SPIN Research Network

📺 Missed our recent FOIA research methods workshop? You can now stream the full recording, including contributions from Aiden Clarkson, Kevin Walby & Hannah Richards.

Stream here: buff.ly/aX3VI3r

#SPINEvents #FOIA #OpenAccess

🕵️‍♀️ F is for Five Eyes – the latest post in our A–Z of Secrecy series by Dr Lydia Morgan (University of Birmingham). Learn about the historically important intelligence cooperation alliance of the UK, US, AUS, CAN & NZ.

Read here: buff.ly/fBLEGOK

#SPINBlog #FiveEyes #Secrecy

👋 Please give a warm SPIN welcome to Susannah Lee, a 2025 SPIN Fellow this summer working with SPIN and the Gender Research Centre to explore gender, power, and secrecy in the context of the current challenges in UK and US politics.

Meet the network: buff.ly/clcQe2t

#SPINNetwork #SecrecyResearch

Stimulating and interesting essay, esp. how secrecy informs the narrative reconstitution and replenishment of American exceptionalism across time; a 20C redux of manifest destiny is (re)produced via secrecy.

Well worth reading!

📝 SPIN is delighted to share an essay by Politics & IR student Shae Miles: The Age of Innocence and Ignorance: Exploring the ‘silencing of the past’ in US foreign policy. This was written as part of Shae's excellent work on the University of Bristol's US Foreign Policy unit.

Read: buff.ly/lXhvUsp

🎤 SPIN is at BISA this week! Catch our panel on Thursday. Find more details on our papers: buff.ly/bvqdFhE and search for us on the conference programme: buff.ly/cV4581b

#SPINatBISA #BISA2025 #AcademicEvents

SPIN at the BISA 2025 50th Anniversary Conference - SPIN SPIN is pleased to share that our panel, Secrecy and the (re)making of the global (dis)order, has been accepted for inclusion...

⏳ Just one week to go until SPIN is at BISA 2025 in Belfast! Please join us for our panel exploring the interconnections of secrecy and international politics. See details of SPIN's panel: buff.ly/bvqdFhE

#SPINatBISA #SecrecyResearch #BISA2025

SPIN Research Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of FOIA Free virtual SPIN Research Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of Freedom of Information Access (FOIA).

🗂️ Final reminder to register for our FOIA Research Methods Masterclass—this Wednesday, 12 June, 2–4pm BST, online!
Register here: buff.ly/eDwsPBB

#SPINEvents #FOIA #ResearchMethods

🔍 Missed Dr Shereen Fernandez’s talk on secrecy, redaction and the War on Terror? Now available on YouTube. Chaired by Dr Jeffrey Whyte, this talk explores secrecy and race in policing and surveillance. Watch here: buff.ly/J6BY8gk

#SecrecyStudies #SPINEvents #Surveillance

Join our free SPIN Research Methods Masterclass: Navigating the Challenges of FOIA—aimed at PhD and Early Career Researchers but open to all.

Wed 11 June | 2–4pm BST | 📍Online

Register now: buff.ly/Vt60p2v

#FOIA #ResearchMethods #SPINEvents

SPIN • A podcast on Spotify for Creators This podcast series is brought to you by the members of SPIN, the Secrecy, power and ignorance research network (www.secrecyresearch.com). As a network, we study issues and ideas related to the…

🎧 Season 2 of the SPIN Podcast is now complete! Catch all episodes including Peter Finn on the 'Official Record', Lewis Bush on his latest project 'Trading Secrets' and @evanveeren.bsky.social‬ on 'secrecy games'. Listen here: buff.ly/tDSEeMP

#SPINPodcast #SecrecyResearch

SPIN Research Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of FOIA Free virtual SPIN Research Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of Freedom of Information Access (FOIA).

Register now for our free SPIN Methods Masterclass: Navigating the Challenges of Freedom of Information Access (FOIA). Open to all, but especially aimed at PhD and early career researchers.

Wed, 11th June, 2-4pm (GMT+1) Online

Further details and to register: buff.ly/Vt60p2v

We did a thing. We analyse the ‘red pill’ discourse and its use of The Matrix to help produce and circulate popular anti-feminist manosphere conspiracy theories. Principally annoyed that they’ve messed with one of the greatest sci-fi texts ever.

Taking the Red Pill: Conspiracy Theories, Gender, and the ‘elusive epistemologies’ of the Manosphere In this article we analyse the gender politics of the anti-feminist "red pill" or Matrix conspiracy theory. Extending the work of Jaron Harambam and Stef Aupers on how conspiracy theorists legitimise…

🧠 New article by SPIN member @evanveeren.bsky.social‬, Elisabeth Moerking & Harvey Dryer explores conspiracy theories, gender and the ‘elusive epistemologies’ of the manosphere. Pre-pub version of Taking the Red Pill is now avail: buff.ly/TvaMZxN

#SPINNetwork #FeministPolitics #ConspiracyTheories

Call for Chapter Proposals - New SPIN Edited Volume, Initial Deadline: 1 June - SPIN Call for Chapter Proposals: Deadline 1 June 2025     Working title: Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New...

🗓️ Less than a month to go! We’re seeking contributions for an edited volume on secrecy in an era of polycrisis.

Call for Chapter Proposals for edited volume: Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New Directions
Details at: buff.ly/bSnIaw6
Deadline: 1st June

📝 New publication from SPIN-ster @drowendthomas.bsky.social, with @victoriambasham.bsky.social and @rhyscrilley.bsky.social, Death and denial in the city: Making sense of London Bridge and Grenfell, is out now in Politics & Space.

Access here:

This is an exciting time for secrecy research and an important time to understand how central it is to our current crises. Do consider contributing a chapter to what we hope will be a new definitive volume.

This should be of interest to several colleagues and followers.

Really enjoying this so far! Some really interesting food for thought on redaction and spatiality

Feminist Counterpublics in Authoritarian China: Resisting Repressions While Excluding ‘Weak’ Women - SPIN Feminist Counterpublics in Authoritarian China: Resisting Repressions While Excluding ‘Weak’ Women   Earlier researchers of Chinese feminism have identified a...

🎉 Give a warm welcome to Yi Wang, who is joining the network as a 2025 SPIN Fellow. Yi is a PhD researcher in Sociology at Bristol, exploring gender, resistance, and feminist counterpublics in China. Details of Yi's PhD Prject: buff.ly/eURLmqF

#SPINNetwork #SecrecyResearch

📚 The SPIN Spring 2025 newsletter is here! Catch up on our latest events, new publications, and welcome recent additions to the network. Read here: buff.ly/Fj5Yn2X

#SPINNetwork #SecrecyResearch

🚨 This week! Join SPIN for a talk by Dr Shereen Fernandez (LSE) on secrecy and redaction in the War on Terror, exploring the role of secrecy in surveillance and policing. Chaired by Dr Jeffrey Whyte. Open to all.

Wed, 14 May 2025, 1pm GMT+1, Online

More details:

Call for Chapter Proposals - New SPIN Edited Volume, Initial Deadline: 1 June - SPIN Call for Chapter Proposals: Deadline 1 June 2025     Working title: Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New...

🗓️ Less than a month to go! We’re seeking contributions for an edited volume on secrecy in an era of polycrisis.

Call for Chapter Proposals for edited volume: Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New Directions
Details at: buff.ly/bSnIaw6
Deadline: 1st June

Whether you are new to secrecy studies or an established scholar, or a secrecy scholar interested in the politics of race, please join us to share your research and explore common ground. All welcome!

Details and how to register: buff.ly/saf56Wa

Two weeks until Race, Secrecy and Mobilities Working Lunch! Join us at SPIN 19 May, 1pm at the University of Bristol or online for a working lunch to discuss how secrecy shapes movement and survival through the lens of race.

Join us at SPIN 19 May, 1pm at the University of Bristol or online for a working lunch to discuss how secrecy shapes movement and survival through the lens of race. All welcome!

Details and how to register:

Join us for the next SPIN Talk! Dr Shereen Fernandez (LSE) discusses how secrecy and redaction shaped surveillance and policing during the War on Terror. Chaired by Dr Jeffrey Whyte. All welcome!

Wed 14 May, 1pm (GMT+1) Online

More info:

SPIN Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of FOIA We are delighted to host this free virtual SPIN Methods Masterclass: Navigating the challenges of Freedom of Information Access (FOIA).

Struggling with the Freedom of Information Act in your research? Looking to use government documents that seem inaccessible? Join our free SPIN Methods Masterclass: Navigating the Challenges of FOIA. Open to all, focus on PhD & ECRs

Wed 11 June, 2pm (GMT+1) Online

Register now:

From secret states to conspiracy theories, shadow finance to culture wars - secrecy is central to politics, economics, and social life. We welcome proposals across disciplines and exploring the ways secrecy has mattered and shaped our world. Please submit an abstract by 1 June.

Call for Chapter Proposals - New SPIN Edited Volume, Initial Deadline: 1 June - SPIN Call for Chapter Proposals: Deadline 1 June 2025     Working title: Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New...

📢 Call for Chapter Proposals for new SPIN edited volume

Secrecy Studies: Enduring Themes, New Directions

Deadline: 1 June 2025

We are inviting interested scholars to submit chapter abstracts for this new ground-breaking volume on secrecy.

For further details: wp.me/sb19Tu-4213