Mark McCormack
@markmccormack.bsky.social
Sociologist. Professor. Deputy Dean Research. Author of 'Discovering Sociology' and 'The Declining Significance of Homophobia'. Posts are in a personal capacity. I volunteer with The Loop, read and play badminton.
https://linktr.ee/markmccormack
https://linktr.ee/markmccormack
Pinned
Mark McCormack
@markmccormack.bsky.social
· Jun 14
Poppers, the Politics of Exemption and the Characteristics of Poppers Users in the annual English Festival Study, 2014–23
Abstract. This paper explores the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported alkyl nitrite (‘poppers’) use and sexual behaviours
academic.oup.com
Poppers, the Politics of Exemption and the Characteristics of Poppers Users in the annual English Festival Study, 2014–23: Now in an issue at BJC: academic.oup.com/bjc/article/...
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Interesting; and a bunch of highly skilled folk just don't use it.
On AI’s ‘mediocrity trap’ — experiments indicates that while AI helps the less skilled make something passable, the highly skilled don’t use it to produce something better than they could have; they produce something ok, but lose motivation to make it great. www.jin-li.org/uploads/1/1/...
November 26, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Interesting; and a bunch of highly skilled folk just don't use it.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
Reposted by Mark McCormack
We pour billions into saving an economically tiny steel industry whilst actively destroying one of our largest export industries. (Yes, higher education to overseas students who already massively subsidise UK students, are counted as exports).
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 24, 2025 at 7:37 AM
We pour billions into saving an economically tiny steel industry whilst actively destroying one of our largest export industries. (Yes, higher education to overseas students who already massively subsidise UK students, are counted as exports).
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Ah, universities. Famously the King Midas of UK economic sectors.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Ah, universities. Famously the King Midas of UK economic sectors.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
'The economic impact of international students in the UK surged from £31.3 billion in 2018/19 to £41.9 billion by 2021/22. On average, every parliamentary constituency in Britain benefits by £58 million.' 1/3
Which UK regional economies are most reliant on international students? - HEPI
Join HEPI for a webinar on Thursday 11 December 2025 from 10am to 11am to discuss how universities can strengthen the student voice in governance to mark the launch of our upcoming report, Rethinking ...
www.hepi.ac.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:35 AM
'The economic impact of international students in the UK surged from £31.3 billion in 2018/19 to £41.9 billion by 2021/22. On average, every parliamentary constituency in Britain benefits by £58 million.' 1/3
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Submit a Claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Reposted by Mark McCormack
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
Reposted by Mark McCormack
'UK universities are becoming “very concerned” amid growing speculation that chancellor Rachel Reeves will use next week’s budget to cap tax-free pension contributions – a move that could cost the sector £50 million.'
Gere we go again, again. 1/2
Gere we go again, again. 1/2
Universities fear £50 million hit from budget ‘pensions tax’
Cost to sector ‘significant’ as reports say chancellor planning to limit tax-free contributions
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:52 AM
'UK universities are becoming “very concerned” amid growing speculation that chancellor Rachel Reeves will use next week’s budget to cap tax-free pension contributions – a move that could cost the sector £50 million.'
Gere we go again, again. 1/2
Gere we go again, again. 1/2
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Labour could bar all migrants from permanent residency for a 100 years , their poll ratings will still be dire because it's stuff like this, an utter breakdown in the social-state contract, which degrades public trust, faith things can get better.
A degradation which needs to be urgently addressed.
A degradation which needs to be urgently addressed.
Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kidlington fly-tipping: Criminals dump mountain of waste in field
The enormous pile of rubbish is called an
www.bbc.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Labour could bar all migrants from permanent residency for a 100 years , their poll ratings will still be dire because it's stuff like this, an utter breakdown in the social-state contract, which degrades public trust, faith things can get better.
A degradation which needs to be urgently addressed.
A degradation which needs to be urgently addressed.
Terrible and destructive
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
Survey finds 60% of key cities councils are planning to sell assets to meet costs of adult and children’s social care
English councils are planning to sell social clubs, sports centres and shopping arcades as they bet on a fire sale of assets to balance the books, according to a survey of local authorities.
The key cities group of councils, which represents second-tier cities in England, said 60% of councils were planning to sell assets to meet the escalating costs of adult and children’s social care. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Terrible and destructive
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Terrific but depressing by @sarahoconnorft.ft.com and @jburnmurdoch.ft.com. LLMs are, I am convinced, the worst thing to happen to fair hiring since the end of legal discrimination:
The AI Shift: Is hiring becoming less meritocratic?
[FREE TO READ] Use of LLMs encourage more applications but they change the commitment signal of employers and employees
on.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Terrific but depressing by @sarahoconnorft.ft.com and @jburnmurdoch.ft.com. LLMs are, I am convinced, the worst thing to happen to fair hiring since the end of legal discrimination:
Reposted by Mark McCormack
I was curious about this number. Here it is.
This is cool. COURIER has created a searchable database with all 20,000 of the files just released from Epstein’s estate.
Trump's name appears in them more than anyone else, in 1,628 documents.
couriernewsroom.com/news/we-crea...
Trump's name appears in them more than anyone else, in 1,628 documents.
couriernewsroom.com/news/we-crea...
We created a searchable database with all 20,000 files from Epstein’s Estate
Easily find every mention of Trump, Clinton, blackmail, and potential sex crimes in the thousands of private messages between Epstein and his close associates.
couriernewsroom.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM
I was curious about this number. Here it is.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
'A chancellor with an overriding commitment to growth would not slap an arbitrary tax on one of the country’s most successful export sectors.'
Raising costs for overseas students won’t help cash-strapped universities | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 7:39 AM
'A chancellor with an overriding commitment to growth would not slap an arbitrary tax on one of the country’s most successful export sectors.'
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about the extraordinary influence of former Tory spin doctor Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC. It's still a helpful backgrounder for what's going on now. New readers start here: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
How the government captured the BBC
A right-wing cabal, largely unaccountable, is waging war on the principles that made our public broadcaster great. It must not succeed
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about the extraordinary influence of former Tory spin doctor Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC. It's still a helpful backgrounder for what's going on now. New readers start here: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Reposted by Mark McCormack
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Reposted by Mark McCormack
"Basic scientists consistently enhance scientific output quality, yet research and newly joining researchers have shifted toward applied orientations."
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2509.01530
#PhilSci #MetaSci #AcademicSky 🧪
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2509.01530
#PhilSci #MetaSci #AcademicSky 🧪
November 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
"Basic scientists consistently enhance scientific output quality, yet research and newly joining researchers have shifted toward applied orientations."
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2509.01530
#PhilSci #MetaSci #AcademicSky 🧪
Preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2509.01530
#PhilSci #MetaSci #AcademicSky 🧪
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Age restrictions on social media for over 50s.
A friend told me that her American dad got in touch to talk about some news he'd seen on Facebook: there are riots in England over DEI, and the King dramatically burst into parliament to tell Starmer off, and then Prince William did the same to Sadiq Khan. AI really is inventing bold new universes
November 3, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Age restrictions on social media for over 50s.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Matt Goodwin attributes a crime that he now knows appears to have been committed by people born in Britain in the early 1990s to "mass uncontrolled immigration"
November 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Matt Goodwin attributes a crime that he now knows appears to have been committed by people born in Britain in the early 1990s to "mass uncontrolled immigration"
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Government funding of basic research pays off.
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Government funding of basic research pays off.
Reposted by Mark McCormack
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...