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Matt Baillie Smith

@mattbailliesmith.bsky.social
1.6K followers 353 following 18 posts

Professor of Global Development & Dean of Research Culture, Northumbria University UK. Research voluntary labour and: humanitarianism; global development; climate action; citizenship. www.mattbailliesmith.com uk.linkedin.com/in/matt-baillie-smi…

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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
New paper out: "Becoming difficult over time? Women’s voluntary labour in the Indian Sundarbans" - with Janet Clark, Sumana Banerjee, Nandita Jayraman and Melisa Maida @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social #NUGlobalvolunteering #IVY2026 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Becoming difficult over time? Women’s voluntary labour in the Indian Sundarbans
We explore how women’s voluntary labour on climate adaptation in the Indian Sundarbans creates long-term pathways to disrupting gender norms. We bring debates around liberal and liberating empowerm...
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The Geographical Journal @thegj.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
New commentary in The GJ: 'Infrastructures of (dis)connection: Declining Overseas Development Assistance and the shifting geographies of development' by Sarah Peck & @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/geoj... #geosky
Screenshot of a commentary abstract in The Geographical Journal by Sarah Peck & Matt Baillie Smith (2026) entitled: 'Infrastructures of (Dis)Connection: Declining Overseas Development Assistance and the Shifting Geographies of Development' with a blue banner at the top.

This short commentary hopes to stimulate debate about reductions in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), particularly by the United States and the United Kingdom in 2025. Drawing on three key areas of geographical scholarship, we consider firstly the intersections between ODA and labour geographies, secondly we engage with relational theorising to consider repercussions for development ecosystems, and finally we explore potential impacts on the wider geographies of aid and development. In doing so, we hope to use these geographically inspired lenses to broaden conversations about declining ODA and ‘Aidland’ and to acknowledge and surface the contradictions presented to development geographers at this critical moment. By articulating the potential of geographically inspired scholarship for thinking about declining ODA, we conclude by opening up further questions about future ‘public’ geographies of development.
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Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
"Military Gap Years: Youth, Security and Futures" - with Peter Kraftl @lborogeog.bsky.social and @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... - latest paper in TESG And response from Kathrin Hörschelmann: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Military Gap Years: Youth, Security and Futures
This paper explores the advent of ‘military gap years’ amidst rising moves in Europe to combat recruitment challenges for armed forces personnel. It situates this debate within the longstanding conne...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
New publication alert! Happy to share this paper with Sarah Peck thinking about declining Overseas Development Assistance and its implications for geographical (and other) scholarship. Details ⬇️
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Global Volunteering Forum @volunteeringforum.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Excited to announce our hybrid event on 5 Dec: Transformational & Impactful Volunteering – A Vision for IVY 2026. 📍14:00–15:30 ET at Idealist.org NYC + online Register to join in person - forms.office.com/e/MjgBeDWw9b Or via Zoom - us06web.zoom.us/.../register... #IVY2026 #Volunteering #SDGs
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Northumbria University @northumbriauni.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
📣Welcome to Northumbria George Clarke 📣 We are thrilled to announce that renowned architect, author and TV presenter George Clarke has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Northumbria University. #NewNorthumbriaChancellor #GeorgeClarke
northumbria.ac.uk
George Clarke appointed new Chancellor of Northumbria University
The renowned architect, author and TV presenter George Clarke has been appointed as the new Chancellor of Northumbria University, Newcastle.
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Good point! Resourcing broader participation is key but also, some event formats are skewed to only recognising some people as 'experts'. It's a bit old, but we have explored this a bit in relation to Indian NGO activists' participation in global civic spaces: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Disconnections and exclusions: professionalization, cosmopolitanism and (global?) civil society
In this article, we address the ways in which theories and practices of cosmopolitanism and professionalization intersect in the sphere of global civil society. We emphasize the experiences of grassr...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Great to see Janet Clark of @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social sharing findings from her collab PhD with @volunteeringforum.bsky.social at #IVCO2025 in Cambodia. #NUGlobalVolunteering #Volunteeringresearch #Research #globaldev
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Northumbria University @northumbriauni.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Good to see Professor @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social, Co-Director of our @nuglobaldev.bsky.social, in Cambodia at the International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations (IVCO) conference. It was a privilege to host last year's event at our Newcastle City Campus. #NUGlobalVolunteering #IVCO2025
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Global Volunteering Forum @volunteeringforum.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Day 3 #IVCO2025 delegates exploring the different ways of approaching volunteer measurement with @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social #volunteerimpact #volunteeringstandards #volunteermeasurement #volunteeringforum
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Global Volunteering Forum @volunteeringforum.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
#IVCO2025 has officially commenced with Dr Bianca Fadel from @northumbriauni.bsky.social setting the scene - Respect, Kindness, Hope. Welcome to our speakers, delegates & new Bluesky community. #ForumStandards #VolunteeringInDevelopment #Volunteering
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Global Volunteering Forum @volunteeringforum.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
Radical optimism for the volunteering vision working in challenging civil societies. Building trust, solidarity and active participation in the field. A conversation with #CIVICUS @fvolontaires.bsky.social #BanteaySrei @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social #IVCO2025 #VolunteeringStandards #VolunteerVoice
Volunteering in development and impact to civil society.
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Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
New paper in @spaceandpolity.bsky.social with @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social on Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as 'good behaviour' - open access below @lborouniversity.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as ‘good behaviour’
Following the release of the UK Government’s recent White Paper on Immigration (2025), this provocation critically reflects on the role of points-based contributions, voluntary service and ‘good ch...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
New paper in @spaceandpolity.bsky.social with @sarah-mills.bsky.social on volunteering and points for citizenship following UK Immigration White paper, exploring idea's legacy, workability and consequences. Details ⬇️ @northumbriauni.bsky.social @lborouniversity.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social
tandfonline.com
Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as ‘good behaviour’
Following the release of the UK Government’s recent White Paper on Immigration (2025), this provocation critically reflects on the role of points-based contributions, voluntary service and ‘good ch...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
Thanks @dhnnjyn.bsky.social for a great conversation about things that matter in a place that really matters. So important to be finding hopeful possibilities in people power and celebrating the changes that are possible as well as necessary. @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Job alert! Research Fellow to work on #voluntary labour in #humanitarian and #development contexts at Northumbria University Centre for Global Development. @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social Details ⬇️: work4.northumbria.ac.uk#en/sites/CX_... #NUGlobalVolunteering #geosky
work4.northumbria.ac.uk
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Why #aid cuts have been made easy by sustained failures to build constituencies for #development - piece with @globaldevinst.bsky.social's Prof Nicola Banks and Dr Helen Underhill in Alliance Magazine: www.alliancemagazine.org/blog/buildin... #geography #geosky @nuglobaldev.bsky.social
alliancemagazine.org
Building new constituencies amidst destruction: the missing piece in shifting power agendas - Alliance magazine
The progress of the past few years in advancing discussion and understanding of decolonisation, localisation, and locally-led development movement is now threatened by international aid cuts and attac...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
It was fantastic to see you here at @northumbriauni.bsky.social. Great to be able to return some of the hospitality you have shown me in Kolkata. I am looking forward to seeing what we do can do next! @nuglobaldev.bsky.social #NUGlobalVolunteering
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Northumbria University @northumbriauni.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
It was a pleasure to welcome Dr Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for East and North East India, to our Newcastle City Campus where he met with our Dean of Research Culture, Professor @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social and @nuglobaldev.bsky.social researchers. @andrew007uk.bsky.social
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
New open access paper out on the hidden economies of volunteering during the pandemic, and its relationships to precarity for young refugees in Uganda. Details below: #volunteering #geosky #Uganda #refugees #youth @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Exciting #PhD opportunity with @reemtalhouk.bsky.social and me: AI and the future of voluntary labour in humanitarian and development contexts. Deadline 30th April. Details: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... Please share! #NUGlobalVolunteering @nuglobaldev.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social
linkedin.com
AI & the Future of Humanitarian and Global Development Volunteer Labour… | Reem Talhouk
Join Matt Baillie Smith and myself to undergo a PhD exploring how AI is going to impact the future of volunteer labour in Humanitarian and Global Development…
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Great post here on academic practitioner collaborations - and why we shouldn't make assumptions about them.
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Martin Drewry @martindrewry.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Tell Keir Starmer to bring in a wealth tax to fund public spending, rather than punish the poorest people in the world https:// act.globaljustice.org.uk/node/4319
act.globaljustice.org.uk
Prime Minister: Don’t Cut Aid, Tax Wealth
The prime minister has announced a brutal 40% cut to the UK aid budget, in the wake of Donald Trump’s calls for increased military spending. It's a wrong-headed move that represents a retreat from
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Great to have signed this new agreement with @ifrc.org to work together to promote #research, #learning and #practice around #volunteering in #humanitarian contexts. #NUGlobalVolunteering @nuglobaldev.bsky.social
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Great to start 2025 sharing and celebrating a new paper on #volunteering and #disastermanagement in #Tanzania from fab @nuglobaldev.bsky.social collaborator Dr Egidius Kamanyi, at Uni of Dar Es Salaam. tjpsd.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/tj...
tjpsd.udsm.ac.tz
Volunteering in Disaster Management for Development in Africa: Reflections from Bukoba District, Tanzania | Tanzania Journal for Population studies and Development
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LSE Impact @lseimpactblog.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
💥New: Considering how the idea of luck is mobilised by different groups and to different effect in academia, Jonatan Nästesjö argues luck can play a positive and negative role in maintaining status hierarchies in academia. #AcademicSky #AcademicCareers #Luck
blogs.lse.ac.uk
Why we should take care when ascribing luck to academic success
Considering how the idea of luck is mobilised by different groups and to different effect in academia, Jonatan Nästesjö argues luck can play a positive and negative role in maintaining status hiera…
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
Great #geography post - Lecturer to Prof - at @northumbriauni.bsky.social to work with @cpom-uk.bsky.social on polar observations and modelling. Details and deadlines ⬇️
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
International Volunteer Day #IVD2025 news!@northumbriauni.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social will be working with @unv.org as lead partner for the delivery of the next State of the World's Volunteerism report. www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/northumbr... #NUGlobalVolunteering #GlobalDev #Volunteering
mynewsdesk.com
Researchers selected to work with United Nations on flagship report
Northumbria University has been selected as the lead research partner to work with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) on producing the next State of the World’s...
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Good thoughts on things (much much) more important than academic metrics. That we need to argue for focusing on what research achieves rather than its citations etc says something about how we urgently we need to reset what is valued. #researchculture
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EADI @eadi.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
📢 @cmi.no are hiring! They are looking for a research assistant to contribute to research into labour dynamics in and around conservation projects/protected areas in India! 🇮🇳 www.cmi.no/news/3358-re...
cmi.no
Vacancy - Research Assistant/Associate: Conservation labour in India
We are seeking a qualified candidate to contribute to research into the labor dynamics in and around conservation projects/protec...
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Philip Lewis @pslewis.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
@britishacademy.bsky.social call for international evidence-informed policymaking grants is open! Deadline for applications is 19 Feb 2025 at 17.00 UK Time Funding of £150,000 is available for grants of up to 12 months in duration. You can see more 👇 www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/evid...
thebritishacademy.ac.uk
Evidence-informed policymaking grants
This programme gives ODA-eligible early-career to senior researchers the opportunity to work with peers around the world to inform policymaking through quality evidence and research.
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Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
First post and need to start with thanks to @farhanasultana.com for posting great advice and links on how to land here and find some people, things and places! #geosky #geography @northumbriauni.bsky.social
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