Robert Bickers

@bickers.bsky.social

760 followers 340 following 54 posts

Writer & historian. European. Professor of History, University of Bristol. Rewriting British and other history is my job. Find out more via my staff profile: http://tinyurl.com/rbickers, & blog: http://robertbickers.net I also run http://hpcbristol.net .. more

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Robert A. Bickers is a British historian of modern China and colonialism. He is currently a professor of history at the University of Bristol. Bickers is the author of six books and editor or co-editor of three more. .. more

Sociology 42%

Political science 33%

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Dec 13

New platform, so here's an introduction. I’m a historian of modern China and of British colonialism working at @uobrishistory.bsky.social . I’ve written six books, edited eight more, and run various projects, on the Chinese Maritime Customs, on Tianjin, on creative & heritage work closer to home.

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 13d

1/2 Two new posts, one on visualisingchina.net/blog, on Shanghai's former First World War Memorial (shown below as it never was): visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Kathleen Kennedy

Bristol Centre for Medieval Studies @bristolcms.bsky.social · 19d

We are SO excited to announce that applications are now open for this year's Medieval Studies Summer School! 🎉 Please do pass this information on to anyone you think might be interested!

We'll be sharing some highlights of last year's programme over the next few weeks!

#medievalsky #skystorians

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 20d

On our blog, a new post Dr Yorgos Moraitis introduces his new book on Robert Hart: visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...

Guest blog: Yorgos Moraitis on Robert Hart and his Loyalties, Neither Chinese Nor British | Visualising China

visualisingchina.net

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 28d

I've added some links in this brief blog-post to other appreciations of Andy's work and interests.
robertbickers.net/2025/10/13/a...

Andy West (1960-2025)

I have written briefly in the Guardian recently about the life and work of my former classmate Andy West who died in the summer, or at least some of it. Andy has left a large archive of his work, a…

robertbickers.net

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Oct 11

The student union at SSEES in London held an Andropov Pop Off Party to mark his passing.

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Oct 9

I've written about the life and just some of the achievements of my former classmate Andy West aka 魏安, Ando, and BabelStone @babelstone.co.uk
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Andy West obituary

Other lives: Expert in encoding scripts for languages

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Robert Bickers

History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · Sep 30

Dr Sijie Ren, who was supervised by @robertbickers and Adrian Howkins, was awarded the British Association for Chinese Studies 'Best Doctoral Thesis Prize' for their PhD “Science and Politics in Maoist China: The Synthetic Insulin Project and its Legacy."

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Pauline Fairclough @paulinefairclough.bsky.social · Sep 29

Out now with @oxunipress.bsky.social @uobartsmatter.bsky.social with thanks to @leverhulme.ac.uk .... Joseph Stalin banned it, but was it too sexy or just too noisy?

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Sep 27

And then there was this

A day in the life of Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Marianna Dudley @dudleymarianna.bsky.social · Sep 25

Electric Wind is here! Thank you for the surprise post @manchesterup.bsky.social ! Available for pre-order and in all good bookshops from 14 October 🙂

A woman holds a book with the title ‘Electric Wind:An Energy History of Modern Britain’. She is smiling.

A small ginger, white and tabby cat curls up in a box of books with the title ‘Electric Wind’. She looks happy.

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Gwen Seabourne

Prof. Ben Pohl @benpohl.bsky.social · Sep 24

🤩 Check out the shiny new website of Bristol's world-class Centre for Medieval Studies (@bristolcms.bsky.social), home to over 35 full-time medievalists and over 160 research students and research associates: medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk 🤩 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social #medievalsky #skystorians

CMS; Bristol; University of Bristol; Medieval Studies; MA degree;

medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Jeff Wasserstrom @jwassers.bsky.social · Sep 23

My tribute to Paul Cohen as historian & mentor to many www.asianstudies.org/in-memoriam-... cc @lmansley.bsky.social

In Memoriam: Paul A. Cohen (1934-2025) - Association for Asian Studies

Paul A. Cohen, who died on September 15, 2025 at the age of 91, made significant contributions to both the interdisciplinary field of Chinese studies and the discipline of history. The most obvious wa...

www.asianstudies.org

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Aug 27

Our Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social is looking for a Senior Research Associate (postdoc) with oral history skills and a record of research in the history of Hong Kong: tinyurl.com/hkhcpostdoc2...

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Matthew Parkinson-Bennett @matthewpb.bsky.social · Aug 16

Wow Sally Rooney. Fair play.

‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.’

ted.
In this context I feel obliged to state once more that - like the hundreds of protesters arrested last weekend - I too support Palestine Action. If this makes me a "supporter of terror" un-
der UK law, so be it. My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets. In recent years the UK's state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees. I want to be clear that I intend to use these pro-ceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on support-ing Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can. If the British state considers this
"terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Andrew West 魏安 @babelstone.co.uk · Jul 30

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we, the family of Andrew West, confirm his peaceful passing on 10th July 2025. The BabelStone legacy will be continued by colleagues and friends.
corp.unicode.org/pipermail/un...

Andrew C. West 魏安 1960–2025

corp.unicode.org

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Lesley A. Hall, S. J. Holmes

Dr Miranda Kaufmann @drmirandakaufmann.bsky.social · Jul 29

Hello, quite new here, so introducing myself 👋 I’m a historian of #BlackBritishHistory @icws-sas.bsky.social, living in North Wales. My first book was #BlackTudors and my new one #Heiresses, is about nine British women who inherited enslaved people and plantations in the Caribbean.

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Duncan Bell, Tim Hitchcock

Institute of Historical Research @ihr.bsky.social · Jul 28

The IHR is saddened by the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall, historian of the British Empire, and a long-standing member of King's College London's History department. As a long-time friend, supporter, and Fellow of the IHR, he will be greatly missed and remembered for his kindness and courtesy.

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Nick Pearce, Terry Gourvish , and 1 more Robert Bickers, Nick Pearce, Terry Gourvish, Karin Wulf

Peter Mandler @petermandler.bsky.social · Jul 26

Thanks to @eicathomefinn.bsky.social for notification of the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall (1933-2025), a great historian of India and Empire, and a pioneering President of the Royal Historical Society. His last book is going to press so there is more of his work still to appreciate.

Reposted by Robert Bickers, Brett Christophers, Matthew Kelly , and 4 more Robert Bickers, Brett Christophers, Matthew Kelly, Dolly Jørgensen, Fredrik Albritton Jonsson, Kevin O’Sullivan, Jeremy J. Schmidt

Marianna Dudley @dudleymarianna.bsky.social · Jul 25

I was excited to find out that my book is available for pre-order! One for anyone interested in energy, climate, and the history of Britain. Thanks to MUP for making it pretty and affordable 🫶 manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/

Manchester University Press - Electric wind

Electric wind - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Electric wind by Marianna Dudley

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Jul 21

Congratulations!

Koji Hirata @khirata.bsky.social · Jul 21

I am thrilled to share that my book, Making Mao’s Steelworks, has been awarded the 2025 Reid Prize (given for “the most significant book contributing to the understanding of Asia”) by the Asian Studies Association of Australia.

asaa.asn.au/news/book-ab...

Book about the Mao-era origins of Chinese industrialisation wins Reid Prize for 2025 - Asian Studies Association of Australia

The Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) is delighted to announce that Dr Koji Hirata, a historian from Monash University in Melbourne, has won the 2025 Reid Prize for his recently published ...

asaa.asn.au

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Koji Hirata @khirata.bsky.social · Jul 21

Book about the Mao-era origins of Chinese industrialisation wins Reid Prize for 2025 - Asian Studies Association of Australia

asaa.asn.au

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Jul 9

Bristol welcomes you to a day of talks and conversations about Hong Kong's history aorganised by @hongkonghistory.bsky.social : 6 September.

Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · Jul 7

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 (𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲)
𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞: 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥
𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟓 / 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟐
(𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝)

Please secure your spot by purchasing the ticket on:
tinyurl.com/HKhistday202...

Programme:
tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · Jul 7

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Jul 3

Hello to Walthamstow-born Sidney George Reading (for it is he), once a furniture salesman. Sidney, possibly tiring of China ponies that were too small, left the force after 4 years and was later a tram driver in Brisbane.

Reposted by Robert Bickers

History Workshop @historyworkshop.org.uk · Jul 3

"We wanted to use collective making to open up a space to acknowledge the challenges of migration, but to simultaneously explore a range of other stories."

Erika Hanna (@erikahanna.bsky.social) on the process of creating a new processional art piece for the 2024 St Patrick’s Day parade in Bristol.

Parading Memories

Discover how parades are used to celebrate the Bristol Irish community through the creation of Mother Ireland.

www.historyworkshop.org.uk

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Jul 2

SMP

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · Jun 30

Emerging Paths in Hong Kong History: Graduate Conference 2025

25-26 June 2025

21 papers by PhD students and young scholars from Europe, North America, Asia and Britain and a keynote speech by Gina Tam. What a wonderful feast of ideas and research insights!

Full programme:
tinyurl.com/2sbzdkpu

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · Jun 17

I have so many policemen

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Arts Matter Bristol @uobartsmatter.bsky.social · Jun 4

'Intimate Subjects includes some irresistible case studies that illustrate the myriad ways in which touch was navigated and examined in the period.'

Dr Simeon Koole's (@uobrishistory.bsky.social) book, Intimate Subjects, is reviewed in this week's @lrb.co.uk

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Hannah Rose Woods · Tactile Dreams

The British aversion to touching wasn’t limited to the Victorian era: comparative studies confirm that we continue to...

www.lrb.co.uk

Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · May 21

And Kolleen and Jay have blogged about it earlier this week refugeeweek.org.uk/the-uncounte...

The Uncounted: Statelessness and the Burden of Our Times

Guest blog by Kolleen Guy and Jay Winter In her landmark 1951 book The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt wrote that the stateless “are no longer human in any sense other than that they belon...

refugeeweek.org.uk

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