Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · 17d

Re-sharing this as it is more relevant than ever. I can't believe things have become worse since we wrote it! @nteunion.bsky.social @insidehighered.com @timeshighered.bsky.social @academic-chatter.bsky.social
theconversation.com/battered-and...

‘Battered and broken. I must get out’: what staff told us about teaching and working in universities today

Stuff cuts are just the most visible aspect of critical problems within the modern university, as a new survey of academic workers reveals.

theconversation.com

1 4

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Aug 31

What's it like working in the modern university? Stories from around the world. @nteunion.bsky.social @nteunational.bsky.social @higheredlabor.bsky.social @timeshighered.bsky.social @chronicle.com @insidehighered.com @wearehighered.bsky.social workinginthemodernuniversity.wordpress.com/blog-2/

Stories

Visit the post for more.

workinginthemodernuniversity.wordpress.com

3

Annette Jorgensen @ajorgensen.bsky.social · Apr 10

We’re breeding far too many ‘pets’ into existence, marketing them as children’s toys and trivialising ‘ownership’. Under capitalism, sentient beings have become commodities, mass produced and often disposable with little regard to environmental costs.
@zoei.bsky.social has done great work on ‘pets’

Henrik Hindby Koszyczarek @henrikhindby.bsky.social · Apr 10

"Dogs catch many types of wildlife and can injure or kill them. Their scent and droppings scare smaller animals. Then there’s the huge environmental cost of feeding these carnivores and the sheer quantity of their poo. We love our pet dogs, but they come with a very real cost."
tinyurl.com/5btdthby

Good boy or bad dog? Our 1 billion pet dogs do real environmental damage

We don’t want to admit it, but our beloved pet dogs do a lot of environmental damage, from killing or terrifying wildlife to emissions from pet food.

tinyurl.com

5 12

🅦🅞🅡🅣🅗🅢🅞🅜🅔 @worthsome029.bsky.social · Apr 14

Poor thing has enough to worry about surviving in that environment without these stupid fuckers.

2 11

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · May 24

"This is what we were voting for!"

From a friend in academia:

>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<

Great work.

310 2.6K 6K

Herbiⓥore @herbivoreclub.bsky.social · Jun 4

Eating crabs is weird.

2 12

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Jun 24

They deserve to live too. Let's just stick with plants.

Animal Defenders International @animaldefenders.bsky.social · Jun 24

A new UK gov-funded study shows insect protein for animal feed can have up to 13.5x the climate impact of soy. It props up factory farming, not sustainability. The real solution? Plants. A plant-based food system cuts emissions, saves land & water, and protects our future.
#StopClimateChange

4

Animal Defenders International @animaldefenders.bsky.social · Jun 24

A new UK gov-funded study shows insect protein for animal feed can have up to 13.5x the climate impact of soy. It props up factory farming, not sustainability. The real solution? Plants. A plant-based food system cuts emissions, saves land & water, and protects our future.
#StopClimateChange

5

The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) @sociologyaustralia.bsky.social · Jun 20

TASA is deeply dismayed by Macquarie Uni’s proposed restructuring that would decimate sociology. The social sciences matter — they help us navigate a complex world. Our full statement & call to action here: www.tasa.org.au/docs.ashx?id...

#Sociology #HigherEd #SupportHASS

www.tasa.org.au

7 9

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Jun 16

And next in New Zealand, the local hunting competition that has categories for kids to enter into specifically. More dead animals equates to more cash handed over. And this is called "entertainment". #animalrights #banhunting @animaljusticeparty.bsky.social @animal-justice.bsky.social

The Hunt - North Canterbury Kids Hunt

The hunt Register now The North Canterbury Kids Hunt is open to all children up to and including 16 years of age. We welcome entries from all over New Zealand but you must be at weigh in to claim a pr...

nckidshunt.co.nz

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Jun 4

Meat eaters are weird. I keep telling them so.

Herbiⓥore @herbivoreclub.bsky.social · Jun 4

Eating crabs is weird.

2

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · May 25

As always, the consequences of human actions are never limited to humans alone. Terribly sad.

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · May 24

"This is what we were voting for!"

From a friend in academia:

>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<

Great work.

2 2

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · May 13

New post and something of a request for help!! #AnimalRights #AnimalAdvocacy #ScholarAdvocates

Can academics change the world?

I haven’t posted on here in a while. And that’s because, frankly, I haven’t been writing. I haven’t been able to write, more accurately. It’s not writers block. I can work on revisions and things t…

animalsinsocietygroup.wordpress.com

1 5

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · May 13

Three new stories from people working in the neoliberal university on our site today. More about them and the project at the link below.

Stories

Visit the post for more.

workinginthemodernuniversity.wordpress.com

1

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · May 3

Yep, great news. Here's hoping it heralds an actual lean to the left, rather than these centrists we think are left these days!

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · May 3

Happy to see the Labor victory in Australia (and the Liberals in Canada). Hoping it is, in fact, a turn away from Trumpism. But now can we please see a genuine left emerge, as opposed to the centrism that currently passes.

1

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · May 3

#WorldPressFreedomDay 🔥

@froomkin.bsky.social

170 4.3K 12K

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 22

I just signed the National Pet Day Pledge to support companion animals in New Zealand! Join me in standing up for stronger animal protections. All signatures will be sent to the government in May 2025 - Sign the pledge here: www.companionanimals.nz/national-pet...

#NationalPetDayNZ #PledgeForPets

National Pet Day Pledge — Companion Animals New Zealand

www.companionanimals.nz

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 21

When you are all ready to stop reading dystopian fiction as a how-to guide, wake me up.

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Trump may soon offer a motherhood medal, an idea popularized in Nazi Germany

He wants to be known as the 'fertilization president.'

www.motherjones.com

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 16

Right there with you!

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 15

Just leave them alone. They are not there for our insta-moments ffs. A little respect goes a long way.

🅦🅞🅡🅣🅗🅢🅞🅜🅔 @worthsome029.bsky.social · Apr 14

Poor thing has enough to worry about surviving in that environment without these stupid fuckers.

1 2 3

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 10

And not just environmental cost. So many of them are killed or left to live in misery.

Annette Jorgensen @ajorgensen.bsky.social · Apr 10

We’re breeding far too many ‘pets’ into existence, marketing them as children’s toys and trivialising ‘ownership’. Under capitalism, sentient beings have become commodities, mass produced and often disposable with little regard to environmental costs.
@zoei.bsky.social has done great work on ‘pets’

Henrik Hindby Koszyczarek @henrikhindby.bsky.social · Apr 10

"Dogs catch many types of wildlife and can injure or kill them. Their scent and droppings scare smaller animals. Then there’s the huge environmental cost of feeding these carnivores and the sheer quantity of their poo. We love our pet dogs, but they come with a very real cost."
tinyurl.com/5btdthby

1 5

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Apr 2

Fantastic!!

1

Eric Reinhart @eric-reinhart.com · Apr 1

If you think it’ll stop at Columbia and Harvard, you’re wrong. If you think it won’t go beyond universities to infiltrate all schools, you’re wrong. If you think it won’t demand compliance at media, medical, and non-profit organizations, you’re wrong. Fascism is here. Fight it.

2.7K 9.6K

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Mar 31

I know that feeling well so i feel for you. I think I'm permanently grieving the sector (it's the same in Aus, getting to be the same in NZ) and it hurts. Kia kaha.

1

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · Mar 30

Everything Joe Rogan says is wrong. He’s a fount of misinformation and tomfoolery. Why do so many men listen to him? I’m at a loss.

3.5K 5.5K 39K

Prof Brendan Crabb AC @brendancrabb.bsky.social · Mar 29

An important long read. Key elements of highly pathogenic H5N1 incl: 1. It’s already a major ‘pandemic’ of birds with big impact, (2) it’s adapting to mammals, (3) it’s not yet in Oz, (4) we need robust pandemic preparedness, including clean indoor air strategies. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

This flu virus is spreading and scientists say it has pandemic potential

Since 1959 the avian flu virus H5N1 has been popping up around the globe. Now scientists believe it could spark the next pandemic.

www.abc.net.au

33 120 310

Animal Ag Reality @animalagreality.bsky.social · Mar 27

She produces milk for her calf, not you. Modern dairy cows are forced to produce massive volumes of milk through genetic manipulation and constant pregnancy. This image glorifies pasture access while 90% of dairy cows are confined indoors. #AnimalRights #GoVegan

11 35 150

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Mar 11

#feminism #socialwork #animalabuse #Animalrights #animalcruelty #domesticviolence

Nik Taylor @animalsociology.bsky.social · Mar 11

#feminism #domesticviolenc #animalabuse

1