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M. J. Grant

@campaignbear.bsky.social
303 followers 437 following 728 posts

Musicologist and rights-based ranter— Follow me for both, and banter. Last time I checked I still had a job at the University of Edinburgh. Antiracist — Antifascist — Ask me about history — Never Again Is Now 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇩🇪 🇪🇺

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Priyamvada Gopal @priyamvadagopal.bsky.social · 10h
I promise you if I tried this even once I'd be hauled up into a disciplinary. But Dr Orr? Little research, no teaching, no problem. www.varsity.co.uk/news/32175
varsity.co.uk
Orr’s lectures covered by a postgrad
James Orr had a postgrad cover approximately seven lectures, allegedly without the Divinity Faculty’s knowledge
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 7h
This is … interesting given that the University‘s own advice on racial harassment suggests that the victim should seek dialogue with the harasser. I can only hope the below means management have realised how absurd and offensive that advice is.
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Marcus Hill @drmarcushill.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Fellow academics, if you are an external examiner for any course at Brighton (I have been), can I urge you to tell them you will quit prior to the June boards unless the University withdraw their notice that they are derecognising the UCU, and not to take any position if they come up.
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 16h
Day 5 of the UCU workers' strike against massive job cuts by highly remunerated senior management. “We are looking at hundreds of job losses, dozens of course closures ... Without even mentioning the removal of opportunities for people up and down Scotland." Jo Grady, UCU President, 01.10.2026
A pop-art depiction by Roy Lichtenstein of a blonde blue-eyed woman crying. Accompanying text highlights the worsening teaching conditions and likely impact on student education.
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Maggie Chapman (she/her) @maggiechapman.bsky.social · 14h
Dundee Uni staff are taking strike action to fight compulsory redundancies and cuts. I stand firmly with them. Staff and students did not cause this crisis, but they’re being asked to pay the price for it. Solidarity with Dundee UCU, UOD Students Against Cuts and all those standing with them. ✊
Graphic advertising a Dundee picket to oppose higher education cuts. It gives the time as 8–11am on Monday 5 October 2026, at the Tower Building, University of Dundee, 3 Perth Road, Dundee. The graphic features a map of Scotland and a row of illustrated people holding hands at the bottom.
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Lauren Hall-Lew (she/her) @lhlew.bsky.social · 13h
New website from the UCU (University and College Union) educationitsours.org.uk #academia #highereducation #UK #unionstrong #strikes
educationitsours.org.uk
Education. It's ours - Education. It's ours
Education. It's ours — UCU's campaign to defend jobs, courses and campuses across further and higher education. Choose your pathway and take action.
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Melissa Terras @melissaterras.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I haven’t said anything about the strikes yet (I am so ANGRY but despite all my rage I’m still just a rat in a cage etc etc). So it can’t be me the carefully worded HR email is about, telling us all to be nice to everyone (implying SMT?) including on socials, on threat of disciplinary action?
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Maggie Chapman (she/her) @maggiechapman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
We cannot keep asking university staff to do more with less while jobs, courses and student support are cut. Solidarity with UCU Edinburgh and Dundee UCU ✊ 2/2
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Maggie Chapman (she/her) @maggiechapman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Today I stood with UCU Scotland members outside the Scottish Parliament as they fight for their jobs, their students and the future of higher education. I’m proud to stand with them. 1/2
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Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco @joshpizpom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Hundreds of staff and students gathered outside Holyrood on Thursday afternoon to protest cuts and closures at universities across Scotland 🎓 Edinburgh University principal Peter Mathieson was a chief target of UCU general secretary Dr Jo Grady 🎤 @heraldscotland.bsky.social
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Sean Wallis @seanawallis.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
A serious fight for the future of Higher Education is taking place in Scotland right now. Dundee and Edinburgh UCU branches are all out for 5 weeks against mass redundancies due to government cuts. That's half of the first student term, or around a quarter of the year's key teaching period.
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Raucous, joyouse scenes at the demo of the UCU workers and students of Dundee and Edinburgh University, protesting the cuts to thousands of jobs: "Management has already pushed through hundreds of hidden redundancies, with some classes doubling in size over the past couple of years as a result."
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Spotted on the way back from the joint Edinburgh/Dundee #UCUStrike rally at the Scottish Parliament.
Engraved on the wall of the Parliament:
Oh, dear me,
the warld’s ill-divided.
Them that work the hardest are aye wi’ the least provided.
But I maun bide contented,
Dark days or fine,
For there‘s na much pleasure livin
affen ten and nine.

Mary Brooksbank
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
#UniversityOfEdinburgh #UCUStrike @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social
University of Edinburgh Principal, Sir Peter Mathieson, stands in front of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which is sporting its £120m pound estimated price tag. (Reminder: he wants to make cuts of £140m, mostly from salaries). "You don't need no education", he explains. "All in all you're just another brick in the wall."
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The Past and other Places @pastandotherplaces.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Joint UCU Dundee & Edinburgh Rally fighting university job and course cuts. Thursday 1st October 12.30-14:00 at the Scottish Parliament. March from Bristo Square 12:00. Speakers. #ECAmatters #ucuEdinburgh www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/rallies-acti...
Poster style image. We can fight this!  Let's be brave together!  Join the Rally.  Scottish Parliament Thursday 1st October 12:30 pm.
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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 30/09/2026
Find every UCU dispute on the map and see what’s happening near you: educationitsours.org.uk/map/
educationitsours.org.uk
Support & solidarity - Education. It's ours
The Solidarity Map — find UCU disputes near you, support local action and add your own dispute.
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Scenes from the Picket Line: Day 3 of the UCU workers' strike at the University of Edinburgh, following hundreds of job losses and thousands more to come. Here are our wonderful workers, staying strong: (1) Craft-making on the picket line ...
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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 29/09/2026
“It’s time for us to stand together.” After fighting off cuts to modern languages, Aberdeen UCU is now facing another major restructure and the threat of further job cuts. Join staff, students and the community at their rally on 6 October. Solidarity with Aberdeen UCU.
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erika owens @erikaowens.com · 30/09/2026
just wrapping up my master's program, and the staff is on strike because of appalling program and staffing cuts while the university sits on a £3B endowment. solidarity also to the other universities in the UK also on strike www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/five-we...
ucuedinburgh.org.uk
Staff at the University of Edinburgh start five-week strike — UCU Edinburgh
UCU SCOTLAND PRESS RELEASE Monday 28 September 2026 Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at the University of Edinburgh today (Monday) start five-weeks of strikes in a dispute over £140...
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Day 3 of the UCU workers' strike against 1000s of job cuts at the University of Edinburgh. UoE's VC Peter Mathieson earns nearly half a million pounds. Under him, the UoE has acquired over £1billion of capital assets, for which the UoE continues to pay in spiralling interest and depreciation.
Peter Mathieson poses cheerfully next to Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine and their latest £1billion pound capital asset, the Death Star.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
#UniversityOfEdinburgh #UCUStrike @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social
University of Edinburgh Principal, Sir Peter Mathieson, stands in front of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which is sporting its £120m pound estimated price tag. (Reminder: he wants to make cuts of £140m, mostly from salaries). "You don't need no education", he explains. "All in all you're just another brick in the wall."
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Claire E. Aubin @ceaubin.com · 28/09/2026
I was on strike or actions-short-of-strike every single year of my PhD at Edinburgh. In the snow, in the rain, in a pandemic, fighting for a better future for my colleagues and students. The cuts Edinburgh is facing right now are devastating and I urge you to care.
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Day 2 of the UCU workers' strike at the University of Edinburgh. The 1,800 jobs UCU estimates will be cut is unprecedented in Scottish higher education. It is happening in the wealthiest Scottish university, and the third richest in the UK, currently sitting with over £3billion reserves.
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⛧ Mother Suspiria ⛧ (Stina Marie) @stinasdemons.com · 28/09/2026
It's that day again. Use any and all resources available to help you through it. (And, as always, #FuckAI)
Reminder to treat your body like a data center:
1. Consume as much water and literature as possible 
2. Upset the local city council with your existence
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Pavel Iosad @anghyflawn.net · 28/09/2026
Really galling that the Principal accuses staff of ‘weaponising’ students when the revealed preference of the University’s management has consistently been that they prioritise breaking the union over things avoiding students graduating with empty pieces of paper.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thread
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Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco @joshpizpom.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
This is what happened the last time Edinburgh University principal Peter Mathieson appeared before Holyrood's Education Committee... Should he be called again? @heraldscotland.bsky.social
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Lucy Gaynor @lucyjgaynor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Today, staff @ University of #Edinburgh are striking to protest recently announced cuts - incl. the forced closure of >90 courses. Principal Prof Sir Peter Mathieson accused the union of "weaponising" students. I find this enraging, so: a short (quite personal) thread. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Edinburgh University lecturers begin five-week strike over cuts
Members of the University and Colleges Union are walking out in part of a long-running dispute over job and course cuts.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
World’s biggest shout-out to the Royal Mail worker who refused to cross the picket line at Edinburgh University today #Solidarity #NoPostForPeter @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Overwhelming response today from the protests and picket lines at the University of Edinburgh, on Day 1 of the UCU workers' strike. This includes at the university's Medical School ...
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Eoin Price @eoinprice.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm on strike again. Depending on how things go, I may not teach another class until the end of October. Depressing, for many reasons. The University of Edinburgh continues to press ahead with massive job cuts, coming off the back of the largescale programme closures announced earlier this month.
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UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Day 1 of our strike at the University of Edinburgh while senior management shrugs and says 'crisis, what crisis?' at the complaints about the inevitable falling educational standards and job losses.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#OnStrike #UniversityOfEdinburgh
static.klipy.com
Industrial Workers Strike Cartoon
Alt: Early animated cartoon featuring unioniswd chickens: “Strike! I tell you, strike!” “We strike!”
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Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Turned down last week: 2 festivals with no budget for speakers 1 writing course with no budget for teachers 1 film project with no budget to option the book - plus they wanted me to write the screenplay. For free. Don't do it, kids. Don't work for free. Because to them, what's free is worthless.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Anyone still unclear as to the degree of incompetence at the head of Britain’s universities might want to consider the decision of the University of Brighton to announce plans for derecognition of campus trade unions the same week as the TUC congress. In Brighton.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Some reassurance here on Scottish Stuidies & co. As another colleague pointed out, the way these closures have been announced (internally and externally) has the hallmarks of a PR disaster. (But then, they ARE gearing up to sack swathes of our PR staff, so mibbes get used to it).
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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 11/09/2026
Every worker facing redundancy at the University of Birmingham is from a migrant or minority ethnic background. UCU members will meet on 17 September to decide whether to ballot for strike action. No compulsory redundancies. Release the equality impact assessment. www.ucu.org.uk/article/1463...
ucu.org.uk
University of Birmingham staff to consider strike ballot over redundancies that fall entirely on minority ethnic staff
Staff at the University of Birmingham will meet next week to consider potential strike action in a battle against redundancies, the University and College Union (UCU) said today (11 September).
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Enough Of That Now @andygilder.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Trump becomes the first orange man to support a united Ireland
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Orkney Library & Archive @orkneylibrary.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
It's eight years tomorrow since we posted on Twitter that Sting had been in to return his books.
A shelf on the book return trolley. The titles of the five books are Every Breath You Take, Every Move You Make, The Bonds That Break, Every Step You Take and I Am Watching You.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 09/09/2026
Not to brag, but our product has been foldable since 1828.
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Timeline cleanser:
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Mr. Sheamus 🇵🇸 🏳️‍⚧️ @mrmooshoo.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I reckon "fellow travellers" really is the operative term here. This being The Times I assume it's unintentional.
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
We are Christopher Isherwood, watching the roving uniformed thuggish gangs in the Berlin street below from our apartment window above.
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Michael Lühmann @herrluehmann.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Was haben wir gewarnt, schon bei AfD Gründung 2013 & Pegida 2014, nach den Pogromen in Freital 2015, nach Chemnitz 2018, nach Kemmerich, Sonneberg & Potsdam. Aber das Bauchgefühl von Politik war stärker als die Empirie, die rechten "Sorgen" bekamen Raum, die AfD wurde normalisiert. Und nun das. /1
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Natascha Strobl @nataschastrobl.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Die politische Rat- und Fassungslosigkeit ob eines völlig vorhersehbaren Ereignisses ist unerträglich.
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University College Dublin @ucddublin.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
🐑📜 Some of Europe’s most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV). 🧵
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Musa Okwonga @okwonga.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
If of interest, please sign up, please share. #migrantstrike #migrantstrike2028
With the AfD’s success in Sachsen-Anhalt, this is as good a time as any to mention #MigrantStrike2028 - that, as you read this, immigrants across Europe are organising to launch some of the biggest strike actions that the continent will have seen. They are doing this in response to the attempts by the far-right to take their lives and their labour for granted - particularly at a time when, due to Europe’s ageing population, it needs them more than ever.  They refuse to be treated as scapegoats and this movement is just the beginning. If you would like to join the effort, please email migrantjusticecop@protonmail.com
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M. J. Grant @campaignbear.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The AfD — let’s just call them what they are: Neo-Nazis, and I’m not even sure about the Neo—have won 44% of the votes in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. Link below lets you donate to an organisation that works to safeguard democracy in Germany. aktion.fondsfuerdemokratie.de/p/embed-test...
aktion.fondsfuerdemokratie.de
Demokratie braucht Unterstützung.
Mit deiner Spende stärkst du Organisationen und Initiativen, die unsere Demokratie vor Ort verteidigen.
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David Mislin @davidmislin.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Exactly. I teach Gen Ed Humanities courses that would be ideal for this: required of all undergrads regardless of major, emphasizing skills of close reading/analysis over content knowledge. Except our “seminars” now have 30 students in them, so it’s nearly impossible to create a setting that works.
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