J. Michelle Coghlan
@jmcoghlan.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in C19 AmLit at the University of Manchester. Editor: Cambridge Companion to Literature & Food (CUP, 2020). Author: Sensational Internationalism (EUP, 2016). UCU NEC member representing members in the NW. She/her.
Pinned
I’m not gonna lie: this was a sheer delight to work on & I’m excited to see it now has a cover. That I got to include Emma Goldman & Dawn Powell alongside W.D. Howells, Audre Lorde, Dorothy Parker, Paule Marshall, Djuna Barnes, Helen Keller & Margaret Fuller (among others) was a great bonus.
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
🚨 Day 2 of 4: Staff strike at Imperial.
UCU & Unite are on the picket lines Tues–Fri, followed by two weeks of UCU teaching-targeted action until the end of term.
What began as a pay dispute has become a serious governance crisis.
🧵(1/)
UCU & Unite are on the picket lines Tues–Fri, followed by two weeks of UCU teaching-targeted action until the end of term.
What began as a pay dispute has become a serious governance crisis.
🧵(1/)
November 26, 2025 at 8:12 AM
🚨 Day 2 of 4: Staff strike at Imperial.
UCU & Unite are on the picket lines Tues–Fri, followed by two weeks of UCU teaching-targeted action until the end of term.
What began as a pay dispute has become a serious governance crisis.
🧵(1/)
UCU & Unite are on the picket lines Tues–Fri, followed by two weeks of UCU teaching-targeted action until the end of term.
What began as a pay dispute has become a serious governance crisis.
🧵(1/)
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
Starmer plans on letting amateur volunteers send ppl to jail for two years without a jury, AND severely restricting the right to appeal.
This is as bad as anything Trump has attempted to do to our justice system. And it has much better odds of actually succeeding!
This is as bad as anything Trump has attempted to do to our justice system. And it has much better odds of actually succeeding!
oh Americans may not understand this, but a 'magistrate' in the UK is a local volunteer with typically no legal background. But it's ok, they receive about 10 days of training. And now they can send you to jail for two years without a jury!
what the fuck
November 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Starmer plans on letting amateur volunteers send ppl to jail for two years without a jury, AND severely restricting the right to appeal.
This is as bad as anything Trump has attempted to do to our justice system. And it has much better odds of actually succeeding!
This is as bad as anything Trump has attempted to do to our justice system. And it has much better odds of actually succeeding!
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'Science minister Patrick Vallance has rejected concerns that focusing on “doing fewer things better” in research will lead to funding being concentrated in larger research-intensive universities from the Russell Group.' 1/3
Post-16 plan ‘not recipe for Russell Group domination’ – Vallance
Science minister dismisses as ‘bizarre’ fears that government push for ‘teaching-only’ specialists will further concentrate research activity in small number of institutions
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:37 AM
'Science minister Patrick Vallance has rejected concerns that focusing on “doing fewer things better” in research will lead to funding being concentrated in larger research-intensive universities from the Russell Group.' 1/3
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
Dave watched this government Education Committee meeting so you didn’t have to. But you do have to read his summary (if you have any interest in the future of HE)
"A system built on specialisation, efficiency", that right there is the death knell for the current university system in the UK, if (big if) government pushes it through. They actively don't want HE to grow, they will intervene, apparently, to help it shrink.
per this morning's education committee.
per this morning's education committee.
November 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Dave watched this government Education Committee meeting so you didn’t have to. But you do have to read his summary (if you have any interest in the future of HE)
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'One of the programmes...closed entirely was on public policy, and the two women leading it left. Staff claim “there are no longer any women in research leadership positions”, which the institute did not respond to directly, though it stressed its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.'
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:47 AM
'One of the programmes...closed entirely was on public policy, and the two women leading it left. Staff claim “there are no longer any women in research leadership positions”, which the institute did not respond to directly, though it stressed its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.'
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
7 x 3000+ students + 17 smaller institutions must mean 30,000+ affected students. That’s about the same size as Sheffield uni, which employs 8000ish staff. Why is the government tolerating the impending collapse of up to 24 related employers and 8000+ more lost jobs? Where is the sense of crisis?
Chief exec of OfS 'said the OfS believes there are 24 institutions at risk of exiting the market in the next 12 months, seven of which are large providers with more than 3,000 students. There are another 25 or so institutions of various sizes at risk over a two- to three-year period, she added.'
Seven ‘large providers’ at risk of going under in the next year
Skills minister says no higher education institutions are at imminent risk of collapse this year but OfS confirms more than 20 providers are being closely monitored
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:57 AM
7 x 3000+ students + 17 smaller institutions must mean 30,000+ affected students. That’s about the same size as Sheffield uni, which employs 8000ish staff. Why is the government tolerating the impending collapse of up to 24 related employers and 8000+ more lost jobs? Where is the sense of crisis?
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
‘Risk exiting the market’
what a way to package the complete collapse of higher education
what a way to package the complete collapse of higher education
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
‘Risk exiting the market’
what a way to package the complete collapse of higher education
what a way to package the complete collapse of higher education
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
NEWS --> BBC confirms to me that they did edit a line out of historian @rutgerbregman.com's speech. It called Trump "the most openly corrupt president in US history."
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
Trump’s Fury at BBC Gets Unnerving Results with Pro-MAGA Edit Stunner
First, British Broadcasting Corporation execs resigned after Trump complained about a segment. Now the BBC edited out a line from a historian that was critical of Trump. Where does this end?
newrepublic.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:10 PM
NEWS --> BBC confirms to me that they did edit a line out of historian @rutgerbregman.com's speech. It called Trump "the most openly corrupt president in US history."
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'“During that roundtable, we heard that a provider could collapse before the end of the year,” she [Helen Hayes] said. As the hearing was in late November, this was “essentially a warning of an imminent collapse of a higher education institution”, she added.' 1/3
MPs told collapse of UK higher education provider could happen by Christmas
Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
MPs told collapse of UK provider could happen by Christmas - Research Professional News
Education Committee chair says situation is “not hypothetical”, but skills minister and regulator rebut claim
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:41 PM
'“During that roundtable, we heard that a provider could collapse before the end of the year,” she [Helen Hayes] said. As the hearing was in late November, this was “essentially a warning of an imminent collapse of a higher education institution”, she added.' 1/3
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
The terrifying thing is that this could be almost any of us. We have an all-staff meeting next week! Maybe this is where *I* work!? It'll be fun to find out!
'The committee had heard about one institution that had been approached by another regarding a potential merger. The institution approached had been “doing their due diligence” by gathering information, but after examining the financial situation concluded that the other provider “can’t go on”.' 2/3
November 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The terrifying thing is that this could be almost any of us. We have an all-staff meeting next week! Maybe this is where *I* work!? It'll be fun to find out!
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
House of Commons Education Committee on Universities and the threat of insolvency starts its last session at 10:00.
BBC Parliament - Select Committees
Coverage of select committee proceedings at the Palace of Westminster.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 AM
House of Commons Education Committee on Universities and the threat of insolvency starts its last session at 10:00.
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
Strikes start today at Imperial.
2% below-inflation offer, misrepresented benchmarking, and levelling down parental leave, while billions are spent elsewhere.
Stand with staff and show your support.
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1426...
2% below-inflation offer, misrepresented benchmarking, and levelling down parental leave, while billions are spent elsewhere.
Stand with staff and show your support.
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1426...
4 days of strikes begin tomorrow at Imperial College London over real terms pay cuts
Imperial College London staff will down tools tomorrow in a fight for a fair pay award, the University and College Union (UCU) confirmed today
www.ucu.org.uk
November 25, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Strikes start today at Imperial.
2% below-inflation offer, misrepresented benchmarking, and levelling down parental leave, while billions are spent elsewhere.
Stand with staff and show your support.
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1426...
2% below-inflation offer, misrepresented benchmarking, and levelling down parental leave, while billions are spent elsewhere.
Stand with staff and show your support.
www.ucu.org.uk/article/1426...
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'Kendall told a UKRI event on 24 November that nearly a fifth of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s budget will be earmarked for research aligned with Labour’s missions, with £8 billion of UKRI’s £38.6 billion budget over the next five years “targeted towards the UK’s national priorities”.' 1/3
Kendall: Haldane not breached by research spending direction
Science secretary defends decision to dedicate nearly a fifth of UKRI budget to policy priorities
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
'Kendall told a UKRI event on 24 November that nearly a fifth of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s budget will be earmarked for research aligned with Labour’s missions, with £8 billion of UKRI’s £38.6 billion budget over the next five years “targeted towards the UK’s national priorities”.' 1/3
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'A potential victory by Plaid Cymru in next year’s Welsh elections could see reforms made to a scheme that supports Welsh students to study at leading UK universities, with the party likely set on reducing the amount of higher education funding that crosses the English border.'
Welsh v-cs expect review of student funding flows into England
Plaid Cymru has pledged to probe Seren Academy programme and crack down on student grants being used outside of Wales
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:59 AM
'A potential victory by Plaid Cymru in next year’s Welsh elections could see reforms made to a scheme that supports Welsh students to study at leading UK universities, with the party likely set on reducing the amount of higher education funding that crosses the English border.'
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
The framing here is limited; language literacy provides many useful functions, including to help reduce conflict. But the diagnosis is not wrong. We are becoming a sad, little isolated island, with ever less meaningful ways of engaging with the world. To reverse this we need investment, not cuts.
Opinion: “More than ever before, we need British diplomats, spies and soldiers to speak the language of our adversaries. We need universities like Nottingham to be pumping out Russian and Mandarin graduates each year, to work across Whitehall.”
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
November 25, 2025 at 8:18 AM
The framing here is limited; language literacy provides many useful functions, including to help reduce conflict. But the diagnosis is not wrong. We are becoming a sad, little isolated island, with ever less meaningful ways of engaging with the world. To reverse this we need investment, not cuts.
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
'Kendall believes the government can neither be too directive and must allow curiosity-driven research to prosper. It should also not be too permissive, funding must be directed toward government priorities particularly when it comes to translation and application.' 1/3
A change in approach means research may never be the same again
A new dawn has broken has it not? James Coe looks at the politics of the government’s new approach to research and a change of direction for UKRI
wonkhe.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:06 AM
'Kendall believes the government can neither be too directive and must allow curiosity-driven research to prosper. It should also not be too permissive, funding must be directed toward government priorities particularly when it comes to translation and application.' 1/3
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
Staff are united against course closures.
Students are united against course closures.
Community members are united against course closures.
When will this university listen?
Students are united against course closures.
Community members are united against course closures.
When will this university listen?
Nottinghamshire MPs have written to @uniofnottingham.bsky.social, urging the university to reconsider proposed course suspensions and potential closures, which would significantly impact staff, students, and our wider city and county.
November 25, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Staff are united against course closures.
Students are united against course closures.
Community members are united against course closures.
When will this university listen?
Students are united against course closures.
Community members are united against course closures.
When will this university listen?
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
🔥 Rachel Reeves says there’s a “hole” in the public finances.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
New: Boris Johnson’s ‘Brexit Titanic success’ was half right
Nearly ten years on, the first full assessment of Brexit confirms what millions warned: Britain made itself poorer
eastangliabylines.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 6:56 AM
🔥 Rachel Reeves says there’s a “hole” in the public finances.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
Really looking forward to “Reading Marx Then & Now” with @andrewhartman.bsky.social & Prof. David Alderson at @manchester.ac.uk.
📣Next Wednesday, 3 December 4-5 pm in Sam Alex A113
📣Next Wednesday, 3 December 4-5 pm in Sam Alex A113
November 25, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Really looking forward to “Reading Marx Then & Now” with @andrewhartman.bsky.social & Prof. David Alderson at @manchester.ac.uk.
📣Next Wednesday, 3 December 4-5 pm in Sam Alex A113
📣Next Wednesday, 3 December 4-5 pm in Sam Alex A113
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
A mother and her 15 year old autistic son are reunited after nearly 50 days apart.
Emmanuel Garcia went missing, and rather than check missing person’s reports, Houston PD called ICE.
ICE sent him to the Office of Refugee Resettlement and his mom has been fighting to get him back ever since.
Emmanuel Garcia went missing, and rather than check missing person’s reports, Houston PD called ICE.
ICE sent him to the Office of Refugee Resettlement and his mom has been fighting to get him back ever since.
November 24, 2025 at 3:41 AM
A mother and her 15 year old autistic son are reunited after nearly 50 days apart.
Emmanuel Garcia went missing, and rather than check missing person’s reports, Houston PD called ICE.
ICE sent him to the Office of Refugee Resettlement and his mom has been fighting to get him back ever since.
Emmanuel Garcia went missing, and rather than check missing person’s reports, Houston PD called ICE.
ICE sent him to the Office of Refugee Resettlement and his mom has been fighting to get him back ever since.
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
I cannot imagine what could possibly go wrong in trying to court-martial an astronaut and pilot decorated multiple times for valor and exceptional service, who is also a sitting senator, for correctly making the point that service members are obliged not to follow unlawful orders
Hegseth is now threatening to recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty in order to court martial him.
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I cannot imagine what could possibly go wrong in trying to court-martial an astronaut and pilot decorated multiple times for valor and exceptional service, who is also a sitting senator, for correctly making the point that service members are obliged not to follow unlawful orders
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
went down to Cardiff Bay last week to interview Eluned Morgan, first minister of Wales:
Morgan has sought to distance herself from the Labour government in London on welfare and immigration as she fights for her political survival.
www.ft.com/content/ad92...
Morgan has sought to distance herself from the Labour government in London on welfare and immigration as she fights for her political survival.
www.ft.com/content/ad92...
‘Keir Starmer is not on the ballot paper in this election’, says Welsh first minister
Labour’s Eluned Morgan distances herself from national government ahead of Senedd ballot in May
www.ft.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:42 PM
went down to Cardiff Bay last week to interview Eluned Morgan, first minister of Wales:
Morgan has sought to distance herself from the Labour government in London on welfare and immigration as she fights for her political survival.
www.ft.com/content/ad92...
Morgan has sought to distance herself from the Labour government in London on welfare and immigration as she fights for her political survival.
www.ft.com/content/ad92...
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
University of Sheffield Firth Court picket today! In solidarity with students and colleagues! @ucu.org.uk @ucuhallam.bsky.social #UCUstrike #saveHigherEducation #notoculturalvandalism #Sheffield @sheffielducu.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
University of Sheffield Firth Court picket today! In solidarity with students and colleagues! @ucu.org.uk @ucuhallam.bsky.social #UCUstrike #saveHigherEducation #notoculturalvandalism #Sheffield @sheffielducu.bsky.social
Reposted by J. Michelle Coghlan
The last safe day to vote is Wednesday 26 November.
The ballot closes Friday 28 November.
If you haven’t voted, do it now.
If you have, talk to colleagues, ask if they’ve voted.
Post your ballot today.
We are the university.
The ballot closes Friday 28 November.
If you haven’t voted, do it now.
If you have, talk to colleagues, ask if they’ve voted.
Post your ballot today.
We are the university.
November 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The last safe day to vote is Wednesday 26 November.
The ballot closes Friday 28 November.
If you haven’t voted, do it now.
If you have, talk to colleagues, ask if they’ve voted.
Post your ballot today.
We are the university.
The ballot closes Friday 28 November.
If you haven’t voted, do it now.
If you have, talk to colleagues, ask if they’ve voted.
Post your ballot today.
We are the university.