Sarah Mills | Lightnews

Prof. Sarah Mills

@sarah-mills.bsky.social

550 followers 510 following 62 posts

Human Geographer at Loughborough University, UK | profsarahmills.com | researching childhood, youth, citizenship, volunteering, gambling and gaming

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Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jun 11

Me, writing in the @bigissue.com this week (print and online) on the gamification of citizenship. I end on the recent (chilling) example of the reported US reality gameshow pitched to Trump, where citizenship itself is the star prize... www.bigissue.com/opinion/good...

Good citizenship has become a game – here’s why it matters

Should you get a reward for throwing your litter away? The gamification of good citizenship is making this a reality – but at what cost?

www.bigissue.com

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Geography and Environment at Loughborough University @lborogeog.bsky.social · 3d

Incredibly sad news from our Geography community at Loughborough www.lboro.ac.uk/subjects/geo...

Professor Joanna Bullard (1969-2025)

We are incredibly sad to share news of the recent passing of Joanna Bullard, Professor of Physical Geography in the Department of Geography and Environment, School of Social Sciences and Humanities at...

www.lboro.ac.uk

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Heather Wardle @shwardle.bsky.social · Oct 3

Gambling Survey for Great Britain 2024 report now live! Findings
include associations between in-play betting & gambling harms; socio-economic disparities btw weekly gamblers. Data in UK Data archive soon! www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/statistics-a...

@uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofgussp.bsky.social

Investigating the relationship between reasons for gambling and different gambling activities  

www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Sep 1

www.bbc.com/news/article...

German cabinet backs voluntary military service, opening door to conscription

The defence minister wants to increase soldiers in service from 182,000 to 260,000 by the early 2030s.

www.bbc.com

Reposted by James A. Tyner, Johanna Waters, Sarah Mills , and 1 more James A. Tyner, Johanna Waters, Sarah Mills, Ben Anderson

Prof Katherine Brickell @kbrickell.bsky.social · Sep 1

📣 I'M HIRING! Please spread the word 📣

🔎 Looking for a 1-year postdoctoral research associate to support @sensory-lives-prj.bsky.social & UK-wide tour of a playhouse tent communicating neurodivergent children’s experiences of Temporary Accommodation.

🛜 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOL488/p...

Reposted by Katherine Brickell, Sarah Mills

Steve Brace @stevebracegeog.bsky.social · Aug 21

The growth in GCSE geography 2011 - 2025.

From 180,000 entries to 302,000.

Many congrats from @geographicalassoc.bsky.social to pupils & the work of #geographyteachers which has led to this year-on-year successful growth for the subject

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Aug 19

Interesting piece here on blind box toys and adults: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Our research examined collectibles and gambling style mechanisms targeted at children, but also interviewed parents about their experiences + memories of collecting: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

‘My buyer’s guilt is insane. It’s $1,300 on trash’: the adults addicted to blind box toys like Labubus

Grownups get thrills from opening these collectibles they buy without knowing what they’re getting – but experts warn the craze is akin to gambling

www.theguardian.com

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Aug 18

New paper in @spaceandpolity.bsky.social with
@mattbailliesmith.bsky.social on Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as 'good behaviour' - open access below @lborouniversity.bsky.social @northumbriauni.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as ‘good behaviour’

Following the release of the UK Government’s recent White Paper on Immigration (2025), this provocation critically reflects on the role of points-based contributions, voluntary service and ‘good ch...

www.tandfonline.com

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Matt Baillie Smith @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social · Aug 18

New paper in @spaceandpolity.bsky.social with @sarah-mills.bsky.social on volunteering and points for citizenship following UK Immigration White paper, exploring idea's legacy, workability and consequences. Details ⬇️
@northumbriauni.bsky.social @lborouniversity.bsky.social @nuglobaldev.bsky.social

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Aug 15

Thanks Jonathan! Great point!

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Jonathan Harris @jonathanaharris.bsky.social · Aug 15

This is an interesting, timely and helpful intervention from #geography colleagues 👆 immediately I'm drawn to query the scale and location of the 'community' in which candidates are supposed to be volunteering, as doing so in diaspora/religious settings so often risks the charge of 'not integrating'

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Space and Polity @spaceandpolity.bsky.social · Aug 15

Writing in response to the UK Government's White Paper on Immigration, @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social and @sarah-mills.bsky.social raise important questions about points-based citizenship policies and the politics of 'good behaviour' and volunteering: doi.org/10.1080/13562576.2025.2539744

Immigration and the contested politics of volunteering as ‘good behaviour’

doi.org

Reposted by Scott L. Greer, Mark D. White, Lesley A. Hall , and 4 more Scott L. Greer, Mark D. White, Lesley A. Hall, Joanna Tai, Sarah Mills, Antonia Scholkmann, Steve Murdoch

Catherine Fletcher @cathfletcher.bsky.social · Aug 7

Obviously a lie, since the definition of PhD-level expertise, standard across universities worldwide, is that you can produce original knowledge.

OpenAI claims new GPT-5 model boosts ChatGPT to ‘PhD level’

GPT-5's release comes as tech firms continue to compete in an effort to claim the world's most advanced AI.

www.bbc.co.uk

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jul 30

www.chinatalk.media/p/prediction...

Betting on Chaos: Professional Political Gamblers

101 on Polymarket and Kalshi

www.chinatalk.media

Reposted by Danny Dorling, Sarah Mills

Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · Jul 29

🥳 Congratulations @dannydorling.bsky.social! Seven Children: Inequality and Britain’s Next Generation has been shortlisted for the Bread & Roses Award for Radical Publishing! 👏👏
@lighthousebks.bsky.social👇
lighthousebookshop.com/posts/announ...

The book cover of Seven Children: Inequality and Britain’s Next Generation by Danny Dorling. The title is in bold blue and red text on a cream background. To the right, a series of ascending blue bars form a bar chart, with children climbing or sitting on the bars to symbolise inequality and progression. The background behind the book cover is pink and black, with faint pink stencil-style rose motifs on the black sections.

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jul 28

www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...

Election Gambling Is About to Blow Up With Polymarket Back in U.S.

The prediction market Polymarket is set to resume business in the U.S. after a three-year ban, opening access to election betting for Americans.

www.rollingstone.com

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jul 28

www.ft.com/content/cc47...

New German military service targets 40,000 teenagers a year

Russian threat prompts Berlin to boost numbers of army reservists and professional soldiers

www.ft.com

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jul 27

BRONZE HAD A FRACTURED TIBIA ALL TOURNAMENT!?!

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · Jul 27

DAME CHLOE KELLY

Reposted by Elaine Treharne, Sarah Mills

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 27

18 months. 12,000 questions. A whole lot of anxiety. What I learned from reading students’ ChatGPT logs

Students increasingly use AI chatbots for anything from academic queries to emotional quandaries. But are they missing out on the chance to make their own mistakes? Three undergrads reveal all …

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ken Caldeira, Sarah Mills

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Jul 25

Immigration agents told a teenage US citizen: ‘You’ve got no rights.’ He secretly recorded his brutal arrest

Video from Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio, 18, puts fresh scrutiny on the harsh tactics used to reach the Trump administration’s ambitious enforcement targets

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Sarah Mills

Caitlin Doherty @caitlindoherty.bsky.social · Jul 22

The explosion in support for women’s football has been one of my greatest joys in the last five years

I love this team and I love Sarina Wiegman

Reposted by Sarah Mills

JosimarFootball @josimarfootball.bsky.social · Jul 21

New.

Leicester were set to unveil their kit for the new season last week, but the announcement was postponed. Was it because their new sponsor KBET is a hitherto unknown – and illegal – online bookmaker?

By @philippeauclair.bsky.social

josimarfootball.com/2025/07/21/r...

Running like a fox - josimarfootball.com

Leicester were set to unveil their kit for the new season last week, but the announcement was postponed. Was it because their new sponsor KBET is a hitherto unknown – and illegal – online bookmaker?

josimarfootball.com

Prof. Sarah Mills @sarah-mills.bsky.social · Jul 17

I literally have no voice left! My LIFE what a game #Lionesses

Reposted by Simon Hix, Ariadne Vromen, Sarah Mills

Anthony Wells @anthonyjwells.bsky.social · Jul 17

Since people keep asking...

We don't know with confidence how 16 and 17 year olds would vote. Polling evidence is quite scant because young people are some of the hardest to reach (and I would expect those you can reach will be disproportionately engaged and, therefore, not very representative). 🧵

Reposted by Tom Griffin, Sarah Mills

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · Jul 17

Just out: The Government's electoral reform strategy

"Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections"

Votes at 16/17, expanding the list of voter IDs, and (finally) some action to close foreign-donation loopholes

Take a look: www.gov.uk/government/p...