Ben Francis
@benfrancis.bsky.social
PhD-ing in Peace & Political Science at University of Notre Dame. Climate and gender politics. Previously: a decade in aid sector in Palestine, Libya, Afghanistan, Nepal and elsewhere. Unrewarding sense of loyalty to: Man United, UK Labour Party.
He/him
He/him
Excited to be at LeHigh University today to do a guest lecture. Climate change is a gendered phenomenon, let's talk about it!
September 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Excited to be at LeHigh University today to do a guest lecture. Climate change is a gendered phenomenon, let's talk about it!
Swearing repeatedly is a legitimate research technique and an effective coping mechanism
August 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Swearing repeatedly is a legitimate research technique and an effective coping mechanism
Took my wife to her first Man Utd game yesterday. I took care to explain that being a United fan would this season would almost certainly mean enduring frequent disappointment but that it was good practice for being married to me.
July 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Took my wife to her first Man Utd game yesterday. I took care to explain that being a United fan would this season would almost certainly mean enduring frequent disappointment but that it was good practice for being married to me.
This morning while out with my research team collecting survey responses I was handed two fresh and delicious mangos by one of our survey respondents and fieldwork has never tasted so good!
July 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
This morning while out with my research team collecting survey responses I was handed two fresh and delicious mangos by one of our survey respondents and fieldwork has never tasted so good!
Went to the @fifaclubworldcup.bsky.social in Philly today and, well, after spending ages trying to get near the stadium and then seeing lines of thousands trying to get in well after kick off, I gave up and came home.
FIFA messing up the organisation of a soulless commercial exercise? I'm shocked!
FIFA messing up the organisation of a soulless commercial exercise? I'm shocked!
June 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Went to the @fifaclubworldcup.bsky.social in Philly today and, well, after spending ages trying to get near the stadium and then seeing lines of thousands trying to get in well after kick off, I gave up and came home.
FIFA messing up the organisation of a soulless commercial exercise? I'm shocked!
FIFA messing up the organisation of a soulless commercial exercise? I'm shocked!
It was a real pleasure to present at the @politicsgenderj.bsky.social conference at Rutgers last week & to catch up with a great group of friends from IQMR. Even as the current state and future of academia seems depressing, it's the wonderful community and scholarship that makes me want to do this.
June 3, 2025 at 5:57 PM
It was a real pleasure to present at the @politicsgenderj.bsky.social conference at Rutgers last week & to catch up with a great group of friends from IQMR. Even as the current state and future of academia seems depressing, it's the wonderful community and scholarship that makes me want to do this.
The 1500 mile round trip drive was totally worth it to go to ISA in Chicago last week and find energy and community in very difficult times amongst masses of inspirational academics. None more so than the awesome peace scholars I was able to share a panel with.
March 10, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The 1500 mile round trip drive was totally worth it to go to ISA in Chicago last week and find energy and community in very difficult times amongst masses of inspirational academics. None more so than the awesome peace scholars I was able to share a panel with.
Made it to Chicago for #ISA2025, I love this conference. Great minds, big ideas, incredible scholarship. And open bar receptions if you're lucky!
March 3, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Made it to Chicago for #ISA2025, I love this conference. Great minds, big ideas, incredible scholarship. And open bar receptions if you're lucky!
While we understandably turn to social media frequently at the moment with the question "just how bad is the world getting out there?" I just want to interrupt the doom to say I volunteer to walk dogs during my fieldwork for a research project at the moment and this is Pearl and she's a sweetie.
January 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
While we understandably turn to social media frequently at the moment with the question "just how bad is the world getting out there?" I just want to interrupt the doom to say I volunteer to walk dogs during my fieldwork for a research project at the moment and this is Pearl and she's a sweetie.
Excited to be in San Juan for SPSA2025. Good weather, beautiful locations, and a festival of political science.
Let's get nerdy!
Let's get nerdy!
January 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Excited to be in San Juan for SPSA2025. Good weather, beautiful locations, and a festival of political science.
Let's get nerdy!
Let's get nerdy!
Excited to head to Puerto Rico tomorrow for a conference and then 6 weeks of work. Who else will be at SPSA? I'll be the weird British guy talking about environmental politics!
#Polisky
#Polisky
January 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Excited to head to Puerto Rico tomorrow for a conference and then 6 weeks of work. Who else will be at SPSA? I'll be the weird British guy talking about environmental politics!
#Polisky
#Polisky
I love walking past this piece of art every time I come into Drexel, where I'm fortunate to have a great affiliation in Philly.
It's a beautiful reminder of the necessity of climate action and it makes me feel better that my tiny attempts to do work on climate politics everyday are worthwhile.
It's a beautiful reminder of the necessity of climate action and it makes me feel better that my tiny attempts to do work on climate politics everyday are worthwhile.
January 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
I love walking past this piece of art every time I come into Drexel, where I'm fortunate to have a great affiliation in Philly.
It's a beautiful reminder of the necessity of climate action and it makes me feel better that my tiny attempts to do work on climate politics everyday are worthwhile.
It's a beautiful reminder of the necessity of climate action and it makes me feel better that my tiny attempts to do work on climate politics everyday are worthwhile.
Really enjoying delving into this book by @hannahcknox.bsky.social about climate governance and reimagining climate futures in Manchester, a city that will always be very close to my heart.
December 16, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Really enjoying delving into this book by @hannahcknox.bsky.social about climate governance and reimagining climate futures in Manchester, a city that will always be very close to my heart.
Today, I firmly entered the territory of middle aged Christmas wanker by buying a Christmas tree for the first time in my life.
It's tiny, to reflect the level of Christmas spirit I'm allowing to pierce my Scrooge-like facade. But I kind of love it.
It's tiny, to reflect the level of Christmas spirit I'm allowing to pierce my Scrooge-like facade. But I kind of love it.
December 14, 2024 at 3:04 PM
Today, I firmly entered the territory of middle aged Christmas wanker by buying a Christmas tree for the first time in my life.
It's tiny, to reflect the level of Christmas spirit I'm allowing to pierce my Scrooge-like facade. But I kind of love it.
It's tiny, to reflect the level of Christmas spirit I'm allowing to pierce my Scrooge-like facade. But I kind of love it.
I think I pay more attention to this stop sign than I do the real ones on the streets of Philadelphia.
Anyway, R go brrrrrrr....
Anyway, R go brrrrrrr....
December 5, 2024 at 11:40 PM
I think I pay more attention to this stop sign than I do the real ones on the streets of Philadelphia.
Anyway, R go brrrrrrr....
Anyway, R go brrrrrrr....
Nothing screams "you're probably too middle aged to listen to Chappell Roan that much" like her being third in your Spotify Wrapped behind Tool and Bob Dylan.
December 4, 2024 at 4:53 PM
Nothing screams "you're probably too middle aged to listen to Chappell Roan that much" like her being third in your Spotify Wrapped behind Tool and Bob Dylan.
What in the Streisand Effect is going on here?
December 2, 2024 at 6:56 PM
What in the Streisand Effect is going on here?
Excited to be spending Thanksgiving week in snowy Colorado.
As a stereotypically repressed British man, though, I do hope no one does that thing where everyone has to say what they're thankful for, like in the movies. I'm not sure I could take that much saccharine earnestness.
As a stereotypically repressed British man, though, I do hope no one does that thing where everyone has to say what they're thankful for, like in the movies. I'm not sure I could take that much saccharine earnestness.
November 25, 2024 at 6:05 PM
Excited to be spending Thanksgiving week in snowy Colorado.
As a stereotypically repressed British man, though, I do hope no one does that thing where everyone has to say what they're thankful for, like in the movies. I'm not sure I could take that much saccharine earnestness.
As a stereotypically repressed British man, though, I do hope no one does that thing where everyone has to say what they're thankful for, like in the movies. I'm not sure I could take that much saccharine earnestness.
Spatial data viz tip of the day: When plotting survey responses make sure you use a shapefile with enough detail so that you don't accidentally make it look like someone took your survey on a boat or during a really long swim.
(There is actually an island there)
(There is actually an island there)
November 19, 2024 at 2:29 PM
Spatial data viz tip of the day: When plotting survey responses make sure you use a shapefile with enough detail so that you don't accidentally make it look like someone took your survey on a boat or during a really long swim.
(There is actually an island there)
(There is actually an island there)
Looking at this framed collection of old gig tickets from my youth and realising that some of those memories are almost 25 years old...😬
November 18, 2024 at 5:17 PM
Looking at this framed collection of old gig tickets from my youth and realising that some of those memories are almost 25 years old...😬
Chat GPT prompt: “Based on what you know about me make an image about what you think my life looks like”
Answer: I'm not sure whether to be flattered by how handsome it made me or genuinely perplexed by what appears to be a... poster of Ed Sheeran on the wall?
Answer: I'm not sure whether to be flattered by how handsome it made me or genuinely perplexed by what appears to be a... poster of Ed Sheeran on the wall?
November 16, 2024 at 3:04 PM
Chat GPT prompt: “Based on what you know about me make an image about what you think my life looks like”
Answer: I'm not sure whether to be flattered by how handsome it made me or genuinely perplexed by what appears to be a... poster of Ed Sheeran on the wall?
Answer: I'm not sure whether to be flattered by how handsome it made me or genuinely perplexed by what appears to be a... poster of Ed Sheeran on the wall?
The statue on the left was created by a Dutch artist but became a super viral meme in the Russophone world, which I was introduced to by wonderful former colleagues who did peacebuilding in post Soviet contexts.
This morning I found "Zhdun" strapped to a car in West Philly and it made me smile!
This morning I found "Zhdun" strapped to a car in West Philly and it made me smile!
November 15, 2024 at 2:11 PM
The statue on the left was created by a Dutch artist but became a super viral meme in the Russophone world, which I was introduced to by wonderful former colleagues who did peacebuilding in post Soviet contexts.
This morning I found "Zhdun" strapped to a car in West Philly and it made me smile!
This morning I found "Zhdun" strapped to a car in West Philly and it made me smile!
I often tell people my research interests are "at the intersection of climate and gender politics" and occasionally someone looks confused and asks (a very polite version of) "What do they have to do with each other?"
So much! But maybe when that happens now I'll just share this photo from COP29.
So much! But maybe when that happens now I'll just share this photo from COP29.
November 13, 2024 at 1:39 PM
I often tell people my research interests are "at the intersection of climate and gender politics" and occasionally someone looks confused and asks (a very polite version of) "What do they have to do with each other?"
So much! But maybe when that happens now I'll just share this photo from COP29.
So much! But maybe when that happens now I'll just share this photo from COP29.