Johnny Unger

Will share more details if the application is successful - it's an exciting project!

Thanks Lucy! It's for an international fellowship for a postdoc who wants to come to Lancaster :-)

I wonder if BlueSky is still a bit like early Twitter... Question for UK academics who've had funding success with the British Academy: did you include citations and references in your research proposal or just citations? The word count restrictions are tough!

I am in this

Ok, hear me out… I want to organise a dumpling party in June:

Dim Summernight’s Dream

Who’s in?

This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

Attending the ADDA conference in Tilburg - just remembered how I used to live-tweet conference talks in the olden days when Twitter wasn’t a cesspit yet… anyway, I won’t live-post through @carotagg.bsky.social’s talk on Device attending - feels too meta! 🤣

Why is Israel still in Eurovision? The answer is more complex than you might think | Chris West The war in Gaza means the European Broadcasting Union is risking its liberal reputation, but to ban Israel would be to undermine the organisation’s fundamental purpose, says author Chris West

This article helped me understand how the fact that Eurovision is a product of the EBU puts Eurovision in a bind. I think they can't let this continue, but it did make me realize it's more complex than I thought. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Albania’s entry feels like it should finish with the words “Thank you, Daddy”! #Eurovision

San Marino: the song everyone would dance to at your auntie’s 3rd wedding #Eurovision

France. Very sandy! #Eurovision

Denmark will loo-oo-oo-ose #Eurovision

Portugal. Good thing I set my alarm for 3 minutes from the start of the song 🥱 #Eurovision

I’m still confused about what Malta’s entry has to do with a 18th-Century German philosopher #Eurovision

Switzerland definitely doesn’t want to win again this year #Eurovision

Armenia know their audience #Eurovision

Germany’s song is what happens when music producers like Nena and watched lots of MTV in the 90s #Eurovision

Poland wins “Most dull song following a somewhat exciting opening” #Eurovision

Italy’s piano is almost as long as this song seems #Eurovision

Finland’s entry seems appropriate for the 69th #Eurovision

I’m sure when I visit the Netherlands next week people will be singing this in the streets #eurovision

Latvia’s entry really does not make me want to visit Latvia #eurovision

Iceland are just so excited! And so glittery! And so excited! #eurovision

Austria was a bit damp #eurovision

Just got off the phone to Disney and they’re suing #UK #eurovision

Ukraine was psychadelic. Not sure that made up for the song though #eurovision

Spain calling herself melody was a brave choice, given the song… #eurovision

Lithuania’s singer looks like he’s died and gone to heaven on stage. Or maybe just died on stage? #eurovision

Watermelon slices

Time for a watermelon break #eurovision

“Winners Cafe” seems a bit optimistic on Estonia’s part. The dancing is amazing though #eurovision