Mike Rowe

@mikerrowe.bsky.social

330 followers 460 following 9 posts

Academic. Ethnographer of street-level bureaucrats and discretion, most recently police in particular. Liverpool.

Videos

Political science 39%

Sociology 15%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 5d

There was a "process", there was "due diligence", and yet somehow Peter Mandelson slipped through the net. As it turns out, the notoriously unreliable man simply couldn't be trusted! My SKETCH.
thecritic.co.uk/mand...

At this point we learned that Number 10 had wargamed only one good answer to the Mandelson questions. Amazingly, this would turn out not to be enough. “We went through a process,” Starmer replied, offering what might be the most Starmer answer in the history of Starmer answers. “There was a due diligence exercise.” When the prime minister passes on to the great court of appeal in the sky, we will find these words written on his heart.

There had, he said, been “vetting by the security services”. Unfortunately, he went on, “Mandelson lied”. Curses! Foiled again! The one thing we weren’t expecting! This is how Kim Philby got away with it for so long: whenever they asked him if he was working for the Russians, he simply denied it. It must be very frustrating working for MI5, with all these people letting you down by lying to you.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Andrew Scott, Lesley A. Hall , and 7 more Will Jennings, Andrew Scott, Lesley A. Hall, Mike Rowe, Michael H. Whitworth, Stephen Jones, Geoff Pearson, Katrina Navickas, Jack Stilgoe, Steven H. Seggie

Caroline Russell @carolinerussell.bsky.social · 7d

“Jaywalking is permitted in London. In 1966, the police tried to crack down on it, but gave up after three months.”

People walk and cycle on roads by right, people drive under licence.

Jaywalking is not a thing in English law and Waymo must not change that.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Self-driving taxis are coming to London – should we be worried? | Jack Stilgoe

Waymo’s cars were first rolled out in San Francisco, but the English capital’s old roads, pelican crossings and jaywalkers may pose issues for AI, says science and technology professor Jack Stilgoe

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mike Rowe

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 8d

Andrew Tate deleted this, but lets keep it for use in court.

Reposted by Mike Rowe, Nicola Carr

Kate Herrity @kateherrity.bsky.social · 8d

**Please share with your networks**
Two free and open online events next week!! Students are particularly welcome so do please let them know. Here's the next instalment on the #SensoryCriminology blog: sensorycriminology.com/2026/02/01/i... #AcademicSky #CrimSky. See below for reg and details.

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Lisa W. Fazio, Jonathan A. Eisen , and 44 more Joanna Bryson, Lisa W. Fazio, Jonathan A. Eisen, Brendan Nyhan, Virginia Braun, Jesse H. Kroll, Euan G. Ritchie, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Robert W. Wallace, Mark D. White, Rosemary A. Joyce, Elizabeth Stokoe, Alexander Wuttke, Lesley A. Hall, Rebecca Sear, Nichola Raihani, Jane Green, Smith, Flávio Azevedo, Michael W. Kraus, Mike Rowe, Emily Grubert, Aaron Sojourner, Michael Zimmer, Lyndsey Stonebridge, Christine Kooi, Julia M. Wright, Brian Keegan, Timothy Burke, Jason Lyall, Sarah Roberts, Aurélien Mondon, Ann Bartow, Catherine J. Frieman, Federica Genovese, Richard M. Carpiano, Hisham Zerriffi, Aleksandra Urman, Nicole Guenther Discenza, Manisha Sinha, James A. Benn, Mary McAuliffe, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Dan Immergluck, Tyson Wepprich, Anne Hilborn

Dr. Katja Thieme (she/they) @katjathieme.bsky.social · 8d

Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/

Reposted by Mike Rowe

21 Group @21group.bsky.social · Dec 30

Defenders of high Vice Chancellor pay say it’s irrelevant to the poor state of university finances

At Cambridge University, senior management pay rose from £7m to £32m in 5 years. It's not only the VC whose pay has soared!

This is a surge comparable to university’s annual deficit

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Northumbria UCU Branch @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social · Dec 23

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year from @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

Reposted by Mark Rubin, Mike Rowe

Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · Dec 18

Oh hey it finally made the media, only a week after the letter was actually sent.
FWIW despite being legally obliged to share with all staff, he so far hasn't.
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/birming...

Birmingham reprimanded over its management of work-related stress

Investigation by Health and Safety Executive found institution ‘does not have appropriate arrangements in place’ to manage burnout among staff

www.timeshighereducation.com

Mike Rowe @mikerrowe.bsky.social · Dec 16

@profgeoffpearson.bsky.social anything to add?

Mike Rowe @mikerrowe.bsky.social · Dec 16

This was not a particular focus of our search (and it definitely was not systematic!), but we did observe officers going through GO WISELY. Many (even most?) did not ask the question. But more scrutiny of stop forms and BWC footage may have changed that?

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Sophie Duroy @sophieduroy.bsky.social · Dec 11

Since they're not restructuring, they're putting us all at risk because there may be a diminished need for "teaching and research", which are... the university's missions I guess?

Reposted by Mary Bosworth, Richard S.J. Tol, Howard Williams , and 35 more Mary Bosworth, Richard S.J. Tol, Howard Williams, Dave O’Brien, Jonathan Wolff, Joanna Bourke, Elizabeth Stokoe, Martin Paul Eve, Charles West, Helen King, Lynn Abrams, Malcolm MacLean, John Foot, Jonathan Hopkin, Mike Rowe, Ben Worthy, Duncan Bell, Holger Nehring, Keith Lilley, Tom Griffin, Matthew Kelly, Adrian Vickers, Margot C. Finn, Michael H. Whitworth, Jonathan Birch, Laura Kelly, Pratik Chakrabarti, Stuart White, Katrina Navickas, Kathleen Kennedy, Mary Burke, Hayley Bennett, Pascale Aebischer, Kate Bradley, Stijn Smismans, Renaud Morieux, François Guesnet, Andrew Perchard

lucynoakes1.bsky.social @lucynoakes1.bsky.social · Dec 11

Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:

Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.

Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

Reposted by Elizabeth Stokoe, Lesley A. Hall, Mike Rowe , and 3 more Elizabeth Stokoe, Lesley A. Hall, Mike Rowe, Margot C. Finn, Fiona Moore, Katrina Navickas

UCU Essex @ucuessex.bsky.social · Dec 6

In yet more devastating news, the VC has confirmed her plans to cut 80% of academic staff from Essex Pathways, our foundation year department. This would effectively close down all our existing foundation year programmes through the back door.

But it's not a done deal yet. Please share urgently.

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Abi O'Connor @drabioconnor.bsky.social · Dec 4

Day 11 of our current strike at @sheffielducu.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk …

The story goes that we can’t afford to keep staff in their jobs but we can afford this 👇

Reposted by Mike Rowe

COPS campaign @copscampaign.bsky.social · Dec 2

Just out: our report on #spycops boss Ben Gunn at the public inquiry. Managers have a lot to cover so reports are very long reads, but well worth it. Incredible admissions from Gunn: 'There was no legal basis for a lot of the work we were doing'
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/12/02/u...

UCPI Daily Report, 20 Oct 2025: Dennis ‘Ben’ Gunn evidence

A long-read report on the Undercover Policing Inquiry questioning Dennis 'Ben 'Gunn, the Met Special Branch commander of operations 1988-91

campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Fabián Muniesa, George McKay , and 5 more Martin Paul Eve, Fabián Muniesa, George McKay, Alan Richardson, Mike Rowe, Mark Rice, Jon Dean, Kate Bradley

UCU Essex @ucuessex.bsky.social · Dec 2

It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.

Please share widely.

Reposted by Mike Rowe

COPS campaign @copscampaign.bsky.social · Dec 1

It's the 1st day of the Undercover Policing Inquiry questioning whistleblower #spycops officer, Peter Francis. So far today we've heard a lot about racism in the squad.

At the lunch break @tombfowler.bsky.social is joined by Heather Mendick.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAB9...

Spycops inquiry reaction: lunchtime of 1 Dec 2025 - Peter Francis evidence, day 1

YouTube video by Cops Campaign

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Mike Rowe

COPS campaign @copscampaign.bsky.social · Dec 1

Instant reaction from the morning at Undercover Policing Inquiry as we begin a week of questioning the only whistleblower #spycops officer, Peter Francis

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

Spycops inquiry reaction: morning of 1 Dec 2025 - Peter Francis evidence, day 1

YouTube video by Cops Campaign

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · Nov 19

On Nigel Farage's racism, of course it is possible that someone can believe one thing when they're a teenager and something completely different when they're an adult.

But where is the evidence that has happened in this case?

Instead all of the evidence points in the complete opposite direction

Nigel Farage Is a Racist

The media is refusing to state the most bleedingly obvious facts about a man whose entire career has been devoted to pursuing a racist political agenda

www.adambienkov.co.uk

Reposted by Andrew Scott, Mike Rowe

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · Nov 12

Nigel Farage said their flagship council in Kent would be a "shop window" for how they would run the country.

Just months after taking over they're now set to slash multiple council committees as they struggle to fill posts after sacking nine of their own councillors
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/12/r...

Reform Council in Chaos as It Prepares to Slash Scrutiny Committees Following Wave of Councillor Suspensions

EXCLUSIVE: Reform's flagship Kent administration is planning to shut down multiple council committees as it struggles to fill posts after suspending nine of its own councillors

bylinetimes.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Stokoe, Alan Richardson, Mike Rowe , and 3 more Elizabeth Stokoe, Alan Richardson, Mike Rowe, Justin Lewis, Lisa Colton, Robert Adlington

Joanne Cormac @jcormac.bsky.social · Nov 6

Heartbroken to share the news that recruitment to Undergraduate Music courses at the University of Nottingham has been suspended.
Please do contact us on protectuonmusic@gmail.com if you would like to support us.

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Adil Ray @adilray.bsky.social · Oct 27

And there goes another racist episode. Soon to be forgotten. Once the phone ins, the denials and the harsh words have ended. But many won’t forget. Yet again they’ll feel unwelcome. Some just accept it, suffer more and spend years fighting it rather than chasing dreams. But, integrate they say.

Reposted by Mike Rowe, Geoff Pearson

N8 Policing Research Partnership @n8prp.bsky.social · Oct 16

We've got 2 upcoming events for #PGRs and #ECRs! Hear from experienced #policing researchers about how to get the most from #focusgroups (7 Nov) and using #creativemethods (2 Dec)

Registration below ⬇️

www.n8prp.org.uk/home/events/

Events

www.n8prp.org.uk

Reposted by Mike Rowe, Michael Veale

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · Oct 6

At least five UK universities have told staff they will not be paying them the sector-wide uplift that was due in August for almost a year. Juliette Rowsell reports
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/five-uk-universities-tell-staff-they-cant-afford-pay-rises

Mike Rowe @mikerrowe.bsky.social · Oct 2

newbooksnetwork.com/researching-... Shameless plug! #street-levelbureaucracy

Michael Rowe, "Researching Street-Level Bureaucracy: Bringing Out the Interpretive Dimensions" (Routledge, 2024) - New Books Network

newbooksnetwork.com

Reposted by Mike Rowe

Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · Sep 28

Richard Tice with his Reform chum Nathan Gill, who has just admitted taking bribes for spreading Kremlin misinformation. What could be more patriotic than that?

Reposted by Mike Rowe

COPS campaign @copscampaign.bsky.social · Sep 25

The #spycops scandal contains half a dozen aspects that frankly warrant an inquiry of their own. One of these is blacklisting. For decades, every constabulary's Special Branch routinely & illegally passed details of political activists to illegal employment blacklisting organisations. 🧵