Random musings on joy in academia (from my personal point of view) - i.e. is it possible, what is it worth, does it matter? open.substack.com/pub/rachelle...

New article, ‘Tense Concepts: Obstetric Violence, Structural Injustice and Moral Injury’ published online today in ‘Gender and Justice’ ➡️➡️ bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

The real world isn’t carved up into disciplines. Revolutionary thinkers know this

Counterpoint: Women are ahead of the curve on knowing AI is bullshit. www.ft.com/content/7f0f...

If you reply to emails at the same rate that they arrive, then email numbers and email arrival rate will increase and increase until that is all you do. Take. Your. Time. Life is the things you do inbetween emails.

Finally some sense, lol.

So I’ve written a short piece (approx 1400 words but could be cut down) on ‘The Question of Joy’ in academia. Any ideas or tips about where I might send this? I’ve written for the LSE Impact Blog before but keen to explore other possibilities. Any advice welcomed. Thank you.

Hungary has just passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities.

The university death spiral is everywhere, and for everyone: they're all just on a convoy into the same black hole. Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial excepted, they must all *necessarily and inevitably* end up crushed to the size of an Oxo cube if we go on like this. www.bristol247.com/opinion/your...

We're excited to welcome Sophie-Marie Niang for their talk on "In defence of what’s there: scavenging as queer and feminist methodology" on Monday 12:30. Join us in person ARB S1 or online here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-defence...

First daffodil sighting in Bath. 🩷

Given that the word "women" is on the NSF list of words that flat a proposal for rejection and "men" is not, that seems to be the case. As a women's health researcher this is obviously enormously troubling.

In October, I wrote about how Trump’s potential presidency could impact reproductive rights in Scotland. Never did I think it would be as explicit as the US veep spouting fear mongering, nonsensical lies about Scotland’s buffer zones. www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Write every day for 1 hour. If you miss a writing day add 1 hour to the next. It’s incredible! Tomorrow I’m writing for 7 years.

The one thing that has made my university experience a good one is the staff on the philosophy team. The lecturers and staff at the university ARE WHAT MAKE THE UNIVERSITY. Their plans to cut over 50% of staff are morally horrendous and will lead to the downfall of the university as a whole

ALERT! We’re reviewing applications for FULL membership of LEX Network Details: lexnetwork.org Look for: ‘membership’ Email: [email protected] @sharronfitz.bsky.social @lsoubise.bsky.social @caitjob.bsky.social @flsjournal.bsky.social @legalgeolsa.bsky.social @aaronjacklin.bsky.social

An arrest warrant has been issued for a New York doctor indicted on Friday by a Louisiana grand jury for allegedly prescribing abortion pills online to a pregnant minor in the Deep South state, which has one of the strictest near-total abortion bans in the country. apnews.com/article/abor...

Lent term Multi-disciplinary Gender Research Seminars start next Monday the 27th, 12:30-1:30 ARB S1. Dr Helen Charman will speak about "Absent Mother States: the emotional afterlives of the British welfare state". Come in person or register online! www.gender.cam.ac.uk/Events/gende...

Here is a statement by my colleague Katherine Franke about the end of her time teaching at Columbia. Please read it. drive.google.com/file/d/1i4cO...

‘Unprecedented’ rise in abortion prosecutions prompts call for law change from medical leaders www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

It doesn't get better than this. Historical Materialism Conference, in Paris, 26-28 June 2025.

Me, a public health person, just sitting over here reflecting on the fact that the US has experienced a 7% increase in infant mortality post-Dobbs. Like, do you realize what that says about this society from an ethical perspective? That we made policy choices that caused this? #PHEthx

I have a new paper out with terrific colleagues including @lachkent.bsky.social — we analysed 857 university workers’ responses to an open-ended survey question about how the institution impacts their wellbeing. link.springer.com/article/10.1... (Unfortunately not open access…) #AcademicSky 🦘🎓

Thank you @sharonlsmith.bsky.social for your book review. You've really captured how the methods featured were often craftily and imaginatively developed 'to carve out spaces and forge productive relationships' of resistance, respect, collaboration + care thesociologicalreview.org/reviews/how-...

What a disgrace the university crisis is. University of York has released 272 staff in an attempt to save £34m. All because of central government's stupid, wasteful and thick policies. www.yorkvision.co.uk/news/difficu...

I wish universities would 'start to ask questions' about how many academic 'leadership' roles they can afford! The proliferation of vice/deputy/pro/associate 'leadership roles' over the last 10-20 years has been quite extraordinary.

Read about our recent research just published. Forgotten histories: what fetal and baby remains tell us about inequality in medical collections theconversation.com/forgotten-hi... via @ConversationEDU

Sorry to have missed this. Looks very nourishing 💗

Dobbs has only worsened the impacts: As I reported for @nbcnews.com last year, abortion bans have also contributed to the closures of maternity wards, in part by driving OB-GYNs from red states, like Idaho: www.nbcnews.com/health/women...

👀 lots of folks QT'ing to say: women — submit your manuscripts! I think what has to come first is: universities, fix your gendered service and teaching inequities, and society, balance out your care work, so women *have time* to write the damn manuscripts. So many women colleagues are BURNT OUT.

“…to think and to thank are essentially the same; the very words derive from the same etymological root.” Hannah Arendt

Maybe one of the reasons there are so many unhinged academics is that in order to keep your job, you’re constantly required to tout yourself as a Scholar of World-Historical Significance, even as your office’s ceiling tiles slowly dislodge themselves to fall on your head.

Absolutely thrilled to be publishing this book, by feminist philosopher, community midwife, and abortion activist Rodante van der Waal: a much-needed account of obstetric violence, abolitionist care, and gestational justice. Available in Open Access with @amsterdamupress.bsky.social

With a brilliant endorsement from @drrchadwick.bsky.social: “Deeply thought-provoking, honest, and humane – this book is intellectual nourishment.” & artwork by the author.

"How do false narratives deployed by the Right, such as threats of regret over abortion or gender transition, act to undermine individual transformation and broader social change?" Check out our latest #CFP on the politics of regret (deadline 5/1/25): signsjournal.org/for-authors/...

Marking some really brilliant 3rd year essays!! Many of my students have clearly become passionately ignited by the topics of repro-politics, repro-criminalisation and obstetric violence!! 🔥

"My thesis supervisor Jürgen Habermas has told me recently he would not have succeeded in today's academia. He has never applied for a grant in his life and he writes long books" - Patrizia Nanz, President of the European University Institute, in a speech today

Texas politicians have filed a bill that intends to reclassify drugs used for reproductive health as controlled substances. Physicians argue that these additional steps puts patients’ lives at risk. StoryReach U.S. @lorenaoneil.com for @lailluminator.bsky.social. pulitzercenter.org/stories/texa...

It important to know the names of women researchers who've been studying, speaking & writing about bias and AI. Dr Timnit Gebru, Dr Rumman Chowdhury, Dr Safiya Noble, Dr Seeta Peña Gangadharan, Dr Buolamwini And many many more within/outside academia. Free link: archive.ph/2023.11.22-1... 👑👑👑

And now we have “abortion trafficking” — yet more womb related criminalization, ffs.

Having a look through this for something I am working on, and it’s such a brilliant collection of chapters! 💗💗 Thank you @camillapickles.bsky.social and @jonathanherring.bsky.social for this book! www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-bi...

Looking forward to our exciting key note event with Sarah Ihmoud, hosted by the Feminist Cities Colab, in person in Rio de Janeiro 16th December!

Just added some newly arrived OBV peeps to this! @annanelson95.bsky.social @luberropizzarossa.bsky.social go.bsky.app/3QyZ7zV

Really enjoying this! A perfect read for decompressing after a busy teaching term.

This #ReclaimTheNight, remember, state driven gender based violence manifested as reproductive violence is not just a consequence of border regimes but a deliberate outcome. By us: 'Borders & Reproductive Violence' for 16 Days of Activism. enddeportationsbelfast.wordpress.com/2024/11/26/b...

Can I mute the word ‘starter pack’ please? 😜

Not me researching the idea of doing a second PhD on a Friday evening… 😂