Liam Shields
@liamshields.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Political Theory @UoMPolitics. Former post-doc @stanfordethics. Working on equality in education, parents' rights, and sufficientarianism.
www.liamshields.com
www.liamshields.com
Reposted by Liam Shields
For those who have heard us on #speirgorm wax lyrically about the spice bag, here's all you need to know
All you need to know about the evolution of the spice bag
It sits proudly alongside the spiceburger, jumbo breakfast roll, jambon and chicken fillet roll in the pantheon of great 21st century Irish dishes
www.rte.ie
November 27, 2025 at 11:34 AM
For those who have heard us on #speirgorm wax lyrically about the spice bag, here's all you need to know
Reposted by Liam Shields
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy.
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Reposted by Liam Shields
Yeah, they're fucked. Proportionately, BCP has a bigger DSG deficit than anyone other LA in England, by miles
But these guys seem to have fucked up in a uniquely bad way, in comparison to close statistical neighbours: BCP is under a DfE statutory direction to improve its SEND services
But these guys seem to have fucked up in a uniquely bad way, in comparison to close statistical neighbours: BCP is under a DfE statutory direction to improve its SEND services
❗A cash-strapped council facing a £183 million SEND black hole is warning ministers the deficit is 'forcing' them to make 'impossible financial decisions' with 'devastating consequences', ahead of tomorrow’s budget
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
schoolsweek.co.uk/council-faci...
Council facing £183m SEND deficit warns of 'devastating consequences'
A council facing a £183 million SEND black hole is warning ministers the deficit is “forcing” them to make “impossible financial decisions” with "devastating consequences”
schoolsweek.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Yeah, they're fucked. Proportionately, BCP has a bigger DSG deficit than anyone other LA in England, by miles
But these guys seem to have fucked up in a uniquely bad way, in comparison to close statistical neighbours: BCP is under a DfE statutory direction to improve its SEND services
But these guys seem to have fucked up in a uniquely bad way, in comparison to close statistical neighbours: BCP is under a DfE statutory direction to improve its SEND services
Reposted by Liam Shields
You can now preview the book, which means you can look and search inside, and I think read the acknowledgements (the most personal part of it by far) and the preface - there's a 'preview book' button below the cover:
Epistemic Injustice: An Introduction
Epistemic injustice is one of the most important yet complex subjects to have emerged in philosophy in recent years. It refers to the idea that a person can be wronged when they are not properly belie...
www.routledge.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:24 PM
You can now preview the book, which means you can look and search inside, and I think read the acknowledgements (the most personal part of it by far) and the preface - there's a 'preview book' button below the cover:
Reposted by Liam Shields
I've just signed a contract with @princetonupress.bsky.social for my book When Things Get Personal: A Philosophical Guide to Conflict, and am getting down to my final round of revisions. Philosophy got really exciting for me when my research met real life, and I look forward to showing you how.
November 17, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I've just signed a contract with @princetonupress.bsky.social for my book When Things Get Personal: A Philosophical Guide to Conflict, and am getting down to my final round of revisions. Philosophy got really exciting for me when my research met real life, and I look forward to showing you how.
Reposted by Liam Shields
Never mind the unrealistic Russia/Trump peace proposal.
Keep up the pressure on Russian export earnings.
In my column today I try and flesh out Jack Watling’s idea of using environmental measures to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers
conservativehome.com/2025/11/20/g...
Keep up the pressure on Russian export earnings.
In my column today I try and flesh out Jack Watling’s idea of using environmental measures to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers
conservativehome.com/2025/11/20/g...
Garvan Walshe: How to stop Russia’s 'shadow fleet' funding their war machine | Conservative Home
Preventing unseaworthy ships from passing through the Baltic with polluting cargo does not prevent Russia from navigating them. It just requires them to use acceptably safe ships to do so. But there's...
conservativehome.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Never mind the unrealistic Russia/Trump peace proposal.
Keep up the pressure on Russian export earnings.
In my column today I try and flesh out Jack Watling’s idea of using environmental measures to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers
conservativehome.com/2025/11/20/g...
Keep up the pressure on Russian export earnings.
In my column today I try and flesh out Jack Watling’s idea of using environmental measures to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers
conservativehome.com/2025/11/20/g...
Reposted by Liam Shields
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
November 18, 2025 at 9:24 AM
It’s publication day! Spread the word. The perfect Christmas gift for the pessimist in your life.
It is freezing but it's a beautiful day
Birds and spiders alike,
Revel in a flood of sunshine
Softening the biting air
Birds and spiders alike,
Revel in a flood of sunshine
Softening the biting air
November 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
It is freezing but it's a beautiful day
Birds and spiders alike,
Revel in a flood of sunshine
Softening the biting air
Birds and spiders alike,
Revel in a flood of sunshine
Softening the biting air
Reposted by Liam Shields
University of Warwick VC hits out at international student fee levy as voluntary leavers scheme launched at midlands institution.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
November 13, 2025 at 7:20 AM
University of Warwick VC hits out at international student fee levy as voluntary leavers scheme launched at midlands institution.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Reposted by Liam Shields
“It’s time for the ‘publish more’ mindset to perish.”
Mandy Hill, writing in the Financial Times, calls for reform in academic publishing:
Read the full letter (paywall) 🔗 https://cup.org/3WRVlDm
Mandy Hill, writing in the Financial Times, calls for reform in academic publishing:
Read the full letter (paywall) 🔗 https://cup.org/3WRVlDm
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
“It’s time for the ‘publish more’ mindset to perish.”
Mandy Hill, writing in the Financial Times, calls for reform in academic publishing:
Read the full letter (paywall) 🔗 https://cup.org/3WRVlDm
Mandy Hill, writing in the Financial Times, calls for reform in academic publishing:
Read the full letter (paywall) 🔗 https://cup.org/3WRVlDm
Perfect crackling
Salted in fridge over night, upside down on kitchen roll. Mop that up in the morning, salt again and turn upside down on kitchen roll.
Then before you put it in the oven, dry it off again, salt again and pour on hot oil.
Oven temp of 220c for 45 minutes then 160c for each 500g.
Salted in fridge over night, upside down on kitchen roll. Mop that up in the morning, salt again and turn upside down on kitchen roll.
Then before you put it in the oven, dry it off again, salt again and pour on hot oil.
Oven temp of 220c for 45 minutes then 160c for each 500g.
November 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Perfect crackling
Salted in fridge over night, upside down on kitchen roll. Mop that up in the morning, salt again and turn upside down on kitchen roll.
Then before you put it in the oven, dry it off again, salt again and pour on hot oil.
Oven temp of 220c for 45 minutes then 160c for each 500g.
Salted in fridge over night, upside down on kitchen roll. Mop that up in the morning, salt again and turn upside down on kitchen roll.
Then before you put it in the oven, dry it off again, salt again and pour on hot oil.
Oven temp of 220c for 45 minutes then 160c for each 500g.
Reposted by Liam Shields
A government that did a wealth tax that literally brought people to the streets to protest against it, but is, somehow, having its lunch eaten by people calling for wealth taxes!
Terrific column by @robertshrimsley.bsky.social- this is essentially a Milibandite government, but one that is so in denial about it that it can’t even appeal properly to the coalition *for Milibandism*:
The inescapable logic of Labour’s choices
Starmer and Reeves should lean in to what the Budget reveals about this tax-and-spend government
www.ft.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:23 AM
A government that did a wealth tax that literally brought people to the streets to protest against it, but is, somehow, having its lunch eaten by people calling for wealth taxes!
Reposted by Liam Shields
How do you encourage people to have more children? I think the only strategy known actually to work is to make them multimillionaires so they can employ a platoon of workers to take care of their children while they accumulate and enjoy their wealth.
The emphasis on family policy is very evident in Heritage’s policy work.
One draft paper we obtained proposed a “Manhattan Project” for more babies.
A subsequent draft floats giving straight married couples an extra “half vote” in federal elections for each of their children.
One draft paper we obtained proposed a “Manhattan Project” for more babies.
A subsequent draft floats giving straight married couples an extra “half vote” in federal elections for each of their children.
November 7, 2025 at 6:54 AM
How do you encourage people to have more children? I think the only strategy known actually to work is to make them multimillionaires so they can employ a platoon of workers to take care of their children while they accumulate and enjoy their wealth.
Reposted by Liam Shields
For this week's issue of @economist.com I got to think hard about something I've not had to think about for more than 20 years: the world of dating and singles. What I found shocked me. Rates of singlehood (singledom) have been rising for decades, but have suddenly accelerated in recent years. 1/
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
For this week's issue of @economist.com I got to think hard about something I've not had to think about for more than 20 years: the world of dating and singles. What I found shocked me. Rates of singlehood (singledom) have been rising for decades, but have suddenly accelerated in recent years. 1/
Reposted by Liam Shields
Canada announces new incentives for international recruitment of master’s and PhD students
monitor.icef.com/2025/11/cana...
monitor.icef.com/2025/11/cana...
Canada announces new incentives for international recruitment of master’s and PhD students
On the heels of this week's announcement of a significant reduction in Canada's foreign enrolment cap, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued additional guidance for students
monitor.icef.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Canada announces new incentives for international recruitment of master’s and PhD students
monitor.icef.com/2025/11/cana...
monitor.icef.com/2025/11/cana...
Reposted by Liam Shields
Compulsory team teaching on every module is perhaps the biggest ever threat to the quality of teaching in UK universities.
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
November 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Compulsory team teaching on every module is perhaps the biggest ever threat to the quality of teaching in UK universities.
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
Reposted by Liam Shields
Hard to think that anybody with experience of UK university senior managements would have confidence that, left to themselves, they'd back academic freedom over an income stream.
China-critical UK academics describe ‘extremely heavy’ pressure from Beijing
Reliance on overseas students’ tuition fees under scrutiny as scholars describe chilling effect of being targeted
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Hard to think that anybody with experience of UK university senior managements would have confidence that, left to themselves, they'd back academic freedom over an income stream.
Around a 150 years ago many working class people got together to form sports teams, as the rules of various types of football were starting to firm up.
Just think of all the football and rugby teams that were know today were established from 1874 to 1900.
We owe a lot to such pioneers.
Just think of all the football and rugby teams that were know today were established from 1874 to 1900.
We owe a lot to such pioneers.
November 5, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Around a 150 years ago many working class people got together to form sports teams, as the rules of various types of football were starting to firm up.
Just think of all the football and rugby teams that were know today were established from 1874 to 1900.
We owe a lot to such pioneers.
Just think of all the football and rugby teams that were know today were established from 1874 to 1900.
We owe a lot to such pioneers.
Reposted by Liam Shields
Fascinated by how widespread “I think it was a conspiracy theory re: Rudakubana” is. No, they really did find huge amounts of violent material and he really wasn’t psychotic: the clue is that his defence did not reach for “he is psychotic” at all!
I've seen silly posts about trains and non-sequiturs about immigration or terrorism, but haven't seen any coverage on what to do about people with some form of psychosis attacking people. We pretended Axel Rudakubana was mentally well to prosecute, but does this part of mental health services work?
November 3, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Fascinated by how widespread “I think it was a conspiracy theory re: Rudakubana” is. No, they really did find huge amounts of violent material and he really wasn’t psychotic: the clue is that his defence did not reach for “he is psychotic” at all!
Reposted by Liam Shields
‘ERC grants aimed at early career researchers saw a 22 per cent increase in applicants compared with last year, with a record 4,807 proposals. Nearly 250 of those came from outside Europe, including 169 from the US — nearly triple the 2024 figure.’
on.ft.com/490NR8k
on.ft.com/490NR8k
Trump’s university backlash drives US researchers towards Europe
EU grant applications hit record in 2025 amid surge in interest from American academics
on.ft.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:05 AM
‘ERC grants aimed at early career researchers saw a 22 per cent increase in applicants compared with last year, with a record 4,807 proposals. Nearly 250 of those came from outside Europe, including 169 from the US — nearly triple the 2024 figure.’
on.ft.com/490NR8k
on.ft.com/490NR8k
Reposted by Liam Shields
We're now at "black people aren't British". Open sewer racism. Look forward to seeing him on QT again soon.
November 2, 2025 at 2:35 PM
We're now at "black people aren't British". Open sewer racism. Look forward to seeing him on QT again soon.
Reposted by Liam Shields
People are more willing to ask AI to do something unethical than to do the unethical thing themselves, new study finds.
It’s Easier to Cheat When You Can Blame AI
A study finds that people are more willing to ask AI to behave unethically than to do it themselves
on.wsj.com
November 2, 2025 at 5:42 PM
People are more willing to ask AI to do something unethical than to do the unethical thing themselves, new study finds.
I was just asking Google to with it my average speed, as I always do when I cycled, and something odd happened.
The first answer of a pretty straightforward calculation was wildly incorrect.
I refreshed the page and got the correct answer.
You must check your answers.
The first answer of a pretty straightforward calculation was wildly incorrect.
I refreshed the page and got the correct answer.
You must check your answers.
November 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I was just asking Google to with it my average speed, as I always do when I cycled, and something odd happened.
The first answer of a pretty straightforward calculation was wildly incorrect.
I refreshed the page and got the correct answer.
You must check your answers.
The first answer of a pretty straightforward calculation was wildly incorrect.
I refreshed the page and got the correct answer.
You must check your answers.
Reposted by Liam Shields
New post just out:
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Who might replace Starmer?
As predicted at the start of the summer, the idea that the Prime Minister might not make it through another year is gaining traction.
open.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:09 AM
New post just out:
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Just made a huge error and put Sunday with Laura K on.
November 2, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Just made a huge error and put Sunday with Laura K on.