The second 2026 Centre for African Art and Archaeology seminar takes place on Wednesday 25 February 2026. Dr Eva Namusoke (University of Cambridge) will deliver a talk titled: "Uganda, Cambridge, and the Afterlives of Return." In person or register online: tinyurl.com/5b8z8mrr All are welcome!

Five (!) weeks it took to get over that nasty virus going around - I have *so* much to catch up on as I’ve been barely functioning for the past month 😣

a neighbor set up this werewolf for halloween and instead of taking it down they just update it with seasonal outfit changes. now it’s dressed for valentine’s day and holding a sign with a picture of bad bunny and his super bowl slogan. i love him.

Heated blanket, paracetamol, stuffy nose and a cough… and yet I’m attempting to stay up for #BenitoBowl

Still got it, ludicrous.

Back up plan: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This morning’s view 🌍 #MonaHatoum

Turns out I’ve got that wretched bug going around 🤧

Metal Music Studies 11.3 is out now! Including ‘The heaviness of metal music: The sublime and religious experience’ by Marek Vodička. Access the issue via discover 👉 https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/mms/11/3

Have spent my life a fan of cold weather, I fear I'm turning into someone who would like to escape to sunnier climes in the winter months... if only for the sake of my aching joints. Alternating between heatpads and hobbling around the flat making groaning noises like some kind of Victorian spectre

Morning

Here are the UEA Centre for African Art and Archaeology lectures this semester:

Are you a PhD student interested in using museum collections in your research? Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections. collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...

If you need me, I’ll be gazing lovingly at my MoMA collab coffee machine #artnerd

Today is my last day temping for the PAL/Library and Learning Enhancement Team at UEA 😢

Fantastic Centre for African Art and Archaeology lecture this evening by Prof. Raymond Silverman: ‘Reflections on Visual Piety in 21st Century Ethiopia’ at @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social #sainsburyresearchunit

We actually have some AHRC PhD funding! www.essex.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Incredibly grateful to have studied for, and achieved, a PhD… but the ‘career’ job hunt really is demoralising 😥

Early Career Researchers wanted! Apply to speak/perform at next year's British Science Festival #BSF26. We'll be at the University of Southampton. Award Lectures are available in seven areas incl. social sciences, and seek to highlight the interdisciplinarity of science, research and innovation:

We're offering our MA in Heritage and Museum Studies as a two-year degree with placement from next autumn. I'm very happy to talk to anyone interested in taking it: www.essex.ac.uk/courses/PG01...

Always coordinate your water bottle to your shoes 🧡

Back working with PAL in the gloriously brutalist Main Library

After 2 years… I’ve finally got the news I’ve been waiting for, my ankle is no longer broken and the tendons, although heavily scarred, are healed!! I need more physio and OT, but it’s amazing news, especially as I’m finally starting to feeling like myself again ☺️

Refracting Resilience: Tesfaye Urgessa's Dialogues with Memory and Flesh - At the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, painting bears witness to trauma, displacement and the slow work of healing. artafricamagazine.org/refracting-r...

"If we gave up now, it would destroy our scene." Botswana's death metal cowboys Overthrust are flying the flag for African metal www.loudersound.com/bands-artist...

Endoscopy done, currently feel mashed off my face… roll on the results - Fingers crossed for no coeliacs 🤞

Currently 3/5 through a really lovely temping contract atm. I went into it thinking it’d be standard admin and it’s ended up being an amazing insight into a section of the uni I knew little of before. Not only is it a warm & welcoming team, but I’ve been able to collaborate a little on a project ❤️

Archaeologists to excavate Glasgow skatepark – with help from skaters

Belongings are very nearly finished being moved into my new place…

Back at UEA, temping, with a lovely lunchtime view 😍

Back in Norwich!

Power cut in my mums town and surrounding areas, have ended up with half the local population in Ashington Asda buying candles. Never thought I’d be annoyed we don’t live in Ashington anymore, if only for the luxury of electricity 😂

One thing that’s quite nice about job rejections now is that at least they now start ‘Dear Dr McGee’…

I'm on the hunt for a job, links for posts are welcome... I have interdisciplinary research and teaching with a focus on (global) visual & material culture, anthropology, subcultures, clothing & costume, social media, community & kinship... also experience as a library assistant

On Friday night I went with @pumaparded.bsky.social to see the brilliant Botswana death metal band Overthrust 🤘 SO glad to see them play live again, and this time in the UK!

Thank you to my department, The Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas for a wonderful graduation celebration! 🎉

Go to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, make @pumaparded.bsky.social interact with the art (and sheep)

I have spent many lunch breaks over the past 12 years, sitting on the floor against this Henry Moore sculpture chatting with my lovely BA, MA and PhD friends - it felt only fitting to take a picture with it today to say goodbye to an old friend

👩🏻‍🎓🎉

She’s ready to graduate 👩🏻‍🎓 #phd #phdlife

This time next week I’ll be graduating and officially Dr McGee 👩🏻‍🎓

For those of you interested in my research on the visual culture of the Marock metal scene in Botswana, you can read my profile on the Centre for Africa Art and Archaeology page at UEA: www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-c...

I’m starting to think I’m the only metal fan that’s really not that bothered about the Sabbath gig/livestream 😅

*INDIANA JONES AND THE CLOSURE OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT*

Day one of the gluten challenge complete. Feeling bleugh, but if it gets me one step closer to finding out I’m not (🤞) coeliac, then it’s worth it

Newcastle/NE folk! Does anyone have any recommendations where I can go to do some work (writing/admin) in town? Unsure how accessible uni libraries or adjacent spaces might be. Happy with quieter cafes or any other spaces where I can get my head down and get some stuff done :)

Tynemouth with my mother this afternoon 🌊