Monthly Archives: May 2017

On ending the myth of the Lost Cause

Posted on 29 May 2017 by Sylvia McLain

During Reconstruction, that horrific impoverished period in the US South after the Civil War, the Cult of the Lost Cause (of the Confederacy) took its roots in the minds and attitudes of Southerners and indeed of the nation as a … Continue reading →

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Writer’s Block

Posted on 28 May 2017 by Athene Donald

Regular readers of my blog will have noticed there has been nothing new to read for a while.  I guess this could be ascribed simply to the familiar problem of writer’s block, but it felt more like a complete loss … Continue reading →

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On the removal of our Southern ‘heritage’

Posted on 27 May 2017 by Sylvia McLain

In the US South, in various places, confederate statues are being removed. In New Orleans Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, General Beauregard – all these relics of the Confederate past are being transported to a cobweb, pigeon-shit and dust legacy.

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Digital skills – how do we …

Posted on 22 May 2017 by Frank Norman

The concept of digital skills is a bit slippery.  The term has changed its meaning as the digital universe has expanded. Jisc is currently doing some work in this area, led by Caroline Ingram. I attended an interesting workshop recently … Continue reading →

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University rankings are fake news. How do we fix them?

Posted on 16 May 2017 by Stephen

tagThis post is based on a short presentation I gave as part of a panel at a meeting today on Understanding Global University Rankings: Their Data and Influence, organised by HESPA (Higher Education Strategic Planners Association). Yes, it’s a ‘manel’ … Continue reading →

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The Cathedral on the Marsh

Posted on 13 May 2017 by Stephen

I’ve already shared this on Twitter and Facebook but wanted to post it here as a more permanent record. Two weeks ago i managed to fulfill the ambition, held since I had seen Nic Stacey’s and Jim Al-Khalili’s quite wonderful … Continue reading →

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Six questions about preprints

Posted on 9 May 2017 by Frank Norman

2017 is shaping up to be the year that preprints in biomedical sciences go mainstream. At the beginning of the year MRC and Wellcome Trust both moved to accept preprints in grant applications and scientific reviews. Another major UK biomedical … Continue reading →

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In which we ride the imposter rollercoaster – again

Posted on 3 May 2017 by Jennifer Rohn

We often think of our personalities and tendencies as being immutable, fixed, typical. But the older I get, the better I know myself. And what I know is that I’m often no more in control of my perceptions of self … Continue reading →

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