Worth reading. The erosion of universities is not just an institutional problem; it risks diminishing one of the few spaces dedicated to sustained critical reflection on social and political life. newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...

Nearly 6 billion people live in the 101 countries that a study has identified as confronting a net decline in water supply — signaling enormous challenges for food production and a heightening risk of conflict and instability. (Published July 2025)

This can't be true, and yet it is.... Dumping sick people infront of a hospital because they can't afford to pay and are unisured in Kentucky, treated like garbage.. NHS isn't perfect but I feel safer here! youtu.be/rFJsFdgMkYE?...

Dalkeith County Park, beautiful place for a stroll

This flyer popped through my door, no thank you ✋🙅‍♀️

This Guardian piece describes middle men, pretty much trafficking international students for UK universities The reality of the “study abroad” dream isn’t always what it seems, do your homework before committing read up on economic opportunities in the country. www.theguardian.com/education/ng...

Japan Declares "Yakuza" as Intangible Cultural Property With UNESCO Officials described the move as “long overdue recognition of a living tradition,” noting that the yakuza's distinctive aesthetics, extortion, and political influence makes them "living treasures" open.substack.com/pub/tokyopal...

Listen to “The Headlines,” which brings you the biggest stories of the day from the New York Times reporters who are covering them, all in about 10 minutes.

Or in Utrecht, for that matter - we're currently hiring! www.uu.nl/en/organisat...

Thank goodness: Jury finds Meta's platforms are harmful to children in 1st wave of social media addiction lawsuits | PBS News www.pbs.org/newshour/nat...

Been offered a Peer Researcher role with Migration Policy Scotland. Looking forward to working on the Better Mixing project in Scotland all about diversity and belonging. Such wonderful news on Eid. Happy Eid!! 💖

Eid Mubarak 🌙✨ A new ritual in our home: my husband baking these beautiful treats for Eid. I think I may be married to a pastry chef now

JFEC Call for Applications 🇯🇵 The Japan Foundation Endowment Committee (JFEC) invites applications for small grants supporting Japanese Studies research and events at UK universities. Deadline: 15 April 2026 Details & application info: jfecommittee.org.uk/about-us/ @jfecuk.bsky.social

Rewatching Sex & the City. Loved that show portraying women as strong, liberated, independent. Now shocked. Men chasing models normalising beautiful women as “easy”, and blase about non consent. Strange to revisit a once empowering series & how it regurgitated the same stereotypes that harmed women.

I’ve got friends w/ family in Iran, Israel, Emirates. What’s happening isn’t some distant geopolitical nightmare, it’s people’s homes, towns, lives. None of this needs to be happening. May everyone find peace in these uncertain times. 🌍❤️ #Peace #Humanity

The Government wants to make it massively harder for migrants and refugees to get settlement. They are betraying millions of people already living and working here. Email your MP now and tell them to speak out. act.praxis.org.uk/email-mp-con...

This morning, us in Sheffield’s East Asian Studies (and at least one other area) hear the outcomes from the sham “review” conducted by management, and likely how many jobs are at risk. The review promised openness, transparency and engagement with stakeholders. It delivered none of those things.

So the management decision is to restructure with the aim of cutting academic jobs in East Asian Studies. This decision is based on a false narrative of decline and financial unsustainability, despite management’s own figures showing that we continue to generate well in excess of our costs.

Ongoing impact of scholars funded by the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee. Scholar Spotlights showcase how awardees contribute to the study of Japan and Japanese Studies more widely through UK scholars and their innovative and interdisciplinary research. jfecommittee.org.uk/scholar-spot...

A passageway hidden below a dresser at the Merchant’s House Museum in New York City had long been a mystery. It was recently linked to the Underground Railroad. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/15/n...

Nice to help those who somehow stumble onto my academic profile, especially those of us rarely given space in the academy. I was honest and spelled out the reality of pursuing a PhD and to seriously only do it if they can acquire funding,...even then difficult w/ current cuts, closures. Good luck🤞

This one guy went to Japan on exchange, saw how social healthcare actually works, and shifted from Trump to Mamdani. Socialism is widely misunderstood. This validates my research on international exchange in Japan, exposure to difference doesn’t erase it, humanizes it. youtu.be/ICroxl2r1B8%...

This was so sad but touching, the contemplation of quantum mechanics by a Palestinian physicist going through war in Gaza...@radiolab open.spotify.com/episode/11qw...

We love to share stuff about Japan here, but just a reminder that JETwit also has a website. And on that website we post a lot of job openings for those who have connections with Japan. So if you're looking for work, come take a look! jetwit.com/wordpress/ #JobHunt #Jobs #JETwit #JETAA #Japan

This Asian Boss doc was eye-opening as a daughter of Filipino immigrants N. America.Colonisation set up an economy that focused on exporting labour instead of building strong local industries. That pattern never really went away youtube.com/watch?v=lXm5...

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is one of the most existential, contemplative, magically feminist political games I’ve ever played. A meditation on power, solidarity, consequence, and choice. There's divination and sisterhood. I need there to be another game! And longer! share.google/20Ba7bRwbsiv...

How can researchers, especially those who are independent or at small institutions, get the help with the Japan Studies resources they need? NCC’s Outreach Working Group (OWG) supports those without access to comprehensive Japanese library resources! 🤝 📚 guides.nccjapan.org/outreach

“Shot dead” is passive. “murdered” names the actor. Words matter, especially when the state is pulling the trigger.

I have an update on Greenland.

Obsessed with the #CoffeeTalk games, relaxing & comforting. #Lofi music, nice to have it playing in the background with the Seattle rain and presence. Need more games like this, can't wait for the #Tokyo version. Anyone play this and similar #games? www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/...

If we want women to thrive in the economy, we have to stop treating care as a private burden and start seeing it as infrastructure not an add on but a foundation #careEconomy www.instagram.com/reel/DS7p7A6...

'So-called “tradwives”, referring to female content creators who promote traditional gender roles on social media, are another example.' Effective talking point when addressing #gender in my classes. share.google/bQSYxRVpgftG...

#Sheffield Uni staff face lockout & indefinite loss of pay from 5 Jan for legal industrial action. I finished my PhD in #EastAsianStudies once a dedicated school, now dismantled & facing redundancies. These fields matter for #decolonising #knowledge. Please support: gofund.me/8ee86f179 #academia

I have a paper in resubmitting with minor corrections that touches quite heavily on this. #racialisation #identity #sociology

If in #Edinburgh & looking for driving lessons, Vita is very good and makes the lessons entertaining. Exp. Teaching uni students. Automatic lessons! @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social +44 7747 514297 £67.50 per 90mins lesson, if pre paid, non refundable for 6/12/18hrs.(4/8/12 lessons) £270/£530/£765.

Have a colleague looking for tutoring work in #Scotland. He has extensive experience as a Senior Tutor and a strong background in the social sciences, highly adaptable across related subject areas. Needs to stay local. #highered #socialsciences #eastasia #teaching #university

It was the perfect afternoon for a bonfire; warm (for a Scottish November) and no rain. Spruce class had a lovely time snapping kindling, making sparks and singing fireside songs. #LfSEdinburgh

Almost the end of teaching this semester. I have been told I am the best tutor they've had, they like my engagement style in class and that they have truly enjoyed it. 🙇‍♀️ Grateful I can do the job that I do. ❤️👩‍🏫

I know things are bad in terms of recontracting at university but I have a friend that lives locally and teaches on sociology in #Edinburgh and needs work next semester. He's had a position as senior tutor. He knows what he's doing and is very professional. Any job leads on teaching?

Middle East expert needed for interviews and payment will be given www.surveymonkey.com/r/VR77SSQ

@argonautbooks.bsky.social is a world-class bookshop and my go-to for new finds, good horror, feminist work. We bring our friends there when they visit. Leave them alone @waterstones.bsky.social

Attention, UK: "That should mean more job openings for U.S.-born workers, right? Wrong. Over the same period, employers announced more than 946,000 job cuts — the highest year-to-date total since 2020 — while hiring plans have fallen to a 14-year low."

Why not take the fillings from their teeth too? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

My wife Naoko Mabon is working in partnership with a number of artists and arts practitioners to develop a new curatorial initiative by and for Zambia. Please consider supporting and sharing if you can: whydonate.com/fundraising/...

Taught primitive accumulation today,historical moment where people pushed off their land, had to sell crops/labour to survive. Medieval/early-modern cities were swamped by starving crowds begging for food. I said, this must've influenced the image of the zombie. Have to engage them somehow 🧟‍♀️

Just got wind of this Sarajevo human hunters investigation. The idea that civilians were turned into targets for sport is horrifying. Hope there's justice..the world we live in... www.aljazeera.com/video/true-c... www.aljazeera.com/video/true-c...

A small but meaningful academic win today. reviewer 1 described my article as “An interesting and underexplored topic, with extensive and convincing use of literature.” Feeling encouraged as I head into revisions.