Brief respite from my usual Today programme gripes: Michael Palin describing York-Edinburgh as his favourite UK rail journey and Nick Robinson picking crossing the silvery Tay to Dundee.

Nearly two years I’ve worked at UoG and still never not lost when in the Gilbert Scott

Final journey of my (ill-advised, but fun) 4 confefences in 4 weeks is the ferry home from ESA midterm conference in Belfast. There’s a very energetic kids pirate disco on the ferry, and I’m listening to them screeching Pink Pony Club in unison.

Seagull attacks are an inordinately divisive issue in every local Facebook group I've ever been part of in Scotland. But yeah, the country also just made a fundamental change to the justice system

An actual quote from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’ Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'

I know there are worse toilet situations these days but good lord, how am I meant to discern that this is the ladies? Even when wearing a skirt I… also have two legs?

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high? My new post open.substack.com/pub/inequali... , and also my take on More or Less this morning at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Everything in the news and on here feels quite awful just now, but after the school run this morning I stood still for a minute and a bunch of long-tailed tits started shouting at each other and it was lovely. So here‘s a hasty photo of one of them.

1/3. Three #equity/ #healthinequalities outputs from @ukhsa.bsky.social worth looking through, as part of HEHPI (health equity in health protection initiative). First this report on #inclusive approaches to #healthprotection. www.gov.uk/government/p...

As he prepares to retire from @uofglasgow.bsky.social after nearly 40 years, @uofgvc.bsky.social Anton Muscatelli discusses HE leadership Scottish sector funding, and research culture. Interview by @jgro-the.bsky.social: www.timeshighereducation.com/depth/anton-...

I am concerned about silence of gvt ministers & others to defend basic anti-racism norms in last 6 weeks. They seem muted by their anxious inability to separate legitimate politics from prejudice & hate. Anti-violence norms - civil war is inevitable, so support violence - really should be simpler.

Thrilled that our own @profellenstu.bsky.social has been appointed to the REF Main Panel C (Social Sciences) as an Interdisciplinary Expert for both the Criteria Setting & Assessment Phases 💪 The Panel will work to ensure that assessments of research are coherent across disciplinary areas 🤓

Conflation in Streeting's remarks btwn regaining public trust and informing patient choice makes no sense on any reading of the evidence about either public trust or patient choice in the NHS. I hoped to be further on in my career before I would start bleating about health policy groundhog day.

Thinking of my former colleagues today, having to strike in welcome week. It must feel particularly shit when they would much rather be properly welcoming the brilliant new students arriving.

Rentier economy. 61% of England local authority budgets spent on social care, mostly privatised. Adult social care providers profit margin up to 42%. Children's care homes, 23%. Money buys less. Front line services suffer. Political paralysis: No major party plans to end to privatisation.

Quite shocked, and genuinely confused, to see the saltire hanging the length of a street in Yoker today. Quality of photo reflects how perturbed I was.

New Scottish Parliament poll tracker, incorporating yesterday's @moreincommonuk.bsky.social polling. Thanks to 12 marginal holds and 3 marginal gains, the SNP match their 2021 result. Seats (+/- 2021): SNP: 64 (-) Lab: 18 (-4) Ref: 16 (+16) LD: 11 (+7) Con: 10 (-21) Grn: 10 (+2) Alba: 0 (-) 1/4

Well done, Professors James Chalmers, Campbell Leith, Melanie Simms, Ellen Stewart and Michele Burman, who have been named as REF2029 Panellists. They will play a key role in shaping the REF to support the higher education sector. www.gla.ac.uk/news/headlin...

Unclear whether this is from the poster authors or a passing H-index hater

🚨Job Klaxon🚨 Seeking a post-doc for 5 years (!) on our brand new @medicinewithoutdoctors.org project! #Abortioncare, #StructuralInjustice and #EpistemicInjustice www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOI108/p...

Excellent start to the Satellite Meeting in Siena on Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Approaches in Social Complex Systems Research with a warm welcome from Prof Robin Purshouse. Part of @css-conference.bsky.social #CCS2025

Morning set up at @css-conference.bsky.social for @anamelopsi.bsky.social session on mixed methods for complexity. In a conference heavy in CS and maths am excited to be in a room with COLOURFUL STUFF!

🚨 New research blog alert 🚨 UofG's @silviab.bsky.social shares her research on the differences in how young women and men enagage in politics via both electoral and non-electoral activities - read her fascinating insights now! 👇 www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/researc... @uofgsocsci.bsky.social

Milan, Lucca and Siena by train has been wonderful, but my phone photos are almost exclusively train bins (which delight my son), and a chronicle of hotel coffee machines I have failed to produce coffee from.

🚲 The GALLANT project is looking for adults (18+) in Glasgow to join the Cycle Nation Trial - a free programme to support people cycling again! Register your interest ➡️ tinyurl.com/2svs6yf5

Excited to be in Siena for the @css-conference.bsky.social Satellite Meeting on Qualitative & Mixed-Methods Approaches in Social Complex Systems Research! Our own Prof Robin Purshouse is co-organiser, and members of @healthmod.bsky.social will be presenting. Looking forward to great discussions😀

Given the proposals on patient feedback in the NHS 10 year plan for England, it is worth saying that NHS Scotland has used @careopinion.org.uk for over 10 years now. How's it going? Here's an independent report from the Specialist Cancer Charities Group: www.careopinion.org.uk/blogposts/12...

Plans for finishing conference slides on the 7 hour train to Milan looking ambitious, as the uni travel agency managed to book me a seat in an ‘area allegro’ where we are encouraged to ‘travel joyfully with positive mood’.

Working with SIPHER's brilliant Community Panels to map their local housing systems (in Fife, Bury & Rochdale, and Manor & Castle in Sheffield) was my favourite SIPHER experience. This paper by @lisagarnham.bsky.social shows how their insights reshaped our understanding of housing & health.

Housing isn’t just about bricks & mortar—it shapes health. A new SIPHER Consortium paper highlights the importance of community insights. The authors are continuing related work in their current roles with @healthmod.bsky.social

New paper with @lisagarnham.bsky.social @profellenstu.bsky.social & @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social finds housing 3Cs (context, cost, condition) are recognised by researchers, policymakers & publics but only lived experience accounts centre a 4th C—control: journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jc...

📣 Article alert! Excellent new piece on *lived experience* as a form of evidence from our very own @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social & a colleague @haylesben.bsky.social 👏 #OpenAccess in Policy & Politics now 👉 bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Just out in the @theguardian.com - Why routinely disclosing the ethnicity of police suspects is a very dangerous step to take: share.google/c4CHgFvFU7NS...

If you're going to #WigtownBookFest, check out events with four of our academics! Alice Mah, Jim Phillips and Dominic Hinde @uofgsps.bsky.social and Fabrice Renaud @uofgdumfries.bsky.social will read from their books and discuss what inspired them. www.wigtownbookfestival.com/uploads/file...

This font used on the gateposts of the former Haghill Public School in the East End of Glasgow is just superb. Cont./ #glasgow #oldschool #glasgowschools #font #architecture #glasgowbuildings #haghill #architecturephotography

Are you passionate about shaping policy to improve workforce health and reduce inequalities? We're looking for a Senior Fellow to lead a high-impact programme of work focused on employment, welfare and health. Find out more and apply by 23.00 on 25 August ⬇️ https://bit.ly/3ISMRIb

We're looking for a Policy Fellow to join our team. Focusing on NHS reform, you'll explore how the organisation of the NHS, regulation, payment systems and other policy levers can drive change, improve services and reduce health inequalities. Apply by 23.00 on 20 August ⬇️ https://bit.ly/41oDgzb

Keep mindlessly trying to open over-by-over cricket coverage. This summer has been immeasurably improved by that exceptional test series and now feels oddly empty (and miss looking at Shubman Gill’s face, TBH).

Sociology of Health & Illness is recruiting three new Editorial Board members, with particular interest in quantitative sociology, global contexts and health inequalities. Please do help us get the word out: closes this week (Fri 2nd). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...

We have an opening for a one-year Sociology Lectureship in Glasgow focused on teaching the sociology of class. Please share it with anyone interested. www.jobs.gla.ac.uk/job/lecturer...

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh also had exceptional links with slavery, including owning a plantation for a period. NHS Lothian Charity has done some impressive and thoughtful work with the Health Board on this shameful history: org.nhslothian.scot/aboutus/atla...

We've frustratingly allowed "real world" to become a deceptive synonym for "observations we happened haphazardly to make". I'd say half the studies that come to me now, the majority of which are useful but modest clinical audits, will have "real world" in the proposal title. It's magic!

Really recommend this from two of the most thoughtful writers on these topics. I made time to read it before my day of reviewing and today's reviews are better for it.

Back from holiday, during which IT kindly replaced my laptop keyboard so I am returning refreshed AND newly able to insert ? and the number 6 into my emails and writing.

So close to York and @easp-spa-2025.bsky.social but so far. zooming past this morning as we take advantage of being able to go on holiday in first week of school holidays for first time since I joined the Exec pre-covid!

Advance notice of these sessions, aimed at early career researchers and organised by @thesociologicalreview.org. They take place here in Glasgow in November.

Sending solidarity to my friends @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social on strike today against crap management. Picketing in sunshine not snow must be a strange feeling!

Super looking forward to the new marketing taglines on all the (badly) targeted adverts I get for UG degrees.

My @uofgsocsci.bsky.social colleague Ben has a brilliant new paper out on the English NHS and international commercialisation. Given some of the "healthcare state" rhetoric around spending review last week, highly recommend a read of this. globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Jobs in our growing, supportive @uofgussp.bsky.social dept. We’re really looking forward to @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social joining the fold this summer.