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Graham Smith

@graham-oh.bsky.social

320 followers 160 following 15 posts

Professor of Oral History. UCU member.

Political science 31%

Environmental science 23%

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Graham Smith @graham-oh.bsky.social · 10d

There are more people in Newcastle waiting for Greggs to open of a morning than weird UKIP managed to get on Saturday's sad shambles.

A bedraggled group of inadequate fascists wander through Newcastle with crosses and banners. Before being met by thousands of ordinary citizens who said they were not welcome.

Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 11d

What has Yvette Cooper’s proscription of Palestine Action done to this country?

Beyond absurd. It’s extreme authoritarianism. These police should be arresting rapists & crooks, not neglecting those duties to spend time arresting citizens standing against genocide.

It undermines police and the law.

Reposted by Graham Smith

Wendy Ugolini @wugolini.bsky.social · Jul 30

My book, 'Wales in England 1914-1945. A Social, Cultural, & Military History', is currently available at a more affordable price (✨️58% off✨️). How ideas of Wales and Welshness influenced two generations of English soldiers & writers:
www.amazon.co.uk/Wales-Englan...

Reposted by Graham Smith

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Jul 10

Scottish NSS results: 'Overall satisfaction in Scotland for 2025 was 80.7%, up from 78.1% in 2024. Satisfaction levels began to decline in 2020, when the overall rate in Scotland was 85%.'

University satisfaction rising but still trails pre-Covid level

Data from the National Student Survey suggests that Scottish universities are continuing to recover from a falloff in satisfaction in 2020.

www.heraldscotland.com

Reposted by Graham Smith

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Jul 10

Interesting bit of research from @ersatzben.bsky.social suggesting QR funding is really critical for supporting interdisciplinary research
johnsonb.substack.com/p/what-actua...

What Actually Counts as Interdisciplinary Research?

A data-driven look at which funders support knowledge integration

johnsonb.substack.com

Reposted by Graham Smith

rs21 Edinburgh @rs21edinburgh.bsky.social · Jun 20

Edinburgh University want to impose £140m in cuts as part of their "more students, fewer staff" policy. Edinburgh staff and students say "an end to unethical university governance"

Reposted by Graham Smith

UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · Jun 9

Join us on this Wednesday 11 June for a big demonstration in Newcastle! @ucu.org.uk @ducu.bsky.social @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social

Reposted by Graham Smith

UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · May 26

As the university's management escalates by pressing ahead with up to 38 compulsory redundancies, after losing over 260 of our colleagues through voluntary severance, our membership’s clear message remains: STOP this. Members are upset angry and aghast by the behaviour of university management.

Reposted by Graham Smith

Gareth Millward @millieqed.bsky.social · May 26

I'll be going through the process of making this open access, but for those who do have permissions through their libraries - this came out today.

Some thoughts on the history of disability benefits and where UBI sits in that lineage. 🗃️

bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

bristoluniversitypressdigital.com

Reposted by Graham Smith

Bruno J. Navarro @brunojnavarro.bsky.social · May 26

“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work,” Clegg said. “And by the way if you did it in Britain and no one else did it, you would basically kill the AI industry in this country overnight.”

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

www.theverge.com

Reposted by Graham Smith

Migration Museum @migrationmuseum.org · May 14

Are you working in museum collections, digital storytelling, or projects featuring migration history? Join us for the first event in the Migration Network series, focused on how digital tools are being used to document and share migration stories through collections work.

A panel of five diverse speakers sit on a small stage in front of an audience at the Migration Museum. One speaker on the far right is holding a microphone and speaking, gesturing with his hand. The other panelists are listening attentively. The background features historical black-and-white photographs and a blue wall with the words "MIGRATION MUSEUM" in white text. The audience is seated facing the panel.

Reposted by Graham Smith

Kay Crosby @kaycrosby.bsky.social · May 7

Trade Unions 4 Trans Rights event this morning @newcastleucu.bsky.social

External shot of a crowd being addressed by a speaker

Reposted by Graham Smith

Grant Buttars @gbuttars.bsky.social · May 1

I stand by this. Solidarity with fellow workers is the first principle of trade unionism. An injury to one is an injury to all. reclaimucu.wordpress.com/2025/04/30/s...

Statement on NEC Meeting of 2 May 2025

On Friday, members of Unite UCU will be taking the final day of an unprecedented six weeks of industrial action. It is also the penultimate NEC meeting before Congress. One of the core principles o…

reclaimucu.wordpress.com

Reposted by Graham Smith

Grant Buttars @gbuttars.bsky.social · Apr 7

Fight for every job! @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk

University of Edinburgh staff balloted on strike action over £140 million budget cuts

Staff at the University of Edinburgh are being balloted on industrial action in a dispute over the university’s plans to slash £140 million from…

www.heraldscotland.com

Reposted by Graham Smith, Mike Rowe

UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · Apr 7

Een vote amongst staff shows trust in the current leadership is incredible low.

Reposted by Graham Smith, Mike Rowe

Durham UCU @ducu.bsky.social · Apr 1

The results are IN for our industrial action ballot! On a 64.0% turnout (our highest ever confirmed %age), 72.2% of voters said they were prepared to strike, with 81.2% prepared to engage in action short of strike.

So what's next? Well. The employer knows where to find us. Time for a chat, perhaps?

Graham Smith @graham-oh.bsky.social · Mar 24

Crossed the picket line that you couldn't visit then.

Reposted by Graham Smith, Mike Rowe

Cardiff UCU @cardiffucu.bsky.social · Mar 24

“This is an insult to the 1400 academic staff still at risk of redundancy."

nation.cymru/news/vice-ch...

Vice Chancellor wants to avoid Senedd scrutiny on massive cuts programme

Martin Shipton Former Education Minister Leighton Andrews has accused Cardiff University’s Vice Chancellor of seeking to delay an appearance before the Senedd’s Education Committee until after final d...

Reposted by Graham Smith, Mike Rowe

UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · Mar 23

Monday morning we continue to show our management we don’t accept their approach. Why would we trust them to get us out of this when they are the ones who got us in this? Join your pickets 8 to 11 am. Check your email or section WhatsApp for section days.

Reposted by Graham Smith, Céline Bessière, Allyn Fives , and 2 more Graham Smith, Céline Bessière, Allyn Fives, Pablo Piccato, Johanna Siméant

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · Mar 20

Letter signed by members of the Columbia History Department urging resistance to the Trump Administration's efforts to dictate university policy.

"Should this control be realized, here or elsewhere, it would make any real historical scholarship, teaching, and intellectual community impossible."

Reposted by Graham Smith, George McKay

UEA UCU says join a union @uea-ucu.bsky.social · Mar 17

📣REMINDER FOR UEA UCU MEMBERS!
📣Our industrial action will begin with a day of strike action on Wednesday 26th March.
📣We will commence continuous action short of a strike (ASOS) from this date.
📣Further details to follow. #SaveUEA #UKHE

Reposted by Graham Smith

Voice of Witness (VOW) @voiceofwitness.org · Mar 12

📢 Exciting news: Voice of Witness is looking for dedicated individuals to join our Board of Directors and contribute to our impact.

Interested in supporting community-based storytelling, oral history, and education for justice?

#Nonprofit #NonprofitBoard #BoardofDirectors #NonprofitLeadership

Graphic shares an open call for new board of director members

Reposted by Graham Smith, Ana‐Maria Bliuc

Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · Mar 11

Today, Shane O’Neill, our interim Principal announced the University of Dundee needs to cut 632 jobs to be financially sustainable.

Also there are 237 vacancies (in part due to the recruitment freeze since Nov).

That’s 870 colleagues from 3200. OVER A QUARTER!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dundee University to cut 632 jobs to plug £35m deficit

The University and College Union condemned the

Reposted by Graham Smith

Rob Hawkes @robbhawkes.bsky.social · Mar 10

moneyontheleft.org/2025/01/16/u...

UK Universities in Crisis? Time to Transform Higher Ed Finance

by Rob Hawkes and Scott Ferguson Universities in the UK are in crisis. Job cuts in the sector are reaching ‘cataclysmic’ levels, with an estimated 10,000 already lost and many more at risk. Just da…

moneyontheleft.org

Graham Smith @graham-oh.bsky.social · Mar 7

Can you work out the relationship between branch and national leadership? Because my branch has leadership can.

Graham Smith @graham-oh.bsky.social · Mar 7

Well, we have people joining our branch. And I guess you'd describe our branch leadership as on the left. But let's see if your confidence is merited. I doubt it.

Graham Smith @graham-oh.bsky.social · Mar 7

OK you've "rooted out" the left what is the mass recruitment plan?

Reposted by Graham Smith

Gwyn McClelland @gwynjapan.bsky.social · Feb 25

Is anyone interested in reviewing Emotional Labour in Oral History Research: The Hidden Toll by Jennifer Harding and Verusca Calabria for our journal 'Studies in Oral History'? feel free to send me a PM if so! #oralhistory @ohcollective.bsky.social @oralhistoryvic.bsky.social

Reposted by Graham Smith

Oral History Collective @ohcollective.bsky.social · Feb 12

The UK’s children’s social care system has long faced challenges—from rising demand to quality concerns.
🔎Caring Communities: Rethinking Children’s Social Care explores its history to shape the future

📖 Read more: blogs.ncl.ac.uk/oral-history...
#SocialCare #HistoryOfCare #OralHistory

Oral Histories of Care: Caring Communities | The Lug

blogs.ncl.ac.uk

Reposted by Graham Smith

Rhiannon Lockley (she/her) is on ASOS @illdoitanyway.bsky.social · Feb 8

A weekend read!
Union democracy is key to our future as UCU. Following on from the VP hustings this week, I have set out some key issues.

rhiannonforucuvp.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/d...

Democracy in UCU: hustings, problems, and doing the work to build

As UCU members fill in their ballot papers for this year’s cycle of NEC, trustee and officer elections, debate has come round, as it does, to the matter of union democracy. This week, husting…

rhiannonforucuvp.wordpress.com