All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.

after quite the day of train cancellations and delays, have just been dropped off home by a total stranger and their mam who I met on the train, and if that isn't solidarity on the evening of the miner's gala I don't know what is 🩷 (June if you're on here, you are a lifesaver, thank you)

Back from a wonderful few days #SHSconf2025 - maybe the friendliest conference I've been to and a real beacon of light (apart from, of course, underground in the VERY DARK mine) - cheers @socialhistsoc.bsky.social for the opportunity to present, BCLM for being a fab venue, and to new friendships 🎠

Lovely to be on such an inspiring panel on open-air museums #SHSconf2025 (thank you to @meg-sch.bsky.social for putting our panel together!!) although I never realised *quite* how much I talked with my hands until I saw it in pictures...

All conferences henceforth will need to have pints and fairground rides as evening activities, I'm afraid - a cracking first day #SHSconf2025 @ BCLM topped off by winning the pub quiz 🍻

Called into the @cursedobjectsuk.bsky.social exhibition while in Bloomsbury today with my sister and thoroughly enjoyed it - even a Beamish cameo!

OPEN LETTER: HISTORIANS FOR TRANS RIGHTS Are you a historian in the UK or working on UK history fed up at seeing the history of LGBTQIA+ discrimination repeat itself? Sign this open letter to MPs demanding they stand up for trans rights now! Letter: tinyurl.com/879vuver Sign: tinyurl.com/4p7wktrn

New from me! How did the papacy of #popefrancis reflect Franciscan values? A retrospective on the Jesuit with the heart of a Franciscan: youtu.be/_BEK1VNXNHI #francisofassisi #franciscan #skystorians #papacy #catholicism #catholic

Trans women are women and no court judgement can change that. Without wanting to diminish the negative effect that legal oppression has on trans lives, there is no reason why lawyers and judges are qualified to make this argument over actual experts in the field.

at what point does history comfortably become novelty? (allowing for the fact that sometimes the answer is never)

v excited to be speaking at SHS this year on regional identity in open-air museums, and to be heading back to BCLM - looking forward to seeing the recent additions!

Picking up some apt reading in the library tonight 🖤🤍🖤🤍 #geordies

Squeezing as much as possible into the DFDS mini-cruise to Amsterdam with the Oude Kirk, Basilica and the amazing Our Lord in the Attic hidden Catholic Church today!

Lovely Sunday afternoon in Seaham searching for sea glass with a very extravagant hot chocolate as a reward - I love how much history is still washing up on the shore every day

unfortunately literally true

Spent a v lovely day in the archives at The Story in Durham, accompanied by an accidentally 99% liquid (delicious) lunch - will definitely be back for more of both 🙌🏻

Learning a new social media platform in my 30s and in my third year of my PhD; what could possibly go wrong?