ISRF Newsletter – August 2026
Featured in this edition of the newsletter is a Director's Note on AI, labour and the value of a university education. Also included: upcoming events, blogs and news from our Fellows.
Contents
Director’s Note
No, AI Won’t Take Your Job—If Universities Do Theirs
Christopher Newfield
This title may seem odd as the British job service Indeed reports that entry-level job postings are down 7% this summer, to their lowest level since the 2020 pandemic.
It may seem odd coming from me, since I often argue that universities made a fateful conceptual and strategic error when they put themselves on the hook for graduate jobs and salaries, which are controlled by business. The value of a university degree is mainly non-pecuniary and public. Universities are really about intellectual development, new ideas, and social knowledge.
But universities must also do no harm to employability. Tragically, when they adapt their already narrow job focus to AI—instead of piling their money into full student development—they do that harm.
Workshop: French Theory in British Culture
7th September 2026, 10:00 am - 7:00 pm BST.
BLOC, Queen Mary University of London, London
What was French theory? Why and how did this constellation of names and ideas, imported from diverse fields in twentieth century Paris, create such ruction, such antagonism in British cultural life? Names like Barthes, Derrida, Foucault and Kristeva were hot on the lips of academics, artists, musicians, and performers, from the British Film Institute to the New Music Express and every cultural space in between. French theory became a byword for progression, provocation, and maybe even a little pretentiousness, too.
Join our one-day programme, curated by ISRF Fellow Colm McAuliffe, on the reception of French Theory in Britain and its legacies with readings, discussions, and a rare screening of ‘The Late Show - Roland Barthes.’
Book Launch: Gifts from the Arms Trade
17th September 2026, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm BST.
MayDay Rooms, London
How did continuous warfare become normal in the 21st century? How did police in many countries start using military hardware to manage ordinary crowds? Jill Gibbon’s new book reveals part of the answer to these questions: massive arms fairs, the trade shows for military equipment, which combine displays of the world’s most lethal tanks, missiles, and fighter jets with cute promotional gifts. She reports on the combination of drones hanging from ceiling and penetration bombs on the floor, all wrapped in a fun atmosphere of corporate hospitality sealed with chewable candy.
Uzbekistan’s World Cup appearance is a moment of pride and shows off central Asia’s peaceful development
Nick Megoran
Uzbekistan is the first central Asian country to compete in the World Cup. Underlying their emergence to football’s largest stage is a fascinating tale of geopolitics and peace. Nick Megoran explains how the countries of the Ferghana Valley have worked to resolve border tensions after independence from the Soviet Union.
How oil turned the motors of capitalism: a history
Imraan Valodia and Adam Hanieh
In this article, economist Imraan Valodia interviews ISRF Fellow Adam Hanieh about his latest book “Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and the Making of the World Market”. His book explores the expansive history of oil and capitalism from the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, founded by Britain in 1908, to the Paris Agreement in 2015.
Weakest Link
Lorna Finlayson
How do departments determine which colleagues should be made redundant? Often the criteria used to make such decisions is vague and based on ‘merit’. Lorna Finlayson examines how attempts to measure academic performance undermine, discriminate and reduce staff to arbitrary metrics and targets.
Lived Geopolitics. The Production of Unorthodox Scalar Connections through Trade
Claudia Eggart
Shuttle trading emerged as a viable, alternative livelihood, predominately for women, after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. In this article, Claudia Eggart explores how large-scale geopolitical transformations are felt and negotiated at the local level, through the bodies of women shuttle traders.
Podcast episode: ‘Ghosts of a Military Road (Evelina Gambino and Elisabed Gedevanishvili)’ by Material Crimes
In the latest episode of the Material Crimes podcast, Evelina Gambino and Elisabed Gedevanishvili explore a key road of the North-South Corridor linking Iran to Russia. Built in the 18th century, the road has been endlessly remade - shaped by war, trade and more. Underpinning its geopolitical significance are the stories of everyday people who live and work along the corridor.
New publication: ‘Frontex continuing mission in Greece despite serious violations of migrants’ rights’ by Ludek Stavinoha and Franziska Grillmeier
ISRF Fellow Ludek Stavinoha co-investigates the growing violations of migrants’ rights in Greece. When reported to the Fundamental Rights Office of Frontex, it fails to prompt any action. As people continue to seek refuge and risk their lives, this article asks how long these violations will be tolerated.
New publication: ‘Margaret Archer’s legacy to business and management studies: a bibliometric analysis’ by Ismael Al-Amoudi
What is Margaret Archer’s influence on business and management studies (BMS)? This article explores further and provides a blueprint for a methodological approach for other applied social sciences. By analysing citation patterns, Al-Amoudi traces the way Archer’s realist social theory is diffused across disciplines, while also drawing special attention to Archer’s later works and their relation to contemporary issues around technology and dehumanisation.
New publication: ‘Raymond Williams and Structures of Feeling’ edited by by Niall Gildea and Louise Braddock
This book examines cultural critic Raymond Williams’ idea of ‘structures of feeling’ and its value in contemporary debates in anthropology, economics, literary studies, and more. Co-edited by former ISRF Director Louise Braddock, the volume includes contributions from Chris Newfield as well as ISRF Fellows.
New publication: ‘Is religious illiteracy a problem in geographical education?’ by Nick Megoran
Is religious illiteracy a problem in geographical education in the UK? This article examines how physical and human geographers handle religion with a specific focus on the UK education context and school textbooks. Megoran shows why offering updated information on the co-existence of science and religion is fundamental to creating inclusive learning environments.
Podcast episode: ‘Jeoffrey Sarpong Podcast’ Interview with Professor Sarah Hall Marie
This podcast interview between Jeoffrey Sarpong and Dr. Sarah Marie Hall discusses the struggles that many Gen Zers face: the seeming impossibility of building a future when it feels so out of reach. In defining and analysing current austerity conditions, their conversation saliently addresses how hopes for the future shrink as new generations struggle to afford basic necessities.
New video: ‘Taming Egg Donors’ book launch with Anna Molas, Chandra Kala Clemente-Martínez, Laura Perler
How do those involved in Spain’s egg donation industry—donors, clinicians, and clinic staff—experience its pressures, medical interventions, and moral codes? Watch Anna Molas discuss her latest book on Europe’s largest egg donation industry with panellists Chandra Kala Clemente-Martínez and Laura Perler.