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academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back
@academicdiary.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.8K following 340 posts

I teach sociology at the University of Glasgow and my interests are learning, teaching, books, ideas, culture and music.

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Les Back is a professor of sociology at the University of Glasgow and former Director of the Centre for Urban and Community Research at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a researcher and author of books and academic studies on topics including racism, music and urban cultures. .. more

Political science 44%
Sociology 38%
Posts Replies Media Videos

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 8d
Sorry about that, Jillian, I hope you got to Jimmy Reid quickly… I think he’s fantastic - he even makes stupid questions interesting. They are both a bit sheepish next to Lauren Bacall!

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 8d
This is wonderful, Jimmy Reid and Billy Connolly on Parkinson in 1979. I have finished my first piece of writing set in Glasgow called ‘In the Big Yin’s Footsteps’, which retraces Glasgow’s social history through Billy’s favourite streets today. youtu.be/KApI5kksOuM?...
Classic Parkinson: 1979 - Union Leader Jimmy Reid, Billy Connolly, and Lauren Bacall
YouTube video by George Fairbrother - DEC4 Podcast
youtu.be

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 13d
Definitely, I’ll be in London for the week before. Have been working on this paper for a long time hoping that giving the lecture will help me finish it x

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 15d
Really looking forward to this too Katherine, working hard to finish this essay something I’ve been working on for a few years. Coming and doing your talk is giving me the focus to get it submitted.

Reposted by Les Back

uclsociology.bsky.social
UCL Sociology Network @uclsociology.bsky.social · 16d
Annual Lecture: The Paradox of Home by Les Back (11.12.25)
Home is a knife-edge word. Competing forces balance on its edge that either control or open the terms of belonging. It is why home is paradoxical tinyurl.com/3493r8e6

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 17d
Beautiful night in South London looking north x

Reposted by Les Back

uofgjmsphd.bsky.social
UofG JMS PhD Programme @uofgjmsphd.bsky.social · 19d
We’re excited to launch the 5th round of applications for the JMS Scholarship. 12 scholarships are available in any research area which can be supervised at the University.

Register your interest here: forms.office.com/e/k2bkPz4ekB

#PhDScholarship #Scholarships2026 #UKScholarships
Image shows JMS Scholar Michelle Amoah in front of a tiling feature wall of white lockers in the Glasgow University’s Advanced Research Centre (ARC) and she wears a bright red dress over a white collared shirt. To Michelle’s right, the University of Glasgow logo appears at the top left of the image and there is a graphic banner at the bottom left of the image which reads: Join Our World Changers.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 19d
This is a beautiful story that will warm your heart. Congrats to Paul, and Montel is already doing important work. Wonderful people and meaningful change www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/2556955...
Father and son make history through shared academic journey
A father and son are making history through a shared academic journey
www.glasgowtimes.co.uk

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 20d
@jenniewren.bsky.social I love you profile picture Jennie

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 20d
Oh that’s great Mike, it’s great that it Ain’t Half Racist Mum is available on BBC iPlayer now. Let me know what you thought of it.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 21d
I really loved being interviewed for this edition, Spare a Thought on Stuart Hall and the historic Open Door episode It Ain’t Half Racist Mum spareathought.podbean.com/e/it-aint-ha...
It Ain't Half Racist Mum | Spare a Thought
In today’s episode Tom speaks to Professor Les Back, a lecturer of Sociology at the University of Glasgow about 1979 TV episode of Open Door called It Aint Half Racist Mum. Together Tom and Les discus...
spareathought.podbean.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 24d
In the Taybridge Bar, Dundee watching the old firm game and making a little musical pilgrimage for the late great Michael Marra… 💔

Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Les Back, Fabián Muniesa , and 2 more

lsesociology.bsky.social
LSE Sociology @lsesociology.bsky.social · Oct 24
We're hiring an outstanding Assistant Professor whose core research is in the field of cultural sociology with demonstrable expertise in the sociology of #culture and #technology.

📅 Applications close Sunday 30 November 2025.

➡️ jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/...

Reposted by Les Back

uofglasgow.bsky.social
University of Glasgow @uofglasgow.bsky.social · Oct 24
Paul Gordon has just joined his son Montel as a UofG PhD scholar. Both are part of the James McCune Smith PhD Scholarship programme, pursuing research shaped by lived experience and cultural insight.

More: gla.ac/4hzMvne

Photo: Martin Shields
Father and son students hoping to build a legacy of Black scholarship and storytelling
Montel Gordon, one of the James McCune Smith PhD programme’s inaugural 2022 scholars, is being joined by his father, Paul, in a family journey of academic exploration.
gla.ac

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 24
I’ll tell her Kath, Gargi is one of the most creative thinkers I know.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 24
With dear friend Professor Lez Henry (aka Lesley Lyrics) at the farewell for Dj and world builder June Reid.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 24
Saying goodbye today to Queen June Reid who wore the ‘crown of righteousness’. June chose a poem by David Harkins to be read as a farewell -“smile, open your eyes (and ears), love and go on.” A beautiful generous soul gone but not forgotten.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 21
@darkpublisher.bsky.social I’m working on the book idea Tom. I really like your punk anniversary series idea… really tempted to put something in on punk and reggae!!

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 21
A important new talk from Gargi Bhattacharyya

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 15
Be lovely to be in touch again, Pat. Hope you are well x

Reposted by Les Back

rachelmalik.bsky.social
Rachel Malik @rachelmalik.bsky.social · Oct 14
I met her when we were both studying the Linguistics MLitt in 1988-9 at Strathclyde and we were friends ever since. Brilliant writer and undervalued in the UK but not elsewhere. A truly wonderful friend

Reposted by Pat Thomson

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 14
@patthomson.bsky.social I stumbled on the review you wrote of Academic Diary, Pat. Thanks for such a thoughtful take. I have been thinking again about form working on a new project. Feels like the world of HE is a very different place now. Be great to be in touch again. Warm best wishes.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 14
This is such a thoughtful review by Pat Thomson - have been a huge admirer of Patter for a long time. patthomson.net/2016/07/21/o...
on form and function – and Les Back’s Academic Diary
So you want to write a book which examines everyday life in the contemporary university. You want to show the ways in which academic work is constrained, but also what freedoms are still possible. …
patthomson.net

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 14
@kirsteen-paton.bsky.social amazing tips as always, Kirsteen.

Reposted by Les Back, Martin Paul Eve, Nicola Carr , and 2 more

karl-jacoby.bsky.social
Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · Oct 14
History faculty at Columbia & Barnard decrying the harassment of @mark-bray.bsky.social: "This is the first case in recent memory of a historian who has fled the country after receiving death threats on account of the history that they teach."

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 12
observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...
The art of the chant | The Observer
Funny, insightful and sometimes abusive, the contributions from the stands are key to football’s live appeal, but they also tell us about society and cul...
observer.co.uk

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 10
This is such a huge complement that so many took so much care over this special issue - deep thanks to to Emma & Kirsteen @kirsteen-paton.bsky.social @emmakjackson.bsky.social

Reposted by Les Back

thesociologicalreview.org
The Sociological Review Foundation @thesociologicalreview.org · Oct 10
OUT NOW: The Sociological Review journal 73.5, featuring 13 new papers (11 #openaccess).

💡 Includes a Special Section on the legacy of @academicdiary.bsky.social and Nirmal Puwar’s Live Methods, published in 2012 as part of our monograph series.

buff.ly/bJQXWs6 @journals.sagepub.com
The Sociological Review Journal Vol 73 Issue 5 Kirsteen Paton Emma Jackson Les Back Nirmal Puwar Andrea Doucet Eva Jewell Jessica Falk Rebecca Coleman Dawn Lyon Chloe Turner Thomas Wadsworth Zoe Walshe Beth Bramich Shamser Sinha Sophie Woodward Brenda Herbert Irene van Oorschot Sophie van Balen Andreas Folkers Susie Scott Nina Lockwood Theresa O’Keefe Aline Courtois Jérémy Vachet https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/SOR/73/5/

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Oct 3
Lovey piece from Stephanie and George on filming as sociological practice. thesociologicalreview.org/image-maker-...
Image-Maker in Residence: Verbatim Filmmaking for Social Justice: An abolitionist approach to where, how and why Black men live where they live
Stephanie Guirand, our autumn 2025 Image-Maker in Residence and activist, sociologist and co-founder of The Black Response, shares her film and research on the housing injustice that Black men face.
thesociologicalreview.org