Christopher Smith
@christophersmith.bsky.social
3.8K followers 1.4K following 960 posts
University of St Andrews; Executive Chair, Arts & Humanities Research Council; International Champion and Creative Industries Sector Champion UK Research and Innovation All views my own, but none of the poetry.
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Reposted by Christopher Smith
pamelaclemit.bsky.social
R. S. Thomas, ‘The Bright Field’, from Laboratories of the Spirit (1975) #NationalPoetryDay
Reposted by Christopher Smith
bloodaxebooks.bsky.social
We are immensely saddened by news of the death of Tony Harrison, aged 88, who had been unwell for some years. A tribute has been published on our website.
www.bloodaxebooks.com/news?article...
christophersmith.bsky.social
💯right!!!!
davidheniguk.bsky.social
Incidentally, and following up some posts yesterday, can we get away from universities v manufacturing, as the assumed choice? Both, and lots more, as part of a modern mixed economy. This shouldn't need to be so difficult, stop being dragged down by the culture war. bsky.app/profile/davi...
davidheniguk.bsky.social
Oh great, just reading that a key part of Labour's next relaunch will be "reindustrialisation". Because the manufacturing fetish has worked so well elsewhere.

Demonstrate you don't understand a modern economy in one easy step.
Reposted by Christopher Smith
justinburnett.bsky.social
So I’ve begun a Substack where I keep detailed reading notes on #Schattenfroh, a new novel from #DeepVellum claimed by some to be a masterpiece (I tend to agree so far). Read or spread it around, if you can. I’m working hard on this.

open.substack.com/pub/schatten...
Reading Schattenfroh, Pg. 19
(Note: I have decided to forgo further preliminary writings and dive into my commentary directly.
open.substack.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
benmsanderson.bsky.social
Sorry, but disagree with @hausfath.bsky.social here. You open Pandora's box, you ain't closing it again. We've already seen with Paris that well intentioned international agreements do not translate into physical reality and SRM governance is a much harder problem. Zero is the only safe level. /1
hausfath.bsky.social
I have a new @nytimes.com guest essay w/ @davidkeith.bsky.social about sunlight reflection. We note its not a solution for climate change and at best a band aid to treat systems, and suggest if its ever done it should only be to replace the cooling from air pollution today:
Opinion | A Responsible Way to Cool the Planet
A small, carefully scaled geoengineering program could compensate for the loss of cooling as we eliminate sulfur pollution.
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
jntod.bsky.social
Every so often I find seven short poems from new books in my reading pile and put them together with the idea that people might like to read one a day over the week (binge reading is also fine, of course). Here's the latest selection:
Pinks #36: A Box of Leaves
A week of poems from books I'm enjoying
someflowerssoon.substack.com
christophersmith.bsky.social
“I think [economists] have mathematics envy... They just want to prove theorems. That’s my main peeve about economists. They seem more interested in solving logical problems and aesthetic puzzles rather than a deep desire to understand what the real driving forces are.” 
@financialtimes.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
prospectmagazine.co.uk
Acclaimed historian and novelist Marina Warner’s latest book, Sanctuary, is a rich exploration of what it means to make space for the “arrivant”, writes Franklin Nelson.
Marina Warner: ‘I wouldn’t dare write Indigo now’
The historian on her new book, asylum protests, and the culture wars
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
Reposted by Christopher Smith
jdportes.bsky.social
Impassioned plea for more mixed-methods research (quant & qual) from @timharford.ft.com

"The hard data is never as eloquent as a good story. Humboldt would measure the cactus but also sketch it; drag his barometer up a volcano, but spin a yarn about the epic climb."

www.ft.com/content/d419...
The UK’s problems aren’t caused by immigration
It’s not hard to see how so many came to worry about the issue. But the data isn’t there
www.ft.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
gaiamarcus.bsky.social
This is a time of extraordinary geopolitical change & uncertainty, shaping and being shaped by rapid technological change, w/ major shifts in data&AI deployment, capabilities & markets

This risks undoing a period of slow but meaningful steps towards ensuring data and AI work for public benefit.
Reposted by Christopher Smith
justinmcguirk.bsky.social
Nice to see my talk at World Design Congress quoted in this roundup.

“The challenge is that we have to work at two speeds simultaneously: with immediate urgency, and with the vision to begin the slow project of reimagining our relationship with the living world”

www.dezeen.com/2025/09/16/w...
Six key messages from the World Design Congress
The World Design Congress saw the world's leading designers gather to discuss the planet's future. Here we pick the most prominent themes from the event.
www.dezeen.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social
Morning! Society for Hopeful Technologists newsletter #2 is arriving in inboxes now. A little bit on Musk and X, much more about future plans + organising buttondown.com/society-of-h... and great to have a group of fellow organisers coming together 💪
#2: Hopeful Actions
What's next for the Society for Hopeful Technologists: events, principles, and opportunities to get involved.
buttondown.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
rluk.ac.uk
We’re delighted to announce the third #RLUK #AHRC @armauk.bsky.social Research Catalyst Cohort #REPRCC for academic libraries.

Over the next year they will develop their research confidence, skills & capabilities

bit.ly/47JXXty

🎉 Congratulations #librariesXresearch cohort! 👇
Research Catalyst Cohort 2025-26 announced
This programme consists of a tailored cohort training programme, open events, case studies, and resources to support colleagues working across the academic library community to develop their research ...
bit.ly
christophersmith.bsky.social
"it’s not only engineering degrees that inspire invention."
💯
jntod.bsky.social
After making a dumb joke on here about the creative side of academic writing as "unfunded hobbit research", I then wrote a serious post about it
Unfunded Hobbit Research
In defence of academic inspiration
someflowerssoon.substack.com
Reposted by Christopher Smith
christophersmith.bsky.social
This is what love of country looks like to me, and it's all about helping others.
@britishcouncil.bsky.social @scott-mcd-1.bsky.social
scott-mcd-1.bsky.social
I visited the British Council team in Kyiv this week after the bombing of our office. I could feel their anger, defiance and determination to continue with our important work.