Petra Boynton

Very interesting line up of speakers and topics. I'd definitely be attending if I was anywhere near London!

@livingmaps.bsky.social, this might also be of interest to the counter-mapping community.

Autonomous AI Agents Have an Ethics Problem Opinion | AI-powered digital assistants can do many complex tasks on their own. But who takes responsibility when they cause harm?

Autonomous AI Agents Have an Ethics Problem
undark.org/2026/03/05/o...

Registration open for Radical Statistics annual conference "Using Data to Promote Progressive Change", London, 14.03.26
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2026-radic...

Programme here www.radstats.org.uk/conference

I'm doing a workshop on ECR wellbeing - with a critical use of underpinning data

Please come!

This gives me hope that even if all those MPs - with dollars in their eyes from what they can personally gain from US Big Tech’s ravaging of human creativity - vote for a data mining exception to copyright, the Lords ain’t having it - and the boom will be over by the time any dust settles?

Lots of good gems here - definitely worth your time

"If you think Claude Code is a better social scientist than you, then you’re probably right. But that means, at some point, you stopped trying to answer interesting/puzzling questions and started trying to win the publish-the-most-articles race."

I'd be interested in other people's thoughts on this, but my guess is the reason methods are taught in such a limited, dull and poor way in psychology is that many who do research only use a narrow range of (quant) methods and never research outside their uni/students. Breadth and depth is missing.

But that focus that still underpins a lot of methods teaching in psychology was an extremely poor preparation to the majority of my research within community settings where ideally the work is participatory and co-produced and we all know what we're exploring or testing.

I have run research where it's important for participants to join the study without (perceived) researcher influence. My methods teaching as a student (UG/PGR) was how to avoid or reduce experimenter demand effects. Message = 'don't let the students you're experimenting on guess your intentions'

I find this fascinating. Partly due to methodological choices and reasoning to anticipate participant behaviour and potential effects on outcomes; and partly from a community, participatory and co-produced environment where I work. Hard to adjust if you're taught one approach and end up in another.

An obituary for my Grandmother Nina Mary Hannaford from the Falmouth packet. The headline reads 'Town's young and old grateful to Nina' and contains a photo of my gran who's smiling and holding up a glass in celebration. It's captioned 'Driving force in community' and details the work of Nina and her husband Harry in supporting children's youth clubs and also setting up an older people's centre. In both cases my grandparents assisted in the building of the premises as well as running them, ensuring low or no cost food and activities were provided. The piece closes with the tribute to 'the little lady who lived at the top of Jacob's Ladder' (a well known Falmouth landmark).

Here are some lovely tributes to my grandparents

"Remembering Falmouth pair who were 'mum and dad' to thousands"
www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/1164913...

And Gran's obituary, which I often read if I need reminding of what's important in life.

#StPiransDay

a black and white flag with the words happy st. piran 's day written on it Alt: A cartoon of the Cornish flag - black background and white cross on it. With the words 'Happy St Piran's Day' written across the centre of the flag.

Happy #StPiransDay for all who're celebrating. My Mum's family are Welsh so we've already done #StDavidsDay but as my Grandparents relocated to Cornwall after WW2 we also appreciate their National Day too. (That's Cornwall's National Day, my Grandparents don't have one, although they should 😉)

A medical journal says the case reports it has published for 25 years are, in fact, fiction A Canadian journal has issued corrections on 138 case reports it published over the last 25 years to add a disclaimer: The cases described are fictional. Paediatrics & Child Health, the journal…

I've seen some bad journal practice in my time, but this is hold my beer territory: retractionwatch.com/2026/03/03/c...

MIDDLE EAST AND REGIONAL ESCALATION: 5 WAYS TO TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT CONFLICT Experts at Save the Children share five tools and tips that caregivers can use to approach the conversation with children:

5 Ways to talk to children about conflict.

www.savethechildren.net/news/middle-...

Mahmood to stop study visas from four countries due to 'abuse' The government will end study visas from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, due to what she says is abuse.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Entirely predictable, but concerning nevertheless. Uni responses will be revealing.

Talk to www.cara.ngo for any current students you're concerned about, or if you're a Sanctuary Campus.

Remember risingscholars.net/en a vibrant, welcoming community of LMIC scholars

This is interesting. I feel in some ways they're still missing parts of the problem, even if they did refuse. But note who DID spot the issues - a Mum and a Wife. Women scholars were raising the alarm on E*stein for years but were often told they were jealous, or not good enough to even be invited.

I am a white woman with dyed blonde shoulder length hair. I'm on the right hand side of the photo wearing a rainbow striped jumper and I am holding the paw of Sooty. Sooty is a puppet bear who is emerging from a blue box with his name on it. He's yellow with black ears, nose and eyes. He's helped by puppeteer Richard who's beside me and has just asked if I would like to hold Sooty's paw. Beside Richard, on the left of the photo is Small Son, then aged 8. He's got on a dark blue check shirt and he has short, red-blonde hair. He didn't want to hold Sooty's paw and nor does he really want to be in the photo. The words 'Sooty' appear above us in orange and red against a blue background covered in stars. I'm grinning like it's the best day of my life because it was.

Seven years ago today. Still one of the best days ever.

It's very important that academic men take a stronger role in challenging harassment and abuse - past and present. But that includes speaking out *at the time*, not least in situations where peers benefit from dubious associations or predatory and abusive behaviour (in and outside the academy).

This is interesting. I feel in some ways they're still missing parts of the problem, even if they did refuse. But note who DID spot the issues - a Mum and a Wife. Women scholars were raising the alarm on E*stein for years but were often told they were jealous, or not good enough to even be invited.

Researcher ethics differences ‘pose questions for policy’ - Research Professional News Large-scale survey finds discipline-related differences in views on “grey zone” practices

Differences between disciplines regarding research ethics views pose questions for policy, study suggests

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...

I'm so sorry you went through that. I read somewhere we can bear grief. But if care is poor what is overwhelmingly sad then tips into trauma and we're now dealing with both. It feels unnecessarily cruel.

Congratulations on the 21 year old. What was his brother's name? ❤️

NEXT MONDAY!

Excited we get to welcome @sheilaghogilvie.bsky.social to the @ihr.bsky.social to talk about Epidemics and Institutions from the Black Death to Covid.

9 March, 17:30 (UK), in person & online -- sign up for the zoom link.

#EarlyModern #SkyStorians #HistSTM #HistMed

Biblioburro: The amazing donkey libraries of Colombia Travelling with his two loyal donkeys, Alfa and Beto, Luis Soriano has been spreading the joy of reading to children in rural Colombian communities for over 20 years.

You know what’s even better than a library bus? LIBRARY DONKEY

a butterfly that is glowing in the dark with the word tumblr written below it Alt: A glowing white butterfly flaps gently against a dark blue background

March is Pregnancy After Loss Awareness Month.

A time to recognise specific challenges during subsequent pregnancies for those who've experienced #PregnancyLoss and #BabyLoss.

It's a less well known area of bereavement and trauma, where taboos remain and practitioners should be better informed.

You're very welcome. I have a very ambivalent relationship with 'self care' and do like us being able to interrogate and even challenge it. I agree with you, the collective approaches are vital. Appreciate you sharing the piece, was just what I needed to read today!

I hate it, but whenever I see 'experts by experience', 'collaboration', 'co-production', 'participatory' and 'partnerships' mentioned in talks or publications I grow tense, waiting for the moment when it becomes obvious none of those things happened. Sadly it's too often the norm. Just buzzwords

btw I'd say for discussions on co-production it's extremely important to set boundaries as the risk of extractive behaviour and exploitation is high. As is danger of careless treatment of those involved in collaboration and partnerships. But it's not a term all will understand, or know how to action

I ❤️❤️❤️ this. Good points, excellently made. Only thing I'd add is sometimes our solutions are still rooted in the Westernised, commodified approaches we're seeking to dismantle (e.g. 'boundary setting & self care'). Doesn't invalidate them, but is worth considering from a critical perspective.

YouTube video by Netflix Harrison Ford: Life Achievement Award Acceptance Speech | 32nd Annual Actor Awards

When you have the chance, please take the time to watch Harrison Ford's remarkable, beautiful Life Achievement Award acceptance speech. #ActorAwards

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV_2...

Children in need: a focus on re-referrals Statistics on re-referrals to children’s social care services in England by child characteristics and journeys through the social care system.

Sad but important update on re-referrals to social care. Many factors at play here, but poverty, lack of family support and structural barriers are significant contributors www.gov.uk/government/p...

Miscarriage: you don't have to be strong for me Having put off trying for a baby until my late thirties, my partner and I were delighted when I discovered I was pregnant. As a proud mum-to-be I immediately presented myself to the general practition...

It's 20 years this month I had my second miscarriage that was really badly managed and I describe in this piece for The Lancet. Pregnancy After Loss Awareness Month is a place to talk about a lot of issues, but recognition, myth busting and good care are key. 🦋🦋🦋

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...