Dr Fran Melhuish
@fransplains.bsky.social
Postdoc @sotonpolitics.bsky.social, interested in nostalgia, visual politics and the gothic.
"Needlessly polemical"
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/65lr7v/doctor-francesca-melhuish
"Needlessly polemical"
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/65lr7v/doctor-francesca-melhuish
Pinned
Dr Fran Melhuish
@fransplains.bsky.social
· Jul 28
My latest article is out #OA in @politicsjournal.bsky.social ✍️
✅ The first academic study of Anglofuturism
✅ Expands our understanding of 'forward-looking' nostalgias
💡 Part of forthcoming special issue on Global Britain
@sotonpolitics.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
✅ The first academic study of Anglofuturism
✅ Expands our understanding of 'forward-looking' nostalgias
💡 Part of forthcoming special issue on Global Britain
@sotonpolitics.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
📢 CFP for: GAIN Gender and Inequalities Workshop — Tue 9 Dec, 10–12, Bldg 100/7013. A supportive space for PhD & Postdoc in the School of Economic, Social and Political Science to share work-in-progress & get feedback. Submit title + 250-word abstract to GAIN@soton.ac.uk by 14 Nov 2025.
November 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
📢 CFP for: GAIN Gender and Inequalities Workshop — Tue 9 Dec, 10–12, Bldg 100/7013. A supportive space for PhD & Postdoc in the School of Economic, Social and Political Science to share work-in-progress & get feedback. Submit title + 250-word abstract to GAIN@soton.ac.uk by 14 Nov 2025.
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
This Anglofuturism shit is literally the opposite of Afrofuturism
Not an original point by a long shot but the way Afrofuturism is about history and how necessary it is to invent futures
Sun Ra Arkestra, with effortless ease, writing the whole history of Jazz on stage
November 9, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This Anglofuturism shit is literally the opposite of Afrofuturism
November 9, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
Today is the day! Join us at 10:00 a.m. to discuss applying for funding in Gender and Inequalities at the University of Southampton. Building 100 in Room 8013 on Highfield Campus. We have ☕ coffee, tea 🍵, and pastries 🥐🍩! www.southampton.ac.uk/politics/new...
November 5, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Today is the day! Join us at 10:00 a.m. to discuss applying for funding in Gender and Inequalities at the University of Southampton. Building 100 in Room 8013 on Highfield Campus. We have ☕ coffee, tea 🍵, and pastries 🥐🍩! www.southampton.ac.uk/politics/new...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
Cat pumpkin hybrid www.instagram.com/p/CkTNgpprCsl/
October 29, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Cat pumpkin hybrid www.instagram.com/p/CkTNgpprCsl/
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
ONE WEEK LEFT UNTIL THE DEADLINE
Make sure to submit your excellent papers, panels, and roundtables to the Critical Alternatives for World Politics Working Group! We can't wait to see you in June! 🥳🥳
Make sure to submit your excellent papers, panels, and roundtables to the Critical Alternatives for World Politics Working Group! We can't wait to see you in June! 🥳🥳
📢CALL FOR PAPERS AND PANELS 📢
Critical Alternative for World Politics (CAWP) invites you to submit your papers, panels, and roundtables for this year's @mybisa.bsky.social in Brighton!
This year's theme is: 🕶️ Images and Imaginaries of International Relations 🖼️
See the CfP below: 👇
Critical Alternative for World Politics (CAWP) invites you to submit your papers, panels, and roundtables for this year's @mybisa.bsky.social in Brighton!
This year's theme is: 🕶️ Images and Imaginaries of International Relations 🖼️
See the CfP below: 👇
October 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
ONE WEEK LEFT UNTIL THE DEADLINE
Make sure to submit your excellent papers, panels, and roundtables to the Critical Alternatives for World Politics Working Group! We can't wait to see you in June! 🥳🥳
Make sure to submit your excellent papers, panels, and roundtables to the Critical Alternatives for World Politics Working Group! We can't wait to see you in June! 🥳🥳
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
"Email has become a crucible. I can no longer say 'Attached is the draft.' I must instead write, 'Enclosed—though, of course, enclosure itself is a problematic modality—please locate a text-in-process, emergent rather than concluded.'”
I Got Tenure and Now I Can’t Seem to Form Simple Declarative Sentences
When I received the email, I was holding a piece of toast. Dry, no butter. I remember this vividly because it was the last thing in my life with a ...
buff.ly
October 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
"Email has become a crucible. I can no longer say 'Attached is the draft.' I must instead write, 'Enclosed—though, of course, enclosure itself is a problematic modality—please locate a text-in-process, emergent rather than concluded.'”
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
Are you interested in researching gender and inequalities? Join us for our Gender and Inequalities Research Collaboration Event next month, 5 Nov 2025. More details in our infographic below. If you're interested in attending, please email us at gain@soton.ac.uk so that we can get an idea of numbers!
October 15, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Are you interested in researching gender and inequalities? Join us for our Gender and Inequalities Research Collaboration Event next month, 5 Nov 2025. More details in our infographic below. If you're interested in attending, please email us at gain@soton.ac.uk so that we can get an idea of numbers!
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
This, from @catherinedevries.bsky.social, is really useful advice for young (and, tbh, old!) academics. Worth passing on if you know any, maybe? catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/fail-bette...
October 14, 2025 at 7:24 AM
This, from @catherinedevries.bsky.social, is really useful advice for young (and, tbh, old!) academics. Worth passing on if you know any, maybe? catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/fail-bette...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
🔊 Episode #3 out now!
@whitproject.bsky.social (@politicsoxford.bsky.social) explores how the gender binary shaped the production and reception of international thought and what recovering overlooked voices means for present-day international relations.
open.spotify.com/episode/76f2...
@whitproject.bsky.social (@politicsoxford.bsky.social) explores how the gender binary shaped the production and reception of international thought and what recovering overlooked voices means for present-day international relations.
open.spotify.com/episode/76f2...
October 3, 2025 at 6:19 AM
🔊 Episode #3 out now!
@whitproject.bsky.social (@politicsoxford.bsky.social) explores how the gender binary shaped the production and reception of international thought and what recovering overlooked voices means for present-day international relations.
open.spotify.com/episode/76f2...
@whitproject.bsky.social (@politicsoxford.bsky.social) explores how the gender binary shaped the production and reception of international thought and what recovering overlooked voices means for present-day international relations.
open.spotify.com/episode/76f2...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
We’re launching the results of our research into gender balance in the History curriculum today.
The report - The Great History Heist: Reclaiming Women’s Place in the History Curriculum - found only 12% of History lessons feature women as their main focus. 59% featured no women at all.
The report - The Great History Heist: Reclaiming Women’s Place in the History Curriculum - found only 12% of History lessons feature women as their main focus. 59% featured no women at all.
Sexism in the History Curriculum - End Sexism in Schools
End Sexism In School’s second crowd research project is looking into the History curriculum taught at KS3 (years 7-9) in England and Wales.
endsexisminschools.org.uk
September 24, 2025 at 6:19 AM
We’re launching the results of our research into gender balance in the History curriculum today.
The report - The Great History Heist: Reclaiming Women’s Place in the History Curriculum - found only 12% of History lessons feature women as their main focus. 59% featured no women at all.
The report - The Great History Heist: Reclaiming Women’s Place in the History Curriculum - found only 12% of History lessons feature women as their main focus. 59% featured no women at all.
Why must the framing of this article strike such a disapproving tone, when later it says:
RCOG: "Caesarean births are common and the steady increase isn’t necessarily a cause for concern as long as future services are well-prepared..."
Report: "there is no ‘ideal’ rate for births by caesarean"
RCOG: "Caesarean births are common and the steady increase isn’t necessarily a cause for concern as long as future services are well-prepared..."
Report: "there is no ‘ideal’ rate for births by caesarean"
More than half of UK births now involve medical intervention, audit finds
Caesareans drive rise in assisted deliveries as experts warn of complex pregnancies linked to age, obesity and other conditions
www.theguardian.com
September 11, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Why must the framing of this article strike such a disapproving tone, when later it says:
RCOG: "Caesarean births are common and the steady increase isn’t necessarily a cause for concern as long as future services are well-prepared..."
Report: "there is no ‘ideal’ rate for births by caesarean"
RCOG: "Caesarean births are common and the steady increase isn’t necessarily a cause for concern as long as future services are well-prepared..."
Report: "there is no ‘ideal’ rate for births by caesarean"
Many congratulations to Johanna! Well deserved for a fascinating paper.
We are delighted to announce that the winner of the #BJPIR John Peterson Best Article Prize for 2024 is Johanna Rodehau-Noack for her article ‘Counting bodies, preventing war: Future conflict and the ethics of fatality numbers’.
🎉 Congratulations to Johanna!
🎉 Congratulations to Johanna!
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
September 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Many congratulations to Johanna! Well deserved for a fascinating paper.
Your regular reminder that things can always get worse
September 9, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Your regular reminder that things can always get worse
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
💻🗳️ I’m presenting today at #ECPRGC25 on the Territorial Politics, National Identity, and Electoral Dynamics: Shaping Party Systems and Political Behaviour panel! Law School, Floor 3, Room 5 ✍️ I’m presenting a paper on how campaigns target 🎯 gender gaps in the event of a constitutional referendum!
August 28, 2025 at 7:36 AM
💻🗳️ I’m presenting today at #ECPRGC25 on the Territorial Politics, National Identity, and Electoral Dynamics: Shaping Party Systems and Political Behaviour panel! Law School, Floor 3, Room 5 ✍️ I’m presenting a paper on how campaigns target 🎯 gender gaps in the event of a constitutional referendum!
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
✍️ @zuzanakrulichova.bsky.social just published a new article in @coco-journal.bsky.social: She presents a systematic literature review on narrative approaches in IR, introducing agency-centric and structure-centric approaches.
@ims.fsv.cuni.cz
@ims.fsv.cuni.cz
August 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
✍️ @zuzanakrulichova.bsky.social just published a new article in @coco-journal.bsky.social: She presents a systematic literature review on narrative approaches in IR, introducing agency-centric and structure-centric approaches.
@ims.fsv.cuni.cz
@ims.fsv.cuni.cz
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
in any case, as Jana points out I think it's this same phenomenon at work re: "fascism". there are some whose primary concern with labeling is to try to shape politics (we call x fascism to help defeat it) and others for whom certainty is the priority
bsky.app/profile/unso...
bsky.app/profile/unso...
a.k.a. YeAH BuT is iT FaSciSM sort
August 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
in any case, as Jana points out I think it's this same phenomenon at work re: "fascism". there are some whose primary concern with labeling is to try to shape politics (we call x fascism to help defeat it) and others for whom certainty is the priority
bsky.app/profile/unso...
bsky.app/profile/unso...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
Nothing quite like an academic job rejection email 1.5 years after the last round interview
August 5, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Nothing quite like an academic job rejection email 1.5 years after the last round interview
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
I'm giving a public lecture, “Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution” on Thursday 16 October 2025, 6-7pm.
This is part of UCL's Current Legal Problems lecture series.
More details here: lnkd.in/e2AJMzbW
This is part of UCL's Current Legal Problems lecture series.
More details here: lnkd.in/e2AJMzbW
Announcing an upcoming event as part of our Current Legal Problems lecture series for 2025-26:
📢 Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution
🗣️ Dr Ben Yong @bymyong.bsky.social
📅 16 October 2025 | 6pm
🏛️ UCL Laws + online
🔗 Book now: tinyurl.com/yz5bnrey
📢 Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution
🗣️ Dr Ben Yong @bymyong.bsky.social
📅 16 October 2025 | 6pm
🏛️ UCL Laws + online
🔗 Book now: tinyurl.com/yz5bnrey
Hybrid | CLP - Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution
This lecture will be delivered by Dr Ben Yong, as part of the Current Legal Problems Lecture Series 2025-26
tinyurl.com
August 1, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I'm giving a public lecture, “Bureaucracy and Distrust: The Civil Service in the Constitution” on Thursday 16 October 2025, 6-7pm.
This is part of UCL's Current Legal Problems lecture series.
More details here: lnkd.in/e2AJMzbW
This is part of UCL's Current Legal Problems lecture series.
More details here: lnkd.in/e2AJMzbW
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
This looks really interesting, link to the paper at the end of the thread too
1/4. We're excited to announce the publication of: "A new Elizabethan age: The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) and the nostalgic politics of Anglofuturism", by Francesca Melhuish.
@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social
@fransplains.bsky.social
@sagepub.com
@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social
@fransplains.bsky.social
@sagepub.com
August 1, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This looks really interesting, link to the paper at the end of the thread too
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
Do you like ketchup? Not only are you wrong, but you may be a fascist. Not really, but in my 🍅New Publication🍅 "Ketchup Is the Whitest Sauce", in International Political Sociology, I argue that memes about ketchup showcase Neo-Nazi solidarity.
academic.oup.com/ips/article/...
academic.oup.com/ips/article/...
Ketchup Is the Whitest Sauce: Memes as Silly/Serious Bordered Spaces in International Relations
Abstract. This paper draws on previous scholarship on humor, memes, and seriousness in International Relations to produce a novel means for understanding o
academic.oup.com
July 29, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Do you like ketchup? Not only are you wrong, but you may be a fascist. Not really, but in my 🍅New Publication🍅 "Ketchup Is the Whitest Sauce", in International Political Sociology, I argue that memes about ketchup showcase Neo-Nazi solidarity.
academic.oup.com/ips/article/...
academic.oup.com/ips/article/...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
📝On our blog, we reflect on the @psawomenpol.bsky.social y.social annual conference we hosted here at @unisouthampton.bsky.social ! We were delighted to bring together scholars from diverse disciplines who study gender and inequalities. generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk/gain/2025/07...
Reflections from the PSA Women & Politics Annual Conference 2025 – Gender and Inequalities Research Centre, University of Southampton
generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk
August 1, 2025 at 9:43 AM
📝On our blog, we reflect on the @psawomenpol.bsky.social y.social annual conference we hosted here at @unisouthampton.bsky.social ! We were delighted to bring together scholars from diverse disciplines who study gender and inequalities. generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk/gain/2025/07...
Reposted by Dr Fran Melhuish
The number of grant applications assessed by UK Research and Innovation has almost doubled over the past seven years, while the award rate has almost halved, new data show.
Trends prompt warning that system is "overstretched or broken".
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Trends prompt warning that system is "overstretched or broken".
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
UKRI grant applications double in seven years as award rate halves - Research Professional News
Trends across research councils prompt warning that system is “overstretched or broken”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
August 1, 2025 at 8:48 AM
The number of grant applications assessed by UK Research and Innovation has almost doubled over the past seven years, while the award rate has almost halved, new data show.
Trends prompt warning that system is "overstretched or broken".
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Trends prompt warning that system is "overstretched or broken".
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...