Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · 16d

I went to see the play Mary Page Marlowe yesterday at the Old Vic in London. It was a play I didn’t know at all and thoroughly enjoyed it - Very interesting. Plus the usual proscenium arch had been discarded in favour of theatre in the round and the seats had more leg room and better sight lines.

Front of theatre with the name of the play in neon lights over the entrance

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · 20d

Love this creative reclamation flag project. #everybodywelcome

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 20d

British artists reclaim St George’s flag with a message of inclusivity

In Manchester and beyond creative responses to the unwelcome message of ‘raise the colours’ are appearing * ‘Scary’ and ‘I loved it’: the ‘unite the kingdom’ march Artists in Britain have customised St George’s flags with messages celebrating diversity, in response to a campaign in which national banners have been flown from lamp-posts, outside homes and painted on roundabouts. While for many, flying the flag is a genuine expression of national pride, some flags have been graffitied on businesses and places of worship belonging to minority ethnic Britons, in some cases with slurs, after the launch of the operation “raise the colours”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 22d

I can't get over how weird this photo is. I love that someone in England captioned it: "Darling, be a dear and DO click on the floor lamp."

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Don Syme @dsyme.bsky.social · Sep 6

As you watch Reform UK in action, please remember everything they do serves one purpose - to divide the world, and the UK, into an "us" and a "them".

All they care about is that their "us" wins power. Their "us" can be corrupt, violent, criminal, lying - they don't care - as long as their tribe win

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Raul Pacheco-Vega @raulpachecovega.bsky.social · Sep 7

A good literature review doesn’t just list citations. It shows:
✔️ where the debates are
✔️ who disagrees with whom
✔️ how the field has evolved

In my latest post, I break down how to map debates in the literature:
www.raulpacheco.org/2025/09/how-...

#RPVSky

How to map out debates in the scholarly literature

I remember a few years ago when I wrote a paper on debates around water

www.raulpacheco.org

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Sep 7

Quiet Riot do some great work in keeping the progressive flame alight. Always worth a listen and if you are stuck for what you personally can do about an issue there are always suggested actions to take. #Quietlyrioting #dissectingthenonsense
#disarmingthefear

Quiet Riot @quietriotpod.bsky.social · Sep 7

“We’ve done a big piece of work segmenting the Reform voter base. We found five distinct groups. Immigration ties them all together, but they differ widely in other areas, especially tax and spend, which creates some very difficult traps for Farage,” @pimlicat.bsky.social says.

Quiet Riot @quietriotpod.bsky.social · Sep 7

🎼 Sunday School: Freedom of Screech 🎶

Have defenders of free speech chosen the right pin-ups?
Is Reform UK ascendant or peaking way too soon?
PLUS🎤 Our best karaoke tips!

With @sturdyalex.bsky.social & @pimlicat.bsky.social.

🍊 open.spotify.com/episode/0e8e...

🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/q...

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Sep 5

One of my favourites too @profsallybrown.bsky.social

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Aug 28

South Norfolk's Labour MP Ben Goldsborough, who won his seat on a 19% swing, overturning a 21k Tory majority, has written a piece challenging Reform's approach to refugees, asylum and human rights as an issue of principle, not simply impracticality

www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

Nigel Farage and Reform UK would break what makes Britain strong

When Nigel Farage stood up this week and outlined his so-called “plan” for immigration, he didn’t sound like a democrat. He sounded like Vladimir Putin. He called for uniformed officers to raid Britai...

www.politics.co.uk

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Aug 28

Yup! My sons use brexit too as an insult!

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Lisa Holdsworth @lisaholdsworth.bsky.social · Aug 28

A free creative writing opportunity for 18–25 year olds in Yorkshire ✍

Applications are now open for Life in a Northern Town, a playwriting course led by Northern Broadsides.

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LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - Northern Broadsides

www.northern-broadsides.co.uk

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Aug 28

This is happening all over England and Wales to high quality arts programmes (drama, dance, music, art). What was once a thriving and well respected sector that punched high within the cultural economy around Europe is being decimated

Carla Denyer @carladenyer.bsky.social · Aug 28

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a hugely valuable asset to the arts sector - but this year they can't deliver undergrad courses due to financial pressures. I've written to the Minister for Skills asking her to take urgent action to support BOVTS and the arts & culture sector.

Screenshot of a letter on Parliamentary headed paper from Carla Denyer MP to the Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern. Full text of the letter is linked in subsequent post.

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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · Aug 21

Britain isn't the US - but is Christian nationalism becoming a political force here?

I spoke to US author Katherine Stewart about dark money, and the growing transatlantic ties, from Nigel Farage and JD Vance to Paul Marshall and James Orr.

New on Democracy for Sale

Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · Aug 20

Can also watch my interview with Katherine Stewart about the dark money fuelling Christian nationalism on Democracy for Sale's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku6r...

Do subscribe to the channel too!

How Dark Money Fuelled The Rise Of Christian Nationalism | Katherine Stewart

YouTube video by Democracy for Sale

www.youtube.com

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David Papineau @davidpapineau.bsky.social · Aug 20

We’re hiring—one year post in Ethics—urgent—deadline this time next week www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/122985-...

Lecturer in Ethics Education (AEP)

www.kcl.ac.uk

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Aug 20

As racists pretend to be patriotic, I looked at this statue of Edith Cavel (1915) yesterday (part of the war memorial in Charing Cross London) and read “patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone”. A timely reminder!

Statue of Edith Cavel standing on a plinth at side of a war memorial

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The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · Aug 20

Applications for the Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme are still open to early-career researchers. Award holders will have the opportunity to complete a significant research project and gain valuable experience in a university setting. Apply now: buff.ly/McS8lRk

White banner with an image of a lecturer giving an academic presentation. The words 'Postdoctoral Fellowships’ are written on the right-hand side.

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Aug 20

A more balanced view of Raygun and her Olympic entry
www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/a...

Australian breakdancer Raygun is lampooned in a new musical but the Olympics fiasco was no comedy | Lyndsey Winship

Rachael Gunn’s disastrous summer at the Paris Games in 2024 has inspired a silly show about ‘Spraygun’ but its jibes are unfair

www.theguardian.com

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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · Aug 18

An important thread. What is Reform UK up to? ~AA

Screegrab of thread on X, by Lib Dem Councillor Tom Astell:

"
Cllr Tom Astell
@tomastell
·
20h
So residents are being invited to pitch ideas for a fund that hasn’t been agreed — while handing their data to a political party. 6/10
Cllr Tom Astell
@tomastell
·
20h
This is a serious breach of trust. Public branding. Party data collection. A non-existent fund. Residents deserve honesty. 7/10
Cllr Tom Astell
@tomastell
·
20h
I’ve written to the Combined Authority Chief Exec demanding answers:
🔹 Has this fund been authorised?
🔹 Who approved use of CA branding?
🔹 Is this an official consultation — or a party campaign tool? 8/10
Cllr Tom Astell
@tomastell
·
20h
I’ve also raised this with the Monitoring Officer, Chief Finance Officer and the ICO. Governance and transparency matter. 9/10
Cllr Tom Astell
@tomastell
Public office is a public trust. Hull & East Yorkshire deserves honesty, not smoke and mirrors. 10/10
1:06 PM · Aug 17, 2025
·
5,987
Views"

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Dara O Briain @daraobriain.bsky.social · Aug 17

So, Hounslow council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others. So every bridge over the Thames is now Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!

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Sara Houston @sarahouston.bsky.social · Aug 17

First time I used a Forest bike I was coming back from feeding a friend’s cat, a 15 minute walk away, and needing a bike as I had a bad foot and it cost me £17 because I’d left it in Lime only territory…. #livingontheborders

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Society for the Social History of Medicine (SSHM) @sshmedicine.bsky.social · Aug 16

SHAPE the Future: Call for evidence
@britishacademy.bsky.social
seeks engagement with individuals & organisations with expertise on the core public policy areas of focus identified in Covid Decade as being key for successful social and economic recovery: one being Health and wellbeing
More info 👇

SHAPE the Future: Call for evidence

The British Academy is opening a call for evidence as part of a new phase of the SHAPE the Future programme, which will seek to examine the progress made against the long-term societal impacts identif...

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · Aug 14

Take Action: Stop Elon Musk's Energy Power Grab 🚨

Elon Musk has applied for a licence to supply energy in the UK.

We do not believe Musk should be allowed into our energy markets.

👉 Will you write to Ofgem? Use our tool: https://www.bestforbritain.org/petition-elon-musk-uk-energy-power-grab

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · Aug 13

Spot on. A good example of this is the ECHR.

Reform & the Conservatives will almost certainly pledge to leave the ECHR at the next election.

Just saying "you're not allowed: it's in the Good Friday Agreement" is a high road to defeat.

Its advocates have to make & win the argument for membership.

Oliver Savory @oliverj0.bsky.social · Aug 13

But in removing things from political debate we forgot how to debate for the things themselves. See everytime "it's against international law" is used to end an argument, as if "international law" isn't inherently the result of political choices.

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John Rentoul @rentouljohn.bsky.social · Aug 1

Crime and the perception of crime: @jburnmurdoch.ft.com via @stephenkb.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/9623...

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Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Jul 30

We have an opening for a one-year Sociology Lectureship in Glasgow focused on teaching the sociology of class. Please share it with anyone interested. www.jobs.gla.ac.uk/job/lecturer...

Lecturer in Sociology (LTS)

College of Social SciencesSchool of Social & Political Sciences Lecturer in Sociology (LTS)Vacancy Reference: 178793Salary, Grade 7, £40,497 - £45,413 per annum pro rata. The School of Social a...

www.jobs.gla.ac.uk

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Fionna O’Leary @fascinatorfun.bsky.social · Aug 3

UK citizen, Chris, and Italian language teacher who speaks fluent English have been together for 7 years, married in 2023, but cannot live together due to the visa income restrictions.

Even if they get a visa the costs are large. Likely £6k for the first 2.5 years

inews.co.uk/news/i-cant-...

I can't live with my wife because of visa rules - I feel like I'm being punished

Chris Livings and his wife Marilena have been unable to build a life together in the UK due to visa restrictions

inews.co.uk

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