Profoundly disappointed that the King and Queen will be going ahead with visiting Trump in Washington in the last week of April. There seem to be no limit to the President's ever-more abhorrent behaviour and comments beyond which Starmer would call it off. [Image: AP, Mirror]

A workshop for early-career researchers based in the UK on challenging Western-centric perspectives in the #medhumanities Facilitated by Global History of HIV Activism project and Northern Network for Medical Humanities Research (NNMHR) 📆29-30 Oct 2026 University of Stirling Applications by 15 April

Beware the Ides of March!

On Friday, Trump said the Iran war will end 'when I feel it in my bones'. On Wednesday, he said it would end 'soon' because 'there's practically nothing left' to target, and that 'any time I want it to end, it will end.' people.com/trump-says-i...

Another reminder that thanks to the good folks at the Mellon Foundation, @uncpress.bsky.social , @ecds-emory.bsky.social and @foxcenteremory.bsky.social my book is FREE on Kindle and to read online at jimcrowintheasylum.com

Heartbreaking

"England 1819" = US 2026. King George III = Donald Trump "An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying King; Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow Through public scorn--mud from a muddy spring; Rulers who neither see nor feel nor know, But leechlike to their fainting country cling." --Shelley

c.org/N6ycrwfdKH Petition to ban the US strikes on Iran from UK bases which currently puts a target on our people in Trump’s illegal, bloody, and rapidly-escalating vanity war.

Today I tabled a bill which would require any UK military intervention to have a lawful basis, viable objective, and approval by MPs - legislation the PM once said he himself would pass when he was running for Labour leader. He supported it then, and he should support it now.

Come on Gorton & Denton, use your votes wisely 💚💪

Stay focused

Belated Happy Darwin Day to those who celebrate! 🐦 🐢 🐚 🪲 🐜

#Balzac / C19th French literature people, is there an edition of 'Le Colonel Chabert' translated into English that you'd recommend? (image: caricature of Balzac caricature by Nadar, 1850)

Petition for Lord Peter Mandelson to be stripped of his title: c.org/DCmvJdQRsm

❤️

New laws in #Afghanistan have further relegated the status and safety of women. Society is now divided into free people and 'the enslaved'; #domesticviolence is specifically met with impunity, provided a man does not break a woman's bones; if a woman repeatedly leaves the marital home against...

US federal agents have murdered another US citizen in Minneapolis, less than three weeks after they murdered Renee Good. Today’s victim is Alex Pretti, another 37-yo, who was an intensive care nurse. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

‘University professors, professors emeriti and associate professors of history, social sciences, law, philosophy, theology, and religion; university rectors and university directors (or their equivalents); directors of peace research institutes…’ can make #NobelPeacePrize nominations.

The print version is released 19th February, and the Open Access version is already available here: www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?do... Thanks to SSHRC and Wellcome for support in making OA available

Trump to an audience in Davos - a town where most residents speak Swiss German 🙄

“ICE isn’t the Gestapo. The Gestapo was…” (proceeds to describe qualities that apply to what ICE is currently doing)

If the government did this for Thomas Cooke they should do it for education providers.

Whilst you read articles like this on how to keep warm during this cold spell during a cost of living crisis, I just want to remind you that energy companies made £30 Billion a year in profit. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The foul smirk on Farage's face tells you everything you need to know about Reform's attitude to pornography, paedophilia, and sexual violence against women and children.

JOB!

Today is publication day! The Open Access version is now online so you can read for free on @manifoldscholar.bsky.social With huge thanks to @uncpress.bsky.social @ecds-emory.bsky.social and @foxcenteremory.bsky.social Go to jimcrowintheasylum.com

Kemi going to bat for the non-consensual, violent, child porn app formerly known as X.

Remember this? Farage is no less offensive, racist, or frightening than he was 11 years ago.

If you want to do an MA in London but have 'barriers accessing education or may face greater challenges while undertaking their degree' (specific criteria below), you can apply for a £3,000 tuition grant at Birkbeck. Lots of choices at @bbkhistorical.bsky.social: www.bbk.ac.uk/student-serv...

Three 'reasons' and not one is about democracy. It's about oil, power, and intimidation.

Interested in Charles Lamb & his circle, Romantic poetry & culture, or #Keats? Come along to the Charles Lamb Society's annual lunch on 7 Feb @bathspauni.bsky.social London Hoxton campus to celebrate Lamb's birthday...

🤮

This 'ultra Liberal' MP became so wealthy as a cotton manufacturer that he could afford to retire by my age, yet he was opposed to slavery, child labour, and long working hours in factories - all of which had lined his own pockets.

I get told that Labour is going to bring in new safe routes for asylum seekers… Great 😑 I’ll believe it when I see it. Here’s why I have my doubts they’ll stop the boats:

Looking for history book recommendations? Explore #WolfsonHistoryPrize 2025 winner Hannah Durkin's favourite historical non-fiction books on our @bookshop.org page⬇️📚 uk.bookshop.org/lists/hannah...

This year’s charity appeal is all about countering the alarming rise of extremist politics – and the misconceptions that fuel them. Read more about how your donations can support our partner charities weave back the fraying threads of communities. Donate today at theguardian.com/charityappeal25bsk

The Ghost of Christmas Future has a message for Keir Starmer. Alexei Sayle brings you his alternative Christmas message from the streets where Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol.

#WorldAIDSDay is especially important this year. US has cut nearly all support for HIV care and research, while UK has cut £150 million from its contribution to Global Health Fund. HIV activism and NGOs continue to save lives while govts betray people with HIV. www.iasociety.org/kigali-decla...

Want to study the history of science and technology? We're inviting applications for "1+3" year (MA+PHD) or 3-year PhD scholarships to study at CHoSTM and @kingshistory.bsky.social ! Click here for more information about how to apply and what we offer: tinyurl.com/mw84w7py

York is talking pests, vermin, weeds and germs next april! If you know anyone interested in historical approaches to these maligned beings, please send them this CFP (or apply yourself!)

Delighted that Bath Spa has been ranked second most ethical and sustainable university in the UK. Congratulations to all the colleagues and students who worked towards this!

Striking BL staff, struggling to pay their rent, advised to consider not giving presents this year, and interim CEO, Jeremy Silver, has the nerve to tell them they ‘don’t live in a real world’. Only 17% of staff guaranteed the Living Wage (£14.80 ph) suggests acute familiarity with the ‘real world’.

Sorry to read about these thefts from the colonial collections of Bristol Museum, wishing for a speedy recovery And some still claim objects are safer in the warehouses of European museums rather than with the communities from whom they were originally stolen 🙃 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

After the hard work that goes into a peer-reviewed article, very pleased to be in print today! Come for the constructions of women’s sexuality in the 19th century Lords; stay for new diary source on the hidden attic from which women watched the Commons below onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

The Society currently invites applications for 6 funding programmes across a broad range of career stages. These include the Society's new Applied History Fellowships, offered jointly with @ihr.bsky.social, providing 6 months training for historians with the publisher DC Thomson bit.ly/4iKCwvU 2/2

Huge thanks to @annafranjam.bsky.social and @rebeccawhiteley.bsky.social for organising such a fantastic day of 'Object Stories in Health and Medicine, 1700-1900', and to all speakers for sharing such thoughtful approaches to this fascinating and wide-ranging field.

There is no ceasefire only people pretending there’s a ceasefire.

Musk’s Wealth 2012: $2 billion 2025: $493.8 billion Bezos’ Wealth 2012: $18.4 billion 2025: $240.9 billion Zuckerberg’s Wealth 2012: $17.5 billion 2025: $226.9 billion Federal Minimum Wage 2012: $7.25 2025: $7.25 It’s not the start of an oligarchy. — We’re in the thick of it.

These 2,900 individual billionaires could lose 75% of their wealth and still be richer than 4 billion people. Inequality is eating the whole world alive.