"Live updates on exactly which UK universities are on strike right now over huge job cuts"

Marching to Victoria Park! Come join the fight back! #ucu #leicester

On the train up for this. See you there! #ucu #strike

Personal note: London has been home for a very, very long time, but as of today, I am also officially a Brit - that is to say, a British citizen. I feel relieved and I feel grateful - but not, perhaps, in the forelock-tugging way GB News/Starmer expect a new immigrant to be.

Please spread the word: the 2026 application cycle for the Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome is now live! (Yours truly as Director for my final year). www.aarome.org/apply/2026-c...

For those of you who had ‘donatives’ on your end of empire bingo card, check to see if you’ve won

What you’re witnessing is a populist assault on the BBC. This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting. iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...

This is one of the best encapsulations of the joys of research and random happenstance I’ve ever heard. What a wonderful heartwarming kind and quirky species we can be. #science #tinyjoys m.youtube.com/watch?v=AA-1...

Human Geography at Leicester is facing closure. Staff contracts are to end in June 2026; students are to be relocated to other universities, or taught out by a maximum of two (!) teaching-only staff. Other departments and subjects are facing closure, too. Please join the demo!

This looks to be an amazing talk! The work of these two pros is so inspiring and important. #AncientBluesky #Archaeology 🏺

“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the cage – And sings the taunting songs – That never stop – Yet, tonight, tonight – When you sleep – I will eat it.

New awareness campaign

50% of all UK universities have closed one or more courses. Almost 50% have cut a range of optional modules. Even this vastly underestimates the volume of reduction. All this warmed over government language about distinct strengths really just refers to reduction: which hits specialisation!

In an environment where it feels like the Humanities are under attack, a new programme in Classics and Ancient History is to be celebrated! 🎉

Shocking news from uOttawa: Greek & Roman Studies closed to new students without consultation. Teaching of ancient languages to end. Open letter coming soon - follow for how you can help. #DefendClassicsUOttawa #Ottawa #AncientHistory #SaveHigherEd #HigherEdCuts #AncientGreek #Latin

In case you didn’t believe the evidence of your own eyes, you can get some confirmation here

A welcome reprieve from politics and sleep deprivation.

🗣️ PLEASE SHARE 🗣️ I'm writing an intro & sourcebook on late ancient Gazan literature for Dar al-Kalima University Press. The press and I plan to produce an Arabic translation to make Gazan literature more accessible to Palestinians. Help me compensate the Gazan translator! spot.fund/dn8t744sc

You cannot have a ‘university’ that isn’t wide-ranging and generalist. The whole point of a university is exactly that.

My book "The White Pedestal: How White Nationalists Use Ancient Greece and Rome to Justify Hate" is now available for pre-order. Use promo code WIN26 to get 30% off. Coming January 6th 2026! yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...

Oh ffs

“We may be past the point of no return, but at a minimum we ought to … assess where we are, and what we’re losing when we fully cashier robust support for Humanities research. The Humanities are us.” Feels like a(nother) good day to share this. scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025/04/02/t...

It ended up a busy and crazy end of summer and start of semester (I have FOUR classes...eep). BUT I also got this thing finally published. 74 pages in Hesperia. Not bad for my first ever peer-reviewed article in a major journal! You can check it out at muse.jhu.edu/article/970046

Pleased to share this fascinating conversation with the brilliant playwright Caridad Svich @csvich.bsky.social, where we talked about her Iphigenia play and how to adapt Greek tragedy now. Out now in Practitioners' Voices in Classical Reception Studies! university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...

The Institute of Classical Studies is pleased to announce its Researcher Training Programme for 2025-26 academic year. Designed for researchers in Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology, Reception Studies and Philology. You can find an overview of programme activities here: shorturl.at/Q8Ke4 1/2

Training activities include: • Intros to digital approaches to Classics • Developing & leading a major project • Publishing in journals • Applying for postdocs & fellowships • Spring School in 3D imaging and modelling Most activities are free & open to all regardless of career stage/affiliation 2/2

On the day Rubio inaugurated an archaeological “tunnel burrowed under a Palestinian district, along a Roman-era street” in an “archaeological park established by an Israeli settler organisation… Israeli planes bombed the most important storage depot of ancient artefacts in Gaza City”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bEv... For decades we've worked to enhance the Sheffield Zooarch Lab & to see years of dedication destroyed by corporate executives who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing is heart breaking @watchingbrief.bsky.social #savesheffieldarchaeology

History curious? You don't need to be in London (or the UK) to attend many Institute of Historical Research seminars, although if you're in Bloomsbury you'll enjoy doing so. Most are hybrid (online/in person). They're free, usually fortnightly and open to the public. Starting this week:

So #Leicester is heading out on strike soon, against looming job cuts. Today we found out that #AncientHistory is ranked first in the Times University Rankings. In the Guardian we're 5th. But we're also all overworked and demoralised. We try to protect the students from that, but it's always there.

Alright, let’s do this one more time… #UKHE

Whelp, so long.

Anger and fear are appropriate and necessary emotions right now but fwiw I’ve been watching Bob Ross lately and it really helps take the edge off. youtu.be/1-9_enMBquw?...

If you're in London today, then there's plenty of opportunities to show Mr Trump that he's not welcome. If you miss the march, then come along to the rally in Parliament Square at 5 instead and make some noise.

"Claims that AI helps preparation or research is simply cover for students taking shortcuts that do not develop their learning skills." www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

We have a small number of bursaries for this year's TAG - if you are speaking and fall into the unwaged category (students and those currently not in employment) please apply! Deadline 15th Oct.

Esp given assassination of Kirk in US i find Musk's intervention here, calling for dissolution of parliament and a new govt, really scary . Also UK govt bodies should get the fuck off X.

If you are in a medium to large regional city, try to start with your local food not bombs. If there's a university nearby, student societies can also help. Or get three friends together, have coffee, and start organising yourself. 🖤

“Over the months and years to come, we will have to fight for our values like never before. That means proudly making the case for diversity and openness. It means that we must make that case without embarrassment or apology…”

In light of those odious people in London yesterday, re-upping these posters.

League tables are total bullsh… wait a second, 5th?!? I love league tables!

I finished writing this tonight. It’s a textbook for National 5 Classical Studies, the first of its kind. I’m not sure but I think the last Scotland-specific Classics textbook for schools came out in 1983. Anyway, it’s 220 pages long and will be available for free/donation from tomorrow.

Great thread on the problems with 'funded/hobbyist' research-think.

'"You can’t have hobbyist research that’s unfunded going on in institutions. We can’t afford it.”' Such a badly formulated phrasing of the issues, so open to so many misinterpretations. If this is the level of thinking about research among sector leaders and policy-makers, be very afraid.

Hot off the press, the British Academy's Cold Spots: Mapping Inequality in SHAPE Provision in UK Higher Education report. Read it if you care about universities or access to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for the rising generation. 1/5

The court is erasing Banksy's mural just like it's erasing our right to protest It only took 48 hours for the court to scrub out a Banksy showing a judge striking down a protester with his gavel Silencing a work of art about silencing protest? Maybe it was a little too close to home

Oh hey there! It’s your Roman history ladies here and we’re excited for #InternationalPodcastDay on September 27 and being part of The Memory Collective is livestream event to celebrate history and podcasting!

In addition to organisational and policy details, lots of ‘cold spots’ + what we might call contemporary political issues and challenges on this map?