An illustration of a lock with a syringe attached to it, symbolizing the task of conquering coronavirus.

“Our task turns from conquering coronavirus to preserving liberty”

Mike Hulme | 29/03/2021

A few weeks ago, I wrote an essay here titled ‘Re-Socialising a Vaccinated World Requires Political Struggle‘. My argument was that as the authoritarian regulation of public life extends and continues, the erosion of collective and individual freedoms will...

An old photo of Eduard Brückner Prize 2021 winning man with glasses and a beard.

The 2021 Eduard Brückner Prize

Mike Hulme | 18/03/2021

The Eduard Brückner Prize has been established for outstanding interdisciplinary achievements in climate research. The award is named after the outstanding geographer Eduard Brückner (1862-1927), who, in addition to researching the ice age climate in the Alps and the...

A group of old people sitting on lawn chairs in a park.

‘Why the old normal needs to be fought for’

Mike Hulme | 06/03/2021

My interview with Alastair Benn of Reaction news – about the emasculated politics of managing COVID-19 – is behind a paywall. You can read it in full below … =========================================== Mike Hulme is a Professor of Human Geography at...

A large crowd of people, celebrating a Vaccinated World, walking down a street.

Re-Socialising a Vaccinated World Requires Political Struggle

Mike Hulme | 07/02/2021 | 1 Comment

There is a naïve assumption that mass vaccination will allow social life in the UK to return to normal. It is far from obvious that this is so. As the authoritarian regulation of public life extends and continues, the...

The word "new normal" spelled out in wooden cubes, reflecting multiple baselines and tolerances in climates.

Climates Multiple: Three Baselines, Two Tolerances, One Normal

Mike Hulme | 31/12/2020

Today, Friday 1 January, 2021, the world’s climate is re-set. Overnight, the world will “become” about 0.5°C warmer, the UK nearly 0.7°C warmer. This essay, published at Academia Letters, explains what is happening, and discusses its wider significance. Mike...

‘Everybody Will be Affected by Climate Change’

Mike Hulme | 15/12/2020

“In 2009, Dr Mike Hulme, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Cambridge, found himself at the centre of a media storm known as Climategate. A leak of scientists’ emails, the majority of which belonging to four scientists,...

A screenshot of a group of people in an unbearable Zoom video conference.

The Unbearable Placelessness of Zoom

Mike Hulme | 12/12/2020

During 2020, Zoom (and its equivalents) has become for many people the dominant medium through which human encounter and interaction is experienced. This is especially true of the academy. Despite its democratising potential, I have struggled to adapt to...

An illustration of a woman running with a magnifying glass, saying no.

Academic Peer Reviewing: Saying ‘Yes’ or Saying ‘No’

Mike Hulme | 27/11/2020

Have you just received an invitation to review a submitted journal manuscript, or a grant application? Not sure whether or not to accept the invitation? You’ve got way too much work on your desk already. What should you decide?...

Currency symbols on a dark background for free exchange.

Climate Data – “free exchange” or commercially priced?

Mike Hulme | 17/11/2020

This week — 16-19 November 2020 — the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is hosting an international conference on the exchange of data about the Earth System in the 21st century. The purpose of the discussions facilitated by this conference...

People are silhouetted in the shadow of a coronavirus, raising questions of moral accountability.

First, Do No Harm

Mike Hulme | 02/11/2020

An Open Letter from health professionals and scientists to the Prime Minister, coordinated by the UK parents’ advocacy group ‘Us for Them: The Parent Voice’. “We the undersigned British health professionals and scientists, wish to express our serious concern...

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Mike Hulme

Professor Mike Hulme's Site

Essays & Blog Posts

“Our task turns from conquering coronavirus to preserving liberty”

The 2021 Eduard Brückner Prize

‘Why the old normal needs to be fought for’

Re-Socialising a Vaccinated World Requires Political Struggle

Climates Multiple: Three Baselines, Two Tolerances, One Normal

‘Everybody Will be Affected by Climate Change’

The Unbearable Placelessness of Zoom

Academic Peer Reviewing: Saying ‘Yes’ or Saying ‘No’

Climate Data – “free exchange” or commercially priced?

First, Do No Harm