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Alastair Owens

@alastairhackney.bsky.social

710 followers 870 following 93 posts

Professor at Queen Mary University of London; Chair of Trustees at the Geographical Association. Research, write and teach about Britain (especially London) since 1800. Collaborator, especially with heritage sector + food, music, books, Hackney.

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Apr 14

I am running the 2025 Hackney Half Marathon on 18 May in aid of Hackney Night Shelter - a local charity I volunteer for which supports people out of homelessness.

Check out my @justgiving.bsky.social page and please donate if you can. Thank you!

justgiving.com/page/alastai...

Running the Hackney Half 2025 for Hackney Night Shelter

Help Alastair Owens raise money to support Hackney Night Shelter

justgiving.com

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · 8d

Teardrops on my mitre

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Sep 10

Mine too. I am sure it was like 30 degrees last year

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Sep 10

A key piece of research...

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Sep 10

Hot off the press, the British Academy's Cold Spots: Mapping Inequality in SHAPE Provision in UK Higher Education report. Read it if you care about universities or access to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for the rising generation. 1/5

Cold spots: Mapping inequality in SHAPE provision in UK higher education

This British Academy report reveals that many parts of the UK are becoming subject cold spots – areas with no provision in a subject within a commutable distance. These are often in rural, coastal or ...

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Sep 10

Very interesting and probably a sign of more to come elsewhere in the country...
www.gre.ac.uk/articles/uni...

Two universities announce ‘trailblazing’ collaboration | Articles | University of Greenwich

www.gre.ac.uk

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Sep 4

A real privilege to have been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year in the @timeshighered.bsky.social #THEAwards (as has my legendary biology colleague @larschittka.bsky.social). And wonderful to see @qmul.bsky.social shortlisted for University of the Year.

Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Sep 4

Queen Mary is delighted to be a ‘University of the Year’ finalist in the #THEAwards!

And we’re so proud Professors @larschittka.bsky.social and @alastairhackney.bsky.social have been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year. @timeshighered.bsky.social.

tinyurl.com/ebe8yx23

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Aug 21

Record number of students took GCSE Geography this year over 302,000 (up from 180,000 15 years ago). Congratulations to Geography teachers and students celebrating!

Steve Brace @stevebracegeog.bsky.social · Aug 21

Good news for geography in the GCSE results day with a record 302,000+ entries. Many congrats from @geographicalassoc.bsky.social to all the young people receiving their results and we hope, whatever you go onto, that you continue to take your geography with you

geography.org.uk/gcse-results...

GCSE results analysis 2025 - Geographical Association

Congratulations to all students getting their GCSE results today, see our results analysis headlines here...

geography.org.uk

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Aug 1

This has been a great project to be a part of -- come explore the Bengali history of east London!

www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Queen Mary partners on Bengali heritage walk marking 25 years of the Swadhinata Trust

www.qmul.ac.uk

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Jul 31

Enjoyed World Economic History Congress in Lund, Sweden, though at certain moments couldn’t help reflecting that economic history seems to have lost its way. I heard some great papers and a brilliant final session I went ‘Decolonising affluent societies’ (sadly sparsely attended) gave some hope!

Reposted by Alastair Owens

Queen Mary Centre for Public Engagement @engageqm.bsky.social · Jul 22

We're taking part in Open House Festival 2025! 🏠

On Sunday 14th September we'll be running two social history tours of our Mile End campus, led by @alastairhackney.bsky.social and Nadia Valman.

Booking will open on 20th August ⚡
programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/1432

Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Campus

Explore the hidden corners of Queen Mary University's Mile End campus. Guided tour includes the former People’s Palace (1887), Mile End Hospital (1858), and the Sephardic Jewish cemetery (1733), the U...

programme.openhouse.org.uk

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Jul 12

They look good!

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Reposted by Alastair Owens

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Jul 10

British Academy postdoctoral fellowships scheme is now open. The deadline is 1 October. Time to get talking with potential host institutions and mentors about planning an application for this year or instead waiting for a future round. (The scheme is annual).

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships is a three year award made to an annual cohort of outstanding early career researchers in the humanities or social sciences.

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Jul 3

Raunchy Handel’s Semele at Royal Opera House last night. Pretty Yende a fabulous diva Semele, Ben Bliss a virile Jupiter, and Alice Coote a persuasive Juno. Other roles just as good and nice taught choruses. Only cried twice. Go see - POWER30 gets 30% off

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Jun 20

Thank you Clare, that’s kind of you! Hope all good

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · Jun 17

On the 17 June 1995 I moved to Hackney, probably the best thing I've ever done. Here's to the next 30 years!

Reposted by Alastair Owens

Catherine Owen @geogmum.bsky.social · Jun 16

Great to be at UWE for the South West Geography Conference organised by wonderful Geography South West - how many free conferences are there nowadays? What an opportunity! Jon from The GA is kicking things off with a look at green skills. @stevebracegeog.bsky.social @alastairhackney.bsky.social

Simon introducing Jon’s talk on green skills.

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 28

Schubertiade! Come hear world-class musicians in Mile End at our 5th Ragged School Music Festival, 20-22 June 2025

Alina IBRAGIMOVA, violin
Marie-Elisabeth HECKER, cello
Elisabeth LEONSKAJA, piano
Pavel KOLESNIKOV, piano
Samson TSOY, piano

Tickets:
raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/fifth-ragged...

Fifth Ragged School Music Festival: Schubertiade - Ragged School Museum

20–22 June 2025 This June, the Ragged Music Festival returns with a very different kind of edition.

raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 28

Last call! New perspectives on nineteenth-century childhoods at the Ragged School Museum, London E3, 1pm-8pm, Wednesday 4 June. Free but please register by 4pm on Friday 30 May (so we can plan catering): buytickets.at/qmul19c/1704...

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 27

Queen Mary College’s (@qmul.ac.uk) new Crittall windows — a feature of its Engineering Building Stage 2 development (designed by Playne and Lacey Architects) advertised in East London Papers, July 1965

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Reposted by Alastair Owens

The London Journal @thelondonjournal.bsky.social · May 20

REMINDER: We offer bursaries of up to £500 per head to support UK-based postgraduate and early career researchers to arrange panels on London-related topics for academic conferences. See here for further details on how to apply (please repost to help spread the word!)

Conference Panel Bursary | The London Journal

The London Journal is eager to support early career scholars present their work on London at conferences and publish articles based on this work. To that end, the Journal is pleased to annouce a conference panel bursary.

www.thelondonjournal.org

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 18

Hackney Half done (and a bit quicker this year at 1:48). Thank you to everyone who cheered me on and supported my fundraiser

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 18

Race day! #HackneyHalf www.justgiving.com/page/alastai...

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 15

Join us for 'New perspectives on nineteenth-century childhoods', 1pm-8pm on Wednesday 4 June 2025 at the Ragged School Museum, London E3. Panel discussions followed by keynote lecture by Prof Josephine McDonagh (Chicago). Free, but booking essential: www.tickettailor.com/events/qmul1...

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 15

Another key recommendation 'Government should redouble efforts on access to Higher Education, including increasing the maintenance support available for students, and stronger regulatory expectations for universities with a focus on socio-economic disadvantage'.

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Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 15

Fascinating @suttontrust.bsky.social report on geography of social mobility in England. Using constituencies, highest ranked areas are in London (East Ham, top). Demonstrates critical importance of education at all levels and wider measures to tackle child poverty
www.suttontrust.com/our-research...

The Opportunity Index - The Sutton Trust

An unprecedented insight into the geography of opportunity and social mobility in England.

www.suttontrust.com

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Reposted by Alastair Owens

Alastair Owens @alastairhackney.bsky.social · May 14

Our @geographicalassoc.bsky.social statement on the crisis impacting UK Higher Education Geography.

We urge universities to maintain their current capacity for geography and to capitalise on its growth in schools and relevance to the workplace and wider economy.

geography.org.uk/ga-higher-ed...

GA Higher Education geography statement - Geographical Association

As the subject association for geography the Geographical Association is concerned about the funding position of many UK universities...

geography.org.uk

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