Matthew Flinders

A ear on a wall, symbolising the difficulty of communication

Why don’t we know what works when engaging with policymakers?

More systematic work is required to learn the lessons of efforts to generate policy impact, says Matthew Flinders

23 May

Impact must not be the enemy of criticality

Pursuing research relevance is important, but the risk is that it becomes a form of deference, co-option and control, says Matthew Flinders

By Matthew Flinders

4 May

Failure isn’t the only teacher. Journals must overcome negativity bias

Studying institutional success stories is socially useful and has nothing to do with selling out, say Matthew Flinders and Paul ’t Hart

By Matthew Flinders

8 December

We will only learn Covid lessons if blame culture of inquiries is rooted out

Social scientists have an opportunity to advise on reorienting the traditional public inquiry towards focused lesson-learning, says Matthew Flinders

By Matthew Flinders

3 November

Lost in space. It's crucial that we help knowledge brokers build careers in their own right.

Lost in (the third) space: knowledge brokers need career paths too

Those who blur the lines between academic and professional staff are the connective tissue in the research ecosystem, say Matthew Flinders and Sarah Chaytor

By Matthew Flinders

30 April

A private contractor replaces a traffic signpost with a newer version in New York City, illustrating change of direction in America

The Upswing, by Robert D. Putnam with Shaylyn Romney Garrett

Matthew Flinders finds the solutions offered in an ambitious analysis of American discontent less than impressive

By Matthew Flinders

15 April

World mental health day: dealing with the pressures of academe

Today is World Mental Health Day, and Matthew Flinders argues that although changes in individual behaviour can help, systemic change is really needed to ease the mental health burden on academics

By Matthew Flinders

10 October