Karl Johnson
@karlpjohnson.bsky.social
Shetlander in Edinburgh, Sociology lecturer, Gaada advisory board, comic & sci-fi fan, parent and dog butler.
Wrote The Loki Variations📗 https://www.404ink.com/store/p/inklings-the-loki-variations.
He/Him. Views are mine and Morag's🐶
Wrote The Loki Variations📗 https://www.404ink.com/store/p/inklings-the-loki-variations.
He/Him. Views are mine and Morag's🐶
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage on.ft.com/3M2AYkD
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Surprise move from chancellor means some university graduates in England may have to pay back debts sooner
on.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 PM
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Reposted by Karl Johnson
We’re proud that a Bantshire student ambassador is on placement at the OBR today.
November 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
We’re proud that a Bantshire student ambassador is on placement at the OBR today.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Dave watched this government Education Committee meeting so you didn’t have to. But you do have to read his summary (if you have any interest in the future of HE)
"A system built on specialisation, efficiency", that right there is the death knell for the current university system in the UK, if (big if) government pushes it through. They actively don't want HE to grow, they will intervene, apparently, to help it shrink.
per this morning's education committee.
per this morning's education committee.
November 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Dave watched this government Education Committee meeting so you didn’t have to. But you do have to read his summary (if you have any interest in the future of HE)
Reposted by Karl Johnson
This is £600m from the same university sector that is pretty close to collapse in a growing number of major institutions?
Many of them universities that are among the biggest employers in the very ‘left behind’ towns and cities that Labour talks so much about…
Many of them universities that are among the biggest employers in the very ‘left behind’ towns and cities that Labour talks so much about…
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 24, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This is £600m from the same university sector that is pretty close to collapse in a growing number of major institutions?
Many of them universities that are among the biggest employers in the very ‘left behind’ towns and cities that Labour talks so much about…
Many of them universities that are among the biggest employers in the very ‘left behind’ towns and cities that Labour talks so much about…
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Announcing our 2026 bursary for small presses and crowdfunder AND book that Heather and I have secretly been writing about @404ink.bsky.social over the last few months. Our way of saying farewell!
www.404ink.com/blog/publish...
www.404ink.com/blog/publish...
404 Ink co-founders launch new book and industry fundraiser for small presses — 404 Ink
404 Ink to publish one final book as part of small press fundraiser, launching in 2026.
www.404ink.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Announcing our 2026 bursary for small presses and crowdfunder AND book that Heather and I have secretly been writing about @404ink.bsky.social over the last few months. Our way of saying farewell!
www.404ink.com/blog/publish...
www.404ink.com/blog/publish...
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Wonkhe should be ashamed of publishing this propaganda bullshit. Apart from the hallucinations and built-in biases, how is AI remotely ‘ethical’ when operating it burns enormous amounts of power, requires enormous volumes of water and emits thousands of tonnes of CO2 often in minority communities?
NEW on Wonkhe: A new partnership between Advance HE, evasys and Student Voice AI is giving rapid access to a goldmine of insight about the PGT experience. Helena Lim explains buff.ly/bnSjmUh
November 20, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Wonkhe should be ashamed of publishing this propaganda bullshit. Apart from the hallucinations and built-in biases, how is AI remotely ‘ethical’ when operating it burns enormous amounts of power, requires enormous volumes of water and emits thousands of tonnes of CO2 often in minority communities?
Reposted by Karl Johnson
🛒 OUR NEW WEBSITE IS FINALLY HERE - 30% OFF ALL BOOKS UNTIL THE 17TH📚
After many years of making do with our clunky old Wordpress site we are thrilled to finally launch a bookshop site that we feel better represents the level of service we strive to offer.
🔗: argonautbooks.co.uk
(1/3)
After many years of making do with our clunky old Wordpress site we are thrilled to finally launch a bookshop site that we feel better represents the level of service we strive to offer.
🔗: argonautbooks.co.uk
(1/3)
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 AM
🛒 OUR NEW WEBSITE IS FINALLY HERE - 30% OFF ALL BOOKS UNTIL THE 17TH📚
After many years of making do with our clunky old Wordpress site we are thrilled to finally launch a bookshop site that we feel better represents the level of service we strive to offer.
🔗: argonautbooks.co.uk
(1/3)
After many years of making do with our clunky old Wordpress site we are thrilled to finally launch a bookshop site that we feel better represents the level of service we strive to offer.
🔗: argonautbooks.co.uk
(1/3)
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Reposted by Karl Johnson
The senior leadership team at @edinburghuniversity plan to cut staff expenditure by £90m, which is more than 10%.
This would mean about 1 in 8 members of staff losing their jobs. With hundreds of jobs already lost, a further 1,000+ jobs are on the line.
www.instagram.com/p/DQuFjwBjHB5/
This would mean about 1 in 8 members of staff losing their jobs. With hundreds of jobs already lost, a further 1,000+ jobs are on the line.
www.instagram.com/p/DQuFjwBjHB5/
November 12, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The senior leadership team at @edinburghuniversity plan to cut staff expenditure by £90m, which is more than 10%.
This would mean about 1 in 8 members of staff losing their jobs. With hundreds of jobs already lost, a further 1,000+ jobs are on the line.
www.instagram.com/p/DQuFjwBjHB5/
This would mean about 1 in 8 members of staff losing their jobs. With hundreds of jobs already lost, a further 1,000+ jobs are on the line.
www.instagram.com/p/DQuFjwBjHB5/
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Mapping Identities Conference 9/02/26-10/02/26 Call for Papers.
We warmly invite expressions of interest in the form of 250-word abstracts and 100-word short biographies Wednesday 17/12/25
tinyurl.com/3nnacccd
We warmly invite expressions of interest in the form of 250-word abstracts and 100-word short biographies Wednesday 17/12/25
tinyurl.com/3nnacccd
November 12, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Mapping Identities Conference 9/02/26-10/02/26 Call for Papers.
We warmly invite expressions of interest in the form of 250-word abstracts and 100-word short biographies Wednesday 17/12/25
tinyurl.com/3nnacccd
We warmly invite expressions of interest in the form of 250-word abstracts and 100-word short biographies Wednesday 17/12/25
tinyurl.com/3nnacccd
Reposted by Karl Johnson
If Wes Streeting ever becomes PM then *that* tweet by the late great Dawn Foster needs to be projected onto Number 10 permanently
November 12, 2025 at 10:04 AM
If Wes Streeting ever becomes PM then *that* tweet by the late great Dawn Foster needs to be projected onto Number 10 permanently
Reposted by Karl Johnson
'Student Voice' in universities functions the same as 'The People' in contemporary political debate. Discuss.
Managers cite concern for students in everything they do, but never actually prioritise student opinion or voices in any of their decision making. They do irreparable harm to student courses and turn around to staff and ask: ‘right: how can we improve student satisfaction and recruitment?’
We've had 2 massive mergers in 2 years. In both cases, QMUL refused to hear students (staff was told not to talk about it with students for fear of repercussions), and *after* both of them, management said 'our bad, we'll talk to students next time'.
#UKHE managers don't prioritise students.
#UKHE managers don't prioritise students.
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 AM
'Student Voice' in universities functions the same as 'The People' in contemporary political debate. Discuss.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
WORLD BOOK WEEK OFFER
Are you a school in the Scottish islands? Would you like an author visit with no author fees? Step this way and check out the alt text below….
Please get in touch via my website contact form 📚🏴
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social @asls.org.uk @slgscotland.bsky.social
Are you a school in the Scottish islands? Would you like an author visit with no author fees? Step this way and check out the alt text below….
Please get in touch via my website contact form 📚🏴
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social @asls.org.uk @slgscotland.bsky.social
September 9, 2025 at 8:56 AM
WORLD BOOK WEEK OFFER
Are you a school in the Scottish islands? Would you like an author visit with no author fees? Step this way and check out the alt text below….
Please get in touch via my website contact form 📚🏴
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social @asls.org.uk @slgscotland.bsky.social
Are you a school in the Scottish islands? Would you like an author visit with no author fees? Step this way and check out the alt text below….
Please get in touch via my website contact form 📚🏴
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social @asls.org.uk @slgscotland.bsky.social
Reposted by Karl Johnson
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
OVER A MILLION USERS
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
November 7, 2025 at 11:24 PM
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Strange Tales 72, 1959. Art by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.
November 6, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Strange Tales 72, 1959. Art by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Has anyone cut their university to victory? It's the only idea the executive class have in HE. They only get these executive jobs right now if they're willing to take away the livelihoods of their workers.
November 6, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Has anyone cut their university to victory? It's the only idea the executive class have in HE. They only get these executive jobs right now if they're willing to take away the livelihoods of their workers.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
84% of trans people polled by YouGov said Britain is “fairly unsafe” or “very unsafe” for trans people. A terrifying story - founded on actual data - which the BBC still refused to carry.
Link to polling in the blog. goodlawproject.org/abject-terro...
Link to polling in the blog. goodlawproject.org/abject-terro...
November 6, 2025 at 7:43 AM
84% of trans people polled by YouGov said Britain is “fairly unsafe” or “very unsafe” for trans people. A terrifying story - founded on actual data - which the BBC still refused to carry.
Link to polling in the blog. goodlawproject.org/abject-terro...
Link to polling in the blog. goodlawproject.org/abject-terro...
Reposted by Karl Johnson
This is an excellent paper and brilliant contribution to queer/crip temporality scholarship. It’s also a really important confrontation with some of ways UKHE harms us. As a disabled academic it was at times a difficult read(in a good way I think). I’ll definitely read it again. Thanks for your work
Here we are then, the article I have been whining about for well over a year. Written with @robinskyer.bsky.social, our article explores failure and crip temporalities in UKHE and is published today with the Sociological Review
doi-org.soton.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0038...
#bipolar #Sociology
doi-org.soton.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0038...
#bipolar #Sociology
October 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is an excellent paper and brilliant contribution to queer/crip temporality scholarship. It’s also a really important confrontation with some of ways UKHE harms us. As a disabled academic it was at times a difficult read(in a good way I think). I’ll definitely read it again. Thanks for your work
Just Lauren being a legend, as per.
Just given a lecture on generative AI and ethics that students described as "exceptional", "the most engaging lecture they've had all semester", and which they appreciated the touching on fascism and eugenics around for personal reasons so do you know what, I'm just going to keep on doing my thing
October 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Just Lauren being a legend, as per.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
So I've been reading the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. There's some good things in there. But when it comes to universities there's very little to cheer. The situation is very tough and will get worse. The last chance to preserve what we've got has passed. Let me explain why. (1/?)
October 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
So I've been reading the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. There's some good things in there. But when it comes to universities there's very little to cheer. The situation is very tough and will get worse. The last chance to preserve what we've got has passed. Let me explain why. (1/?)
Reposted by Karl Johnson
Know what else was generative? Ridding the planet of billionaires through post-war social democracy.
October 24, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Know what else was generative? Ridding the planet of billionaires through post-war social democracy.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
That scene of the Welsh BBC correspondent being the only person interviewing Caerphilly's new Plaid AM while the rest of the media interviewed Reform's loser in the background was far too on the nose.
October 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
That scene of the Welsh BBC correspondent being the only person interviewing Caerphilly's new Plaid AM while the rest of the media interviewed Reform's loser in the background was far too on the nose.
Reposted by Karl Johnson
this makes me mad EVERY TIME as a shetlander
A thread of incomplete maps of Scotland
First up, The International Association for the Study of Scottish Literatures @iassl.bsky.social
#youmissedabit
First up, The International Association for the Study of Scottish Literatures @iassl.bsky.social
#youmissedabit
October 21, 2025 at 7:45 PM
this makes me mad EVERY TIME as a shetlander
Reposted by Karl Johnson
📣 UWS HAS RULED OUT COMPULSORY REDUNDANCIES
After 8 days of strike action from EIS, and a further 12 days planned from Monday which UCU were due to join, management has today announced that CR has been taken off the table 🎉
After 8 days of strike action from EIS, and a further 12 days planned from Monday which UCU were due to join, management has today announced that CR has been taken off the table 🎉
October 21, 2025 at 7:40 AM
📣 UWS HAS RULED OUT COMPULSORY REDUNDANCIES
After 8 days of strike action from EIS, and a further 12 days planned from Monday which UCU were due to join, management has today announced that CR has been taken off the table 🎉
After 8 days of strike action from EIS, and a further 12 days planned from Monday which UCU were due to join, management has today announced that CR has been taken off the table 🎉