Enjoyed 800 years of North Shields music event last night! "A place that keeps singing quietly, proudly, even when noone is watching"

Something new with Jane Holgate. Bringing together our work around trade union engagements beyond the workplace and particularly the sustained role of community activists. Available here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

My Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship on credit union histories started last week. The SLCU 2025 conference was the perfect place to start at the weekend! Some great workshops and lots of conversations to follow up on. Do get in touch if interested in the work!

Really enjoyed working on this with current PGR - Liv Robinson. We reflect on the archival encounter, with specific comments around industrial violence and working with troubling material: rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

#OpenAccess in The GJ: 'Racialised violence: Riots, space and temporality' by @paulgriffin1.bsky.social et al. This piece forms part of a collection of commentaries reflecting on the UK riots which followed last July's Southport attack. doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky

Went to see this at the weekend and would thoroughly recommend! Very closely connected to Edie Adamson's ongoing PhD research around memories of multiculture at Northumbria, in partnership with The Word in South Shields. www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/f...

Liverpool REM trip comes to a close. A great few days exploring the connections between race, racism and anti-racism in the city, with excellent guest speakers. Always nice to spend time with brilliant colleagues too - @jsclayton.bsky.social and Sarah Peck.

Historical Geographies students were on great form this morning - discussing all things archives and usable pasts. Their historical geography manifestos were great!

📢 Call for abstracts! 'Creating Carceral Atmospheres: Affect, Embodiment and Enclosure' at the RGS-IBG AC2025. Please get in touch with any abstracts or questions! 😄 @rgsibg.bsky.social

A return to Glasgow came at just the right time. A chance to share some ongoing work on unemployment, spatial politics, solidarity, etc. with old friends and meet a great HGRG community. Also an opportunity to continue ongoing credit union conversations. Sabbatical drawing to a close on a high!

Very excited to be part of this Northern Bridge Collaborative PhD!

Great opportunity for a funded PhD studentship @nuglobaldev.bsky.social with me, @paulgriffin1.bsky.social, and Sarah Peck, exploring social dialogue and gender just transitions. Collaboration with Ethical Trading Initiative and Women Working Worldwide www.northernbridge.ac.uk/applyforastu...

We have two NBC PhD studentships advertised for 2025 starts! Projects around working class identity/Sunderland and gender just transitions/food supply chains. Opportunities to work with @jsclayton.bsky.social and @katyjenkins.bsky.social. More info: northernbridge.ac.uk/applyforastu...

Productive archive day. First time visit to the Co-operative Heritage Trust Archive in Manchester. Will certainly be back as we start to think about Mutual Aid Pasts.

Doesn't get much better than Idles on your birthday. Some show last night at Newcastle City Hall.

If you or someone you know might be interested in doing a PhD or Masters+PhD, you can apply for funded opportunities within the NINE DTP Human Geography & Environment, Climate and Sustainability pathways with colleagues at Northumbria. There is more info here: www.findaphd.com/phds/program...

Made the switch. Great to see lots of familiar faces and the possibility of reconnecting with a critical academic (particularly Human Geography!) community again. Will try and share work and thoughts around labour, unemployment, trade unions, community organising, historical geography etc.

"If we can't unionise at Amazon, we have no future": The film [co-directed by Antipode Foundation trustee Brett Story!] about the workers who took on Jeff Bezos and won www.theguardian.com/film/2024/no...