From what I've seen, I'd say coursework and online exams have made ChatGPT look pointless. It's basically shit at these things.

Feels like a timely moment to be thinking about 'economic nationalism' (again), so I am looking forward to my splendid colleague Klaus Richter's lecture next week: www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/hist... I imagine registration is still open!

Cant help but think four films on Yoko, Linda, Mo, and Pattie would be way more interesting than the Beatles films. Ideally, keep Sofia Coppola away.

Some madness well updates. Seeing as I know some of my department enjoyed seeing these.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 7th May 2025, Unison and UCU will be hosting a Solidarity Picnic for Trans Rights on the Green Heart outside the Main Library from 12:30–2pm. Please come along, bringing your own lunch, to this relaxed and casual event to show solidarity and allyship to trans+ staff and students.

My town is having it's annual 'normal one' and I'm absolutely into it.

This is worth reflecting on for anyone less directly impacted by the supreme court verdict last week. It's already clear that harm is being done here.

Triple book launch for myself, @drsarahlkenny.bsky.social, and @hannahcharnock.bsky.social! Thanks to @lauratisdall.bsky.social for chairing. Please do join if you're interested in social and cultural approaches to young people's lives and leisure spaces. 12 June, 12-1, tinyurl.com/mryazrew

One more round. Despite the various responses the CCCS feels really significant in terms of books. I'd add bham centres more generally feel distinct. Been thinking about John Stewarts work on local govt as a non glamorous massive contribution from bham www.theguardian.com/society/2023...

There's lots of events around my University's 125 anniversary. I was chatting with a colleague about the most well-known books written at/within the University. What would folk suggest? We started with the following (which reflected our own areas of research as much as anything):

Reposting this in case anyone has other suggestions. Economics? Sciences?

There's lots of events around my University's 125 anniversary. I was chatting with a colleague about the most well-known books written at/within the University. What would folk suggest? We started with the following (which reflected our own areas of research as much as anything):

I have a very personal essay in today’s Irish Times about the grandfather I never met, the historian KH Connell www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Took a little local trip today to check on King John and Stanley Baldwin. All remain in place.

'Material masculinities: men and goods in eighteenth-century England' is out with @manchesterup.bsky.social today! A book on the materiality of men's lives 1660-1832 covering the significant changes in what it meant to be a man & what it meant to own 'things' during the time. Thanks to follow below:

Was great to have @samwetherell.bsky.social here @mbsbirmingham.bsky.social today. Great paper and chats. Thanks all.

This Wednesday (2 April).

I am looking forward to hearing @samwetherell.bsky.social speak at Birmingham next week. Can't find an event link but the title is ‘Liverpool, Obsolescence and the Management of "Surplus" Populations in Post-War Britain’ at Uni of Bham - Arts LR2 (126), 3-4.30pm. Share with those interested!

Perks of work. Taking the young uns to some actoring

Malvern's cloud inversions this morning were lovely stuff.

Several years late, but doing pre-term pondering of a semantic shift from 'Reading List' to 'Resource List'. A defence of 'reading' as a 'resource' with power (!?), and/or indication of the economization of basic institutional language (?), and/or sign too long staring at Resource Lists?

It would have been a bolder artistic choice - and for me a more compelling idea - to make a film about Timothee Chalamet's life with Bob Dylan in the lead role.

Merry Chris Moores

GOODBYE 2024 AND ALL YOUR TERRIBLE MUSIC. Here are SPINAL BAP'S TOP ALBUMS of the year. The funniest parts were mostly written by Brother Chris, if I'm entirely honest. @mooresci.bsky.social 🦆 spinalbap.blogspot.com/2024/12/spin...

Thanks to folk who reflected with me. I hope my tone wasn't off or overly backwards looking - I am really pleased @qmcbs.bsky.social is doing this - it looks great. Also @mbsbirmingham.bsky.social is still doing absolutely loads of fab things and is full of all my besties/top top top folk. Onwards!

Had a few folk ask about the exciting QMCBS conference/cfp. There are some shared Qs in there which shaped some things we did a few years back at another British Studies Centre at Bham. The new event looks great to me – good folk involved, interesting plenaries, compelling agenda etc... (1/13)

As this seems to now be a job I have set myself - the consultation on the Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Bill is now live. Historians/academics might be interested in the phrase 'complete copyright protection'. www.gov.uk/government/c...

Seeing as I have sort of got some interesting takes on this stuff already once. Do we know if historians/academic associations/universities are involved in the consultation here? I am not well up on the learned societies - maybe some of my chums who are will know? www.gov.uk/government/n...

The publisher of my book has been in touch about an AI licence for the book. What is the advice here from good eggs or, even, 'learned societies'? I feel we are being asked to educate students on AI without the capacity (the quick turn around on this in HEI is striking) to understand it myself.

It looks brilliant Ben. Congratulations - Hope you had a blast.

I've not posted much on here since it expanded. Anyway, here is some of the vital archival work, I've been doing.

Anyone know where I can find a copy of the CND March to Aldermaston film for teaching? It used to be part of BFI screenoline (showing my age and time gap between me teaching this stuff) but that now appears to be dead. www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/5335...

Dramatic creature spot on this morning's dog walk. Have now completed wild sightings of the entire 'Animals of Fathing Wood' Genus.

Went to Ed Tech thing yesterday (my job). Lots of interesting (and useful) stuff out there but it feels geared towards getting students to find 'an answer' or offers new ways of didactic delivery. Has anyone seen anything good that allows discussion/conversation/flips the tech?

It's the first full day in situ for this exhibition. It's on Bournville Green for a month before moving to Shenley Court Hall for October.

Day 2 brought another fave, Richard Dawson, to Malvern. Top stuff.

A huge treat yesterday. One of my favourite guitar players Gwennifer Raymond in my relatively small town. She was brill & I love a small, well-organized music festival.

M**t G*****n failed to return a book review to me over a decade ago... so he's had the side-eye from me for a while. Might waste his time chasing the review and/or asking for the book back.

It's a big day for all of you in the overlapping bit of New Town Historians vs Boobley-Beepy Music fan Venn Diagram. warringtonruncorn.com/albums/your-... Excellent marking music for me.

Yay. Rare supervision win (for me). Thank you @michgreig.bsky.social. This made my first day back on campus a real treat! Suspect I should have found this before the break....

Merry Chris Moores!

To mark my first entry on this new site on this day, I present my most Halloweeny research image (that I have to hand and remember having). Spooky-wooky.