Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them)
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ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them)
@ginnybraun.bsky.social
3.9K followers 2.9K following 1.1K posts

Pākehā/Tangata Tiriti; critical psych, health/disability, feminism/gender/politics, bodies, equity & social justice. #ThematicAnalysis #QualitativeResearch!
www.thematicanalysis.net
www.storycompletion.net
https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/ .. more

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Virginia Braun is a New Zealand psychology academic specialising in thematic analysis and gender studies. She is particularly known for her scholarship on the social construction of the vagina and designer vagina cosmetic surgery, body hair and heterosexuality. She is perhaps best known for her collaboration with British psychologist Victoria Clarke around thematic analysis and qualitative research methods. Together they have published numerous papers, chapters, commentaries and editorials on thematic analysis and qualitative research, and an award-winning and best selling qualitative textbook entitled Successful qualitative research. They have a thematic analysis website at The University of Auckland. More recently - with the Story Completion Research Group - they have published around the story completion method. .. more

Psychology 23%
Sociology 19%
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ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Jul 31
Here's a talk I gave as a keynote for the BPS @qmip.bsky.social conference (July 2025) - the result of @vicclarke.bsky.social & I recognising we needed to "dive in" & grapple with the beast that is GenAI & qualitative/(reflexive) thematic analysis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zFQ...
Dr Braun(love) - or: how I learned to stop worrying and love GenAI (yeah nah)
YouTube video by Virginia Braun
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Erin O’Donnell

knhannah.bsky.social
Kate @knhannah.bsky.social · 5h
This is utterly sickening, particularly the charges under HDCA. Many, many things from the 2021-2023 period of my life in terms of police (in)action related to threats made to me now must be viewed thru this unholy prism.

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/jevon-mcs...
Police bosses ignored sex complaints against top cop, charged woman for 'revenge' emails instead
Suppressions fall away to reveal the full story of the downfall of a deputy police boss.
www.nzherald.co.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

henrycooke.bsky.social
henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 5h
Absolutely horror IPCA report on how the Police handled complaints against McSkimming.

A woman, who said she had a sexual relationship with him when she was 21 and he was 40, made complaints about him and instead of taking it seriously they prosecuted her under the HDCA.

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 2d
“That kind of thinking cultivates empathy and challenges your assumptions. It's also something you have to practice. If we can offload that cognitive work, it's far too easy to become reflexive and hateful, while having a robot cheerleader telling you that you were right about everything all along.”
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Mark Rice

elleisanisland.bsky.social
Elle @elleisanisland.bsky.social · 3d
The diagram for what Palantir does is like if Richard Scarry got super paranoid and did an Apocalypse picture book
A schematic of the multiple types of communication and weapons systems: laser guided munitions, GPS aided bombs, SATCOM jammer

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 4d
University pension scheme under fire for Israeli investments

If you didn’t sign the letter but care to support this push please contact them

thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
University pension scheme under fire for Israeli investments
Hundreds of university workers have ramped up a campaign to demand their retirement savings provider divest from companies 'profiting from genocide'.
thespinoff.co.nz

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 4d
“The writer asked Thomas: “Would you be able to clarify that the revised free speech policy would protect opinions critical of the Treaty, and that all non-violent views of race relations in Aotearoa New Zealand would be tolerated on campus?””

newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/07/w...
Who Benefits: A lobby group’s charm offensive and a doubting Thomas
In part two of this instalment in our series on lobbying: The Free Speech Union has been quietly wooing university vice chancellors, with some success
newsroom.co.nz

Reposted by Jonathan Tummons

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 5d
This story is grim - and one outcome of the ‘business’ model of higher education. Academic freedom at risk not (just) within a country but from external forces…
China-critical UK academics describe ‘extremely heavy’ pressure from Beijing
Reliance on overseas students’ tuition fees under scrutiny as scholars describe chilling effect of being targeted
www.theguardian.com

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 6d
🤣

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 6d
It WAS prerecorded, yes!!

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 7d
First time at the Te Apārangi Royal Society Honours and Awards ceremony…. Anticipatory congrats to the awardees and the vibrant research community which is struggling in the face of gross funding cuts from the current government.

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 10d
😭😭😭

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Malcolm MacLean, Shaun C. Hendy

siouxsiew.bsky.social
Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles @siouxsiew.bsky.social · 10d
Morning peeps! I’ve written a piece for @thespinoff.bsky.social on why I ended up taking legal action against my employer and a little bit about how it played out. The whole story needs a book to tell but this is a good start 😂 thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-1... thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-1...
Siouxsie Wiles: Why I’m crowdfunding despite winning my legal battle
'Between the ERA and the Employment Court, my husband and I have spent over $632,000.'
thespinoff.co.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

leinsterlad.bsky.social
The Anti-Sycophant @leinsterlad.bsky.social · 11d

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 17d
So many good points in here
Belgian AI scientists resist the use of AI in academia
Several AI scientists have published an open letter calling for a ban on AI use by students.
apache.be

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Vincent O’Malley

bwbnz.bsky.social
Bridget Williams Books @bwbnz.bsky.social · 21d
📣 Join Dr Vincent O’Malley at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato this Saturday for 'The Invasion of Waikato / Te Riri ki Tainui' – a free public talk marking He Rā Maumahara, our National Day of Remembrance for the New Zealand Wars.

Book here: zurl.co/iOfW8
Public Talk: Dr Vincent O'Malley, The Invasion of Waikato Te Riri Ki Tainui
tewharetaonga.nz

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 21d
This is depressing - when universities care more about their reputations than the wellbeing of people within them, who are harmed by others within them, we have little chance of progress against sexual harassment.
www.thetimes.com/article/8fe7...
University wins gagging order in sex case to ‘protect reputation’
Open justice fears as media banned from naming institution where a professor faces sexual harassment claims at tribunal
www.thetimes.com

Reposted by Virginia Braun

maddipow.bsky.social
Dr Madeleine Pownall @maddipow.bsky.social · 24d
In Bali for the “Psychology from the East, Psychology from the West” conference 🇮🇩 🏝️

Today I spoke about how the “embracing” of AI in education may contribute to the dehumanisation of both students and educators, ft a lively discussion about @olivia.science et al’s paper on uncritical adoption

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Nathan P. Kalmoe

brian-goldstone.bsky.social
Brian Goldstone @brian-goldstone.bsky.social · 28d
Trump to the Israeli parliament today, gloating about U.S. weapons supplied to Israel over the past two years:

"You obviously used them very well."

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Guardian headline: "Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead" The children’s names below appear on a list of victims of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, maintained by health authorities in the territory. As of the end of July it ran to 60,199 names, of whom 18,457 were under 18s. Far from comprehensive, the list does not include the thousands still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings, as well as the war’s many indirect victims"

Reposted by Virginia Braun, Lesley A. Hall

petraboynton.bsky.social
Petra Boynton @petraboynton.bsky.social · 29d
Only a few hours to go before Small Son and I set off on our 4 mile fundraising walk in aid of The Miscarriage Association.

We're nearly at our target of £500 thanks to your generous donations, but if you can help us reach our goal today that would be wonderful!

www.justgiving.com/page/p-boynt...
Miscarriage Association's Memory Walk 2025
Help Petra Boynton raise money to support The Miscarriage Association
www.justgiving.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Nicola J. Cooper, Virginia Braun , and 10 more

trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social
Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · Oct 12
Well done Shafaq Aftab. When a reviewer stole her work and published it under his own name, she fought for a YEAR to get the journal to retract the paper. Just wondering why it took Wiley a YEAR to do this. 🧪 #academicsky

retractionwatch.com/2025/10/03/w...
Wiley retracts study stolen by reviewer, following Retraction Watch coverage
A Wiley journal has retracted a paper more than a year after a researcher reported the work was hers and had been stolen by a reviewer for another journal. As we reported in July, Shafaq Aftab, now…
retractionwatch.com

Reposted by Brigitte Nerlich, Virginia Braun, John R. Hutchinson , and 9 more

estherschindler.bsky.social
Esther Schindler @estherschindler.bsky.social · Oct 6
I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Oct 6
Very much this... And with the current political context in NZ and demands for things like "neutrality" and regressive gender politics, this situation is going to get worse.
cassiemph.bsky.social Cassie @cassiemph.bsky.social · Oct 1
Academics are facing being targeted for existing more and more. Keeping an eye on the policies our universities have on what their duty of care is, is essential in this day and age
ginnybraun.bsky.social Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Oct 1
Really useful blog by @mohanjdutt.bsky.social getting to the heart of what's going on...

"When academics can't invoke settled patterns of far-right mainstreaming without hitting up against coordinated harassment campaigns sanctioned by elected officials, we've already lost something important."

Reposted by Virginia Braun

vicclarke.bsky.social
Vic Clarke (she/her, they/them) @vicclarke.bsky.social · Oct 5
When @ginnybraun.bsky.social & I first wrote about thematic analysis in 2006 we never imagined writing about TA again let alone writing a lot of chapters! Here's the latest chapter in The Sage Handbook of Health Psychology w/ @garethterry.bsky.social & Lucie Wheeler. Congratulations to the editors!
Cover of The Sage Handbook of Health Psychology edited by Katherine Brown et al First page of a chapter on thematic analysis by Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, Gareth Terry and Lucie Wheeler

Reposted by Virginia Braun

vicclarke.bsky.social
Vic Clarke (she/her, they/them) @vicclarke.bsky.social · Oct 5
Exciting to receive my copy of Narrative Story Completion Methodologies by Kim Kelly with a review/overview chapter on qualitative SC methods by @ginnybraun.bsky.social me, Hannah Frith & Naomi Moller. There are 2 other chapters on qualitative SC by @nikilina.bsky.social & Matt Wood & Toni Williams.
Cover of Narrative Story Completion Methodologies: Research Approaches Across the Lifespan edited by Kimberly R. Kelly Contents page of Narrative Story Completion Methodologies Second contents page of Narrative Story Completion Methodologies First page of the chapter Story CompletionMethods in Qualitative Research by Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, Hannah Frith and Naomi Moller

Reposted by Virginia Braun

vicclarke.bsky.social
Vic Clarke (she/her, they/them) @vicclarke.bsky.social · Oct 5
New open access paper by me and @ginnybraun.bsky.social - Exploring U.K. University Students’ Social Perceptions of Dating and Physical Disability Using Story Completion. There are extensive Supplementary Materials which we hope are useful for teaching reflexive TA: awspntest.apa.org/fulltext/202...
APA PsycNet
awspntest.apa.org

Reposted by Virginia Braun

cassiemph.bsky.social
Cassie @cassiemph.bsky.social · Oct 1
Academics are facing being targeted for existing more and more. Keeping an eye on the policies our universities have on what their duty of care is, is essential in this day and age
ginnybraun.bsky.social Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Oct 1
Really useful blog by @mohanjdutt.bsky.social getting to the heart of what's going on...

"When academics can't invoke settled patterns of far-right mainstreaming without hitting up against coordinated harassment campaigns sanctioned by elected officials, we've already lost something important."
How a National Party MP Weaponized Violence to Target Academic Criticism
Mohan Dutta, Culture-centered approach, CARE, Massey University, Mohan Jyoti Dutta, Prof Mohan Dutta, Mohan J. Dutta, Communication for social change
culture-centered.blogspot.com

Reposted by Mohan J. Dutta

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Oct 1
Really useful blog by @mohanjdutt.bsky.social getting to the heart of what's going on...

"When academics can't invoke settled patterns of far-right mainstreaming without hitting up against coordinated harassment campaigns sanctioned by elected officials, we've already lost something important."
How a National Party MP Weaponized Violence to Target Academic Criticism
Mohan Dutta, Culture-centered approach, CARE, Massey University, Mohan Jyoti Dutta, Prof Mohan Dutta, Mohan J. Dutta, Communication for social change
culture-centered.blogspot.com

Reposted by Virginia Braun

memoryplace.bsky.social
Centre for the Sciences of Place and Memory @memoryplace.bsky.social · Sep 30
How does heritage-making intersect with homemaking? Join Professor Emma Waterton, Leverhulme International Professor at the University of York
Tuesday 21 October
16:00–17:30 (stream opens 15:50)
in Pathfoot Building D1, University of Stirling + online
Register here: forms.gle/Guv9U9vJTvV7...

Reposted by Virginia Braun

hopenothate.org.uk
HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · Sep 29
HOPE not Hate founder, Nick Lowles, speaking to the
@theguardian.com Today in Focus podcast. 🎧

He says, this is an exceptionally dangerous moment, but we must remember that the majority of people are still in favour of our multicultural society.

www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
How to defeat Britain’s far right – podcast
Hope Not Hate founder Nick Lowles has spent decades researching, infiltrating and helping communities to combat far-right groups. But now, he says, ‘they have their sights on our multicultural society...
www.theguardian.com

ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · Sep 25
Ah seeing this then maybe reflexive TA isn't necessarily the easiest/best approach, IF the earlier time frame is more "foundational" - so consider if something more like template analysis might be more useful and appropraite - tagging in @nigelking.bsky.social here :-)