Jade Shepherd
@jadevshepherd.bsky.social
Historian of modern Britain (crime, psychiatry, family); former senior lecturer; research associate at Newcastle University
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/hca/people/profile/jadeshepherd.html
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/hca/people/profile/jadeshepherd.html
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Announcing a brand new series launching this #Halloween 👻
Manchester Studies in the Supernatural explores how the #supernatural shapes human experience across time and place.
Bridging disciplines and challenging boundaries, it welcomes bold new research on the #occult and the #unseen
Manchester Studies in the Supernatural explores how the #supernatural shapes human experience across time and place.
Bridging disciplines and challenging boundaries, it welcomes bold new research on the #occult and the #unseen
October 31, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Announcing a brand new series launching this #Halloween 👻
Manchester Studies in the Supernatural explores how the #supernatural shapes human experience across time and place.
Bridging disciplines and challenging boundaries, it welcomes bold new research on the #occult and the #unseen
Manchester Studies in the Supernatural explores how the #supernatural shapes human experience across time and place.
Bridging disciplines and challenging boundaries, it welcomes bold new research on the #occult and the #unseen
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Behind the sensationalised headline, there’s some excellent and fascinating research here.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Friedrich Engels ‘took creative liberties’ with descriptions of class divides in Manchester
Cambridge historian Emily Chung finds philosopher’s blistering depictions of segregation may have been exaggerated
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Behind the sensationalised headline, there’s some excellent and fascinating research here.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
And I will tell you flat out, there is a HELL OF A LOT BETTER-QUALITY ACTUAL TEACHING involved in getting a good degree out of a student who came in with BCD than there is getting one from an A*A*A student.
The government plans to link university fees to institutional "quality". This is a nonsense because there are no metrics that actually measure teaching quality. There is no Ofsted, rather a handful of largely irrelevant statistics to actual quality. The NSS measure satisfaction, not quality.
October 20, 2025 at 6:03 PM
And I will tell you flat out, there is a HELL OF A LOT BETTER-QUALITY ACTUAL TEACHING involved in getting a good degree out of a student who came in with BCD than there is getting one from an A*A*A student.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
There's just a day to go until @manchesterup.bsky.social publish my latest book Songs of Seven Dials: An intimate history of 1920s and 1930s London.
I thought I should explain a bit about where the book came from.
1/15
I thought I should explain a bit about where the book came from.
1/15
October 20, 2025 at 9:37 AM
There's just a day to go until @manchesterup.bsky.social publish my latest book Songs of Seven Dials: An intimate history of 1920s and 1930s London.
I thought I should explain a bit about where the book came from.
1/15
I thought I should explain a bit about where the book came from.
1/15
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
What HE managers fail to understand is that in the context of the Humanities, ‘employability’ isn’t teaching coding or carpentry, but skills around writing, presenting, reasoning, evaluation, analysis, research etc. In an 80% service economy, these are the skills that fundamentally matter.
October 15, 2025 at 6:40 AM
What HE managers fail to understand is that in the context of the Humanities, ‘employability’ isn’t teaching coding or carpentry, but skills around writing, presenting, reasoning, evaluation, analysis, research etc. In an 80% service economy, these are the skills that fundamentally matter.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
If you don’t want to do your job, you can leave! People are desperate to teach at universities, let them do it!
A student told me Thursday that another prof had told the class to post their work into an AI LLM, to be graded and commented on by the AI. The other students were all offended. Which is good. They should be offended.
September 27, 2025 at 11:53 PM
If you don’t want to do your job, you can leave! People are desperate to teach at universities, let them do it!
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Cover reveal for my forthcoming book, WE HAVE COME TO BE DESTROYED: GROWING UP IN COLD WAR BRITAIN which tells the history of Cold War Britain (c.1956-89) through the eyes of children & young people! Out with @yalebooks.bsky.social 28 April 2026 #booksky #skystorians yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
September 16, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Cover reveal for my forthcoming book, WE HAVE COME TO BE DESTROYED: GROWING UP IN COLD WAR BRITAIN which tells the history of Cold War Britain (c.1956-89) through the eyes of children & young people! Out with @yalebooks.bsky.social 28 April 2026 #booksky #skystorians yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
I also think the assumption was “You need to be ridiculously lucky to get an open ended job, but only once”. And then the wave of redundancies began, and I realised you also only need to be unlucky once.
September 18, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I also think the assumption was “You need to be ridiculously lucky to get an open ended job, but only once”. And then the wave of redundancies began, and I realised you also only need to be unlucky once.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
It’s real and I’ve got one!
Daughter’s honest and accurate review: “It doesn’t have so many pictures.” She’s not wrong. If you need pictures this isn’t for you, but if you like free access to new First and Second World War history then download it here: www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
Daughter’s honest and accurate review: “It doesn’t have so many pictures.” She’s not wrong. If you need pictures this isn’t for you, but if you like free access to new First and Second World War history then download it here: www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
August 19, 2025 at 7:38 PM
It’s real and I’ve got one!
Daughter’s honest and accurate review: “It doesn’t have so many pictures.” She’s not wrong. If you need pictures this isn’t for you, but if you like free access to new First and Second World War history then download it here: www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
Daughter’s honest and accurate review: “It doesn’t have so many pictures.” She’s not wrong. If you need pictures this isn’t for you, but if you like free access to new First and Second World War history then download it here: www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Obviously a lie, since the definition of PhD-level expertise, standard across universities worldwide, is that you can produce original knowledge.
OpenAI claims new GPT-5 model boosts ChatGPT to ‘PhD level’
GPT-5's release comes as tech firms continue to compete in an effort to claim the world's most advanced AI.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 7, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Obviously a lie, since the definition of PhD-level expertise, standard across universities worldwide, is that you can produce original knowledge.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Delighted to see that my book Joining Up is published today, a mere 11 years after I started writing it. You can read it for free here: doi.org/10.7765/9781...
@manchesterup.bsky.social
@manchesterup.bsky.social
July 29, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Delighted to see that my book Joining Up is published today, a mere 11 years after I started writing it. You can read it for free here: doi.org/10.7765/9781...
@manchesterup.bsky.social
@manchesterup.bsky.social
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Hey... our July titles in Modern History are all #OpenAccess on manchesterhive.com 🔓
Available from 29 July, these books are new in our @sshmedicine.bsky.social & Cultural History of Modern War series.
Feat. @sarahcrook.bsky.social, Joel Morley & more.
Ground-breaking research, completely free.
Available from 29 July, these books are new in our @sshmedicine.bsky.social & Cultural History of Modern War series.
Feat. @sarahcrook.bsky.social, Joel Morley & more.
Ground-breaking research, completely free.
July 22, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Hey... our July titles in Modern History are all #OpenAccess on manchesterhive.com 🔓
Available from 29 July, these books are new in our @sshmedicine.bsky.social & Cultural History of Modern War series.
Feat. @sarahcrook.bsky.social, Joel Morley & more.
Ground-breaking research, completely free.
Available from 29 July, these books are new in our @sshmedicine.bsky.social & Cultural History of Modern War series.
Feat. @sarahcrook.bsky.social, Joel Morley & more.
Ground-breaking research, completely free.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
THIS.
The UK did have one standout product that was considered globally valuable- universities- and unilaterally decided to stop providing the product because it was more important to be xenophobic than successful
The UK’s economic problems are quite deep-rooted. The best summary I can offer is “we don’t make enough valuable, productive stuff and sell it to the world any more”.
Things like planning and energy no doubt play a role in that - but I don’t think they’re enough to fix it on their own
Things like planning and energy no doubt play a role in that - but I don’t think they’re enough to fix it on their own
July 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
THIS.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
The government response to this petition is infuriating.
“Maternity and other types of Parental Pay are intended to provide a measure of financial security to support parents whilst they are away from the workplace; they are not a replacement of earnings” except they literally are??? Please sign:
“Maternity and other types of Parental Pay are intended to provide a measure of financial security to support parents whilst they are away from the workplace; they are not a replacement of earnings” except they literally are??? Please sign:
Petition: Raise statutory maternity/paternity pay to match the National Living Wage
Statutory maternity and paternity pay is £4.99 per hour for a full-time worker on 37.5 hours per week - approximately 59% less than the 2024 National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21...
petition.parliament.uk
June 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
The government response to this petition is infuriating.
“Maternity and other types of Parental Pay are intended to provide a measure of financial security to support parents whilst they are away from the workplace; they are not a replacement of earnings” except they literally are??? Please sign:
“Maternity and other types of Parental Pay are intended to provide a measure of financial security to support parents whilst they are away from the workplace; they are not a replacement of earnings” except they literally are??? Please sign:
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
What we're doing in the uni sector is shutting off routes for kids with Bs and Cs to do key (and prestigious) subjects, and closing down the ability of young people to go to the local uni just when it becomes ruinous expensive to go way. Will have incalculable consequences for social mobility.
June 25, 2025 at 11:38 AM
What we're doing in the uni sector is shutting off routes for kids with Bs and Cs to do key (and prestigious) subjects, and closing down the ability of young people to go to the local uni just when it becomes ruinous expensive to go way. Will have incalculable consequences for social mobility.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Is there a better time to read and review books than summer? I don't think so - and I'm looking for reviewers for lots of titles for the Journal of Contemporary History. We now do review articles of up to 4,000 words, covering three books. These and many more are up for grabs:
June 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Is there a better time to read and review books than summer? I don't think so - and I'm looking for reviewers for lots of titles for the Journal of Contemporary History. We now do review articles of up to 4,000 words, covering three books. These and many more are up for grabs:
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
When Universities are mismanaged or run into financial issues, it's always the staff and NEVER the management who lose their jobs.
On the contrary, they get above-inflation pay rises that are the equivalent to one or two of the full time jobs they cut.
How and why do we let this happen?
On the contrary, they get above-inflation pay rises that are the equivalent to one or two of the full time jobs they cut.
How and why do we let this happen?
'The university has informed staff of plans to cut 400 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions by July 2026, with academics the first to go.'
Professor Andy Schofield, VC at Lancaster University since 2020, will take up position of Principal & VC at Glasgow University on 1 October 2025.
Professor Andy Schofield, VC at Lancaster University since 2020, will take up position of Principal & VC at Glasgow University on 1 October 2025.
Lancaster University to cut one in five academic jobs
Institution says it is ‘not immune’ to financial challenges as it looks to axe 400 jobs
www.timeshighereducation.com
June 22, 2025 at 8:13 AM
When Universities are mismanaged or run into financial issues, it's always the staff and NEVER the management who lose their jobs.
On the contrary, they get above-inflation pay rises that are the equivalent to one or two of the full time jobs they cut.
How and why do we let this happen?
On the contrary, they get above-inflation pay rises that are the equivalent to one or two of the full time jobs they cut.
How and why do we let this happen?
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
It's notable that the only student speech frequently shut down on university campuses is a) pro-Palestine b) pro-trans-rights. The OfS seems *deeply* unconcerned about that speech being limited. In fact, they want academics who oppose those positions to have the right to 'shock and offend' students.
'He added that students should be able to express any view, no matter how offensive it is to others, as long as it is not outside what is generally allowed by law, such as harassment or unlawful discrimination.'
This part just sounds like an arsehole's charter, a licence to be a nightmare.
This part just sounds like an arsehole's charter, a licence to be a nightmare.
June 19, 2025 at 9:34 AM
It's notable that the only student speech frequently shut down on university campuses is a) pro-Palestine b) pro-trans-rights. The OfS seems *deeply* unconcerned about that speech being limited. In fact, they want academics who oppose those positions to have the right to 'shock and offend' students.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Last year we ran a survey on UK HE redundancies.
Based on 349 responses, the UNIVERSITIES DEGRADED REPORT uncovers awful conditions, targeting of marginalised groups, & far more cuts than estimated.
People's stories matter. We can hold leaders to account. Please share widely tinyurl.com/48nzf7ew
Based on 349 responses, the UNIVERSITIES DEGRADED REPORT uncovers awful conditions, targeting of marginalised groups, & far more cuts than estimated.
People's stories matter. We can hold leaders to account. Please share widely tinyurl.com/48nzf7ew
Universities Degraded: Staff Experiences & Employer Practices of Redundancies in UK Higher Education
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Conducted between August and October 2024 and publicised mainly by members of the University and College Union (UCU), the ‘Survey for UCU Members on HE Redundancies’ invited response...
zenodo.org
June 17, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Last year we ran a survey on UK HE redundancies.
Based on 349 responses, the UNIVERSITIES DEGRADED REPORT uncovers awful conditions, targeting of marginalised groups, & far more cuts than estimated.
People's stories matter. We can hold leaders to account. Please share widely tinyurl.com/48nzf7ew
Based on 349 responses, the UNIVERSITIES DEGRADED REPORT uncovers awful conditions, targeting of marginalised groups, & far more cuts than estimated.
People's stories matter. We can hold leaders to account. Please share widely tinyurl.com/48nzf7ew
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
We are currently advertising for a 1-year fixed term 0.8 FTE post in Modern History at Lancaster. It goes without saying that it would have been nice had it been a F/T post but, in the current climate, it is something ...
hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
Job Opportunity at Lancaster University: Lecturer in Modern History (Teaching and Scholarship)
Lecturer in Modern History (Teaching and Scholarship)The School of Global Affairs at Lancaster University is seeking to appoint a new Lecturer in Modern History (Teaching and Scholarship).* This is a ...
hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk
June 4, 2025 at 1:09 PM
We are currently advertising for a 1-year fixed term 0.8 FTE post in Modern History at Lancaster. It goes without saying that it would have been nice had it been a F/T post but, in the current climate, it is something ...
hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
Newcastle University staff invited to a ‘Doodling for Wellbeing’ session (‘Let your pen dance across the page' in 'a perfect escape from the everyday hustle and bustle'. Invites sent on same day 153 academics were informed of their location in 'redundancy pools', with 38 redundancies planned. 1/2
May 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Newcastle University staff invited to a ‘Doodling for Wellbeing’ session (‘Let your pen dance across the page' in 'a perfect escape from the everyday hustle and bustle'. Invites sent on same day 153 academics were informed of their location in 'redundancy pools', with 38 redundancies planned. 1/2
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
this is in fact true for almost all early years interventions, which is yet another reason why the lack of childcare support in the UK is criminal
it feels almost indecent to say this since the primary reason for removing children from poverty is simply removing children from poverty. but it is really well established fact that child poverty is extremely expensive in the long term and this policy costs money.
Ministers privately ruling out scrapping two-child benefits cap.
Sources says government is ‘not going to find a way’ to ditch cap despite predictions that child poverty levels will soar.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Sources says government is ‘not going to find a way’ to ditch cap despite predictions that child poverty levels will soar.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
April 22, 2025 at 8:45 AM
this is in fact true for almost all early years interventions, which is yet another reason why the lack of childcare support in the UK is criminal
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
A fringe group of bigoted weirdos have dragged British media, government, and law into their hateful obsession with trans people. Grim, depressing, and dangerous. Everyone with power in the UK who's played along should be ashamed of themselves.
April 16, 2025 at 10:15 AM
A fringe group of bigoted weirdos have dragged British media, government, and law into their hateful obsession with trans people. Grim, depressing, and dangerous. Everyone with power in the UK who's played along should be ashamed of themselves.
Reposted by Jade Shepherd
How is the crisis in higher education impacting history and historians in the UK?
Lucy Noakes on the scale of cuts and closures, and how the Royal Historical Society (@royalhistsoc.org) can advocate for our discipline.
www.historyworkshop....
Lucy Noakes on the scale of cuts and closures, and how the Royal Historical Society (@royalhistsoc.org) can advocate for our discipline.
www.historyworkshop....
Making the Case for History: A View from the Royal Historical Society
Lucy Noakes on how the crisis in UK higher education is impacting history and historians, and how the Royal Historical Society can advocate for our discipline.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
April 15, 2025 at 6:45 AM
How is the crisis in higher education impacting history and historians in the UK?
Lucy Noakes on the scale of cuts and closures, and how the Royal Historical Society (@royalhistsoc.org) can advocate for our discipline.
www.historyworkshop....
Lucy Noakes on the scale of cuts and closures, and how the Royal Historical Society (@royalhistsoc.org) can advocate for our discipline.
www.historyworkshop....