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Robert MacDonald

@rfmacdonald.bsky.social

Social Scientist/ Professor (Honorary - Durham) South Shields, UK. The usual stuff: β€˜left-wing flim-flam’/ sociology (youth, inequality, class etc)/ hills/ birds/ dogs/ politics/ punk/ MCFC/ archaeology/ the North East, & those sort of things. πŸ’™&✌🏽

993 Followers  |  1,480 Following  |  271 Posts  |  Joined: 15.11.2024  |  1.4988

Latest posts by rfmacdonald.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Belatedly, in praise of #Imbolc! For us up here in the NE it was the only day in what seems weeks where we’ve seen the sun. The Robins were going mental. 🌞 🌱

03.02.2026 15:08 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy New Year, very belatedly, to loved ones near & far. Been a tricky few weeks.
I did manage to get to Lordenshaws (Northumberland) on 21st/ 22nd to send love, say prayers, give thanks
#Solstice ❀️✌🏽

03.01.2026 23:56 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Northumbria Pay and Pension Petition: Stop the Steal! If Northumbria does this, other universities will too.  These cuts will harm thousands of people, their students, families, and their local communities now and into the future.

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/no...

19.12.2025 07:13 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Duncan

11.12.2025 06:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Some people here will know how much I loved Dora Dog, who passed today. So I just wanted to share that.
She was probably the sweetest, friendliest, most loving doggo in the whole wide world. πŸ’”

10.12.2025 19:55 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Tree!
πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸ»β„οΈβ€οΈ
(& some of my favourite decorations. Love the one from Australia).
#ChristmasTree
#JustLikeChristmas

09.12.2025 00:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This is shaping up to be a fantastic conference!

02.12.2025 08:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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SAVE THE DATE!
Journal of Youth Studies Conference, University of Porto in May 4-6, 2027.

01.12.2025 22:55 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Wintery Woodland Walk, Allenbanks, #Northumberland

01.12.2025 11:45 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Autumn!
Rowan leaf in our back yard. What a beauty!

14.11.2025 19:25 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Split image showing a group of Majority members in Majority T-shirts running a street stall in the top half of the image and a group of Majority members holding blue and yellow Majority Against Racism placards in the lower half.

Split image showing a group of Majority members in Majority T-shirts running a street stall in the top half of the image and a group of Majority members holding blue and yellow Majority Against Racism placards in the lower half.

"Majority legends! ✊🏼

Come rain or shine (luckily it was shine today), our hardy Majority members hit the streets every week.

First talking to shoppers at our street stall, then standing together with refugees at the regular anti-racism demo.
1/3

08.11.2025 19:44 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Lovely doggos!

08.11.2025 12:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Doggos ❀️❀️

Dora is getting old & a bit slow & poorly; Mabel is her best friend (& vice versa)

#DogsOfBlueSky

08.11.2025 12:49 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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We’re building a movement. We’re bringing the hope. Get amongst it. join.greenparty.org.uk

#LoveSouthTyneside

07.11.2025 20:45 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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#halloweening πŸ˜€

01.11.2025 21:25 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Collage of three images all showing striking workers with GMB flags. Main image shows people by a banner which reads: wind workers power our future, pay them like it.

Collage of three images all showing striking workers with GMB flags. Main image shows people by a banner which reads: wind workers power our future, pay them like it.

Teesside offshore wind workers strike! ✊🏼

@gmb.org.uk members picketing today, fighting for fair pay and conditions.

Supporting alongside @fbunational.bsky.social, Social Justice Party, @friends-earth.bsky.social and @greenpeaceuk.bsky.social

Let’s fight for good green jobs in the North East

22.10.2025 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
U2 - Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
YouTube video by U2VEVO U2 - Stay (Faraway, So Close!)

Never a big fan of U2, but I still love this one.
youtu.be/UGAOstUIhpU

18.10.2025 18:04 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A couple of days with Prof Webster & Mabel the Dog, #Northumberland #YeaveringBell #Longhorsley… βœŒπŸ½πŸ‚β›…οΈπŸ₯ΎπŸ₯Ύ

09.10.2025 20:37 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Wordle 1,568 4/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟨⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

β€˜Splendid’ 🫑

04.10.2025 17:13 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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For competent leaders with integrity, it's no use looking at the major political parties in the UK Major political parties haven't got a hope or a clue, writes Majority's Jamie Driscoll as he skewers establishment politics

British people want leaders they can be proud of. Patriotism would be taking water back into public ownership. It would cost nothing. Simply enforce the fines. Share prices would drop to zero. And the government would look like it has a backbone.

www.thecanary.co/opinion/2025...

04.10.2025 07:39 β€” πŸ‘ 21    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
New Member Sign Up - Majority

If you want to do more than like the hell out of things on social media, join @majorityuk.bsky.social. We campaign, do training, and build progressive alliances. We’re a social movement, so you can also be a member of your current political party. majorityuk.org/join

04.10.2025 07:39 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Image of a crowd of protesters at grey’s monument in Newcastle, holding placards saying Majority against racism.

Image of a crowd of protesters at grey’s monument in Newcastle, holding placards saying Majority against racism.

Today Newcastle stood united. ✊🏼

The far-right were in town trying to spread their hate and division. Only about 200 turned up.

Over 3000 canny geordies, including dozens of Majority members stopped them marching and sent them packing!
#TheyDidNotPass #NaePasaran

27.09.2025 15:10 β€” πŸ‘ 131    πŸ” 40    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 4
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A few pics from 27th…

Various racist & fascist groups tried to have a national launch/ rally/ march in #Newcastle

Vastly outnumbered, they were stopped at every point by thousands of anti-fascists

Proud of my city ✊🏽✌🏽β™₯️

#nopasaran
#antifascism

30.09.2025 08:08 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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St Mary the Virgin Church, #Morpeth #Northumberland

22.09.2025 08:17 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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First fly-by of the #Autumn… (they really wind Mabel up!)
Old Bewick, #Northumberland
#geese

14.09.2025 17:15 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Features / 12 September 2025
"We are the snowballs that will start an avalanche'
ANYA COOK reports from a Majority conference in Newcastle last weekend featuring Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana
Tikfol
Website
((0[l9)"
Majorityuk.org
MAJO
CALL TO LEAD: Zarah Sultana, Jamie Driscoll, Hugo
Fearnley (obscured) and Steph Langford

Features / 12 September 2025 "We are the snowballs that will start an avalanche' ANYA COOK reports from a Majority conference in Newcastle last weekend featuring Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana Tikfol Website ((0[l9)" Majorityuk.org MAJO CALL TO LEAD: Zarah Sultana, Jamie Driscoll, Hugo Fearnley (obscured) and Steph Langford

When the majority speaks, change is inevitable.

Join us today. πŸ‘‡πŸΌ

#WeAreTheMajority #YourParty
@jamiedriscoll.bsky.social @zarahsultana.bsky.social

12.09.2025 15:11 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Packed out Majority
Conference with Zarah Sultana and Jamie
Driscoll
Over 300 packed Newcastles Discovery
Museum as Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana launched a call for new politics
by Anya Cook - 08-09-2025 09:02
AA

Packed out Majority Conference with Zarah Sultana and Jamie Driscoll Over 300 packed Newcastles Discovery Museum as Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana launched a call for new politics by Anya Cook - 08-09-2025 09:02 AA

If you missed our sold out conference on Saturday, this is a brilliant summary from @northeastbylines.co.uk

If you’re done sitting on the sidelines join us today πŸ‘‡πŸΌ

08.09.2025 09:41 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Bees & Butterflies, above #Rothbury #Northumberland #Summer

25.08.2025 19:29 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Ros Castle & Cateran Hole, #Northumberland

Full of buzzing bees on the heather 🐝🐝🐝

22.08.2025 09:47 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
MAJORITY
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
WITH JAMIE DRISCOLL & ZARAH SULTANA MP
Saturday 6 September 1pm to 4pm
Discovery Musuem
Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1
Image of Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana

MAJORITY ANNUAL CONFERENCE WITH JAMIE DRISCOLL & ZARAH SULTANA MP Saturday 6 September 1pm to 4pm Discovery Musuem Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 Image of Jamie Driscoll and Zarah Sultana

Join us on Saturday 6th September at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum for our Annual Conference.

Keynote speakers include @jamiedriscoll.bsky.social and @zarahsultana.bsky.social, who will give an update on Your Party.

Book today - tickets going fast. Free for Majority members, Β£6 for non-members. πŸ‘‡πŸΌ

17.08.2025 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3

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