Dr Samuel Finnerty
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samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Dr Samuel Finnerty
@samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
470 followers 250 following 170 posts
Wellcome Trust Funded Senior Research Associate @LancasterUni. Research Culture, Personal & Collective Identity, Moral Values, Prosocial Action, Climate Activism https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/psychology/about-us/people/samuel-finnerty#publications
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Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
peteknapp.bsky.social
BREAKING

Marcus Decker won his appeal against deportation after his protest suspended on the Dartford Crossing after being given 3 years.

I’m happy to know the (indirect) donations from GB News interviews went to support this momentous day.

@just-stopoil.bsky.social
@gbnewsonline.bsky.social
annieleymarie.bsky.social Annie Leymarie @annieleymarie.bsky.social · 1d
@chrisgpackham.bsky.social, Jonathan Porritt, various @scientistsforxr.earth and many others were with the wonderful Marcus Decker at his deportation hearing.
All fingers crossed!
November 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
This is a great opportunity to work with @abeba.bsky.social at the AI Acountability Lab in Dublin on the use of genAI
abeba.bsky.social Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.bsky.social · 11d
📣 I am hiring a postdoc! aial.ie/hiring/postd...

applications from suitable candidates that are passionate about investigating the use of genAI in public service operations with the aim of keeping governments transparent and accountable are welcome

pls share with your networks
November 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
rosaleenduffy.bsky.social
🎃 carving is for light weights. I tell my kid this every year when he is happily scooping out a pumpkin. I have strong (and painful!) childhood memories of the literal hours it took to get anything like a face on a turnip. But it was worth it 👻 #HappyHalloween
silverpebble2.bsky.social Emma Mitchell @silverpebble2.bsky.social · 11d
A reminder that the original Hallowe'en jack o' lanterns date back to 18th century Ireland if not earlier, were based on a shady boozy blacksmith called Stingy Jack who cheated the devil & was trapped between 2 worlds, were carved from turnips and looked like this:
A preserved carved turnip jack o'lantern from the 19th century A preserved carved turnip jack o'lantern from the 19th century
October 31, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
johnhyphen.bsky.social
'openly sympathizes with the Palestinians' is a pretty gross way of trying to make human compassion with civilians murdered in their tens of thousands sound problematic
politico screenshot reading: Unapologetically outspoken Like Higgins, Connolly has been outspoken in condemning Israel for its two-year war in Gaza — a certain vote-winner in a country that openly sympathizes with the Palestinians and has wretched relations with Tel Aviv.
October 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Love this piece, a very simple but effective visual reminder of what climate change means for sea level rise
alexsteffen.bsky.social Alex Steffen @alexsteffen.bsky.social · Mar 7
These artists built a light installation that activates at high tide, showing future sea levels and demonstrating the climate brittleness of the art center that commissioned it, currently sited in a building near the...
October 27, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
edufuturist.bsky.social
This is an excellent thread, a presentation on what some academics are doing now for climate change, along with how and why we can - and should - do a lot more:
thierryaaron.bsky.social Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 16d
I was recently invited to present my thoughts on the role of universities in the #climate crisis

Several audience members asked that I share my slides, so I've decided to post them here too as an open resource

I'd love any feedback, & for you to share examples of projects & best practice.

Long 🧵😊
October 26, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
crisortunity.bsky.social
Oil companies are the Bad Guys, exhibit twenty thousand seven hundred and eighty eight
davidxvx.bsky.social David Tong @davidxvx.bsky.social · 15d
This is very useful, timely analysis built on Global Energy Monitor data, confirming that fossil fuel companies are not meaningfully investing in the energy transition. These companies are responsible for a tiny 0.1% of global renewable energy production.

grist.org/accountabili...
Fossil fuel companies say they support the energy transition. New numbers suggest otherwise.
A new study shows that fossil fuel companies own less than 2 percent of renewable energy projects worldwide.
grist.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
abeba.bsky.social
built on theft and at massive environmental cost and most importantly, numerous studies keep demonstrating that genAI tools often work a little better than by chance. how is it that we can’t expunge these slop machines out of our institutions and communities

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
andrewcopson.bsky.social
Humanist Bertrand Russell's perfect, utterly uncompromising 1962 letter declining Oswald Mosley's invitation to lunch. An perennial joy to see this circulating online from time to time.
pimlicat.bsky.social Naomi Smith @pimlicat.bsky.social · 26d
Bertrand Russell to Oswald Mosley. Perfection.
October 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
thierryaaron.bsky.social
Here's a website that helps you switch to a greener bank.

Investments should build a better future, not destroy it.

makemymoneymatter.co.uk/banks/
October 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
oceanterra.org
Such an easy switch to make! Now there are so many great resources to help consumers make more #climate friendly choices.
thierryaaron.bsky.social Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 20d
Here's a website that helps you switch to a greener bank.

Investments should build a better future, not destroy it.

makemymoneymatter.co.uk/banks/
October 22, 2025 at 10:10 AM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Hi all! I’m looking for research jobs in social psychology, environmental action, & climate policy. I study pro-environmental action, moral and identity processes, scientist advocacy, and universities’ climate responses. I use qualitative and quantitative methods for research with real-world impact.
October 17, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
thierryaaron.bsky.social
Three excellent books on what the #ClimateEmergency means for higher education & how universities should respond 📚 🧵

1️⃣ Universities on Fire: Higher Education in the Climate Crisis by @edufuturist.bsky.social

www.universitiesonfire.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:11 AM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Great qual-focused role! 🎓

Join Sophie Nightingale as a Senior Research Associate exploring the harms from deepfake non-consensual intimate imagery

Deadline: 3 Nov

Details 👉 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOW310/s...
Please share @annayahprosser.bsky.social @maddipow.bsky.social

#AcademicJobs #QualResearch
Senior Research Associate at Lancaster University
Apply now for the Senior Research Associate role on jobs.ac.uk - the leading job board for higher education jobs. View details.
www.jobs.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
peteknapp.bsky.social
Upcoming Oct screening dates of my film 'Fires and Fascism'

10 Oct - Bristol, Bedminster
13 Oct - Cambridge
18 Oct - Nottingham
21 Oct - Bath (TBC)
23 Oct - Falmouth
25 Oct - Exeter (TBC)
28 Oct - Bristol, Cotham

Get tickets here (some not yet available) fires-and-fascism.co.uk#screening-da...
1/3
Film poster: matchbox with wildfires on it and bank notes coming out
October 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
saoirsemc.bsky.social
A massive loss to us all. His care for and wonder at both nature and the Irish language was a great gift that he shared with us all
October 3, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
sciencevs.bsky.social
This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥

We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪

Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇

open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...
October 1, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
wouterpoortinga.bsky.social
As part of our Infra4NextGen project, @ess-survey.bsky.social has just released a new data summary that brings together insights from the European Social Survey, European Values Study, and the International Social Survey Programme...

infra4nextgen.com/wp-content/u... (1/)
October 2, 2025 at 9:52 AM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
I cannot join this today, but if interested in how collective action emerges in emergencies, you cannot do better than attending this.
drselintekin.bsky.social Selin Tekin @drselintekin.bsky.social · Oct 1
@merveozturkey.bsky.social & I are organizing an event with the @bps-social-psych.bsky.social
Rising Together: How Collective Action Emerges in the Face of an Emergency
Our wonderful speakers:
Dr. Nihan Albayrak-Aydemir
Dr. Rim Saab
Prof. @lucygobag.bsky.social
Prof. @profjohndrury.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 10:40 AM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Data confirming what many have been saying all along. You cannot win by aping the extreme rhetoric of the far right. You drive your supporters away and embolden the far right. Labour needs to counter Reform with a positive story about how immigration enriches the UK (both materially and culturally).
jeannetteeggers.bsky.social Jeannette Eggers @jeannetteeggers.bsky.social · Sep 29
"We studied more than 70 different elections that took place in 12 western European countries over several decades, and found that when mainstream parties take more anti-immigration positions, it leads to more support for the radical right, not less."
Our research makes it clear: by capitulating to the right, Labour is driving voters to Reform UK | Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte
Mimicking Farage on immigration is senseless. Labour voters feel betrayed; anti-immigration voters see through the ruse, say academics Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte
www.theguardian.com
September 29, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
drandrewboswell.bsky.social
260,000 people are trapped in #Sudan – experts fear a massacre is days away. Pep Guardiola’s voice could help save lives. His club is owned by the UAE, backing the fighters attacking El Fasher. Call on him to speak out now:
#SudanMassacre #PepGuardiola secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/...
Pep Guardiola: Help stop a massacre
260,000 people are trapped in El Fasher, Sudan – no food, no water, no way out. Experts warn a massacre is imminent. Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, could help stop the killing. The club is...
secure.avaaz.org
September 24, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
abeba.bsky.social
I was part of a working group on AI and Fraternity assembled by the Vatican. We met in Rome and worked on this over two days. I am happy to share the result of that intense effort: a Declaration we presented to the Pope and other government authorities

coexistence.global
In this spirit of fraternity, hope and caution, we call upon your leadership to uphold the following principles and red lines to foster dialogue and reflection on how AI can best serve our entire human family: Human life and dignity: AI must never be developed or used in ways that threaten, diminish, or disqualify human life, dignity, or fundamental rights. Human intelligence – our capacity for wisdom, moral reasoning, and orientation toward truth and beauty – must never be devalued by artificial processing, however sophisticated. AI must be used as a tool, not an authority: AI must remain under human control. Building uncontrollable systems or over-delegating decisions is morally unacceptable and must be legally prohibited. Therefore, development of superintelligence (as mentioned above) AI technologies should not be allowed until there is broad scientific consensus that it will be done safely and controllably, and there is clear and broad public consent. Accountability: only humans have moral and legal agency and AI systems are and must remain legal objects, never subjects. Responsibility and liability reside with developers, vendors, companies, deployers, users, institutes, and governments. AI cannot be granted legal personhood or “rights”. Life-and-death decisions: AI systems must never be allowed to make life or death decisions, especially in military applications during armed conflict or peacetime, law enforcement, border control, healthcare or judicial decisions. Independent testing and adequate risk assessment must be required before deployment and throughout the entire lifecycle. Stewardship: Governments, corporations, and anyone else should not weaponize AI for any kind of domination, illegal wars of aggression, coercion, manipulation, social scoring, or unwarranted mass surveillance. Responsible design: AI should be designed and independently evaluated to avoid unintentional and catastrophic effects on humans and society, for example through design giving rise to deception, delusion, addiction, or loss of autonomy. No AI monopoly: the benefits of AI – economic, medical, scientific, social – should not be monopolized. No Human Devaluation: design and deployment of AI should make humans flourish in their chosen pursuits, not render humanity redundant, disenfranchised, devalued or replaceable. Ecological responsibility: our use of AI must not endanger our planet and ecosystems. Its vast demands for energy, water, and rare minerals must be managed responsibly and sustainably across the whole supply chain. No irresponsible global competition: We must avoid an irresponsible race between corporations and countries towards ever more powerful AI.
September 23, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Dr Samuel Finnerty
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Last week I was at the BPS Social Psych Conference @bps-social-psych.bsky.social in Oxford @ox.ac.uk The theme was Beyond Tribalism—bringing different traditions together organised by @shelleymckeown.bsky.social @swedishprotests.bsky.social @nascherme.bsky.social
Some reflections in a thread 👇
September 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Last week I was at the BPS Social Psych Conference @bps-social-psych.bsky.social in Oxford @ox.ac.uk The theme was Beyond Tribalism—bringing different traditions together organised by @shelleymckeown.bsky.social @swedishprotests.bsky.social @nascherme.bsky.social
Some reflections in a thread 👇
September 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
samuelfinnerty.bsky.social
Lovely being out with the Crowds & Identities group for dinner in Oxford last night after a day of talks at the @bps-social-psych.bsky.social.
profjohndrury.bsky.social John Drury @profjohndrury.bsky.social · Sep 8
Organised by @drannetempleton.bsky.social, a Crowds & Identities and friends meal out at 100% Pasta, Oxford, for the @bps-social-psych.bsky.social annual conference
September 9, 2025 at 9:45 AM