/osf...

Can employability programmes improve health as well as employment outcomes? Drawing on participatory research with young people in Inverclyde, this blog explores what a ‘health-promoting’ approach to employability support might look like. www.phiuk.org/news/blogs/p...

Thanks to @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social for funding, @profellenstu.bsky.social for idea to run witness seminars to mark 25 yrs of health policy devolution in Scotland, @lisagarnham.bsky.social & others for event support, & to all participants. LinkedIn summary here: www.linkedin.com/posts/kather...

Smokefree public places policy in Scotland: rethinking policy work in multiple streams and Punctuated Equilibrium Theory | Katherine Smith

A couple of years ago, inspired & supported by Ellen Stewart, I ran my first 'witness seminar' (a form of group oral history). Marking 25 years of devolved health policy in Scotland, we discussed how...

linkedin.com

How it works in UK universities: 1. VC announces plan to make the university a Kardashev Type II institution by 2038. 2. An Associate Pro-VC (Kardashev II) is appointed. Twenty-three new abbreviations are authorised. A team from PWC are providing deliverability assurance.

@profellenstu.bsky.social and I were delighted to hear yesterday that our special event "New sociological research on healthcare in criminal justice settings" had been accepted for the @bsa-medsoc.bsky.social annual conference.

One of our projects, @changingrealities.bsky.social is hosting an online event on Thurs 4 June to celebrate the launch of their Zine, highlighting the importance of creative methods in amplifying the lived experience of participants. Book your place 👉 tinyurl.com/379573fa

Here is my article from our Scottish Election Analysis report - I reflect on being a 1st time voter in Scotland, a new right as a resident, talk about elections as rituals & suggest with such a low turnout - 53% - maybe it’s time to try compulsory voting www.electionanalysis.uk/scottish-ele...

Elections and voting as rituals: Comparing Scotland with Australia - UK Election Analysis

In this article I reflect on the experience of being a first-time voter in Scotland. In early 2025 I moved to Scotland from Australia where I had my political socialisation, and have actively voted fo...

electionanalysis.uk

We are proud to have led the first ever analysis of the Scottish Election, out now! Funded by @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social the Scottish Election Analysis 2026 gives fresh insights on a wide variety of topics by leading scholars - from AI to young voters. More: www.gla.ac.uk/news/headlin...

Published a wee tired and grumpy rant about the NHS in the Holyrood election campaign, as part of a series of (less grumpy) rapid responses brought together by @ariadnevromen.bsky.social @anaineslanger.bsky.social and @uofgsps.bsky.social colleagues. www.electionanalysis.uk/scottish-ele...

Everywhere and nowhere: The NHS in the 2026 Scottish election - UK Election Analysis

In BBC election night coverage, equalities campaigner Talat Yaqoob described the 2026 Scottish Parliament election campaign as “unambitious”

electionanalysis.uk

We urge the Government to act as steward of our world-leading higher education and research system, by undertaking a broad consideration of how we fund, monitor and regulate universities to ensure they can continue to bring widespread benefits to the UK.

“Breakaway” journals launched by resigning editorial boards often outperform their “zombie” predecessors that retain the brand but lose the community. doi.org/10.1016/j.re...

Have you watched the recording of our recent webinar, in association with @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social, where @profellenstu.bsky.social, Prof Ann Marie Gray, Prof Kath Checkland & Dr Lorelei Jones explored how the 4 UK nations are approaching health policy? Watch now🎥➡️ acss.org.uk/news/watch-w...

I fear Labour people risk falling into an ecological fallacy visible from space when reacting to these results. Here is what is very clear in results so far: Labour are losing *seats* to Reform, but... Labour are losing *votes* to the Greens Greens split the vote, Ref comes thru middle

I love voting, obviously, and am always sentimental about it. When I was 14 I wrote earnest essays in Standard Grade Modern Studies about how wonderful it would be to have the new Scottish Parliament. (1/2)

This opportunity for a fantastic *funded* PhD with two exceptional health historians, makes me want to do another PhD. I've got a bit much on, so am selflessly sharing it for others to consider.

Dr Hannah J. Elizabeth@sexhistorian.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Do you know someone fantastic who'd like to do a health history PhD? Get them to apply to come and work with me and @tortietabby.bsky.social at Strathclyde! #HistMed www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/...

I'm excited to share a new paper that's now available OA in Signs: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... We put forward a framework for a “feminist abortion,” which aspires to centre the person seeking abortion and their needs & to factoring in the power structures in which they are situated.

Framing a Feminist Abortion | Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society: Vol 51, No 4

Abstract With reproductive health and rights actively under attack, it is critical to support researcher and activist communities in pushing beyond basic access. In this article we propose a framework...

journals.uchicago.edu

My friend (<- they don't get to deny this) @sexhistorian.bsky.social is advertising for a PhD stipend. It's an amazing project at an amazing department with amazing supervisors, and if you know anyone suitable, let them know. www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/...

In today's @healthmod.bsky.social meeting we had a very constructive conversation (prompted by @profkatsmith.bsky.social & @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social) about not using 'NEET' as a noun. The 'NEET rate' is, I think, similarly problematic (and sounds unhappily like an infectious disease).

Resolution Foundation@resolutionfoundation.org · 3mo ago

The UK’s NEET rate was already high by EU standards in 2019, and has risen further since. So, simply reversing recent trends alone must not be the limit of policy makers’ ambitions. Read our latest report examining the UK's rising NEET rate➡️ buff.ly/gABGpwv

A brilliant department of amazing people destroyed, lives upended, careers destroyed, research teams wrecked. All because the government doesn't care and university leadership doesn't value anything beyond income & expenditure. What is the point of a society that doesn't value the arts & humanities?

Thanks again to the Academy for pulling together last week's webinar, and to dream team of Kath Checkland, Ann-Marie Gray and Lorelei Jones for sharing fascinating insights from the other UK healthcare systems.

Academy of Social Sciences@acadsocsciences.bsky.social · 4mo ago

ICYMI: In our recent webinar, in association with @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social, Will Hutton, @profellenstu.bsky.social, Prof Ann Marie Gray, Prof Kath Checkland & Dr Lorelei Jones shared their insights into what the 4 UK nations can learn from each other on health policy. acss.org.uk/news/watch-w...