When, in 2015, I started my blog critically analysing marketisation, consumerism and audit culture in universities, I was aware that a large number of academic staff in anglophone universities seemed to be leaving the profession. I didn’t expect to be joining them quite this soon. Late last summer, for instance, Sara Ahmed very publicly resigned […] … learn more→

I write life for those who can catch it in a breath, in an exhale. Like one picks a fruit on a branch, like tearing out a root. – Asli Erdoğan, from Taş Bina ve Diğerleri. Until very recently, Turkey was the place to be. The country offered space for everyone: all shades of Islamists […] … learn more→

Just when I think higher education can’t become any more warped…it reaches a new level of dementedness. Let’s take a look: Old white academics are ‘unable’ to teach black students because they’re potentially racist, complain students People, even very educated people, say some pretty stupid things at times, but how exactly did this level of […] … learn more→

While in the early stages of writing up my PhD I had a baby and now I find myself simultaneously immersed in academic journals and picture books, lab work and bum-wiping, searching for references and for tiny sun hats. Independently PhDs and babies can take over one’s life. When combined, everything from both of these […] … learn more→

Plants power life on Earth. They are the original food source supplying energy to almost all living organisms and the basis of the fossil fuels that feed the power demands of the modern world. But burning the remnants of long-dead forests is changing the world in dangerous ways. Can we better harness the power of […] … learn more→

It’s often thought that it is better to start learning a second language at a young age. But research shows that this is not necessarily true. In fact, the best age to start learning a second language can vary significantly, depending on how the language is being learned. The belief that younger children are better […] … learn more→

When my son was about ten years old we went on holiday to Perth. We didn’t fly, as many people do. We drove from Adelaide where we lived. That’s a distance of 2691.44 km, about twenty-four hours driving time. It takes around three days, even more if you stop along the way. A lot of the […] … learn more→

The mainstream media’s narrative really seems to be that tenure, and not the takeover by administrators (and social justice warriors), is a big part of the collapse of higher education. Hey, I realize that “job for life” does sound like it has immense potential for abuse but compared to the abuse administrators already deliver to […] … learn more→

Female research scientists are more productive than their male colleagues, though they are widely perceived as being less so. Women are also rewarded less for their scientific achievements. That’s according to my team’s recent study for United Nations University – Merit on gender inequality in scientific research in Mexico, published as a working paper in […] … learn more→

I quite like a short sentence. And a phrase by itself. Only for stylistic purposes, you understand. Nevertheless, it’s important to vary sentence length, otherwise your reader goes to sleep. I prefer the active voice. And don’t let anyone tell you can never start a sentence with ‘and’ or ’but’. You can, but it’s wise not […] … learn more→