Sean Fox
@seanurban.bsky.social
Cities, global development, political economy, science & miscellanea. Currently writing a book on *How we became an urban species*
All papers freely available here: https://sites.google.com/view/drseanfox/home
All papers freely available here: https://sites.google.com/view/drseanfox/home
Interesting chart on the fall and rise of Asia in the global economy (and the rise and fall of the "West") courtesy of @data.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Interesting chart on the fall and rise of Asia in the global economy (and the rise and fall of the "West") courtesy of @data.ft.com
Reposted by Sean Fox
New @nberpubs: "The Economic Impact of Brexit" www.nber.org/papers/w34459
"by 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time." 😲
"by 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time." 😲
November 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM
New @nberpubs: "The Economic Impact of Brexit" www.nber.org/papers/w34459
"by 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time." 😲
"by 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time." 😲
This is very cool research on how the built environment may affect political behaviour
Do architecture and urban planning affect political behavior? Happy to share a paper that @tesaliarizzo.bsky.social and I have coming out at the APSR which uses computer vision to investigate how the built environment shapes inequalities in civic participation in Mexico: osf.io/preprints/so.... 🧵1/5
November 8, 2025 at 9:45 PM
This is very cool research on how the built environment may affect political behaviour
Reposted by Sean Fox
Govt promised to help Palestinians get to UK to study- but I'm in touch with 7 young Palestinians with scholarships at
@bristoluni.bsky.social
who are trapped in Gaza because the Home Office isn't doing what was promised
Shocking neglect putting lives at risk
www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...
@bristoluni.bsky.social
who are trapped in Gaza because the Home Office isn't doing what was promised
Shocking neglect putting lives at risk
www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...
Accepted but trapped: Why won’t the UK evacuate its students from Gaza?
Palestinian students in Gaza who earned places at top UK universities are being stranded by political indifference.
www.aljazeera.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Govt promised to help Palestinians get to UK to study- but I'm in touch with 7 young Palestinians with scholarships at
@bristoluni.bsky.social
who are trapped in Gaza because the Home Office isn't doing what was promised
Shocking neglect putting lives at risk
www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...
@bristoluni.bsky.social
who are trapped in Gaza because the Home Office isn't doing what was promised
Shocking neglect putting lives at risk
www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Sean Fox
It’s party conference season – and bombastic statements on immigration are at the top of playlists.
I for one am tired of hearing the same old emotionally charged promises that just don’t relate to reality. You too?
Here are five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be.
I for one am tired of hearing the same old emotionally charged promises that just don’t relate to reality. You too?
Here are five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be.
It's party conference season in the UK – and immigration will again be one of the big talking points.
In a new blog, @j-hagen-zanker.bsky.social highlights 5 realities about migration repeatedly evidenced by research which we won't be hearing from politicians.
In a new blog, @j-hagen-zanker.bsky.social highlights 5 realities about migration repeatedly evidenced by research which we won't be hearing from politicians.
Five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be
Realities about migration and displacement that you won't hear from politicians during party conference season in the UK.
odi.org
September 26, 2025 at 8:43 AM
It’s party conference season – and bombastic statements on immigration are at the top of playlists.
I for one am tired of hearing the same old emotionally charged promises that just don’t relate to reality. You too?
Here are five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be.
I for one am tired of hearing the same old emotionally charged promises that just don’t relate to reality. You too?
Here are five things you should be hearing about immigration, but won’t be.
🌍📢 Call for Papers!! Urban Studies seeks submissions for a special issue on Climate Urbanism, Resilience & Justice — exploring how cities confront the climate crisis, risk, & inequality. @urbanstudiesjournal.com @acuto.bsky.social
www.urbanstudiesjournal.com/callforpaper...
www.urbanstudiesjournal.com/callforpaper...
Climate Urbanism, Resilience, and Justice - Urban Studies
Urban Studies Journal Call for Papers is now open: Climate Urbanism, Resilience and Justice. Submission deadline: 31 January 2026.
www.urbanstudiesjournal.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
🌍📢 Call for Papers!! Urban Studies seeks submissions for a special issue on Climate Urbanism, Resilience & Justice — exploring how cities confront the climate crisis, risk, & inequality. @urbanstudiesjournal.com @acuto.bsky.social
www.urbanstudiesjournal.com/callforpaper...
www.urbanstudiesjournal.com/callforpaper...
Reposted by Sean Fox
New in Demography: ‘How Is Fertility Behavior in Africa Different?’ Using DHS/MICS data, SSA–other-region fertility gaps rise through primary school and narrow at higher schooling; little difference among women with secondary+. doi.org/10.1215/0070... @readdemography.bsky.social @seattleu.edu
August 19, 2025 at 3:17 PM
New in Demography: ‘How Is Fertility Behavior in Africa Different?’ Using DHS/MICS data, SSA–other-region fertility gaps rise through primary school and narrow at higher schooling; little difference among women with secondary+. doi.org/10.1215/0070... @readdemography.bsky.social @seattleu.edu
Really enjoyed taking part in this conversation with Divya Gupta & Gregory Randolph on #urbanization and #inequality in India on the In Common Podcast: www.incommonpodcast.org/podcast/136-...
136: Urbanization and Inequality with Sean Fox and Gregory Randolph
In this episode, Divya speaks with Sean Fox and Gregory Randolph about urbanization and how it is unfolding amid global shocks and affecting inequality. Sean Fox is a Professor of Geography and Globa
www.incommonpodcast.org
August 27, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Really enjoyed taking part in this conversation with Divya Gupta & Gregory Randolph on #urbanization and #inequality in India on the In Common Podcast: www.incommonpodcast.org/podcast/136-...
Reposted by Sean Fox
Deadline is June 1st (23.59).
For the first time in (at least) 15 years @centreforcities.bsky.social is looking for a brilliant individual to be the our next Director of Research & Policy. If you fancy it check out the details on our website www.centreforcities.org/about/career...
Director of Policy and Research - Centre for Cities
Title: Director of Policy and Research Location: London (3 or 4 days in the office with flexibility). Full-time remote position will not be offered.
www.centreforcities.org
May 27, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Deadline is June 1st (23.59).
Reposted by Sean Fox
"oral contraceptives may be lowering all-cause mortality in women: either through the modification of mortality risk at all ages or, possibly, by modifying aging rates and mortality rate doubling times through the synthetic modification of adaptive pathways" www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reproductive milestones and oral contraceptive timing predict late-life mortality - npj Women's Health
npj Women's Health - Reproductive milestones and oral contraceptive timing predict late-life mortality
www.nature.com
May 22, 2025 at 7:10 AM
"oral contraceptives may be lowering all-cause mortality in women: either through the modification of mortality risk at all ages or, possibly, by modifying aging rates and mortality rate doubling times through the synthetic modification of adaptive pathways" www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reposted by Sean Fox
This is interesting — a recent study of mode share (the % share of transportation trips by car, transit, walking, biking etc) relative to city size and income levels in almost 800 cities in 61 countries. Interesting results. HT @davidzipper.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
April 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This is interesting — a recent study of mode share (the % share of transportation trips by car, transit, walking, biking etc) relative to city size and income levels in almost 800 cities in 61 countries. Interesting results. HT @davidzipper.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Sean Fox
BRIEFING | The myth of “left behind”
❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK?
buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇
❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK?
buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇
April 29, 2025 at 7:01 AM
BRIEFING | The myth of “left behind”
❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK?
buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇
❓How should government respond to the political discontent signalled by the vote to leave the European Union and the more recent rise of Reform UK?
buff.ly/g8K7EDQ 👇
Reposted by Sean Fox
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲
New paper by K. Karaman, A. Henriques, & myself. Contrary to conventional wisdom we find that constrained government & state capacity were not systematically related. England stood out for combining both which helps explain its take-off
New paper by K. Karaman, A. Henriques, & myself. Contrary to conventional wisdom we find that constrained government & state capacity were not systematically related. England stood out for combining both which helps explain its take-off
April 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲
New paper by K. Karaman, A. Henriques, & myself. Contrary to conventional wisdom we find that constrained government & state capacity were not systematically related. England stood out for combining both which helps explain its take-off
New paper by K. Karaman, A. Henriques, & myself. Contrary to conventional wisdom we find that constrained government & state capacity were not systematically related. England stood out for combining both which helps explain its take-off
Reposted by Sean Fox
From state legislatures to community groups, from tribal lands to city parks to postage-stamp backyards, people are doing quiet, vital work to confront climate change and biodiversity loss. All year, @carabuckley.bsky.social and I will be writing about these efforts.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
50 States, 50 Fixes
A series about local solutions, and the people behind them, to environmental problems.
www.nytimes.com
March 27, 2025 at 6:15 PM
From state legislatures to community groups, from tribal lands to city parks to postage-stamp backyards, people are doing quiet, vital work to confront climate change and biodiversity loss. All year, @carabuckley.bsky.social and I will be writing about these efforts.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Sean Fox
Andy Tatem & Jessica Espey @worldpop-uos.bsky.social report on the growing global crisis in #population data in @theconversation.com. Please share across your networks 📨
"When people vanish from data, they vanish from policy... causing political underrepresentation & inadequate resource allocation"
"When people vanish from data, they vanish from policy... causing political underrepresentation & inadequate resource allocation"
Global population data is in crisis – here’s why that matters
When certain groups of people are systematically undercounted, they become invisible to policymakers.
theconversation.com
March 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Andy Tatem & Jessica Espey @worldpop-uos.bsky.social report on the growing global crisis in #population data in @theconversation.com. Please share across your networks 📨
"When people vanish from data, they vanish from policy... causing political underrepresentation & inadequate resource allocation"
"When people vanish from data, they vanish from policy... causing political underrepresentation & inadequate resource allocation"
Reposted by Sean Fox
Sewer access shapes developing world cities. New research shows effects on population density as large as for highways, but little on demographics, from Sean E. McCulloch, Matthew P. Schaelling, Matthew Turner, and Toru Kitagawa https://www.nber.org/papers/w33597
March 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Sewer access shapes developing world cities. New research shows effects on population density as large as for highways, but little on demographics, from Sean E. McCulloch, Matthew P. Schaelling, Matthew Turner, and Toru Kitagawa https://www.nber.org/papers/w33597
Reposted by Sean Fox
Nice article on population projections, making the point that one problem with population panics is that it’s incredibly difficult to predict population trends. Implementing drastic policy solutions on the basis of long-term population projections is therefore not a good idea
The mysterious statisticians shaping how we think about fertility
Experts were wrong about overpopulation before. Could they be wrong about underpopulation now?
www.vox.com
March 25, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Nice article on population projections, making the point that one problem with population panics is that it’s incredibly difficult to predict population trends. Implementing drastic policy solutions on the basis of long-term population projections is therefore not a good idea
Reposted by Sean Fox
My semi-regular reminder of a really important reality about cities, density, services and taxes.
Any questions?
Graphic recently cleaned up by @kathrynmathias.bsky.social. #CityMakingMath
Any questions?
Graphic recently cleaned up by @kathrynmathias.bsky.social. #CityMakingMath
March 23, 2025 at 7:49 AM
My semi-regular reminder of a really important reality about cities, density, services and taxes.
Any questions?
Graphic recently cleaned up by @kathrynmathias.bsky.social. #CityMakingMath
Any questions?
Graphic recently cleaned up by @kathrynmathias.bsky.social. #CityMakingMath
Reposted by Sean Fox
We got two in our ward and they got snapped up so quickly. I hope the combine authority take note of this and work hard to get more installed. Think how much space is dedicated to people parking cars in our streets, and how quickly a handful of cycle spots get snapped up when hangers are put in.
People want secure and accessible cycle parking at home or as close to it as they can get. We need many more of these hangers in Bristol.
Recent research from Sustrans addresses inequality in who has access to secure cycle parking and benefits of providing it: www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/res...
Recent research from Sustrans addresses inequality in who has access to secure cycle parking and benefits of providing it: www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/res...
Bristol bike storage hangars almost fully booked in 90 minutes
The hangars, which provide spaces for bicycles, are becoming a common sight on residential roads.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 19, 2025 at 7:29 PM
We got two in our ward and they got snapped up so quickly. I hope the combine authority take note of this and work hard to get more installed. Think how much space is dedicated to people parking cars in our streets, and how quickly a handful of cycle spots get snapped up when hangers are put in.
Nice to see our paper on integrating social vulnerability into global flood risk mapping hit the top 25 Social & Human Behavior Articles of 2024! @naturecomms.bsky.social www.nature.com/collections/...
Top 25 Social Science & Human Behavior Articles of 2024
Browse the 25 most downloaded Nature Communications articles in social science and human behavior published in 2024
www.nature.com
March 18, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Nice to see our paper on integrating social vulnerability into global flood risk mapping hit the top 25 Social & Human Behavior Articles of 2024! @naturecomms.bsky.social www.nature.com/collections/...
Reposted by Sean Fox
Hey all, I started a substack, as I belive is a legal requirement for middle aged men. Warning: contains science, snark, light swearing. All free, for now. open.substack.com/pub/arutherf...
Punctuated equilibrium
Here we go. I have finally joined Substack. Science, history, politics, and possibly some pop culture.
open.substack.com
March 11, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Hey all, I started a substack, as I belive is a legal requirement for middle aged men. Warning: contains science, snark, light swearing. All free, for now. open.substack.com/pub/arutherf...
Reposted by Sean Fox
NEW: The actions of Trump and Vance in recent weeks highlight something under-appreciated.
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
March 7, 2025 at 9:58 AM
NEW: The actions of Trump and Vance in recent weeks highlight something under-appreciated.
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
Reposted by Sean Fox
The demographic crisis has huge implications for economic dynamism, pensions & the welfare state
But currently this discourse is dominated by speculations, frustrations & nasty slurs.
I’ve been interviewing people all over the world.
This is what I’m finding 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
But currently this discourse is dominated by speculations, frustrations & nasty slurs.
I’ve been interviewing people all over the world.
This is what I’m finding 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
February 23, 2025 at 12:26 AM
The demographic crisis has huge implications for economic dynamism, pensions & the welfare state
But currently this discourse is dominated by speculations, frustrations & nasty slurs.
I’ve been interviewing people all over the world.
This is what I’m finding 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
But currently this discourse is dominated by speculations, frustrations & nasty slurs.
I’ve been interviewing people all over the world.
This is what I’m finding 👇
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Reposted by Sean Fox
In many ways it's fitting that the showdown between monarchy and democracy ends up being over NYC congestion pricing.
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
February 20, 2025 at 4:42 AM
In many ways it's fitting that the showdown between monarchy and democracy ends up being over NYC congestion pricing.
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space.
The cameras are staying on!
Reposted by Sean Fox
FANTASTIC
ICPSR at U Mich is coordinating the archiving of at-risk federal data (all of it?)
You can upload data you have & search for data you don’t have
www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
ICPSR at U Mich is coordinating the archiving of at-risk federal data (all of it?)
You can upload data you have & search for data you don’t have
www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
February 14, 2025 at 4:52 PM
FANTASTIC
ICPSR at U Mich is coordinating the archiving of at-risk federal data (all of it?)
You can upload data you have & search for data you don’t have
www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
ICPSR at U Mich is coordinating the archiving of at-risk federal data (all of it?)
You can upload data you have & search for data you don’t have
www.datalumos.org/datalumos/