Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them)
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ginnybraun.bsky.social
Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them)
@ginnybraun.bsky.social

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

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%
Pinned
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

"Seventeen years ago, the arrival of a university ... was positioned as a clear message of hope."

“It wasn’t even a sit-down meeting. It was a quick 20-minute zoom call and the decision had already been made.”

A grim read in many respects.

#HigherEd

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘If I think about what this means, I want to cry’: what happens when a city loses its university?
When Essex University’s Southend campus opened, it was a message of hope for a ‘left behind’ UK seaside town. Its closure will be felt far beyond its 800 students, some of whom will not get their degr...
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Here's the Call for Papers on the journal website with details of the submission process, submission guidelines etc.: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...

@ginnybraun.bsky.social @eileenjoy.bsky.social

This…
This does not augur well for any research outside of a very narrow approach to science. Arts and social science research basically cut out altogether in favour of a very Western/positivist paradigm, which is depressing and does not augur well for NZ research
I'm excited to share a Call for Papers for a Special Issue of Qualitative Research in Psychology on New developments and good practice in reflexive thematic analysis co-edited by me, @ginnybraun.bsky.social @eileenjoy.bsky.social and Lisa Trainor. Please contact any of us if you have any questions.
Professional athletes are being advised not to leave the hotel or go anywhere without their passports while visiting Minnesota.

This is not a country that can safely host international events like the World Cup.

Boycotting is not even a political question anymore. It is a basic issue of safety.
The Montreal Canadiens are playing the Minnesota Wild in Minneapolis tonight. The players have been recommended to stay in/eat at the hotel, take the team bus to the arena, and carry passports.

Perhaps we shouldn't be hosting the World Cup and the Olympics...

Reposted by Virginia Braun

As the UK government relies on media silence to renew arms export licences to Israel, solidarity movements must keep up the pressure, writes Ryvka Barnard

Full article: www.newarab.com/opinion/uk-g...

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Nurses say the big jump in reported assaults is due to under-staffing and patient frustration, but Health NZ Te Whatu Ora says it’s because staff are encouraged to report incidents.
Rising abuse against Auckland hospital workers feels ‘uncontrollable’
Nurses say the big jump in reported assaults is due to under-staffing and patient frustration, but Health NZ Te Whatu Ora says it’s because staff are encouraged to report incidents.
dlvr.it

Yeah I am not going to hold my breath on this... 💩

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Stuff takes the incredible journalistic step of *using the search function* to get a "NZ mentioned" headline and then the article doesn't mention either Thiel (a NZ citizen) or Pinker (invited here by the FSU to speak TONIGHT)

www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
The Jeffrey Epstein files: New Zealand mentioned more than 1000 times
New Zealand is mentioned more than a thousand times in the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the US Justice Department.
www.stuff.co.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Prof emerita @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social,
“a founding member of Defend Public Health, said Milhoan “wants to experiment on the people of the United States by seeing what happens as vaccination coverage plummets and infectious diseases spread. This is so dangerous as to approach criminality””
US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations
Move is dramatic departure for advisory group under Kirk Milhoan, who says he doesn’t like the term ‘established science’
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Alison Phipps

I just joined the #QuitGPT boycott. OpenAI execs are Trump's biggest donors. It's time to quit. Join us: quitgpt.org
QuitGPT — OpenAI Execs are Trump's Biggest Donors
Join the movement. Delete ChatGPT. Cancel your subscription. It's time to quit.
quitgpt.org

I know academics are not *better* humans - but you want good colleagues. And when we think of the power inherent in universities this doubly breaks my heart and makes me so so angry!!!
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/

Wonder how the uni will try and spin that
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 Virginia Braun

Fact: Climate change is making the weather more extreme.
My #cartoon today #NZpol #ClimateChange #Floods #ClimateInaction

Reposted by Virginia Braun

We could not agree more @Professor Braun! And if anyone is interested in partnering with Palestinian colleagues for our Frontiers Research Topic, please fill in this form: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

I’d love to - though COVID has done me in for at least a month now so this year is not gonna go to plan 😭

Reposted by Madeleine Pownall

What an important topic - when there are such threats and pressures.
New CfP in Qualitative Research in Psychology:

🔮 "The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research"

We're inviting papers that address the big question: What does the *future* of good, quality, rigorous qual research look like?

📄 Deadline Sept 2026
💬 Happy to answer Qs
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Call for Papers: The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research
Call for Papers for Special Issue of Qualitative Research in Psychology The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research Special Issue Guest Editors: Dr Madeleine Pownall, Dr Nicki Lisa Cole, Dr Annayah ...
docs.google.com

With you involved I’m sure it will be great!!

🙏🏼🙏🏼

Our universities could be doing so much more to support education and research among students and scholars in Gaza, in the context of scholastics and genocide

asiapacificreport.nz/2026/01/27/i...
In Gaza, university scholarships are now a matter of survival | Asia Pacific Report
asiapacificreport.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

This does not augur well for any research outside of a very narrow approach to science. Arts and social science research basically cut out altogether in favour of a very Western/positivist paradigm, which is depressing and does not augur well for NZ research
MBIE has announced the board members of Research Funding New Zealand, the new org that will make funding decisions for NZ's "major public investments in science, innovation and technology"

My initial response: 😬🤔🙄WTF

Why are three of them Aus-based? Why such a strong Agri lean? ⚛️🧪👩‍🔬
Biographical Information RFNZ Board members | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Biographies for the Research Funding New Zealand Board.
www.mbie.govt.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

A critically important article from Qualitative Psychology and excellent, thoughtful scholars @vicclarke.bsky.social @ginnybraun.bsky.social. I love that it made such waves - top 3 for APA Publishing! @qualpsy.bsky.social
The 3rd most downloaded APA article of 2025 dives deep into a big challenge for #qualitative researchers: #peerreview feedback that doesn’t align with their values and methodology. Check out the study in Qualitative Psychology: https://bit.ly/3NIXcbY @vicclarke.bsky.social @ginnybraun.bsky.social
New CfP in Qualitative Research in Psychology:

🔮 "The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research"

We're inviting papers that address the big question: What does the *future* of good, quality, rigorous qual research look like?

📄 Deadline Sept 2026
💬 Happy to answer Qs
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Call for Papers: The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research
Call for Papers for Special Issue of Qualitative Research in Psychology The Future of Rigorous Qualitative Research Special Issue Guest Editors: Dr Madeleine Pownall, Dr Nicki Lisa Cole, Dr Annayah ...
docs.google.com

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Hawke's Bay conservationists work to save critically endangered forget-me-not www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Hawke's Bay conservationists work to save critically endangered forget-me-not
A critically endangered forget-me-not is being saved from the brink of extinction.
www.rnz.co.nz

Reposted by Virginia Braun

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon invited to join Trump's Gaza 'board of peace'
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon invited to join Trump's Gaza 'board of peace'
A draft charter for the organisation, which will be chaired by Donald Trump, has been sent to a number of world leaders.
www.rnz.co.nz

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Reposted by Virginia Braun

A reminder to #nzpol specifically but everyone generally;

"They" are people. Like all humans unhoused folk just want shelter, warmth, nourishment and connection.

"They" are not the problem... 1/2

www.1news.co.nz/2026/01/17/t...