Naomi Waltham-Smith
@auralflaneur.bsky.social
Professor at Oxford. Politics of listening, continental philosophy, music and sound studies, academic freedom. On the left. Views mine.
Who knew that The Morning Show is the news? 😂
November 10, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Who knew that The Morning Show is the news? 😂
This—what the public listens to impacts polarization and the quality of public reason
Here’s the same data, but with trust broken down by political views (circles are trust among people on the left, +s the right).
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
November 10, 2025 at 7:03 PM
This—what the public listens to impacts polarization and the quality of public reason
Overjoyed to have been awarded an AHRC LUCIA grant to continue work with @justicehq.bsky.social, United Borders & members of @artnotevidence.bsky.social to increase awareness of rap’s aesthetic & socio-cultural value to combat criminalization & racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
November 10, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Overjoyed to have been awarded an AHRC LUCIA grant to continue work with @justicehq.bsky.social, United Borders & members of @artnotevidence.bsky.social to increase awareness of rap’s aesthetic & socio-cultural value to combat criminalization & racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
There are many problems with the 1st Amendment regime: e.g. time, place & manner restrictions are readily deployed to silence marginalized voices and dissent. There is arguably much to commend the more nuanced jurisprudence and hierarchy of protection under the ECHR for being more egalitarian.
There’s a number of commentators who’ve criticised the UK’s free speech laws in recent times, with I think some justification. But it’s worth noting that the First Amendment doesn’t defend itself and speech in the US is being criminalised as well.
It's impossible to overstate how much of what ICE is doing on the ground reflects this completely preposterous conflation of hostile *speech* and hostile *conduct.*
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
There are many problems with the 1st Amendment regime: e.g. time, place & manner restrictions are readily deployed to silence marginalized voices and dissent. There is arguably much to commend the more nuanced jurisprudence and hierarchy of protection under the ECHR for being more egalitarian.
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
Zohran's campaign was his determination to make New York a city everyone can afford to live in. Huge congratulations!
His success will resonate throughout the world. A story where no one is left behind.
It's time to write that story across England & Wales too.
His success will resonate throughout the world. A story where no one is left behind.
It's time to write that story across England & Wales too.
November 5, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Zohran's campaign was his determination to make New York a city everyone can afford to live in. Huge congratulations!
His success will resonate throughout the world. A story where no one is left behind.
It's time to write that story across England & Wales too.
His success will resonate throughout the world. A story where no one is left behind.
It's time to write that story across England & Wales too.
Congratulations, NYC!
November 5, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Congratulations, NYC!
Important report on by-and-for organizations’ role in making audible the often marginalized voices of affected communities:
“There are things that you can’t do as an individual but once you are an organisation, you can easily get your voice heard”—Ruth Ngwata, Coventry Empowered African Women Group
“There are things that you can’t do as an individual but once you are an organisation, you can easily get your voice heard”—Ruth Ngwata, Coventry Empowered African Women Group
By-and-for organisations are a critical part of society.
They providing essential services and a voice for communities and populations often missing or excluded from the workplace, the charity landscape, and within spheres of influence and policymaking.
Learn more:
neweconomics.org/2025/09/buil...
They providing essential services and a voice for communities and populations often missing or excluded from the workplace, the charity landscape, and within spheres of influence and policymaking.
Learn more:
neweconomics.org/2025/09/buil...
Built by us
Understanding the distinctiveness of by-and-for organisations
neweconomics.org
November 2, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Important report on by-and-for organizations’ role in making audible the often marginalized voices of affected communities:
“There are things that you can’t do as an individual but once you are an organisation, you can easily get your voice heard”—Ruth Ngwata, Coventry Empowered African Women Group
“There are things that you can’t do as an individual but once you are an organisation, you can easily get your voice heard”—Ruth Ngwata, Coventry Empowered African Women Group
Let’s stop dignifying propagandists without an ounce of rigour or integrity with the term “activist.” Or maybe my much loved colleagues in political science might gently be encouraged not to expend anymore outrage on someone who is nowhere near in Faiza’s league as an activist or intellectual.
October 30, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Let’s stop dignifying propagandists without an ounce of rigour or integrity with the term “activist.” Or maybe my much loved colleagues in political science might gently be encouraged not to expend anymore outrage on someone who is nowhere near in Faiza’s league as an activist or intellectual.
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
It's increasingly obvious that Labour's strategy - call it Starmerism, Blue Labour, whatever - has got it badly wrong. It has alienated the party's core vote while failing to win over those leaning to Reform. There was no shortage of people warning them they were getting it wrong either.
October 28, 2025 at 12:02 PM
It's increasingly obvious that Labour's strategy - call it Starmerism, Blue Labour, whatever - has got it badly wrong. It has alienated the party's core vote while failing to win over those leaning to Reform. There was no shortage of people warning them they were getting it wrong either.
When you have senior figures at the major UK research funding bodies saying universities should do less research and that cross-subsidy from international fees is required because they’ve doing too much research, you see how anti-intellectualism is setting in at policy levels.
"We’ve made it about individuals, because the academic research system is very focused on the individual level, and that’s something we really need to break,” she said.
Yes, break the focus on individuals. After all, the system is doing its best to break individuals altogether at this time. 1/3
Yes, break the focus on individuals. After all, the system is doing its best to break individuals altogether at this time. 1/3
REF must ditch focus on individuals, says Ottoline Leyser.
Former UKRI head also echoes previous calls for universities to do less research.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Former UKRI head also echoes previous calls for universities to do less research.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
October 29, 2025 at 6:30 AM
When you have senior figures at the major UK research funding bodies saying universities should do less research and that cross-subsidy from international fees is required because they’ve doing too much research, you see how anti-intellectualism is setting in at policy levels.
This is why “listening” isn’t reducible to something like “resonance” or even “sympathy.” The necessary conditions for feeling heard go include doing something with what is heard beyond echoing to responding and acting on it.
Maybe they could try giving people some hope that their lives could improve instead of just promising misery and cruelty
October 27, 2025 at 8:55 AM
This is why “listening” isn’t reducible to something like “resonance” or even “sympathy.” The necessary conditions for feeling heard go include doing something with what is heard beyond echoing to responding and acting on it.
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
The other big takeaway from Caerphilly is that despite a brief resuscitation in 2017 the two party system is well and truly over for the UK. And that means either we bite the bullet on PR or the parties are all going to have to make deals to not split the left or right vote
October 24, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The other big takeaway from Caerphilly is that despite a brief resuscitation in 2017 the two party system is well and truly over for the UK. And that means either we bite the bullet on PR or the parties are all going to have to make deals to not split the left or right vote
“Her ‘Lucy Listens’ initiative ‘designed’ to reconnect the membership to the leaders might…be a handy information gathering exercise for a leadership campaign…naively wondering which would-be leader closely associated with Powell could profit from…a ringside seat listening to members’ complaints?”
"I'm naively wondering which would-be leader closely associated with Powell could profit from the building of a network of contacts, and having a ringside seat listening to members' complaints? It's a mystery."
Another Lost Election
It's getting to be a habit. Keir Starmer lost another election on Saturday. Even the dogs in the street knew Lucy Powell was going to win La...
averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com
October 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM
“Her ‘Lucy Listens’ initiative ‘designed’ to reconnect the membership to the leaders might…be a handy information gathering exercise for a leadership campaign…naively wondering which would-be leader closely associated with Powell could profit from…a ringside seat listening to members’ complaints?”
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
this is what will happen if mamdani makes bus rides free
October 25, 2025 at 7:24 AM
this is what will happen if mamdani makes bus rides free
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
There's plenty of demand for left-leaning economic populism among the British public.
The Green Party's proposal for a wealth tax on 1% of assets above £10m and 2% on assets above £1bn comes top of our list of tax reforms that Britons would support, with 75% giving it their backing
yougov.co.uk/economy/arti...
yougov.co.uk/economy/arti...
October 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
There's plenty of demand for left-leaning economic populism among the British public.
“We’re not banning protest. We’re just banning too much protest…protesting a lot. I would urge them to feel strongly about it once and then just feel calm.” An utter disgrace for a Labour politician.
October 23, 2025 at 8:48 PM
“We’re not banning protest. We’re just banning too much protest…protesting a lot. I would urge them to feel strongly about it once and then just feel calm.” An utter disgrace for a Labour politician.
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
We have just advertised a Full Prof position in the Political and Social Sciences department at the EUI (@eui-sps.bsky.social). Here are the details. Please spread the word, and get in touch if you have any questions.
www.eui.eu/Documents/Se...
www.eui.eu/Documents/Se...
www.eui.eu
October 23, 2025 at 2:03 PM
We have just advertised a Full Prof position in the Political and Social Sciences department at the EUI (@eui-sps.bsky.social). Here are the details. Please spread the word, and get in touch if you have any questions.
www.eui.eu/Documents/Se...
www.eui.eu/Documents/Se...
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation? Answer - not at all. A Reform government could do the worst of Trump2 in a couple of weeks. blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation? - Impact of Social Sciences
New research finds the arm's length bodies that underpin UK research run the risk of politicisation unless they are put on a firmer footing.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 9:33 AM
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation? Answer - not at all. A Reform government could do the worst of Trump2 in a couple of weeks. blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Reposted by Naomi Waltham-Smith
Rachel Reeves says she needs to raise taxes to “balance the books.” But that’s not how government finance works. In this video, I explain why the government’s job is to sustain spending power, not drain it.
youtu.be/iUxvARzRi8U?...
youtu.be/iUxvARzRi8U?...
Why most tax rises now would be economic madness
YouTube video by Richard J Murphy
youtu.be
October 21, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Rachel Reeves says she needs to raise taxes to “balance the books.” But that’s not how government finance works. In this video, I explain why the government’s job is to sustain spending power, not drain it.
youtu.be/iUxvARzRi8U?...
youtu.be/iUxvARzRi8U?...
On the Post-16 Education & Skills paper: government has effectively reduced missions to a single goal of growth—which increasingly seems to mean Labour’s electoral prospects. It yields a brutal reduction, instrumentalization & quasi-Taylorist segmentation of human intellectual & creative capacities.
October 21, 2025 at 7:13 AM
On the Post-16 Education & Skills paper: government has effectively reduced missions to a single goal of growth—which increasingly seems to mean Labour’s electoral prospects. It yields a brutal reduction, instrumentalization & quasi-Taylorist segmentation of human intellectual & creative capacities.
This isn’t accurate. Context will determine whether that statement is un/lawful or if it’s un/protected. It is wrong to say that we need to exclude by policy and practice as if the law cannot in fact already address many examples of “less grave” hate speech. It risks emboldening racists.
They can do something about it. You appear to have inverted the plain meaning of my words.
It would not be useful to say there are no prejudices that is not prohibited by law. ("Never trust a Muslim" is lawful, prejudiced speech we need to exclude and stigmatise by policy & practice)
It would not be useful to say there are no prejudices that is not prohibited by law. ("Never trust a Muslim" is lawful, prejudiced speech we need to exclude and stigmatise by policy & practice)
October 20, 2025 at 10:23 PM
This isn’t accurate. Context will determine whether that statement is un/lawful or if it’s un/protected. It is wrong to say that we need to exclude by policy and practice as if the law cannot in fact already address many examples of “less grave” hate speech. It risks emboldening racists.
I wish people with large followings wouldn’t repeat such misleading statements. It’s not protected speech under Article 10 due to Article 17. Any public authority has to act compatibly with the Convention. Private employers could reasonably to take disciplinary action per codes of conduct.
Holocaust denial is lawful. But you should expect sanctions for holocaust denial. Most political parties would suspend your candidacy (Reform, Tories, Labour, LibDem, Green, SNP, DUP etc). You should get kicked off a charity or corporate or NHS Trust board for these types of overt prejudice
October 20, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I wish people with large followings wouldn’t repeat such misleading statements. It’s not protected speech under Article 10 due to Article 17. Any public authority has to act compatibly with the Convention. Private employers could reasonably to take disciplinary action per codes of conduct.
“In a turbulent world [SHAPE degrees] also offer hope and a guiding light, deeper understanding and creative solutions.”
Read our response to the Government's Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published today: https://bit.ly/48z0QOe
The UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences, The British Academy responds to the Government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
“In a turbulent world [SHAPE degrees] also offer hope and a guiding light, deeper understanding and creative solutions.”
Exactly. Good reading in this from my former Merton colleague, Daniela Dover (miss her so much!): static1.squarespace.com/static/5cb8c...
October 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Exactly. Good reading in this from my former Merton colleague, Daniela Dover (miss her so much!): static1.squarespace.com/static/5cb8c...