Michael Woods
@woodszzp.bsky.social
Geography professor at Aberystwyth University. PI, Rural Spatial Justice project @ruralspatialj.bsky.social Director, Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales.
Is the 20 mph speed limit debate coming back for Wales’s Senedd election? New post by me & @charliemuss.bsky.social for @theconversationuk.bsky.social discusses the what and why.
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Why has the 20mph limit become such a political issue in the Welsh election?
Political parties are lining up to talk about where they stand on the 20mph urban speed limit in the Welsh election campaign.
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February 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Is the 20 mph speed limit debate coming back for Wales’s Senedd election? New post by me & @charliemuss.bsky.social for @theconversationuk.bsky.social discusses the what and why.
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Reposted by Michael Woods
At the very minimum, seems pretty rational to move away from a country trying to annexe you and towards others that aren't, even if it's just because they can't.
"So even though I am still betting on the American future, I wouldn’t ask Mark Carney or any other leaders to simply keep the faith. I would just ask them to consider every step away from us in light of the potential destination and the powers waiting there."
YOU ARE TRYING TO ANNEX US
YOU ARE TRYING TO ANNEX US
January 25, 2026 at 1:43 PM
At the very minimum, seems pretty rational to move away from a country trying to annexe you and towards others that aren't, even if it's just because they can't.
New article in @theconversation.com previewing the role that environmental issues might play in Wales’s Senedd election
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Environment issues have never been so fiercely debated in a Welsh election campaign as they will be in 2026
Rural and environmental issues are high on the political agenda in the upcoming Welsh election.
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January 15, 2026 at 6:53 PM
New article in @theconversation.com previewing the role that environmental issues might play in Wales’s Senedd election
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Reposted by Michael Woods
Join our team: We're recruiting 2 x 3-year post doc researchers for the Rural-Spatial-Justice project at Aberystwyth, to undertake fieldwork on rural discontent & support for disruptive politics in the UK, Europe & USA. Closing date: 19 Oct. Details: jobs.aber.ac.uk/en/vacancy/p...
Aberystwyth University - : Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Rural-Spatial-Justice) (5874)
jobs.aber.ac.uk
September 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Join our team: We're recruiting 2 x 3-year post doc researchers for the Rural-Spatial-Justice project at Aberystwyth, to undertake fieldwork on rural discontent & support for disruptive politics in the UK, Europe & USA. Closing date: 19 Oct. Details: jobs.aber.ac.uk/en/vacancy/p...
Reposted by Michael Woods
This is a written version of one of our papers presented to the @psaepop.bsky.social conference in Exeter last weekend. open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Where is Reform UK winning?
This is a written version of a presentation to the conference of the PSA Elections, Public Opinion and Parties Specialty Group (EPOP).
open.substack.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is a written version of one of our papers presented to the @psaepop.bsky.social conference in Exeter last weekend. open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Reposted by Michael Woods
TLDR spoiler: The Reform vote is remarkably consistent across rural and urban areas, marking a big departure from the UK's conventional electoral geography. But there are regional & local variations & differents in Reform's capacity to turn votes into seats. open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Where is Reform UK winning?
This is a written version of a presentation to the conference of the PSA Elections, Public Opinion and Parties Specialty Group (EPOP).
open.substack.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
TLDR spoiler: The Reform vote is remarkably consistent across rural and urban areas, marking a big departure from the UK's conventional electoral geography. But there are regional & local variations & differents in Reform's capacity to turn votes into seats. open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Reposted by Michael Woods
Where is Reform UK winning? Read our analysis of Reform's local elections vote across rural & urban England - and what it means for the electoral geography of Britain: open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Where is Reform UK winning?
This is a written version of a presentation to the conference of the PSA Elections, Public Opinion and Parties Specialty Group (EPOP).
open.substack.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Where is Reform UK winning? Read our analysis of Reform's local elections vote across rural & urban England - and what it means for the electoral geography of Britain: open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
All ready for a busy couple of days with @lpipruralwales.bsky.social at the Royal Welsh Show. @lpiphub.bsky.social
July 21, 2025 at 9:44 AM
All ready for a busy couple of days with @lpipruralwales.bsky.social at the Royal Welsh Show. @lpiphub.bsky.social
Reposted by Michael Woods
New on our free Substack: Notes from Appalachia. What's behind Trump's landslide in eastern Kentucky? Musings on our scoping visit & reading and thoughts on how we'll approach case study fieldwork (with a little myth-busting). open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Notes from Appalachia
On the trail of Trump voters in eastern Kentucky
open.substack.com
May 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
New on our free Substack: Notes from Appalachia. What's behind Trump's landslide in eastern Kentucky? Musings on our scoping visit & reading and thoughts on how we'll approach case study fieldwork (with a little myth-busting). open.substack.com/pub/ruralspa...
Reposted by Michael Woods
Already Lincolnshire results suggest a different pattern with some big Reform votes in rural wards. Which will be most typical at the end of the day?
May 2, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Already Lincolnshire results suggest a different pattern with some big Reform votes in rural wards. Which will be most typical at the end of the day?
Reposted by Michael Woods
Important pattern here in Northumberland: Reform doing less well (& Tories holding on) in more rural areas. Reform surge is urban & periurban. Will be interesting to see if this holds in other councils as results come in today
May 2, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Important pattern here in Northumberland: Reform doing less well (& Tories holding on) in more rural areas. Reform surge is urban & periurban. Will be interesting to see if this holds in other councils as results come in today
Reposted by Michael Woods
New open access paper on farmers, globalization, populism and support for Bolsonaro in southern Brazil, with reflection on qualitative methods in electoral geography. Based Rural-Spatial-Justice and Global-Rural research: periodicos.uff.br/geographia/a...
March 18, 2025 at 3:32 PM
New open access paper on farmers, globalization, populism and support for Bolsonaro in southern Brazil, with reflection on qualitative methods in electoral geography. Based Rural-Spatial-Justice and Global-Rural research: periodicos.uff.br/geographia/a...
Reposted by Michael Woods
Rural Entrepreneurship Conference, Bangor, 3-5 June 2025
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 5pm, Monday 10 March. More details are available here: www.bangor.ac.uk/events/22nd-...
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 5pm, Monday 10 March. More details are available here: www.bangor.ac.uk/events/22nd-...
22nd Rural Entrepreneurship Conference (REC2025)
The event will take place in person and will bring together a wide range of national and international academics, practitioners, public servants, and other stakeholders to discuss various aspects of r...
www.bangor.ac.uk
February 19, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Rural Entrepreneurship Conference, Bangor, 3-5 June 2025
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 5pm, Monday 10 March. More details are available here: www.bangor.ac.uk/events/22nd-...
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 5pm, Monday 10 March. More details are available here: www.bangor.ac.uk/events/22nd-...
Reposted by Michael Woods
"It is now possible to travel from Bandera in Texas to New Witten in South Dakota without leaving a county where more than 80 per cent of voters supported Trump, a roadtrip of over 1,000 miles". Read more in our free substack article: ruralspatialjustice.substack.com/p/review-of-...
February 18, 2025 at 3:56 PM
"It is now possible to travel from Bandera in Texas to New Witten in South Dakota without leaving a county where more than 80 per cent of voters supported Trump, a roadtrip of over 1,000 miles". Read more in our free substack article: ruralspatialjustice.substack.com/p/review-of-...
Reposted by Michael Woods
RGRG sponsored sessions at the RGS Annual International Conference 2025
Details of all sponsored sessions are now available on the RGRG website: rgrg.co.uk/royal-geogra.... Please check each session link on this page for more information.
Details of all sponsored sessions are now available on the RGRG website: rgrg.co.uk/royal-geogra.... Please check each session link on this page for more information.
Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference 2025 – RGRG Sponsored Sessions – Rural Geography Research Group
rgrg.co.uk
February 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
RGRG sponsored sessions at the RGS Annual International Conference 2025
Details of all sponsored sessions are now available on the RGRG website: rgrg.co.uk/royal-geogra.... Please check each session link on this page for more information.
Details of all sponsored sessions are now available on the RGRG website: rgrg.co.uk/royal-geogra.... Please check each session link on this page for more information.
Reposted by Michael Woods
We're new here so here's a quick introduction. We're a 5-year project selected by @erc.europa.eu & funded by @ukri.org on connections between rural discontent & disruptive politics through a spatial justice lens. Find out more about us here: ruralspatialjustice.substack.com/p/introducin...
INTRODUCING RURAL DISCONTENT, DISRUPTIVE POLITICS AND SPATIAL JUSTICE
Welcome to the Rural Discontent, Disruptive Politics and Spatial Justice Substack, where we’ll be exploring all things to do with rural politics and protest around the world and connections to disrupt...
ruralspatialjustice.substack.com
February 15, 2025 at 1:54 PM
We're new here so here's a quick introduction. We're a 5-year project selected by @erc.europa.eu & funded by @ukri.org on connections between rural discontent & disruptive politics through a spatial justice lens. Find out more about us here: ruralspatialjustice.substack.com/p/introducin...
Reposted by Michael Woods
Oslo friends, a few (free) tickets still up for grabs to join this excellent seminar the morning of Thursday 16 January: lettenprize.com/2024/12/05/s...
Seminar on Nurturing Young Researchers in the Nordics
Join us on the 16th of January for an inspiring seminar on empowering young scholars and their groundbreaking work, bringing together two prestigious prizes and distinguished laureates for a semina…
lettenprize.com
January 7, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Oslo friends, a few (free) tickets still up for grabs to join this excellent seminar the morning of Thursday 16 January: lettenprize.com/2024/12/05/s...