Alex Coupe
@accoupe.bsky.social
Lecturer in theatre and performance. Currently working on Ireland and the English literary imagination from post-war to Brexit. @ucu.org.uk rep. Editor: https://afr-database.org/ 'Views own'. he/him
Pinned
Alex Coupe
@accoupe.bsky.social
· Jun 19
If you or your students are interested in contemporary theatre and performance in Northern Ireland, you can now get 20% off the (hefty...) price using the discount code: PALAUT.
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
A predictable result of kicking the can down the road. The fees system is the worst of all possible worlds: a regressive pseudo-tax that doesn’t cover costs unless supplemented with an unsustainable supply of international students.
Many English universities to report deficits despite rise in tuition fees
Continued funding squeeze and volatile student enrolment will continue to hit finances, regulator warns
www.ft.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A predictable result of kicking the can down the road. The fees system is the worst of all possible worlds: a regressive pseudo-tax that doesn’t cover costs unless supplemented with an unsustainable supply of international students.
Reposted by Alex Coupe
‘By 1790, one in eight Liverpool households were dependent on the slave trade.’
John Kerrigan on Liverpool, the Atlantic slave trade and m. nourbeSe philip’s long poem 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘨!
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
John Kerrigan on Liverpool, the Atlantic slave trade and m. nourbeSe philip’s long poem 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘨!
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
John Kerrigan · No Illusions: Syntax of Slavery
Slavery was accepted across most of the early modern world. No one wanted to be a slave, except when the alternative was...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
‘By 1790, one in eight Liverpool households were dependent on the slave trade.’
John Kerrigan on Liverpool, the Atlantic slave trade and m. nourbeSe philip’s long poem 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘨!
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
John Kerrigan on Liverpool, the Atlantic slave trade and m. nourbeSe philip’s long poem 𝘡𝘰𝘯𝘨!
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Born on this day, 1897, Nye Bevan, Minister of Health and Housing when Labour built 805,000 council homes between 1945-51. He believed high-quality council housing should reflect 'the living tapestry of a mixed community'.
November 15, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Born on this day, 1897, Nye Bevan, Minister of Health and Housing when Labour built 805,000 council homes between 1945-51. He believed high-quality council housing should reflect 'the living tapestry of a mixed community'.
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Perhaps the dumbest take in the last few days has been British people, including people on the left, loudly proclaiming we are too vicariously interested in New York local politics.
November 8, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Perhaps the dumbest take in the last few days has been British people, including people on the left, loudly proclaiming we are too vicariously interested in New York local politics.
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Soldier F found not guilty in Bloody Sunday murder trial.
So no convictions for the murder of 13 people during an anti-internment March in Derry in 1972. So much for the rule of law in the UK?
‘And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in winter.’
The Road to Derry, Séamus Heaney, 1972.
So no convictions for the murder of 13 people during an anti-internment March in Derry in 1972. So much for the rule of law in the UK?
‘And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in winter.’
The Road to Derry, Séamus Heaney, 1972.
Bloody Sunday: Soldier F found not guilty of all charges in Bloody Sunday murder trial
Soldier F - who cannot be named - was accused of murdering two people in Londonderry in 1972, plus five counts of attempted murder.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Soldier F found not guilty in Bloody Sunday murder trial.
So no convictions for the murder of 13 people during an anti-internment March in Derry in 1972. So much for the rule of law in the UK?
‘And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in winter.’
The Road to Derry, Séamus Heaney, 1972.
So no convictions for the murder of 13 people during an anti-internment March in Derry in 1972. So much for the rule of law in the UK?
‘And in the dirt lay justice like an acorn in winter.’
The Road to Derry, Séamus Heaney, 1972.
Reposted by Alex Coupe
This is something my lovely students worked on last academic year. If you're interested in student perspectives on what decolonisation means for English Literature, please listen to this thoughtful discussion.
#AcademicSky
@livunihss.bsky.social
@livunienglish.bsky.social
#AcademicSky
@livunihss.bsky.social
@livunienglish.bsky.social
New episode alert! 🚨 Host Natalie spoke to the English Department's 'Decolonising the Curriculum' group about what it means to decolonise a curriculum and the process of decolonising some of the department modules.
@livunienglish.bsky.social @sotauol.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/2ZLU...
@livunienglish.bsky.social @sotauol.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/episode/2ZLU...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
September 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
This is something my lovely students worked on last academic year. If you're interested in student perspectives on what decolonisation means for English Literature, please listen to this thoughtful discussion.
#AcademicSky
@livunihss.bsky.social
@livunienglish.bsky.social
#AcademicSky
@livunihss.bsky.social
@livunienglish.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Coupe
This is so interesting from @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social regarding the impact of the Irish Famine. @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social
Research Reveals Impact of Great Irish Famine on Human Height
New research from Queen’s Business School and Edinburgh Business School has examined the impact of the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852) on human height.
www.qub.ac.uk
August 6, 2025 at 10:04 AM
This is so interesting from @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social regarding the impact of the Irish Famine. @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Our neighbours @livunipress.bsky.social have published their Autumn/Winter list.
Doesn't take long to find books of interest to #IrishStudies scholars 😊 but just in case, here is the Autumn/Winter Irish Studies list: www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/topic/public...
#academicsky #booksky
Doesn't take long to find books of interest to #IrishStudies scholars 😊 but just in case, here is the Autumn/Winter Irish Studies list: www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/topic/public...
#academicsky #booksky
August 6, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Our neighbours @livunipress.bsky.social have published their Autumn/Winter list.
Doesn't take long to find books of interest to #IrishStudies scholars 😊 but just in case, here is the Autumn/Winter Irish Studies list: www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/topic/public...
#academicsky #booksky
Doesn't take long to find books of interest to #IrishStudies scholars 😊 but just in case, here is the Autumn/Winter Irish Studies list: www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/topic/public...
#academicsky #booksky
Reposted by Alex Coupe
🎊 🎉The department is thrilled to be part of the award 'Crafting Care for People, Place and Planet'! Look out for new PhD opportunities with us related to this funding.
The first AHRC PhD focal awards, supporting doctoral training across the UK. With over 30 HEIs and over 100 non-HEIs involved, these awards represent a diversity of institution, discipline and geography.
www.ukri.org/news/ahrc-do...
www.ukri.org/news/ahrc-do...
AHRC Doctoral Focal Awards support world-class doctoral training
AHRC announces Doctoral Focal Awards in creative economy, and arts and humanities for a healthy planet, people, and place.
www.ukri.org
July 7, 2025 at 11:20 AM
🎊 🎉The department is thrilled to be part of the award 'Crafting Care for People, Place and Planet'! Look out for new PhD opportunities with us related to this funding.
You should all pre-order Hannah's excellent book!
Today I got my author copies of the book based on my PhD. It's been many years in the making and I'm so proud finally to hold it in my hands www.bloomsbury.com/uk/radical-r...
August 5, 2025 at 2:01 PM
You should all pre-order Hannah's excellent book!
Reposted by Alex Coupe
In the lead-up to Brian Friel’s centenary year, Arts Over Borders directors talk about the epic five-year project of site-specific presentations of his plays 👇
Celebrating the plays of Brian Friel in the Irish landscape
In the lead-up to Brian Friel’s centenary year, Arts Over Borders directors talk about the epic five-year project of site-specific presentations of his plays
www.thestage.co.uk
July 23, 2025 at 8:16 AM
In the lead-up to Brian Friel’s centenary year, Arts Over Borders directors talk about the epic five-year project of site-specific presentations of his plays 👇
Reposted by Alex Coupe
The Labour government is turbocharging the British derisking state with the world's most expensive nuclear power plant, Sizewell C.
Expensive for us, profitable for investors.
Public subsidies for 12% returns, when average infrastructure yields about 7, all hail investible infrastructure!
Expensive for us, profitable for investors.
Public subsidies for 12% returns, when average infrastructure yields about 7, all hail investible infrastructure!
July 23, 2025 at 7:28 AM
The Labour government is turbocharging the British derisking state with the world's most expensive nuclear power plant, Sizewell C.
Expensive for us, profitable for investors.
Public subsidies for 12% returns, when average infrastructure yields about 7, all hail investible infrastructure!
Expensive for us, profitable for investors.
Public subsidies for 12% returns, when average infrastructure yields about 7, all hail investible infrastructure!
‘When neoliberal policymakers attack abortion and promote conservative visions of sexuality and the family, it is not only to maintain women’s subordinate status, but because the family is central to the reorganisation of economic life they have overseen’
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Katrina Forrester · ‘I appreciate depreciation’: Dynastic Capitalism
Austerity is a choice. The protection of the family at the expense of other ways of living is a choice. The transfer of...
www.lrb.co.uk
July 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
‘When neoliberal policymakers attack abortion and promote conservative visions of sexuality and the family, it is not only to maintain women’s subordinate status, but because the family is central to the reorganisation of economic life they have overseen’
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Delighted to announce the shortlist for our 📚Annual John McGahern Book Prize📚 for best debut by an Irish author.
Congratulations to Ferdia Lennon, Alan Murrin, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Fitzgerald.
@4thestatebooks.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @literatureireland.bsky.social #IrishStudies
Congratulations to Ferdia Lennon, Alan Murrin, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Fitzgerald.
@4thestatebooks.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @literatureireland.bsky.social #IrishStudies
John McGahern Book Prize shortlist revealed
Novels by Ferdia Lennon, Alan Murrin, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Fitzgerald selected
www.irishtimes.com
July 3, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Delighted to announce the shortlist for our 📚Annual John McGahern Book Prize📚 for best debut by an Irish author.
Congratulations to Ferdia Lennon, Alan Murrin, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Fitzgerald.
@4thestatebooks.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @literatureireland.bsky.social #IrishStudies
Congratulations to Ferdia Lennon, Alan Murrin, Sinéad Gleeson and Anna Fitzgerald.
@4thestatebooks.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @literatureireland.bsky.social #IrishStudies
Reposted by Alex Coupe
At this point I think I may be one of an incredibly small number of people to have read the second Sullivan report in detail. It is uniformly poor scholarship, containing flagrant fabrications and misrepresentations, calling into question Alice Sullivan's ability to conduct basic academic research
July 3, 2025 at 9:43 AM
At this point I think I may be one of an incredibly small number of people to have read the second Sullivan report in detail. It is uniformly poor scholarship, containing flagrant fabrications and misrepresentations, calling into question Alice Sullivan's ability to conduct basic academic research
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Mustafa Sheta ran The Freedom Theatre in a refugee camp in Jenin - then he was arrested by Israeli forces in 2023. Just a month after his release, their show Return to Palestine opens in London...
@hollyomahony.bsky.social interviews Sheta about the realities of making theatre under occupation
@hollyomahony.bsky.social interviews Sheta about the realities of making theatre under occupation
'I hope we can return to our theatre – to what remains of it'
Mustafa Sheta ran The Freedom Theatre in a refugee camp in Jenin - then he was arrested by Israeli forces in 2023. Just a month after his release, their show Return to Palestine opens in London
exeuntmagazine.substack.com
May 30, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Mustafa Sheta ran The Freedom Theatre in a refugee camp in Jenin - then he was arrested by Israeli forces in 2023. Just a month after his release, their show Return to Palestine opens in London...
@hollyomahony.bsky.social interviews Sheta about the realities of making theatre under occupation
@hollyomahony.bsky.social interviews Sheta about the realities of making theatre under occupation
If you or your students are interested in contemporary theatre and performance in Northern Ireland, you can now get 20% off the (hefty...) price using the discount code: PALAUT.
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
June 19, 2025 at 1:14 PM
If you or your students are interested in contemporary theatre and performance in Northern Ireland, you can now get 20% off the (hefty...) price using the discount code: PALAUT.
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
There's lots stuff in it that will be of interest to feminist theatre scholars too. link.springer.com/book/9783031752292
Reposted by Alex Coupe
We also heard the research of Rachel Fehily, Róisín O’Gorman, Michael R. Murphy & Sarah Hoover on Dramaturgies and Visibility #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
June 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
We also heard the research of Rachel Fehily, Róisín O’Gorman, Michael R. Murphy & Sarah Hoover on Dramaturgies and Visibility #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Second day of #ISTR2025 is off to a fantastic start as Brian Singleton discusses ANU Productions’ Hammam (2023), bringing it together with the context of the 2023 Dublin Riot www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/ham...
HAMMAM - Abbey Theatre
One of Ireland’s most innovative multidisciplinary theatre makers, ANU, in partnership with the Abbey Theatre, will excavate the final moments of the Battle of Dublin with this end of year show. Invit...
www.abbeytheatre.ie
June 6, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Second day of #ISTR2025 is off to a fantastic start as Brian Singleton discusses ANU Productions’ Hammam (2023), bringing it together with the context of the 2023 Dublin Riot www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats-on/ham...
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Kurt Taroff raises thought-provoking points in ‘Circuses of stasis: performing the defence of the imperial state in the US and Northern Ireland’, juxtaposing the perfomativity and iconography of The Twelfth parades with Trump rallies (at one of which he apparently "signed a baby")
#ISTR2025
#ISTR2025
June 6, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Kurt Taroff raises thought-provoking points in ‘Circuses of stasis: performing the defence of the imperial state in the US and Northern Ireland’, juxtaposing the perfomativity and iconography of The Twelfth parades with Trump rallies (at one of which he apparently "signed a baby")
#ISTR2025
#ISTR2025
Reposted by Alex Coupe
@lukelamont.bsky.social on Abomination by Conor Mitchell and Belfast Ensemble at @irishtheatreres.bsky.social 2025 #EndsofEmpire hosted by @myiadt.bsky.social
June 6, 2025 at 8:56 AM
@lukelamont.bsky.social on Abomination by Conor Mitchell and Belfast Ensemble at @irishtheatreres.bsky.social 2025 #EndsofEmpire hosted by @myiadt.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Coupe
Catching our breath after a flurry of brilliant panels this afternoon.
The Government Policy & the Arts panel featured papers from Patricia O’Beirne, Ben McCabe & Charlotte McIvor. #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
The Government Policy & the Arts panel featured papers from Patricia O’Beirne, Ben McCabe & Charlotte McIvor. #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
June 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Catching our breath after a flurry of brilliant panels this afternoon.
The Government Policy & the Arts panel featured papers from Patricia O’Beirne, Ben McCabe & Charlotte McIvor. #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
The Government Policy & the Arts panel featured papers from Patricia O’Beirne, Ben McCabe & Charlotte McIvor. #ISTR2025 endsofempire.com
Sometimes is does seem extraordinary how far things have shifted to the right. Apart from being wrong, it’s also hard to see which prospective Labour voter this argument is for.
This is far-right vision of the country. From a Labour Government
May 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Sometimes is does seem extraordinary how far things have shifted to the right. Apart from being wrong, it’s also hard to see which prospective Labour voter this argument is for.