Reminder: applications open for a funded doctoral position (2026-2929) with me at Campion Hall, University of Oxford. For those working in the field of ECOTHEOLOGY via systematic, political or applied theology approaches. See here: lsri.campion.ox.ac.uk/news/applica...

Having had a day to think through everything about El-Fattah, here's where I stand. Yes, it's possible to believe all of these things at once! In fact, it really shouldn't be that hard.

Politicians are terrified of an electorate they think is far more authoritarian and angry and right wing than it actually is, because they are out of touch because the literal media - the thing that mediates between public and polity - is corrupted

I already agree with this in principle - citizenship is an untouchable status or it is nothing - but also for reasons of prudence. “The Home Sec can revoke citizenship when he/she deems someone’s online output sufficiently offensive” is a v dangerous precedent to set with Reform leading all polls.

Unlocking Britain’s potential must be one of the most overworked metaphors in our politics and, I would guess, one of the more misleading. It suggests there’s a simple mechanism to transforming our prospects. Much like the ‘levers of government’ which @pollymackenzie.bsky.social critiqued recently.

'On the "bitter cold" Christmas Day of 1830, Mary Ann Macham arrived in North Shields, the northern English fishing port that would become her unlikely home; the endpoint of a 4,000-mile journey filled with fear, courage and a superhuman determination to be free.'

The lack of coverage is disturbing

Two Jews meet at Ben Gurion Airport. One is arriving with his family to live, the other is leaving. Both cite security concerns. I've written for @theobserveruk.bsky.social about Bondi — and whether there is anywhere Jewish people can feel safe.

We hear so much of the chronic massive violence of our times and the horrors and atrocities. But @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social reminds us that in all the places that feature on our news for this reason, there are stupendous acts of courage, some spontaneous, some the daily decision to keep going…

Post-doc positions: "Academic freedom is under pressure today. This requires rescue havens of free research. ... [we] invite early career researchers, whose work is restricted due to political pressure in the USA..." uni-freiburg.de/frias/call-f...

A new 3-year JRF in Theology and Religion at Oxford, based at Trinity College. Applications due 21 January! www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/vacancies

There were 2 Labour Cabinet Ministers last week on TalkTV Harry Cole slot which plans to invite back an overt racist who'd ban the Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor, Leader of the Opposition & Deputy Speaker from parliament & all blacks, Asians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims & Sikhs from the civil service!

60,000 is the *low end* estimate.

Now reading… ‘Our whole social life is sick and is in need of a physician’ said William Temple at the opening of the Malvern Conference, 1941.

That the leadership refuses to see this risk, and continues to double down on it, all the while abetting, rather than effectively challenging, the moves to make racism acceptable again, is why a change at the top urgently needed for the sake of the country.

Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252: Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email. Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

Is runaway welfare spending to blame for the Chancellor's fiscal challenges? We dig into the numbers⤵️

And we're off! UUK's Research & Innovation conference with panels on REF2029 are now underway, as pause transitions into the forward march toward November 2028, and beyond. 1/n

UK evangelicalism (in all its variety) is not US evangelicalism (in all its variety) despite some connections, in its relative size & power or approach to electoral politics (apart from other differences).

Just under a week to get your paper proposals in!

Looks like England could take some lessons in mentality from the West Indies men’s team… #Ashes

If it were steel works we would have a government bailout plan, yet losing thousands of jobs at unis is met with a shrug. & unlike steelworks universities were profitable when they had foreign students. You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports… HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!

PhD Scholarship Opportunity in Ecotheology www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPS879/d...

'Farage has suggested that it is simply inconceivable that anyone could recall such events of over four decades ago,” Bankole said. “I would simply ask: can a victim of such abuse ever forget? I know I haven’t forgotten.' www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

It is alleged that Nigel Farage aged 16-18 (1980-82) vocally objected to the number of Patels at Dulwich College. A fellow pupil remembers him burning the booklet on these grounds. The Guardian shows that this witness testimony aligns with the names + stats in the 1980 yearbook

Despite KS’ unpopularity it feels significant that the PM is saying this?

“As an organisation that has proudly welcomed transgender women into our membership for more than 40 years, this is not something we would do unless we felt that we had no other choice.”

We are delighted to see History & Archaeology at University of Chester launch its MA in Public Archaeology. You can find out more about it on their website chester.ac.uk/study/course... and in this podcast creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/....

Unfortunately the HE 2025 ballot failed at 39% turnout. I have written about why and about what desperately needs to change in UCU's national structures off the back of this result. Some HEC members need to chi up and understand their role in all this, and how disconnected they are from members.

oh damn (it's almost like we need the arts? to survive?)

The Chancellor has scrapped the two-child limit, benefitting more than half a million families. In April 2025, out of families impacted by the limit: - 6 in 10 had 3 children. - 6 in 10 had at least one person in work. - And 6 in 10 are receiving a health or disability benefit.

Last week I checked in on a friend, someone who I thought would be one of the very last immigrants (who have any other options) to leave Germany, only to find that they and their family are already in the process of leaving. Their explicit reason: the rise of fascism. Very, very disturbing times.

'Vast swathes of Europe’s water reserves are drying up, a new analysis using two decades of satellite data reveals, with freshwater storage shrinking across southern and central Europe, from Spain and Italy to Poland and parts of the UK.'

"Far­age has already changed the UK (for the worse) more than any other liv­ing politi­cian. What might the coun­try look like after a period with him in office?" Martin Wolf, today's FT

Do you appreciate this sort of journalism based on research, written by researchers and scientists, and made available for free on our website and for free republication by any other website? If so, please support our work! Today donations are matched! donate.theconversation.com/us?utm_campa...

What are the legal implications of Labour’s new asylum reforms? Former permanent secretary of the Government Legal Department @sirjjkc.bsky.social examines some of the main legal implications of the proposals www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/lega...

“Did Nathan Gill ever say anything you disagree with in return for his bribes from a Kremlin stooge?” “Did you, in your roles as his boss, friend, mentor & party leader, ever question his full-throated support for an enemy of the UK and if not, why not?” You can have those for nothing, lads.

Latest update from @britishlibrary.bsky.social says they are launching a new version of their main catalogue on Monday 8 December and around that time also launch an interim version of their Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Hooray! www.bl.uk/stories/news...

It was non-contrastive account of divine transcendence day on Monday…

The Home Secretary says "we have become the destination of choice in Europe, clearly visible to every people smuggler and would-be illegal migrant across the world" That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims

Remembering talking to a Chilean refugee who had finally been able to visit Chile after decades in UK. "It was nice, but it is a different country now." She had put down roots in the UK and raised a family. Her life was, and is, here. This is the human reality that Mahmood and Labour want to destroy

Reading for the train journey this morning.

Additional challenge for Archbishops in C of E: you don’t actually run the Church of England (no one person does) but people think you do.

Weakening sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers via temporary status ignores all the terrible lessons of the C20th about the vulnerability of these people and the readiness of governments to treat them as less than human. 1/2 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

My dear friend and colleague Anthony Reddie, Professor of Black Theology at Oxford, and I are returning to Gladstone’s Library in North Wales next year to lead a weekend class on James Baldwin, race, religion, and literature. May 1-3. Please join us in this wondrous place! @orbisbooks.bsky.social

One to bookmark. Was just teaching Elizabeth Johnson this morning…

Great to see this hard work be covered beyond religious correspondents

‘“In the United Methodist tradition, we have something called connectionalism…”’