The sheer scale of the reshuffle at the top of the People's Liberation Army once again underscores Xi Jinping’s unchallenged authority at the height of China’s political hierarchy.

Napoleon’s assault and retreat is immortalized in the greatest data visualization of all time (h/t Edward Tufte). Minard’s map shows the march on Moscow in brown, and the retreat in black. The width of these lines is the size of the army. They were already decimated before they reached Moscow.

1/ As Trump goes to Asia, EU leaders threaten to take action on China. Rare earth restrictions may have finally brought the EU out of its slumber. At the same time, Europe pushing for greater free trade agreements with the rest of the world. Will action match words? www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Cities sit at the heart of both the challenges and solutions to climate change. In our new 10-Minute Talk, Harriet Bulkeley FBA considers how urban climate action can chart a path forward, and the questions of ethics, justice and equity it raises for our collective futures https://bit.ly/3L7toVi

There is only one week left to apply for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and The British Academy Knowledge Frontiers Symposium 2026. Find out more and apply: https://bit.ly/4nyWsmv

New post just out: "On the edge" On my unexpected week in hospital and five things I learnt about the state of the NHS. (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/o...

New federal data has revealed a 19% year-on-year decline in international students entering the US in August 2025, including a 45% drop from India, America’s largest sending country. thepienews.com/internationa...

We will be running an ERC Consolidator Grant webinar on 24 November for UK-based researchers in the humanities and social sciences interested in applying for the ERC Consolidator Grants. Find out more and register your interest: https://bit.ly/46RDnVV

Alongside the @royalsociety.org, @raeng.org.uk, @acmedsci.bsky.social we have opened applications for the latest round of the Horizon Europe Pump Priming Collaboration scheme. Funded by DSIT, the programme supports UK researchers in engaging with Horizon Europe. Learn more: bit.ly/42tplbM

The British Academy will run a webinar on 24 Nov for UK-based, humanities and social sciences researchers interested in applying for the ERC Consolidator Grants call. Find out more and register your interest: https://bit.ly/46RDnVV

Huge dinosaur trackway found in the UK www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

"Any “soft” arts subject such as history, English, theology, foreign languages, teaches how to think critically, research effectively, and deepens your understanding of the world: vital skills in our time of disinformation, cults and AI." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It was an honour to give the Hennessy Lecture at the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social on Wednesday. I assessed the commitments Western countries have made to Ukraine’s security and what might happen after a ceasefire. This is the text (and this post is free). samf.substack.com/p/as-long-as...

The British Academy and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation are inviting applications from early-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences to attend a research collaboration symposium on the broad theme of Truth, Justice and Peace in Germany. https://bit.ly/4nyWsmv

Post a favourite econ paper, I'll go first: "Trade, Merchants and Lost Cities of the Bronze Age" by Barjamovic & co-authors. Turns out you can do some pretty incredible stuff with an (almost) four thousand year old dataset! Link: keremcosar.uvacreate.virginia.edu/publications...

Read our response to the Government’s announcement that university maintenance grants will be reintroduced for certain courses, funded through a levy on international student fees https://bit.ly/4gPz7uO

'The symposium aims to incentivise and establish international engagement and collaboration between early career researchers based in Germany and the United Kingdom. This symposium’s theme is "truth, justice and peace".' Open to early career researchers in Humanities & Social Sciences.

The missing link is an urgent review of higher education funding. So much to play for…

Applications for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and The British Academy Knowledge Frontiers Symposium 2026 are now open. The application deadline is 29 October. Find out more: https://bit.ly/4nyWsmv

Feel like we should bring back the old twitter follow friday to boost good people on here who maybe didn't get an initial boost from the starter packs. So follow @psurridge.bsky.social and @profjanegreen.bsky.social - two excellent and thoughtful political scientists.

As the Trump administration is expected to add a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, here's what we know about H1-B visas www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/... 🧵

1/ New report from @bentleyallan.bsky.social's Net Zero Policy Lab: As the US withdraws from green tech industries and pressures allies to follow suit, China is stepping in to power the developing world's energy transition. The scale is staggering. www.netzeropolicylab.com/china-green-...

There are only three weeks left to apply for the Global Innovation Fellowships: The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). The scheme aims to address contemporary European foreign policy challenges with creative and innovative solutions. Apply now: buff.ly/fAhi5yw

Applications for CIFAR Global Scholars Programme are now open. This innovative programme, supported by the British Academy, gives UK-based researchers the opportunity to join one of CIFAR’s interdisciplinary research programs. Find out more: https://bit.ly/4m1Byvd

I'm sorry to not be able to join this year, and cannot recommend this important conference enough. #equitablepartnership

If you are interested in equitable international research partnerships you might like to join our conference exploring this theme

The British Academy is still inviting proposals for the next round of International Interdisciplinary Research Projects. Work with international partners to develop genuinely interdisciplinary projects that range across all SHAPE and STEM disciplines. Apply now: buff.ly/a4f8IWc

We still invite applications from early- to mid-career researchers to Global Innovation Fellowships: The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) offering an opportunity to collaborate with DGAP on various European policy issues. Apply now: buff.ly/fAhi5yw

Applications for the International Writing Workshops close in three weeks. The scheme aims to develop workshops to support early-career researchers from developing countries to enhance their writing skills and professional networks. Apply now: buff.ly/irxm4Jz

UK-based researchers in the humanities and social sciences are invited to our informative ERC Synergy Grants 2025 webinar on 8 September. Draft B1 proposals may be submitted by 1 September at 12:00 for feedback during the session. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4lTTx6x

Working across disciplines? Up two years funding for established researchers with big ideas… closing on 9 Sept (3pm). Fantastic opportunity! www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/apex...

Languages… gateway to going global (and, honestly, so so much more). www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

yes. yes yes. the UK is (not just the originator but) the setting for some of the most popular culture in the world. there is a whole genre of videogames that are set in an imagined Britain. 'soft' power is real economic and even political power.

Agree. One thing that I really liked about @jpspencer.bsky.social’s Labour Together report is it included culture in “growth spending”. So much policy about regional development in the UK basically regards culture, tourism, etc. as distractions from the real work of building trains to nowhere.

Registration of interest for attendance, presentations, and posters is now open for the Second Equitable Partnerships Conference: buff.ly/o4XkjfF  Hosted by South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF), @royalsociety.org, and the British Academy on 3-5 February 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa.

@britishacademy.bsky.social will be running a webinar for UK-based researchers in the humanities and social sciences interested in applying for @erc.europa.eu Synergy Grants on Monday 8 September at 12.00 U.K. time. Register to attend here: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

@britishacademy.bsky.social will be running a webinar for UK based researchers in the humanities and social sciences interested in applying for @erc.europa.eu Starting Grants on Wednesday 24 September at 14.00 U.K. time. Register to attend: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

English universities face a £621mn-a-year hit from a proposed levy on fee income from overseas students - more coverage of this issue today on.ft.com/45iK18l

The British Academy and @dgap.org invite early- and mid-career researchers to apply for the latest Global Innovation Fellowships, focused on key policy themes in collaboration with German partners. Apply now: buff.ly/fAhi5yw

Applications for the International Writing Workshops are still open for researchers seeking to create networking opportunities and increase the uptake of research of international early-career academics based in developing countries. Learn more: buff.ly/OdmgXOf

The British Academy is running an informative webinar on the Monday 8 September for UK-based, humanities and social sciences researchers interested in applying for the ERC Synergy Grants 2025 call. Find out more on our website and register your interest: buff.ly/VHCnyaY

The British Academy is running an informative webinar on the Wednesday 24 September for UK-based, humanities and social sciences researchers interested in applying for the ERC Starting Grants 2025 call. Find out more on our website and register your interest: buff.ly/VHCnyaY

The British Academy is running an informative webinar on the Wednesday 24 September for UK-based, humanities and social sciences researchers interested in applying for the ERC Starting Grants 2025 call. Find out more on our website and register your interest: buff.ly/7jPoDN1

Are you an early- to mid-career researcher with an interest in foreign policy? Apply for the Global Innovation Fellowships: German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and grow your skills and networks in Berlin with @dgap.org peers. Learn more: buff.ly/fAhi5yw

ACADEMIC BOOK SALE I am moving and want to move less books if at all possible... Please get in touch if you are interested in the following titles (all prices include postage and I am open to offers)

Believe it or not, the EU-US trade deal just got messier. The White House has published a fact-sheet about the agreement with claims that directly contradict the European Commission's version of events. Let's take a closer look.

New post from @ldfreedman.bsky.social on Israel's never acknowledged nuclear programme, it's history and why the ambiguity persists. (Free to read) samf.substack.com/p/israels-nu...

NEW WELLCOME REPORT R&D is a driver of domestic economic growth, but there's so much more that strength in science can do for the UK and the world. Our report sets out a wider narrative for UK R&D, and why the UK needs to move on from 'science superpower' wellcome.org/reports/uk-g...