Naomi Smith
@deadtheorist.bsky.social
120 followers 83 following 14 posts
Digital sociologist, bodies, affect, misinformation and conspiracy. Materiality of immaterial things.
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Reposted by Naomi Smith
cameronwilson.bsky.social
love when you get Microsoft Teams as a source of traffic -- lets you know that an article is being shared around people's offices
Reposted by Naomi Smith
drdemography.com
BREAKING | ANU staff in the College of Arts and Social Sciences have received a Cease Work Order due to dangerous working conditions. Under the WHS Act staff will be paid while this order is in place. The order seeks to protect lives and wellbeing.
N
E
T
U
National Tertiary Education Union
Cease Work Order in CASS A CASS Health and Safety Representative
(HSR) has ordered that unsafe work cease due to psychosocial hazards and psychological injury resulting from Renew ANU
NTEU is supporting the HSR and members in CASS.
This email contains information on your rights in this situation
Reposted by Naomi Smith
cameronwilson.bsky.social
maybe we shouldn't run "neo-nazi does [anything]" as the top story on national news websites unless it's meaningfully newsworthy/impactful? these are people who want to exterminate australians + are actively trying to get attention. we can't treat them as normal political players
Reposted by Naomi Smith
drnomyn.bsky.social
Tomorrow, I'm on a panel to talk about academic freedom. I'm talking about the social contract between universities and society. I think that contract has been broken, and not just by the government. I think universities have failed their students as places to interrogate ideas.
deadtheorist.bsky.social
THAT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE (in QLD)
Reposted by Naomi Smith
francismarkham.bsky.social
A brief statement on my resignation from ANU Council.
It was a great privilege to be elected by my peers as an academic staff representative on ANU Council in May 2025. I thank you all for the faith you placed in me to advocate for the best interests of the University. 

On Monday, 11 August, I resigned from that role. Many people have since asked me why I have resigned. In short, I came to the view that I could no longer continue to effectively discharge my duties. I have been advised that the confidentiality obligations that apply to me as a former member of Council limit my ability to speak about this in detail. I did give evidence to the Senate yesterday, where under parliamentary privilege, I said the following: I resigned from the ANU Council because of my concerns about governance practices within the council. 

Recent council meetings have revealed a fundamental disagreement regarding our interpretations of our roles. Efforts by other council members to seek information have been unsuccessful, as you heard from Mr. Burfoot earlier today. Attempts to move motions have not been permitted by the chair at times, as was reported by the Australian Financial Review and again spoken to by Mr. Burfoot earlier. 

My experience has been that meeting procedures make it difficult at times to know what decisions have been made and at times limit full discussions. More recently, as was announced in the ANU staff newsletter, the council has been subject to an external investigation into alleged misuse of confidential information. During this period of investigation, which coincides with a critical time in our university's restructuring process, oversight by Council has been restricted. 

In order to operate effectively, I believe that the Council must be empowered to deliberate, seek information, and operate with transparency.
Reposted by Naomi Smith
biblioracle.bsky.social
This piece illustrates and explores one of my chief worries about LLM use in writing and thinking work: self-alienation. Automating the writing experience by substituting LLM outputs leads to a distancing from your own life, your own mind and a flattened experience. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/o...
Opinion | The Seductions of A.I. for the Writer’s Mind
www.nytimes.com
deadtheorist.bsky.social
Thanks Tim, it's a short one.
Reposted by Naomi Smith
joshtaylor.bsky.social
In Nov last year, I reported that an encrypted messaging app Sessions was forced to move offshore after the AFP visited. After a 9-month FOI fight with the AFP, I got emails around Sessions, including that the AFP wanted to keep an eye on them because of "their stated commitment to privacy".
Reposted by Naomi Smith
awgsa.bsky.social
Update for tomorrow's seminar: all welcome to our first AWGSA seminar for the year, now featuring Dr Naomi Smith @deadtheorist.bsky.social and Chelsea Wallis. Free! (though you can opt to provide a donation) #AWGSA #Feminist #GenderStudies
Reposted by Naomi Smith
cameronwilson.bsky.social
Really chuffed that CONSPIRACY NATION with @arielbogle.bsky.social has debuted #1 on Amazon’s trending book charts and, more importantly, is beating RFK’s book “The Real Anthony Fauci”

If you’re thinking of picking it up, pre-ordering now helps us the most!
LINK: http://bio.to/conspi...
Reposted by Naomi Smith
cameronwilson.bsky.social
Our secret plot has finally been revealed:

Ariel Bogle and I have written a book: 'CONSPIRACY NATION: Exposing the dangerous world of Australian conspiracy theories'

We have a lot to share about what we uncovered, but for now you can pre-order it here: bio.to/ConspiracyNation
Reposted by Naomi Smith
arc-tracker.bsky.social
I've made my submission to the review of the ARC grant system. Have you?

5 more days, people.
arc-tracker.bsky.social
The ARC Board has proposed a major shake-up of the National Competitive Grants Program ▶️ www.arc.gov.au/engage-us/co...

I've only skimmed so far, but they propose reducing 13 grant schemes to 6, with intent & scope in the table👇

Submissions are being accepted in response until 13 April. Get to it!
Table from page 25 of the proposed restructure of ARC grants. Back text on white background, with the table delineated by a dark blue header row and alternating light and very light blue rows.
Reposted by Naomi Smith
sociologyaustralia.bsky.social
Psst! If you're NOT a TASA member but you would like to know more about what we do, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter; it contains information on members' publications, events & much more. Subscribe via
Mailing List - The Australian Sociological Association
buff.ly
Reposted by Naomi Smith
leahmouse.bsky.social
JOB ALERT: I'm hiring a part-time research fellow to work with me @healthy-societies.bsky.social at @sydneyuni.bsky.social on my research program on migration, im/mobility and belonging, with a specific focus on healthcare worker migration. Applications close 27 April bit.ly/4iAohs3 #Academicsky
Beige background with a black line drawing of a handheld megaphone. Text reads: We're hiring! Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sociology. Work with Dr Leah Williams Veazey and the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies team to generate foundational knowledge about healthcare worker migration. Part-time (0.5FTE) for 1 year. Academic level A. Start May/June 2025.
deadtheorist.bsky.social
Hey! It’s me (again)
aunz.theconversation.com
As climate change accelerates and trust in authority declines, natural disasters trigger waves of easy – but false – explanations.
Why conspiracy theories and misinformation spread in the long wait for Cyclone Alfred
theconversation.com
Reposted by Naomi Smith
sonjadrimmer.bsky.social
One thing that needs to get repeated until it sinks in is that “AI” does not simply function as a tool that people in power are using; it’s even more powerful as a permission structure for the destructive & extractive things they wanted to do in the first place.
Reposted by Naomi Smith
crikey.com.au
Pete Evans is back on Facebook and Instagram after being banned for sharing COVID-19 misinformation. Meta knows, but isn't booting him off, @CameronWilson.bsky.social reports.
Pete Evans is back on Facebook and Instagram. Meta knows but isn't doing anything
www.crikey.com.au