On the outside, Concorde was a symbol of national genius. On the inside, some government officials were privately calling it a “commercial disaster”. Here’s a thread about political economy, state propaganda, and supersonic transport. 🧵📚✈️

Margaret Thatcher is often remembered as a free-marketeer. But when it came to aerospace and defence procurement, she was more of a British Gaullist. 🧵

With the Treasury's opposition to increasing defence spending in the news, it feels like a timely moment to say that my article, 'The Limits of Economic Liberalism under Thatcher: the cases of defence procurement and aerospace' has been accepted for publication in @conteurohistory.bsky.social.

📢CfA: 2026 Joel A. Tarr #Envirotech Article Prize! The prize recognizes innovative publications that explore new ways of thinking about the interplay between technological systems and the natural environment. Early-career scholars especially encouraged! #histtech #envhist 🗓 Deadline: July 1, 2026

I am thrilled to publish my first journal article in the English Historical Review 🎉 It tells a new story of political change in post-war Britain: rather than a 'neo-liberalism' from without, I argue for an economic liberalism from within 👇 academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...

Next in our seminar series: we will discuss @mrweatherburn.bsky.social’s paper which explores the concept of “Taylorism”, its multiple changes in meaning, and how this reflects generational conflict, particularly from the 1960s. 🗓️ Wed 11 March 15.30-17.00 📍 Strand Building, KCL #histstm

Studying for an MA and PhD at @kingschostm.bsky.social was an incredibly rewarding experience. I was privileged to have a Hans Rausing Scholarship. I recommend this route to anyone interested in studying the history of science, technology, and medicine.

CALL FOR PAPERS - Modern British History and the 'Environmental Turn'. A two-day workshop organised by @maxlong.bsky.social and myself at Lincoln College, Oxford, 16-17 September. Deadline for abstracts is 15 May. Details in poster below, please share.

Delighted to appear on BBC Breakfast this morning to talk about Concorde. I pointed out that Britain and France managed to do something the rest of the world could not do: put a supersonic airliner into regular service. It was also, however, a commercial disaster. www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

It is fifty years today since the first commercial Concorde flight. In light of this, I thought I'd re-up an old piece from me. Most insiders knew Concorde would damage British industry, but ministers pretended otherwise. www.theguardian.com/science/poli...

Good afternoon, #SHOT2025! I just had a chance to catch up w/@sigcisconf.bsky.social friends over lunch, and now I'm in Atelier 4.520 for a session on Critiques of Technology Since WWII. Our first speaker is Eric Schatzberg, who is presenting a typology of postwar critiques of technology.

'The Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy demonstrates why posing a dichotomy between free-markets and industrial strategy is a false one' Our latest #MondayInterview by Tom Kelsey and @adrianpabst.bsky.social is out now - Read it here🔓⬇️ @productivity.bsky.social niesr.ac.uk/blog/uk-indu...

#Skystorians! Join me & the @historylabplus.bsky.social‬ team online on 19 June @12:30 to explore how historical researchers (across all periods) can make themselves more visible to UK policy makers. For details👉 www.history.ac.uk/events/historical-research-and-policy-making & 🧵

Big thank you to Dr @tomkelsey.bsky.social of @ox.ac.uk for expert teaching on how Concorde was green-lit by Macmillan - & escaped culling again and again by Wilson & Heath! Join us this Autumn for our ‘Prime Ministerial Decision-Making’ case study module: thestrandgroup.kcl.ac.uk/module/makin...

Great line up of events this term at the Environmental Humanities Research Hub. Come join us!

We Brits understand our own history as badly as anyone. This looks like a great way to get a more solid handle on our arc since WWII.

Join us in Senate House on 29 January for a special @ihr.bsky.social lecture 'Reflections of an Official Historian' by Sir Lawrence Freedman followed by a round table discussion with panellists including @historianhelen.bsky.social Register below: www.history.ac.uk/events/takin...

Have you heard about our Peer Mentoring Scheme in partnership with the UK Civil Service? We're welcoming applications from policy professionals & eligible @ox.ac.uk researchers to join our next cohort. Apply by 16 December! t.co/yMCYRqwmuY

Want to learn a bit more about the team behind @oxpolicyengaged.bsky.social? This is us! Find out about how we can help policy professionals and academic researchers connect and engage more effectively: t.co/IYP1DmIEs9

I am thrilled to publish my first journal article in the English Historical Review 🎉 It tells a new story of political change in post-war Britain: rather than a 'neo-liberalism' from without, I argue for an economic liberalism from within 👇 academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...