Lise Butler
@lisebutler.bsky.social
330 followers 220 following 33 posts
Senior Lecturer in Modern History at City, University of London. Interested in the history of the British left and futures past. Author of Michael Young, Social Science and the British Left, 1945-70. Co-editor, Renewal: A Journal of Social Democracy
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
lisebutler.bsky.social
So excited to announce the relaunch of @renewaljournal.bsky.social, which I’m now co-editing along with @dmk1793.bsky.social @morganj0nes.bsky.social and Jack Jeffries. Thanks to all the amazing contributors to this relaunch issue. We think you’ll love it.

renewal.org.uk
Reposted by Lise Butler
renewaljournal.bsky.social
Congratulations to our contributing editor Sacha!
lsesociology.bsky.social
We're pleased to announce that our Inaugural Craig J. Calhoun Prize for an Outstanding Thesis in Sociology has been awarded to @sachahilhorst.bsky.social. Her thesis investigated the shifting politics of ex-mining and manufacturing towns in the Midlands.

Read more about the prize 👇
News
Read the latest news from the LSE Department of Sociology
buff.ly
lisebutler.bsky.social
Everybody wants growth, but how can we get it? Jimena Valdez makes the case for a growth strategy that embraces international students and immigration, now online for @renewaljournal.bsky.social
Reposted by Lise Butler
renewaljournal.bsky.social
Huge thanks to @anneliesedoddsmp.bsky.social for this fascinating and timely lecture on the social democratic response to big tech. Look out for the full lecture, forthcoming in our end-of-year double issue.
anneliesedoddsmp.bsky.social
It was a pleasure to give @renewaljournal.bsky.social journal's annual Rita Hinden memorial lecture earlier this month at @citystgeorges.bsky.social.

Labour must adapt to today’s challenges, not least big tech’s political as well as economic power.
A photo of Anneliese Dodds giving the annual Rita Hinden memorial lecture earlier this month at City St George's University in London.
Reposted by Lise Butler
sachahilhorst.bsky.social
So much talk about Reform voters, but I'm yet to read much about their lives beyond tropes and excuses ('legitimate concerns').

I've been back in the midlands to interview people and learn more. Here's my piece on them and Reform's attempts to present itself as a community-minded, pro-worker party:
Reform’s aesthetics of industry
Renewal 33.2_HilhorstRenewal 33.2_Hilhorst.pdf110 KBdownload-circle In North Nottinghamshire, Reform UK present themselves as the party of workers, community and coalmining heritage. But this image...
renewal.org.uk
Reposted by Lise Butler
profafinlayson.bsky.social
A Q&A I did earlier this year with about digital political culture. Some might find it relevant to current events. The tl;dr is that it’s all different but it’s also the same: people want and need a vocabulary to think with & things to do to feel like agents in their lives. Who gives that wins.
lisebutler.bsky.social
The new issue of @renewaljournal.bsky.social, themed around the far right, is out now and it couldn't be more timely. Free to read articles by guest editor @sachahilhorst.bsky.social, @profafinlayson.bsky.social and Cailtlin Prowle. Subscribe here to read the rest: renewal.org.uk/journal/volu...
Reposted by Lise Butler
stevenklein.bsky.social
I join the now abundant discourse about Abundance. A good book but more importantly a bellwether book for the orientation of the center-left. But like many, they hope we can engineer a way around politics and put things back in the hands of competent technocrats...I am not so sure...
lisebutler.bsky.social
If Labour has any political strategy at all it should be seeking to appeal not to the people who participated in the protest today, but to the majority of the public who are alarmed by it.
Reposted by Lise Butler
renewaljournal.bsky.social
“As social democrats we must be clear that AI is ultimately parasitic on our collective endeavours”
Reposted by Lise Butler
colmpm.bsky.social
Anneliese Dodds speaking at the @renewaljournal.bsky.social Rita Hinden Lecture tonight. Her talk identifies the "tech bros", and the systems they oversee and interventions they make, as a threat to "free and fair democracy". She argues the left should focus strongly on protecting democracy.
Reposted by Lise Butler
asgrey.bsky.social
Really enjoyed this evening’s @renewaljournal.bsky.social lecture from Anneliese Dodds.

She’s right that delivery in government is necessary but not sufficient. Labour must protect democracy and be a voice for humans in the age of AI.

#Labour #AI #democracy
renewaljournal.bsky.social
Renewal is excited to announce Dr. Anneliese Dodds MP as the inaugural speaker for our new annual Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture.

The Lecture will be held on Tuesday 9th September at City St. George's University.

Register for free here: www.eventbrite.com/e/renewal-pr...?
lisebutler.bsky.social
Anneliese Dodds MP takes on the dominance of the (tech) bros in our democracy in her fantastic inaugural @renewaljournal.bsky.social
Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture
Reposted by Lise Butler
dmk1793.bsky.social
Final reminder that Anneliese Dodds's lecture - on the Labour government, the challenges of new technology, and the need for a new, internationalist collectivism - is TONIGHT, and will be followed by a drinks reception.

Tickets are free, and we still have some left, so sign-up on Eventbrite below:
renewaljournal.bsky.social
Renewal is excited to announce Dr. Anneliese Dodds MP as the inaugural speaker for our new annual Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture.

The Lecture will be held on Tuesday 9th September at City St. George's University.

Register for free here: www.eventbrite.com/e/renewal-pr...?
lisebutler.bsky.social
A reminder that this event is tomorrow at City St Georges. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of our co—sponsor the Finsbury Institute. Attendance is free but booking required here: www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Lise Butler
colmpm.bsky.social
A reminder that Anneliese Dodds, who resigned from Starmer's government, is giving the Rita Hinden memorial lecture for @renewaljournal.bsky.social on Tuesday. With the government in obvious distress and a deputy leadership contest imminent, I am intrigued about what she will say.
renewaljournal.bsky.social
Renewal is excited to announce Dr. Anneliese Dodds MP as the inaugural speaker for our new annual Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture.

The Lecture will be held on Tuesday 9th September at City St. George's University.

Register for free here: www.eventbrite.com/e/renewal-pr...?
Reposted by Lise Butler
colmpm.bsky.social
This is interesting because it's yet another indicator of the 1970s being memorialised in political culture nostalgically and positively, not as the years of "crisis".

@lisebutler.bsky.social spotted this in a Starmer speech from a few years back and now we see it on the radical right.
Reposted by Lise Butler
renewaljournal.bsky.social
"The YIMBYs of the party must speak to a Labour vision for Britain, not shoehorn the word Labour into a pre-existing single issue campaign"

@mcortonscott.bsky.social assesses the current state of Labour YIMBYism, after the departures of Chrises Hinchliffe and Worrall
The Chris of It All
Last week the Labour Party shed two Chrises. On Wednesday, the whips suspended Chris Hinchliff MP, for persistent rebellions against the government. On Saturday, Chris Worrall’s defection to the Conse...
renewal.org.uk
lisebutler.bsky.social
Such a pleasure to present new work on the Third Way, feminism and family policy this morning at @bshsnews.bsky.social - for a panel on New Labour and (Social) Science with Jacob Ward, Jon Agar and Melanie Small
Reposted by Lise Butler
jonhistorian61.bsky.social
Great to have had the chance to work with @lisebutler.bsky.social and Jane Elliott on this exploration of social science rhetorics of persuasion- looks like being a great book
Reposted by Lise Butler
eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Modern British History maternity leave cover (7 months in first instance) teaching position, predominantly 20th century, UCL History Dept. Starts 1 October 2025. Friendly department with excellent students and great library resources. PhD required. Deadline 24 July.
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
lisebutler.bsky.social
Also delighted to see that it is available in a paperback form for a relatively reasonable £29.99 🥰
lisebutler.bsky.social
It exists! Delighted to have contributed a chapter on social science, political writing and New Society with @jonhistorian61.bsky.social and Jane Elliot.
garylove.bsky.social
Pleased to see that our book Writing Politics in Modern Britain: Genre and Cultures of Publishing since 1900 now has a cover and will be out with Cambridge University Press in January!

@richardtoye.bsky.social
@universitypress.cambridge.org

www.cambridge.org/no/universit...
Writing Politics in Modern Britain | Cambridge University Press & Assessment
www.cambridge.org
Reposted by Lise Butler
alfiesteer.bsky.social
A few preliminary thoughts from me on the New Left party, its very real threat to Labour, and the various obstacles along the way.

Many thanks to our social democratic friends at @renewaljournal.bsky.social for the commission!
renewaljournal.bsky.social
The announcement of a new Sultana-Corbyn party 'marks the beginning of the most significant left-wing schism from Labour in the party’s post-war history'.

New online: @alfiesteer.bsky.social assesses the prospects and pitfalls for a new left party.

renewal.org.uk/blog/the-rev...
The Revenge of the Left
Zarah Sultana’s recent announcement that she has resigned from Labour to ‘co-lead the founding of a new party’ with Jeremy Corbyn marks the beginning of probably the most significant left-wing schism ...
renewal.org.uk