Notice that @aptshadow.bsky.social ’s Children of Time is 99p on kindle in the UK. If you have any interest in SF and haven’t read it, this is a no-brainer.

I have gained some understanding of my own writing process…

This is lovely by (the writer) Tom Cox about his mum's art: www.tom-cox.com/the-magic-ro...

Gloomy but probably right…

One of the great musicians: RIP Jack deJohnette…https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/oct/27/jack-dejohnette-versatile-jazz-drummer-miles-davis-fusion-dies-aged-83

This is… more than nothing? www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

This is a good thing…

Signal amplification:

This from Dame Julia Black is good, although I’d like to hear more about the non-economic value of higher education. www.ft.com/content/3162...

‘Sweet bleeding Mithras, take some fucking pride in your work’ is my new motto.

Useful-looking resources for early career philosophers: bpa.ac.uk/resources-fo...

On what is a really difficult day, here are some resources for our trans friends and allies. Solidarity 💜 goodlawproject.org/resource/sup...

Not read Elizabeth Bear? This is ace (and the sequel, Machine, is even better).

When I worked in UK academia I recall hearing of a Japanese man who was baffled at how Britain had decided to run its universities like firms. “Why? Your universities are excellent and your firms are terrible.”

This is a humane and thoughtful review of what sounds like an important but frustrating book.

Philosophy at Lancaster will soon become part of the new School of Global Affairs, and the university is advertising for a head of school: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLU693/h...

Signal enhancement (could cover political theory/philosophy): www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

I'm running another webinar for anyone interested in studying a fully online PhD in Education and Social Justice within an international cohort @edreslancaster.bsky.social on Monday evening www.lancaster.ac.uk/events/phd-e.... You'll have an opportunity to hear about the PhD and ask questions.

Authors, if you see this, it's a sign to post the first line of your book. 'Reasoning with autobiography is a way to self-knowledge.'

RIP Robert Paul Wolff (leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2025/01...). I had a sort of love-hate relationship with his In Defence of Anarchism during my PhD work, and later really enjoyed the episodic autobiography he posted on his blog. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him.

Signal amplification: potentially includes AI ethics topics.

6. And, worse, the concentration of a smaller number of studentships in a few large grants and in the favoured universities who get studentships is a huge barrier to access. Arts and humanities PhDs shouldn't be a hobby for people who can independently afford them. 7/7

5. Is this a good idea? No, I don't think so. Arts and humanities PhDs are typically individual passion projects, not parts of large labs; and that's where we get the next generation of researchers and teachers in our disciplines. 6/?

Why are the AHRC doing this? My speculation: they're worried about demonstrating 'value for money' to government, and think it'll be easier with big headline projects and collaborations outside HE than with a lot of individual PhDs. 5/?

b) A few grants for large multi-year projects involving 20-30 PhD students, along the lines of a scientist's lab. c) Some individual studentships distributed to universities to award (0-3 per university per year). 4/?

3. But all this is about to change. After this year's studentship competition (to start October 2025), there will be much less money for studentships and no consortia. What funding there is will go to: a) More awards for PhDs working with non-higher-ed institutions. 3/?

2. They currently outsource the decisions about who gets these, and their administration, to groups of universities called consortia. EG Lancaster (where I work) is part of the NWCDTP along with Liverpool, Manchester, Manchester Met, Keele, Salford, and the Royal Northern College of Music. 2/?

Changes to AHRC funding of UK PhDs in arts and humanities: news seems to be spreading, so here's what I think we know. 1. The AHRC is the major funder of studentships to do a PhD in the arts and humanities in the UK. 1/?

Praise for my mum Gillian Clark, who is indeed excellent: liverpooluniversitypress.blog/2024/10/15/n...