James Connolly
@drjamesconnolly.bsky.social
Historian at UCL SELCS specialising in modern France and Europe, the First World War, and military occupation. Other interests include film, TV, gaming, and comedy (especially puns). Very occasional stand-up comedian (7 performances so far).
Pinned
www.manchesterhive.com
Just to make this as easily accessible as it was 'elsewhere', here's the link to the Open Access version of my book 'The Experience of Occupation in the Nord, 1914-1918': www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
Bilingual four-year-old, after I said "Be careful" as he nearly cycled into someone on the pavement: "Daddy, I don't like it when you speak in English."
February 11, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Bilingual four-year-old, after I said "Be careful" as he nearly cycled into someone on the pavement: "Daddy, I don't like it when you speak in English."
A pamphlet written by supporters of the far-right extra-parliamentary league Croix de Feu from inter-war France. I was struck by the racist, incoherent, angry rantings of a disturbed individual with a penchant for odd capitalisation. It rang a bell for some reason... Je dis ça, je dis rien.
February 4, 2026 at 11:33 AM
A pamphlet written by supporters of the far-right extra-parliamentary league Croix de Feu from inter-war France. I was struck by the racist, incoherent, angry rantings of a disturbed individual with a penchant for odd capitalisation. It rang a bell for some reason... Je dis ça, je dis rien.
Not doing much better this morning: had to rush to get my son to school, then realised a few minutes later that I'm wearing two different trainers.
Got on the wrong train on the way home, after running for the correct one and getting there in time. I was desperate to get back ASAP to relieve a friend looking after my son after school. Now I'll be almost an hour later than planned.
February 3, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Not doing much better this morning: had to rush to get my son to school, then realised a few minutes later that I'm wearing two different trainers.
Reposted by James Connolly
Aujourd'hui, le premier des livres issus de ma thèse a été publié! Destiné à un publique francophone et plutôt littéraire, il sera accompagné d'un autre ouvrage plus historique en anglais.
January 30, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Aujourd'hui, le premier des livres issus de ma thèse a été publié! Destiné à un publique francophone et plutôt littéraire, il sera accompagné d'un autre ouvrage plus historique en anglais.
Got on the wrong train on the way home, after running for the correct one and getting there in time. I was desperate to get back ASAP to relieve a friend looking after my son after school. Now I'll be almost an hour later than planned.
February 2, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Got on the wrong train on the way home, after running for the correct one and getting there in time. I was desperate to get back ASAP to relieve a friend looking after my son after school. Now I'll be almost an hour later than planned.
Giving a departmental research paper today in which I'll discuss the challenges of my research on the occupied Rhineland. One is the sheer number of archival documents: calculated that I've read c.7,000 pages resulting in c.64,200 words of notes. Still have another 18,000 pages to read through.
January 30, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Giving a departmental research paper today in which I'll discuss the challenges of my research on the occupied Rhineland. One is the sheer number of archival documents: calculated that I've read c.7,000 pages resulting in c.64,200 words of notes. Still have another 18,000 pages to read through.
My four-year-old this morning: "I love it when you wear your glasses but I don't like not when you take your glasses off. You look like an old man, and I don't really like old mans, unless they look good."
January 21, 2026 at 7:20 AM
My four-year-old this morning: "I love it when you wear your glasses but I don't like not when you take your glasses off. You look like an old man, and I don't really like old mans, unless they look good."
There are much bigger problems in the world, but: having to run to school with your son, then run for a train, sweating profusely, doesn't set you up brilliantly for a day of intensive teaching followed by an open-mic stand-up spot in the evening.
January 20, 2026 at 9:06 AM
There are much bigger problems in the world, but: having to run to school with your son, then run for a train, sweating profusely, doesn't set you up brilliantly for a day of intensive teaching followed by an open-mic stand-up spot in the evening.
Reposted by James Connolly
The Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery (CSLBS) is excited to announce 3 new roles on our groundbreaking Valuable Lives project!
🔍 Open roles:
• 2 x Research Assistant (Digital Humanities)
• 1 x Research Fellow (Digital Humanities)
🗓 Closing date: 23 Jan 2026
shorturl.at/OCpLP
🔍 Open roles:
• 2 x Research Assistant (Digital Humanities)
• 1 x Research Fellow (Digital Humanities)
🗓 Closing date: 23 Jan 2026
shorturl.at/OCpLP
Opportunities
Find opportunities to join UCL History in academic, research, teaching and learning, admin and other capacities below.
shorturl.at
January 6, 2026 at 12:31 PM
The Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery (CSLBS) is excited to announce 3 new roles on our groundbreaking Valuable Lives project!
🔍 Open roles:
• 2 x Research Assistant (Digital Humanities)
• 1 x Research Fellow (Digital Humanities)
🗓 Closing date: 23 Jan 2026
shorturl.at/OCpLP
🔍 Open roles:
• 2 x Research Assistant (Digital Humanities)
• 1 x Research Fellow (Digital Humanities)
🗓 Closing date: 23 Jan 2026
shorturl.at/OCpLP
Reposted by James Connolly
Just uploaded a recording of the SSFH Douglas Johnson lecture to the society's youtube channel. You can explore some past lectures there as well:
www.youtube.com/@societyfort...
🗃️#skystorians
www.youtube.com/@societyfort...
🗃️#skystorians
Society for the Study of French History
www.youtube.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Just uploaded a recording of the SSFH Douglas Johnson lecture to the society's youtube channel. You can explore some past lectures there as well:
www.youtube.com/@societyfort...
🗃️#skystorians
www.youtube.com/@societyfort...
🗃️#skystorians
I've come into my office today both for office hours and to force myself to revise an article. Great progress: my office is now extremely tidy, various scraps of paper have been sorted properly, and my bookshelves are even more ordered than before. It's the work equivalent of washing up.
January 15, 2026 at 10:24 AM
I've come into my office today both for office hours and to force myself to revise an article. Great progress: my office is now extremely tidy, various scraps of paper have been sorted properly, and my bookshelves are even more ordered than before. It's the work equivalent of washing up.
Reposted by James Connolly
Brilliant round table online ahead of print from @frenchhistory.bsky.social on “Colonisations: notre histoire”, a history in reverse of France and empire, written by 268 contributors (!!!)
doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
🗃️
doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
🗃️
January 14, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Brilliant round table online ahead of print from @frenchhistory.bsky.social on “Colonisations: notre histoire”, a history in reverse of France and empire, written by 268 contributors (!!!)
doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
🗃️
doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
🗃️
Reposted by James Connolly
This roundtable from @lmebroch.bsky.social @alisoncarrol.bsky.social Daniel Gordon and Laura O’Brien on blogging French History is free to read until the end of February doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
Come for ‘blogs build academic communities’, stay for the COVID diaries. 🗃️
Come for ‘blogs build academic communities’, stay for the COVID diaries. 🗃️
Blogging (French) history: conversations and reflections amongst historians
Abstract. In 2014, the French History Network Blog was launched with the aim of ‘connecting people and ideas’. Ten years later, it has shared hundreds of b
doi.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:01 PM
This roundtable from @lmebroch.bsky.social @alisoncarrol.bsky.social Daniel Gordon and Laura O’Brien on blogging French History is free to read until the end of February doi.org/10.1093/fh/c...
Come for ‘blogs build academic communities’, stay for the COVID diaries. 🗃️
Come for ‘blogs build academic communities’, stay for the COVID diaries. 🗃️
Nothing reinforces that I'm under average height more than when it's raining and I'm holding an umbrella, stretching and bending my arms to avoid hitting other people.
January 13, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Nothing reinforces that I'm under average height more than when it's raining and I'm holding an umbrella, stretching and bending my arms to avoid hitting other people.
Proof that if you don't use it, you lose it: last night, I read a French book to my 4-year-old son containing the word 'biberon,' and he asked me what it meant. It was one of *the* main words of his life for years, one he used to say a lot.
January 10, 2026 at 8:07 AM
Proof that if you don't use it, you lose it: last night, I read a French book to my 4-year-old son containing the word 'biberon,' and he asked me what it meant. It was one of *the* main words of his life for years, one he used to say a lot.
Just noticed predictive text means I'd entered a work 'all-staff meeting' in my calendar as an 'all-stars meeting' - if anything, I'd say that those who consider themselves stars are less likely to turn up.
January 8, 2026 at 9:32 AM
Just noticed predictive text means I'd entered a work 'all-staff meeting' in my calendar as an 'all-stars meeting' - if anything, I'd say that those who consider themselves stars are less likely to turn up.
Proud former PhD supervisor moment: I've just read the first review of @mjgronau.bsky.social's book 'Deutsche Minderheiten in Frankreich und Großbritannien: Im Niemandsland der Identität zwischen 1914 und 1924'!
Found here: B.Braber (2025). Immigrants & Minorities 43(3): 568–570. (Link not working)
Found here: B.Braber (2025). Immigrants & Minorities 43(3): 568–570. (Link not working)
December 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Proud former PhD supervisor moment: I've just read the first review of @mjgronau.bsky.social's book 'Deutsche Minderheiten in Frankreich und Großbritannien: Im Niemandsland der Identität zwischen 1914 und 1924'!
Found here: B.Braber (2025). Immigrants & Minorities 43(3): 568–570. (Link not working)
Found here: B.Braber (2025). Immigrants & Minorities 43(3): 568–570. (Link not working)
Just opened this letter. I have direct experience of the horrific impact of knife crime - a sibling witnessing their boyfriend being stabbed to death three years ago - and yet I wholeheartedly reject this narrative, and Reform's divisive, disgusting politics.
December 5, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Just opened this letter. I have direct experience of the horrific impact of knife crime - a sibling witnessing their boyfriend being stabbed to death three years ago - and yet I wholeheartedly reject this narrative, and Reform's divisive, disgusting politics.
May 1923, the Interallied Rhineland High Commissioner informed the German Commissar of the Occupied Territory that recent acts of sabotage carried out by people from unoccupied Germany were organised by the new 'ultra-nationalist' NSDAP, the military wing of which was led by a certain Hitler.
November 26, 2025 at 5:03 PM
May 1923, the Interallied Rhineland High Commissioner informed the German Commissar of the Occupied Territory that recent acts of sabotage carried out by people from unoccupied Germany were organised by the new 'ultra-nationalist' NSDAP, the military wing of which was led by a certain Hitler.
Off on a week-long archival trip to Paris. I've only spent a total of two nights away from my son since he was born 4 years 3 months ago, so it feels bittersweet to be leaving. Yet I know I'm very privileged to have not needed to spend time away so far.
November 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Off on a week-long archival trip to Paris. I've only spent a total of two nights away from my son since he was born 4 years 3 months ago, so it feels bittersweet to be leaving. Yet I know I'm very privileged to have not needed to spend time away so far.
Reposted by James Connolly
If you'd like to see an amateur comedy routine vaguely on the subject of peer review involving lots of puns and me forgetting a line, look no further! Credit and thanks to @drstevex.bsky.social for the video and, as always, being a very funny, supportive compere!
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
James Connolly - peer review - LOLs in Translation
YouTube video by JEPC123
youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:07 PM
If you'd like to see an amateur comedy routine vaguely on the subject of peer review involving lots of puns and me forgetting a line, look no further! Credit and thanks to @drstevex.bsky.social for the video and, as always, being a very funny, supportive compere!
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
If you'd like to see an amateur comedy routine vaguely on the subject of peer review involving lots of puns and me forgetting a line, look no further! Credit and thanks to @drstevex.bsky.social for the video and, as always, being a very funny, supportive compere!
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
James Connolly - peer review - LOLs in Translation
YouTube video by JEPC123
youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:07 PM
If you'd like to see an amateur comedy routine vaguely on the subject of peer review involving lots of puns and me forgetting a line, look no further! Credit and thanks to @drstevex.bsky.social for the video and, as always, being a very funny, supportive compere!
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
youtube.com/watch?v=D4ll...
I'll be performing at this - really looking forward to it! It'll be my sixth time doing stand-up, almost a year exactly since I first tried it. Also my fifth different set, which is admittedly a slightly abnormal way of approaching things.
NEXT TUESDAY London's funniest Arts and Humanities researchers will make you laugh your ass off at LOLs In Translation. Tickets selling fast so get one now!
wegottickets.com/event/679150
wegottickets.com/event/679150
LOLs in Translation - standup comedy from Arts and Humanities researchers
A new night of research-based comedy from the team behind Science Showoff, but this time we've shown science the door to find out about HUMANS.
Join Steve Cross and a team of philosophers, linguists...
wegottickets.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I'll be performing at this - really looking forward to it! It'll be my sixth time doing stand-up, almost a year exactly since I first tried it. Also my fifth different set, which is admittedly a slightly abnormal way of approaching things.
"You have to very watch out" is my son's cute sign that he has internalised the French I speak to him (being a literal translation of "Tu dois faire très attention").
November 1, 2025 at 9:10 AM
"You have to very watch out" is my son's cute sign that he has internalised the French I speak to him (being a literal translation of "Tu dois faire très attention").
Currently with my four-year-old at a play café. It's half term, so absolutely packed. I count 17 mums and 1 grandad; I'm the only dad.
October 29, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Currently with my four-year-old at a play café. It's half term, so absolutely packed. I count 17 mums and 1 grandad; I'm the only dad.