Les Back
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academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back
@academicdiary.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.8K following 360 posts

I teach sociology at the University of Glasgow and my interests are learning, teaching, books, ideas, culture and music.

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Les Back is a professor of sociology at the University of Glasgow and former Director of the Centre for Urban and Community Research at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a researcher and author of books and academic studies on topics including racism, music and urban cultures. .. more

Political science 44%
Sociology 38%
Posts Replies Media Videos

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 10h
Hoping to get the words out for Linton tonight… wonderful to be reminded of the depth of his contribution.

Reposted by Vron Ware

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 11h
A small pilgrimage and a prayer for the victims of the New Cross massacre on my way to the event for LKJ tonight. Not forgotten.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 17h
LKJ’s writing is so often steadying. That’s so interesting Ian.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 18h
On the train to London to speak at this time event for LKJ at Goldmsiths. Nervous as hell but so to have the opportunity to say something about my debt to him. www.eventbrite.com/e/honouring-...
www.eventbrite.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 5d
This is going to be a great night in Glasgow for International Women’s Day raising money for Scottish Women’s Aid www.thegladcafe.co.uk/events/2026-...
Funk the Patriarchy II at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow on 08 Mar 2026
Buy tickets for Funk the Patriarchy II at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow
www.thegladcafe.co.uk

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 5d
Umberto Eco’s essay ‘Ur Fascism’ seems more relevant - Ur or eternal fascism in 14 key features, and one is enough for hate to coagulate around. www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg0u...
Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco
YouTube video by AudibleAnarchist
www.youtube.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 9d
Really thrilled to be invited to say a few words for LKJ at this event in south London next week. Linton will read one of his poems too www.eventbrite.com/e/honouring-...
Honouring Linton Kwesi Johnson CD
An evening to mark the dedication of a lecture theatre to the poet and activist at Goldsmiths, University of London
www.eventbrite.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 12d
open.spotify.com/episode/6tx1...
TV in prison - Live music in prison
open.spotify.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 12d
This is a wonderful converqtion with te Surviving Society podcast cihttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1PJcY7jlf7WLvdXLOtYPAB?si=caRZeSJoTAObpdXkpdygjgh
E023 Les Back: Migrant City
open.spotify.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 25d
Oooh I want to read that Rob, sounds fabulous!

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 25d
It was my birthday last week… this wonderful record was the best of gifts marking BB King’s centenary. Derek Trucks says in the liner notes that BB was a ‘real life Santa Claus’.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · 29d
It was so lovely to meet, Yang, last week. I will read this with great interest very much in the key of our talk last week.

Reposted by Les Back

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · 29d
What is ‘home’ now? A woman’s two-year search for safety in the ruins of Gaza
What is ‘home’ now? A woman’s two-year search for safety in the ruins of Gaza
Nour AbuShammala has returned to her partly destroyed apartment in Gaza City. This is her story of multiple displacements, injury and devastation over the last two years
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Les Back

msamrc.bsky.social
Anupama Ranawana @msamrc.bsky.social · Dec 14
Update on this. A friend who does anti fascist work found this posted on social media. The SS flag is clearly visible and they also seem to claim affiliation with @raithroversfc.bsky.social

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 14
No, but very scary xxx

Reposted by Alison Phipps

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 6
This is an extraordinary film - weaponising water in Gaza. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfpx...
How Israel is weaponising water in Gaza | People & Power Documentary
YouTube video by Al Jazeera English
www.youtube.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 5
Here’s the details off Ben Carrington’s talk next week. Ben gave our Frisby Lecture at the University of Glasgow a couple of years ago. His award is really well deserved.

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 5
The inaugural Stuart Hall Award lecture is next week December 10th 2025, 6pm UK time and given Dr. Ben Carrington (University of Southern California), the first winner of the award. Please register and attend the meeting via this zoom link: emory.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Stuart Hall Prize Lecture. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
The Culture Section of the ASA is pleased to announce the inaugural Stuart Hall Award lecture on Wednesday, December 10 (10 AM Pacific Time) by Dr. Ben Carrington (University of Southern California), ...
emory.zoom.us

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 4
Yes, so true, Jason. Stax was right in the heart of Black South Memphis and not far from where Martin Luther King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel. Steve Cropper used to rent rooms there to write songs with Eddie Floyd and Otis Redding. Amazing

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 4
Sad to hear of Steve Cropper’s passing today. He made such a contribution to the music of the civil rights era. I interviewed him for this piece in 1999. Rest in soul…

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 2
Something new on ‘The Unloved Curriculum’ and teaching research methods with Michaela Benson and Maisie Tomlinson journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Dec 2
Enjoyed writing this for Everything Jazz - my album of the year Jon Batiste’s Big Money www.everythingjazz.com/the-14-best-...
The 14 Best Jazz Albums of 2025 - Everything Jazz
Our experts have decided: whether brand new recordings or lovingly remastered, reissued and rediscovered treasures – these are our 14 jazz albums of the year. Go directly to each write-up by clicking ...
www.everythingjazz.com

Reposted by Silke Roth

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Nov 17
Sorry about that, Jillian, I hope you got to Jimmy Reid quickly… I think he’s fantastic - he even makes stupid questions interesting. They are both a bit sheepish next to Lauren Bacall!

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Nov 17
This is wonderful, Jimmy Reid and Billy Connolly on Parkinson in 1979. I have finished my first piece of writing set in Glasgow called ‘In the Big Yin’s Footsteps’, which retraces Glasgow’s social history through Billy’s favourite streets today. youtu.be/KApI5kksOuM?...
Classic Parkinson: 1979 - Union Leader Jimmy Reid, Billy Connolly, and Lauren Bacall
YouTube video by George Fairbrother - DEC4 Podcast
youtu.be

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Nov 13
Definitely, I’ll be in London for the week before. Have been working on this paper for a long time hoping that giving the lecture will help me finish it x

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Nov 11
Really looking forward to this too Katherine, working hard to finish this essay something I’ve been working on for a few years. Coming and doing your talk is giving me the focus to get it submitted.

Reposted by Les Back

uclsociology.bsky.social
UCL Sociology Network @uclsociology.bsky.social · Nov 10
Annual Lecture: The Paradox of Home by Les Back (11.12.25)
Home is a knife-edge word. Competing forces balance on its edge that either control or open the terms of belonging. It is why home is paradoxical tinyurl.com/3493r8e6

academicdiary.bsky.social
Les Back @academicdiary.bsky.social · Nov 8
Beautiful night in South London looking north x

Reposted by Les Back

uofgjmsphd.bsky.social
UofG JMS PhD Programme @uofgjmsphd.bsky.social · Nov 7
We’re excited to launch the 5th round of applications for the JMS Scholarship. 12 scholarships are available in any research area which can be supervised at the University.

Register your interest here: forms.office.com/e/k2bkPz4ekB

#PhDScholarship #Scholarships2026 #UKScholarships
Image shows JMS Scholar Michelle Amoah in front of a tiling feature wall of white lockers in the Glasgow University’s Advanced Research Centre (ARC) and she wears a bright red dress over a white collared shirt. To Michelle’s right, the University of Glasgow logo appears at the top left of the image and there is a graphic banner at the bottom left of the image which reads: Join Our World Changers.