Mia Gray

"Flyer with USF logo for the Urban Urgencies call for applications on a Picture via flickr by Bill Badzo and the text Up to £35,000 per project Open to researchers globally Requires partnership with at least one non-academic organisation 23 March 2026 at 23:59 UTC +0 Apply online The Urban Studies Foundation is launching a major new grant to support rapid-response collaborative research on the world’s most pressing urban challenges."

"Flyer with USF logo for the Urban Urgencies call for applications on a Picture via flickr by Bill Badzo and the text Up to £35,000 per project Open to researchers globally Requires partnership with at least one non-academic organisation 23 March 2026 at 23:59 UTC +0 Apply online The Urban Studies Foundation is launching a major new grant to support rapid-response collaborative research on the world’s most pressing urban challenges."

⏰ FINAL REMINDER: Urban Urgencies Call

There is still time to apply for our new grant supporting rapid-response, collaborative research on the most pressing urban challenges—from the climate crisis to AI and housing.

🗓️ Deadline: 23 March 2026 (23:59 UTC)

Don't miss out! 🔗 ow.ly/FUIn50XGtgz

I absolutely agree.

Also see the upcoming special issue on remunicipalisation (taking public services back into public control at the municipal scale) in the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society. Already a number of advanced articles out:

academic.oup.com/cjres/advanc...

Wonderful to see our PhD student, Chloe King, win this early career researcher prize for research impact and Engagement

As a discipline, geography's research is often engaged and full of impact

Year 12s at UK state schools: Apply for the FREE @suttontrust.bsky.social UK Summer School at Cambridge!

Experience life at Cambridge & dive into Geography—all for free.
Deadline: 12 Feb (Midday)
Apply: summerschools.suttontrust.com/course/university-of-cambridge/geography-4/

Is the UK’s industrial strategy really place based? New @rsablog.bsky.social blog on our recent @regionalstudies.bsky.social paper. Blog here: regions.regionalstudies.org/ezine/articl... paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... @regstud.bsky.social @rsaibis.bsky.social

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Check out our advance access content for our new issue on How Places are Contesting the Privatisation of Local Public Services

Edited by @judithclifton.bsky.social @mia-gray.bsky.social, David MacDonald and Ron Martin

academic.oup.com/cjres/advanc...

This looks interesting -- exploring regional cultures

amps-research.com/livable-citi...

Examining societies and cultures from varied regional perspectives.

Regional Cultures Strand: Livable Cities 2026.

University of Salford, MANCHESTER

Dates: 17-19 June, 2026
Abstracts: 01 April, 2026

Revisiting the Economic Geographies of the Defence Industry Editors: Michael Brzoska, Mia Gray, Robert Hassink, Gregory Hooks, Diego Lopes da Silva Recent increasing nationalism and related geopolitical tensions and con

A timely call for papers for CJRES special issue on

Revisiting the Economic Geographies of the Defence Industry

Abstracts by 1st September 2026

academic.oup.com/cjres/pages/...

New Role, come work for us at End Austerity! endausterity.org/new-role-end...

Chart shows average change in expected lifetime student loan repayments of the 2022–23 starting cohort as a result of Budget 2025 freezes, by decile of lifetime earnings. Title states: "Budget 2025 changes mean those with student loans who started university courses in 2022 can expect to repay around £3,200 more over their lifetime."

The 2025 Budget changed student loan terms affecting those who started courses between 2012 and 2022. A repayment threshold freeze will see many repaying more each month.

Over their lifetimes, those who started in 2022 can expect to pay £3,200 (6%) more on average.

Nigel Farage apologises for 17 breaches of MPs’ code of conduct Reform UK leader, who failed to declare £380,000 on time, says he is computer-illiterate ‘oddball’

Oh, come on ...

Being computer illiterate is not an acceptable excuse for filling in your Universal Credit incorrectly or missing your council tax payment. The consequences are severe.

Only the wealthly allowed to be a "computer illiterate oddball"?

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Announcing the Urban Multiplicities Seminar Series, featuring six brilliant speakers
@rikjaz.bsky.social
@ayonadatta.bsky.social
Charlotte Lemanski
@princeguma.bsky.social
@maanbarua.bsky.social
@profgillian.bsky.social

Location: Small Lecture Theatre @camunigeography.bsky.social

One in five UK adults borrowed to cover Christmas holiday spending in 2025 New YouGov data reveals 19% of UK adults took on debt for Christmas 2025 — spending on gifts, food, and bills, with credit cards and BNPL most common.

One in five UK adults borrowed to cover Christmas holiday spending in 2025

yougov.com/en-gb/articl...

With cost of living remaining a key concern for many households, a new survey conducted using YouGov Surveys: Serviced explores how many UK adults turned to borrowing to make ends meet.

Russell Group v-c salaries rise as 7,000 job losses confirmed Leaders of research-intensive universities see pay top £350,000 despite financial strife faced by institutions

"With record numbers of higher ed jobs under threat, it’s staggering university bosses continue to think their wage hikes should be way above the paltry 1.4 % rise they offered the people who keep their institutions running"
@unison.org.uk @ucu.org.uk
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/russell...

Session abstract: Tephrochronology is one of the most effective tools for building precise and independent chronological frameworks that link archaeological, palaeoenvironmental, and geological archives. By relating tephra layers to eruptive events, it establishes isochrons – time-synchronous surfaces that enable stratigraphic sequences to be correlated across regions with exceptional precision. In recent years, the study of cryptotephra – fine-grained (<125 μm) volcanic glass shards preserved in sediments far from their source – has profoundly expanded the potential of this approach. The identification and geochemical fingerprinting of these invisible ash layers now allow long-distance correlations, extending the applicability of tephrochronology to regions and contexts once considered beyond its reach. This session focuses on how the integration of tephra studies into archaeological research is transforming our ability to correlate, date, and interpret the complex relationships between human activity, archaeological cultures, landscape evolution, and volcanic events across space and time. By bringing together examples from different regions and periods—from prehistoric to historical contexts—the session will highlight the diversity of applications and the growing analytical precision that characterise this rapidly evolving field. We welcome contributions demonstrating how both visible tephra and cryptotephra layers have been used to refine archaeological chronologies, synchronise cultural and environmental sequences, or strengthen the chronological control of multiproxy datasets. Methodological and case-study papers are equally encouraged, especially those integrating tephrochronology with geoarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental methods such as micromorphology, sedimentology, and palaeoecological analyses. Research from regions traditionally considered “tephra-poor”, where cryptotephra discoveries are revealing new temporal anchors, is particularly welcome.

📣 Studying tephra in archaeology?
Then submit an abstract to our #tephratastic session at the European Association for Archaeologists #EAAs in Athens this summer. 🌋🏛️ Session #203 “Advances in Tephrochronology for Archaeological Research”.
👉5th Feb deadline👈
More info: bit.ly/3LCcuyy

And I've just realised that the content of the book is free to download!

www.elgaronline.com/edcollbook/b...

Repeal of a policy that many called one of the most restrictive labor laws in the US (prohibitng public sector employees from unionising).

A bit of good news from the US.

The 2026 Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society Conference The annual Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society conference will take place on 16-17 July 2026, at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, UK. The 2026 Conference of the Cambridge Jour…

CJRES's 2026 conference

“The New Economic Geographies of the Defence Industry”

Exploring the changing military industrial complex implications for uneven regional development?

Please share broadly

cpes.org.uk/events/cjres...

Over the last years, business investment in the UK has been significantly lower than in peer countries. This new paper estimates that Brexit reduced investment by 12% to 18%, employment by 3% to 4%, productivity by 3% to 4, and GDP by 6% to 8%.

Excited to announce @leverhulmecal.bsky.social posts - we are looking for 7 interdisciplinary fellows to join our Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, closing date 30 January 2026 (1/3) durham.taleo.net/careersectio...

Thanks -- very interesting study.
The prevalence of Chat GPT is striking. And I like that you treat separate digital monitoring at work from algorithmic management of work. Great piece of work.

The Algorithmic Workplace: How Platformisation Is Reshaping Work in Europe New evidence reveals that data-driven management now shapes how millions work across Europe—with profound implications for autonomy and well-being.

Interesting study about AI and autonomy & well-being at work - I like the different categories of "digital control".

I'd love to see a sectoral breakdown of the data.

The Algorithmic Workplace: How Platformisation Is Reshaping Work in Europe www.socialeurope.eu/the-algorith...

Are you an early career or established researcher engaged on original research intended to produce monographs, editions or studies of documents, texts or illustrations? Apply for the Neil Ker Memorial Fund 2026: https://bit.ly/4hO0Oo1

Thousands of Starbucks workers are on strike for a living wage and better working conditions. Stand with them by boycotting Starbucks until it can strike a fair contract. sbworkersunited.org

@sbworkersunited.org

Reeves to plough millions into playgrounds after years of Tory neglect A Treasury source told The Mirror: 'This funding will breathe new life into play areas across England, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children'

Welcome, but will be very curious to see the details (type of playground, geography, etc.)

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Reeves to plough millions into children's playgrounds after years of Tory neglect

Excited to share my first PhD paper which was based on my fieldwork at @thebotanics.bsky.social and just published on @geoopenaccess.bsky.social yesterday! 🌺

Together with my Green New Deal colleagues, Colin Hines and Larry Elliott we have published a document of hope and possibility in advance of the Rachel Reeves event on Wednesday:

A Popular Budget to Fund a Social and Green New Deal.

Please read and share….

greennewdealgroup.org/press-releas...

Why Sweden Clears Snow-Covered Walkways Before Roads — Streetsblog USA It's part of "gender-balanced" policy that reflects the fact that women walk more than men.

As I slipped and slid along slushy and icy pavements on my way to the metro, it feels like it’s worth resharing the story of how Swedish cities flipped the order of snow clearance as they reflected on how gendered normal practices were:

usa.streetsblog.org/2018/01/24/w...

Handbook of Labour Geography ‘Labour geography is now a burgeoning, cross-disciplinary field of research with all manner of practical implications. This Handbook showcases the richness and breadth of the field. Edited by a field-...

It was a real pleasure to write a chapter in the Handbook of Labour Geography. The editor, Andy Herod, was a joy to work with and the collection itself looks great.
www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/han...