Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Catherine Gander

Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 7d

There have likely been 10,000 or more university redundancies in the academic year 2024-25.

@gsoh31.bsky.social, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Oxford Brookes, argues that the Higher Education system as we know it is coming to an end.

Where now for Britain’s Universities?

UK higher education now faces a very bleak future, retreating in the face of little public sympathy and limited political interest.

politicalquarterly.org.uk

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Stephen Shapiro @stephenshapiro.bsky.social · 7d

Le Monde editorial: data is killing us
www.lemonde.fr/idees/articl...

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The Journal @thejournal.ie · 8d

Over 50 Childcare providers have left the government’s Core Funding scheme in the last few years.

By leaving the scheme, providers are free to increase their fees substantially, with some parents being hit with €300-400 a month increases this year.

http://jrnl.ie/6831058

Parents face huge fee increases as over 50 childcare providers withdraw from government scheme

The scheme aims to increase childcare affordability but some providers who have left are pushing up their prices by over €300 a month.

jrnl.ie

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · 11d

Spotted (and bought!) in my local bookstore in Naas — @kdclewin.bsky.social’s fabulous new book. (Hoping I see you again soon so you can sign it for me, K.) 🤩

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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 28d

You guys put podcast hosts in charge of the FBI and fired all the competent agents because you thought they were woke.

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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 28d

Which work? Calling for gay people to be stoned to death? Blaming airplane crashes on black pilots? Anti-vax bullshit? Election denialism? Pushing Great Replacement Theory?

Kirk’s murder is awful and ominous for this country. But no, we don’t need to honor him or “continue his work.”

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Cllr Dr Alex Powell @apowelllaw.bsky.social · 28d

This is absolutely unhinged from Johnson and others. Kirk was a proponent of Great Replacement Theory who called for gays to be stoned and public lynch mobs to murder trans people. He is the definition of a right-wing extremist. The cowardice, avarice and opportunism of Johnson knows no bounds.

Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 28d

We don’t yet know who killed Kirk or why. Not that you’d know it from the endless numbers of accounts on X with huge follower numbers, including British politicians, making as yet unknowable claims about the motivations behind the murder.

Exhibit A. Extraordinary stuff.

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Matt Zoller Seitz @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social · Sep 9

"school shooting industry"

NPR @npr.org · Sep 9

The effort to keep schools safe from mass shooters has ballooned into a multibillion dollar industry. Companies are selling school districts assurance with high-tech products.

The school shooting industry is worth billions — and it keeps growing

The effort to keep schools safe from mass shooters has ballooned into a multibillion dollar industry. Companies are selling school districts assurance with high-tech products.

n.pr

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Sep 8

Another great episode of The Dig. Recommended esp. to my comrades in HE. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/t...

Class Struggle for the University w/ Ian Gavigan

Podcast Episode · The Dig · 06/09/2025 · 1h 51m

podcasts.apple.com

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Ted McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · Sep 7

I think it’s hard for outsiders to grasp how low staff and faculty morale get at universities where everyone’s job gets worse every year because there’s a hiring freeze and program cuts and any real money is locked up in new projects meant to help higher admin shine so they can move somewhere better

Ted McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · Sep 6

I’m not looking at colleges with my kids for some years yet but the question about staffing in particular is one I think every parent should ask

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Sep 7

What the absolute hell are you doing?

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Sep 6

Delighted to be a new Advisory Board Member for @c21literature.bsky.social. More about this most excellent journal can be found here: c21.openlibhums.org/site/about/

About

c21.openlibhums.org

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Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · Sep 5

On the same day in the Telegraph:

The Telegraph

Rayner tax scandal - £40k tax dodge - Statement

Angela Rayner dodges £40,000 stamp duty

Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence

[Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday]

Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent

29 August 2025 8:57am BST

The Telegraph

Money > Property > Second homes

How to avoid tax on your second home

From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net

[Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto]

Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer

29 August 2025 1:21pm BST

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Jeremy Noel-Tod @jntod.bsky.social · Sep 4

For context, here's a recent report on the 15 years of hard work it took to bring UK poetry culture out of the situation it was in at the end of the Noughties www.liverpool.ac.uk/new-and-inte...

Ledbury Poetry Critics report 2025 - Centre for New and International Writing - University of Liverpool

www.liverpool.ac.uk

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Jeremy Noel-Tod @jntod.bsky.social · Sep 4

It has to be asked: why has the Times Literary Supplement, in the year 2025, relaunched with an all-white list of star contributors on the cover? Is the UK literary world done with making an effort on representation now? I'm a big TLS fan, but this is a bad start if it's trying to reimagine itself.

The TLS @thetls.bsky.social · Sep 4

It’s here: the newly refined and now fortnightly TLS.

www.the-tls.com/

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Sep 4

I made a list a few years ago of residencies or fellowships that allowed for childcare or accommodated at least for how insanely inequitable it all is. I will have a look for it. It was *very* small.

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Sep 4

Buy this book by the brilliant @kdclewin.bsky.social ! Looking forward to picking up my copy next week! X

Katie da Cunha Lewin @kdclewin.bsky.social · Sep 4

First book spot in the wild (Foyles at St Pancras) 😱

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NPR @npr.org · Sep 2

The move comes after the Justice Department last week made changes to who could qualify as a temporary immigration judge —effectively lowering the requirements and removing the need to have prior immigration experience. n.pr/41v8FAb

Military lawyers called up to relieve a shortfall in immigration judges

The move comes after the Justice Department last week made changes to who could qualify as a temporary immigration judge —effectively lowering the requirements and removing the need to have prior immigration experience.

n.pr

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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · Sep 2

Are you young, highly educated and driven, and want to contribute to our stagnant economy with its aging population and low productivity? Well out you go

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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · Sep 1

This is a small but significant win for Ireland. bsky.app/profile/were...

The Ditch @wereontheditch.bsky.social · Sep 1

🚨Breaking🚨

Israeli war bonds won’t be sold in Ireland from tomorrow.

Israel today moved its bond prospectus approval process to Luxembourg.

It has also not included Ireland as one of the member states where it will sell its war bonds.

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George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · Aug 31

She’s a singular sensation!

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❗️URGENT❗️Help Me Escape Florida @rancidreggie.bsky.social · Aug 24

This is the drug that is a 100% effective treatment for HIV. this is the one you've been seeing in the news. I would LOVE to see an in-depth discussion of exactly what "clinical, financial, and regulatory factors" are keeping them from essentially carrying a cure to a deadly disease.

The Advocate @advocate.com · Aug 22

CVS Health will not cover Gilead's Yeztugo, generic name lenacapavir (LEN), citing "clinical, financial, and regulatory factors."

CVS Health denies coverage for breakthrough HIV drug, committing 'clear violation' of ACA

CVS Health will not cover Gilead's Yeztugo, generic name lenacapavir (LEN), citing "clinical, financial, and regulatory factors."

bit.ly

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Aug 19

This one goes out to all the academics who are parents—especially the mothers—trying desperately to get some writing done while entertaining their kids and paying through the nose for sporadic “summer camps” that run for less than 4 hours a day.

a fluffy cat is sitting on a table and looking at the camera .

ALT: a fluffy cat is sitting on a table and looking at the camera .

media.tenor.com

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Catherine Gander @catgander.bsky.social · Aug 17

♥️

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Stephen Shapiro @stephenshapiro.bsky.social · Aug 17

we increasingly lowered the threshold of achievement, asking for more at earlier phases. Grad students must publish essays, undergraduates must do "research" as well.

Pressuring Youngers to achieve what we were given decades simply incentivizes looking for (digital) aids.

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