: Half of UK universities face a deficit next year. Up to 50 could close. That is a sector in crisis. Simply blaming a tuition fee freeze and nudging fees up with inflation is not a plan. Where is the long-term strategy for higher education? #Universities #HigherEducation

The Senses and Medical Humanities – 24 February A one-day workshop exploring sensory studies and medical humanities, organised by @claireturner.bsky.social with the Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham University Details here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-senses...

'The prize-winning books will be published fully open access on OUP’s Oxford Academic platform, with a full OA fee waiver' Deadline 31 January. 1/2

Bump for my CFP for Nostalgia and Radical Politics, Past and Present www.northampton.ac.uk/research-blo... Deadline 14 February! Have had a few abstracts already and it's shaping up to be great. 🗃️

Birkbeck is hiring a Lecturer in Medieval Studies (c.1300-1500), full-time and open-ended. They will be formally based in English but expected to be able to contribute about 0.5FTE to History, including teaching and supervision. Closing date Feb 23rd: cis7.bbk.ac.uk/vacancy/lect...

Thanks for all the help tracking down work on early modern leather. Research assistant number 1 (pictured) is very glad he can resume napping after the search.

Happy New Year all. Wondering if anyone could recommend any reading on the status of leather as a 'fabric' in early modern England. Or anything highlighting its status as a material rather than a fabric (if that makes sense)

Are you a PG research student based outside of London? Did you know that you may be eligible for a bursary of up to £500 to take one of our short courses in 2026? Find out more on our IHR Research Training and Short Courses page: www.history.ac.uk/study-traini... Applications open until 31 Jan 2026

JOB ALERT! 3-year postdoc at @girtoncollege.bsky.social - research anything you like in History, Archaeology or Anthropology in a wonderful, welcoming scholarly community. PLEASE SHARE! Closes 12 January www.girton.cam.ac.uk/job-vacancie...

Thomas Chatterton Williams writing in the Atlantic. Humanities as counter culture www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

SHS and SSHM clash this year. What to do, what to do?

Who's entering our Biennial Book Prize 2026, to celebrate the best monographs in Renaissance studies published in 2024 and 2025? Send your scintillating scholarship to the Chair of the Book Prize Committee, @racheljwillie.bsky.social, by 31st January 2026. www.rensoc.org.uk/funding-priz...

It is that time of year when I ask if anyone is contemplating submitting a paper for @socialhistsoc.bsky.social conf in the Bodies and emotions strands and wants to plan a panel

My latest article is now available on advanced access. Huge thanks to @claireturner.bsky.social and @leannecalvert.bsky.social for all of there support in getting it over the line. brill.com/view/journal...

It is that time of year when I ask if anyone is contemplating submitting a paper for @socialhistsoc.bsky.social conf in the Bodies and emotions strands and wants to plan a panel

Available now 😀

Proofs have arrived, I sense a long day of checking things ahead of me. There's very loud workmen next door, do I move to a cafe ???

My co-authored chapter with Vicky Sparey on 'The Perils and Promises of Puberty' is soon to be published in Sarah Toulalan's book Early Modern Bodies. There are chapters by @amiebolissian.bsky.social , @davehitchcock.bsky.social & others. You can preorder here www.routledge.com/Early-Modern...

'people who are multilingual are half as likely to show signs of accelerated biological ageing than are those who speak just one language.' Good thing that schools, universities and governments are so actively promoting modern languages then, isn't it? 1/2

Just finishing up my official fellowship time with the @folger.edu. it has been brilliant, I am so grateful that they have virtual fellowships.

Forthcoming article copyedited and off for proofing; forthcoming chapter proofed and of for publication. Exciting times.

'As universities close courses and departments in response to financial pressures...students in parts of the North, South West and East of England, as well as large areas of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, are losing access to social sciences, humanities and arts (SHAPE) courses.' 1/2

Graduation is always a highlight. This was our first ever evening ceremony but was lovely to catch up with colleagues and see the students cross the stage.

Today on #BetwixtTheSheets; I am getting fruity, spicy, and yes, windy, with none other than the marvellous @historianjen.bsky.social to talk about aphrodisiacs in the early modern period. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

This week is Birth Trauma Awareness week in Australia 📢 I wrote a blog exploring the hidden histories of birth trauma and obstetric violence ⬇️ www.auswhn.com.au/blog/histori... #birthtraumaawareness #birthtrauma #obstetricviolence

Very much looking forward to @kharveyhistory.bsky.social keynote !!

Excellent first two days at @socialhistsoc.bsky.social conference. Some brilliant and thought provoking papers and a funfair evening.

Still thinking about Marcy Norton's keynote on modes of interactions with animals in Europe and America and what they reveal about subjectivities. Fascinating stuff.

Fascinating paper by Brian Li on stone eating in early modern China.

Really enjoyable and informative keynote from Sara Miglietti on what was 'environment' in the early modern period.

Excited to be at the John Rylands Library today for the Bodies and Environnements conference. Really looking forward to a whole host of papers.

Job Alert! We're hiring a 3-year F/T Public Engagment Fellow based @lcflondon.bsky.social to lead our exciting programme of activities. We're looking for collegial & creative people with expertise in History, Galleries, Archives, Libraries, or Museums. Spread the word! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNI861/p...

'the results also challenge the narrative that generalist or academic degrees are inherently low value. As you can see, most subject areas—including history, languages, and the creative arts, often targeted in these debates—show strong subjective outcomes across the three dimensions'. 3/3

I'm absolutely thrilled to have been awarded a 2025-26 Short Term Fellowship at the Folger Shakespeare Library. I'm very excited to get stuck in to the collections for my research project, Wounded Wombs and Empty Cradles: Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss in Early Modern England c.1600-1780

chng.it/nRgKQZSVNY For all those, like me, who have found that everything they've ever written has been taken, please consider signing this petition.

👇 www.thebookseller.com/news/society...

📣The programme for our 2025 conference is out now! 👉Read it here (scroll down to 'Conference Programme'): socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe... ✨Take a look at the amazing array of social & cultural history on show!🗃️

Thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Sophie Mann's monograph I'm her talk today.

Today at 1pm online the Herts History Research Seminar welcomes Sophie Mann (Warwick) talking about 'Double Nature, Double Care: Therapeutics and ensouled bodies in early modern England. Message for joining instructions

The brilliant @davehitchcock.bsky.social speaking what I also feel. I was also hired in 2013 and am now clinging on trying to survive. www.historyworkshop.org.uk/education/a-...

As ever pancake day is a chance to share my old blog post on pancake plasters. earlymodernmedicine.com/pancake-plas...

We are increasingly concerned about the crisis in UK Higher Education. Read our joint statement with @royalhistsoc.bsky.social , History UK and the @histassoc.bsky.social https://buff.ly/4hSg16N #history #skystorians

Is grateful to have been nominated for a Vice Chancellor's Award, especially as this category is student nominated.

"In all these processes of contractions and closures, one common denominator is that arts and humanities subjects are too often first in line." New letter to the Secretary of State for Education, from @artsandhums.bsky.social, on the impact and implications of current losses in UK HE #skystorians

I am thrilled to announce that we're offering a funded collaborative PhD studentship between the University of Leeds and Ripon Musuems Trust! The project explores the history of the gaol and police station in the 19th/20th C alongside contemporary representations of policing (e.g. in periodicals):

Squeezing in some research before we start teaching semester B. Looking forward to co-writing with the amazing Victoria Sparey again this year.

I'm currently working on a project about early modern miscarriage. Here is one of my latest articles for anyone who is interested. Freely available open access: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

I'm currently working on a project about early modern miscarriage. Here is one of my latest articles for anyone who is interested. Freely available open access: academic.oup.com/histres/arti...

Six years ago @historianjen.bsky.social and I went to the very cold 1620s house in Leicestershire to make mince pies with cow's tongues from a historical recipe. See how we got on here: www.lboro.ac.uk/media-centre...

📢The call for papers for our 2025 conference is now ✨LIVE✨ We are the biggest gathering of social and cultural historians in the UK and will be at the @bclivingmuseum.bsky.social from 7-9 July 2025! Call is open until 17 January 2025🌟🗃️ Please share widely! socialhistory.org.uk/conference/s...