Francis Dodsworth
@frandod.bsky.social
I teach Criminology at Kingston University; background in history (Manchester) and sociology (OU). Research interests in policing / protection / security. #Wirksworth #Histon #Surbiton #CamUtd
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
'There in the shadows [of the White Paper] lies the call for HE institutions to specialise, with the lurking threat that many will lose their research funding in some, but perhaps many, areas, in order to better fund those with more intensive research.'
Labour must not repeat history by sidelining research in post-92 universities
The abolition of the binary divide in HE made visible the wealth of research excellence in what became known as the post-92 part of the sector. Katie Normington worries that forcing specialisation ris...
wonkhe.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:48 AM
'There in the shadows [of the White Paper] lies the call for HE institutions to specialise, with the lurking threat that many will lose their research funding in some, but perhaps many, areas, in order to better fund those with more intensive research.'
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
An early Christmas present for all you Court of Requests fans. *All* the calendared Elizabethan proceedings [TNA REQ 2/26-294], over 20,000 items in total, are now searchable on The National Archives' online catalogue. Ho ho ho 🎄 discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C...
Browse records of other archives | The National Archives
The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone...
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
December 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
An early Christmas present for all you Court of Requests fans. *All* the calendared Elizabethan proceedings [TNA REQ 2/26-294], over 20,000 items in total, are now searchable on The National Archives' online catalogue. Ho ho ho 🎄 discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C...
What?!
Your seasonal reminder that Quality Street chocolates are a cash-in on a hit play by J M Barrie, and used to feature the characters on the box. So a bit like people in 2100 buying 2.22 A Ghost Story chocolates every Christmas with Lily Allen on the tin.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality...
Quality Street (play) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:01 AM
What?!
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
If you are a historian with policy-facing interests who has recently submitted their PhD (or will do so imminently), this fantastic new London-based postdoc fellowship in Applied History could be for you. www.history.ac.uk/fellowships/...
Robert Mcintosh Applied History & Policy Fellowship
Robert Mcintosh Applied History & Policy Fellowship
www.history.ac.uk
December 4, 2025 at 7:44 AM
If you are a historian with policy-facing interests who has recently submitted their PhD (or will do so imminently), this fantastic new London-based postdoc fellowship in Applied History could be for you. www.history.ac.uk/fellowships/...
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers – here’s what it reveals
We created the database in order to challenge assumptions about the lack of professionalism of everyday soldiers.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:17 AM
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
One thing that strikes me is that we often didn't "do the reading" in the past, because there wasn't any expected. As far as I remember, most sessions, at least for the first two years, were lectures pretty passively absorbed. We expect much more active student engagement now
Wrote this before threads on here about how “students today don’t read anything” blew up, and I stand by it.
It’s not only that every generation makes same complaint (I cant possibly know what other people’s students eg in US are like).
It’s more: what have we tried to do to help students read?
It’s not only that every generation makes same complaint (I cant possibly know what other people’s students eg in US are like).
It’s more: what have we tried to do to help students read?
“Scholarly effort is in decline everywhere as never before. Indeed, cleverness is shunned at home and abroad. What does reading offer to pupils except tears?”
this guy has his finger on the pulse amirite
www.history-uk.ac.uk/history-in-p... 🗃️
this guy has his finger on the pulse amirite
www.history-uk.ac.uk/history-in-p... 🗃️
December 1, 2025 at 8:57 AM
One thing that strikes me is that we often didn't "do the reading" in the past, because there wasn't any expected. As far as I remember, most sessions, at least for the first two years, were lectures pretty passively absorbed. We expect much more active student engagement now
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
'Small changes to the tone of posts fed to users of X can increase feelings of political polarisation as much in a week as would have historically taken at least three years, research has found.' 1/3
Small changes to ‘for you’ feed on X can rapidly increase political polarisation
Study finds that a week of political content can bring about a shift in views that previously would have taken three years
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:32 AM
'Small changes to the tone of posts fed to users of X can increase feelings of political polarisation as much in a week as would have historically taken at least three years, research has found.' 1/3
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
In today’s ‘Vaccines Work, You Idiots’ news.
Incredible and enviable and with alt-text
November 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM
In today’s ‘Vaccines Work, You Idiots’ news.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Londoners! I'm doing a free lunchtime talk about my book at the V&A on Thursday
www.vam.ac.uk/event/xd9XBD...
www.vam.ac.uk/event/xd9XBD...
Lunchtime Lectures: Shoes and the Georgian Man - V&A Academy Talk at
V&A South Kensington · V&A
This talk is part of the free Lunchtime Lecture programme. No booking is required.
www.vam.ac.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Londoners! I'm doing a free lunchtime talk about my book at the V&A on Thursday
www.vam.ac.uk/event/xd9XBD...
www.vam.ac.uk/event/xd9XBD...
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
We then stuck with open-ends but changed the question a little.
Most pollsters ask about issues facing the country.
When we ask about people's day-to-day lives, the change is starkly different.
Immigration is only mentioned in a tenth of results. A majority mentioned the Cost of Living.
Most pollsters ask about issues facing the country.
When we ask about people's day-to-day lives, the change is starkly different.
Immigration is only mentioned in a tenth of results. A majority mentioned the Cost of Living.
November 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM
We then stuck with open-ends but changed the question a little.
Most pollsters ask about issues facing the country.
When we ask about people's day-to-day lives, the change is starkly different.
Immigration is only mentioned in a tenth of results. A majority mentioned the Cost of Living.
Most pollsters ask about issues facing the country.
When we ask about people's day-to-day lives, the change is starkly different.
Immigration is only mentioned in a tenth of results. A majority mentioned the Cost of Living.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
A week of chaos, cowardice and negligence: Labour has managed to pack so many failures into a single five day period that it's becoming difficult to remember all the details iandunt.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
A week of chaos, cowardice and negligence
Labour has managed to pack so much failure into a single week that it becomes hard to remember all the details.
iandunt.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A week of chaos, cowardice and negligence: Labour has managed to pack so many failures into a single five day period that it's becoming difficult to remember all the details iandunt.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
BREAKING Home Office is about to announce that police and crime commissioners are to be scrapped..
Established in 2012 by Theresa May, Labour has never been a fan of the PCC system…they’ll be replaced in 2028 by policing mayors & local policing boards ..
Established in 2012 by Theresa May, Labour has never been a fan of the PCC system…they’ll be replaced in 2028 by policing mayors & local policing boards ..
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM
BREAKING Home Office is about to announce that police and crime commissioners are to be scrapped..
Established in 2012 by Theresa May, Labour has never been a fan of the PCC system…they’ll be replaced in 2028 by policing mayors & local policing boards ..
Established in 2012 by Theresa May, Labour has never been a fan of the PCC system…they’ll be replaced in 2028 by policing mayors & local policing boards ..
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
BBC really burying the lede there
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM
BBC really burying the lede there
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Really pleased to announce the launch of the all-new, all-dancing, London Lives website - www.londonlives.org It has been thoroughly re-engineered to facilitate more types of search, and redesigned for phones and tablets. The team very much hopes peope like it. 1/
London Lives
www.londonlives.org
November 5, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Really pleased to announce the launch of the all-new, all-dancing, London Lives website - www.londonlives.org It has been thoroughly re-engineered to facilitate more types of search, and redesigned for phones and tablets. The team very much hopes peope like it. 1/
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Given that people is asking me for the numbers, here the table provided by UKRI:
October 23, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Given that people is asking me for the numbers, here the table provided by UKRI:
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
October 22, 2025 at 7:55 AM
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
China spent decades laying its rare earths trap. Then Trump blundered straight into it - and now there is no way out. My latest with thoughts on how we got there and what happens next
How The West Was Lost
China spent decades laying its rare earths trap. Then Donald Trump blundered straight into it. Now there is no way out. Some thoughts on how we got here, and what happens next
open.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
China spent decades laying its rare earths trap. Then Trump blundered straight into it - and now there is no way out. My latest with thoughts on how we got there and what happens next
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
This is not normal discourse. It is not just a bit of fun for a Sunday paper interview. It is beyond the realms of the concept of decency shared across the political spectrum until last year.
October 19, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This is not normal discourse. It is not just a bit of fun for a Sunday paper interview. It is beyond the realms of the concept of decency shared across the political spectrum until last year.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
October 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
I liked reading it, but laypeople are not going to understand that.
I've tried whittling it down to:
All the generative AI-- AI which outputs stuff from our input-- that exist now primarily rely on a model: a huge set of data that "surmises" all the elements of the domain of the model, words or pic
I've tried whittling it down to:
All the generative AI-- AI which outputs stuff from our input-- that exist now primarily rely on a model: a huge set of data that "surmises" all the elements of the domain of the model, words or pic
October 14, 2025 at 12:28 AM
I liked reading it, but laypeople are not going to understand that.
I've tried whittling it down to:
All the generative AI-- AI which outputs stuff from our input-- that exist now primarily rely on a model: a huge set of data that "surmises" all the elements of the domain of the model, words or pic
I've tried whittling it down to:
All the generative AI-- AI which outputs stuff from our input-- that exist now primarily rely on a model: a huge set of data that "surmises" all the elements of the domain of the model, words or pic
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
i am going to try to give a framework of my own understanding which laypeople can understand.
yeah - I was impressed by the token-prediction as being as powerful as it is, but there's more going on than that and I don't really follow it any more.
October 13, 2025 at 6:36 PM
i am going to try to give a framework of my own understanding which laypeople can understand.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
What can petitions to magistrates from London apprentices tell us about gendered violence in #EarlyModern England?
New addition from Hilary Taylor to the #PowerOfPetitioning annotated bibliography:
petitioning.history.ac.uk/2019/05/13/p...
New addition from Hilary Taylor to the #PowerOfPetitioning annotated bibliography:
petitioning.history.ac.uk/2019/05/13/p...
September 12, 2025 at 10:42 AM
What can petitions to magistrates from London apprentices tell us about gendered violence in #EarlyModern England?
New addition from Hilary Taylor to the #PowerOfPetitioning annotated bibliography:
petitioning.history.ac.uk/2019/05/13/p...
New addition from Hilary Taylor to the #PowerOfPetitioning annotated bibliography:
petitioning.history.ac.uk/2019/05/13/p...
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Quite a big deal this - there will be a few VCs and governing bodies across UK reading the fine print… @wonkhe.bsky.social
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-fi...
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-fi...
The first multi-university group arrives
The University of Greenwich and the University of Kent are moving together into a single governance structure. Mark Leach and David Kernohan report on the sector's first "super university"
wonkhe.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Quite a big deal this - there will be a few VCs and governing bodies across UK reading the fine print… @wonkhe.bsky.social
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-fi...
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-fi...
Reposted by Francis Dodsworth
Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him
September 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him