Thread by @GoodwinMJ

Academic Twitter - a thread - this is going to take a while, sorry

I've been holding back on saying a few things about Academic Twitter but I think that on balance it's now got to a point where a few things need to be said

The first thing to say is that compared to, say, five years ago, social media is a completely different space. There are far more academics sharing research, debating and collaborating -this is a very good thing

There are also a lot more postgraduates and early career researchers on social media who now view social media as a key tool in the modern academic "kit", as basically something they can no longer be without, especially amid the drive for more and more "impact"

But, at least from where I'm standing, Academic Twitter -and especially political science- has taken a dark turn

It feels like an angry place, where that pursuit of truth, reasoned debate and collaborative spirit --all the reasons I thought we were here-- is giving way to something that is far more toxic, something that is damaging to HigherEd and how HigherEd is perceived

Debates now rarely seem to focus on research. They too often and too quickly descend into personal insults and, to be blunt, something that is bordering abuse

A potent cocktail of jealousy and ideology seems to be on display most days

It is expressed through sub-tweets, personal abuse, endorsing if not joining those attacks and buying into claims about Person X **without even meeting, knowing or talking with Person X**

I've been guilty of that too, for sure. I've had intense debates with you-know-who that have extended beyond lines that should not have been crossed. I regret that.

I for one have also had to reflect a lot on the tension between being active in media, engaging with business and how compatible that is with social science, as well as on the different types of researcher that exist in this academic habitat

But it feels to me at least as if it is getting out of control

I wouldn't mind so much if we were on here every day debating research questions, measures, analysis, papers but we're often not even talking about research. We are talking about Person X. Or being led by our own priors. Or simply being very petty.

There has been a pretty consistent attempt to undermine researchers who do not follow the group line. And it's often been led by senior scholars.

I've had a lot of that. It's strange. I've had remarkably few questions on here about paper x, book y, how x was measured, how study y was interpreted. In fact, thinking about it now there's been almost none of that.

Instead, it's about working with media, engaging with business and how one feels about populism ... and Brexit. Whether you accept there are legitimate grievances, or you don't. Whether you accept it, or you don't.

I often think that if I'd taken the posture of some colleagues and come out strongly for Remain, spent the next two years campaigning for a 2nd referendum, attacking anybody who accepts Brexit and told all my students to do the same then life would have been a lot easier.

I think part of it is politics, but I think another part is jealousy. And I know I am not the only one to feel like this. I recently found myself listening to colleagues complain that Person X was "getting too much media".

So what? Who cares? Why is this a zero-sum game? Can't we all be happy for one another? If we've got people out there with thousands of followers is that not a good thing? To draw attention to early careers and research?

And what happened to actually just treating fellow academics with respect as opposed to this childish, playground approach of endlessly liking negative tweets and sub-tweeting about people simply because they take a different stance?

Have a laugh at conference? Yes. Having a debate? Absolutely. Personal abuse? I'm not down for that.

Over the last year, some academics rushed to offer support to journalists who have experienced mental health issues and then *literally the very next day* attacked their very own colleagues.

And some of it has simply just been bullying. Clearly, this is not most of Academic Twitter but there is a community. But it is total hypocrisy.

We say that we need more academics to engage with media but then we regularly dump on those who do

We say that politicians should be less divisive, that we should treat citizens and EU nationals with respect but then we basically harass and bully colleagues who do not stick to a group line

We talk endlessly about the need for evidence but then we share dumb claims by political activists or partisan journalists without *even bothering to check if they are real*

We talk a great deal about the need to treat female, LGBT and ethnic minority colleagues with respect yet we subject others to abuse and criticism that *we would never dream of dishing out to female, LGBT and ethnic minorities*

Maybe I am way off on this but seen through my eyes it is often those who preach the loudest about promoting diversity and tolerance who -on Twitter- can be the most intolerant of different perspectives

I can't speak for others as I have a pretty thick skin but I will tell you what I am now starting to worry about

I worry a lot now about what kind of example we are setting to early career researchers. To undergraduates and postgraduates who are thinking of entering this environment it must look bloody terrifying.

I also worry when I see, on here, the PhD students of other senior academics engaging in this toxic behaviour, believing that (a) it is somehow acceptable and (b) won't harm their career prospects. I question what kind of culture we are creating here for the next generation.

I worry that a toxic culture on social media is being legitimised and promoted by research leaders. This is not a good place to be, let alone one that is supposed to be collaborative and progressive.

I worry about what kind of example we are all setting to students who, on the one hand, are supposed to respect academic research but then see academics not treating each other with much respect

And I worry about how non-academics view academics; that the more exposure we get on social media the less likely it is that those who we might want to influence are going to engage with us because, put bluntly, we sometimes don't look like a nice bunch of people.

And the worst part about it, at least from my point of view, is that much of this is often being sanctioned by professors who should know better

As I said above, I've got things wrong for sure & I'm still learning about all of the above. This thread is not an attempt to claim moral superiority. But I am genuinely worried about the direction of travel and think we could all reflect on it a little over the weekend /Ends