Gordon McKelvie
@gordonmckelvie.bsky.social
Medieval Historian and UCU branch officer. Senior lecturer at Winchester University. Research on popular protest, political culture, warfare, rumour/conspiracy theories in England and Scotland, c.1300-1600. Views also on union stuff and politics
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
"Historical analysis is fundamentally different and more complex than producing a mass of visualizations and statistics that are the lifeblood of many A.I. programmes."
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social on the problematic use of A.I. within historical research.
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social on the problematic use of A.I. within historical research.
Artificial Intelligence: A Warning for History
Does A.I. have the potential to simplify, and ultimately impoverish, our study of the past? Gordon McKelvie considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it means for historians facing the current H...
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
"Historical analysis is fundamentally different and more complex than producing a mass of visualizations and statistics that are the lifeblood of many A.I. programmes."
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social on the problematic use of A.I. within historical research.
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social on the problematic use of A.I. within historical research.
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
November 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
Something from me on the dangers of A.I for historians and the neverending cycle of job cuts www.historyworkshop.org.uk/practice-his...
Artificial Intelligence: A Warning for History
Does Artificial Intelligence have the potential to simplify, and ultimately impoverish, our study of the past? Gordon McKelvie considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for the his...
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Something from me on the dangers of A.I for historians and the neverending cycle of job cuts www.historyworkshop.org.uk/practice-his...
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
@bjennings90.bsky.social absolutely nails it. (www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...)
November 11, 2025 at 6:58 AM
@bjennings90.bsky.social absolutely nails it. (www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...)
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Osborne deserves a lot more condemnation, for not just doing austerity but doing it so cackhandedly:
1. Not borrowing to invest when borrowing costs were at essentially zero
2. Cutting spending by salami slicing every part of the public sector with no real analysis of where could take it
1. Not borrowing to invest when borrowing costs were at essentially zero
2. Cutting spending by salami slicing every part of the public sector with no real analysis of where could take it
Late period Osborne: interest rates at zero and 50-80bn of headroom: and his priority was “don’t invest”.
November 4, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Osborne deserves a lot more condemnation, for not just doing austerity but doing it so cackhandedly:
1. Not borrowing to invest when borrowing costs were at essentially zero
2. Cutting spending by salami slicing every part of the public sector with no real analysis of where could take it
1. Not borrowing to invest when borrowing costs were at essentially zero
2. Cutting spending by salami slicing every part of the public sector with no real analysis of where could take it
Though on an unrelated note - there probably is a comedy to be written about monotheisms being the result of external consultants suggesting streamlining. ‘Rather than an infinite number of combinations of Gods to worship, just focus on one which gives a very clear message to the customers’
Worth a read, particular for a hardline non-believer like myself who nevertheless hates bad history.
New on History for Atheists: my long awaited and rather long critical review of Alice Roberts' new book *Domination*:
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
November 2, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Though on an unrelated note - there probably is a comedy to be written about monotheisms being the result of external consultants suggesting streamlining. ‘Rather than an infinite number of combinations of Gods to worship, just focus on one which gives a very clear message to the customers’
Worth a read, particular for a hardline non-believer like myself who nevertheless hates bad history.
New on History for Atheists: my long awaited and rather long critical review of Alice Roberts' new book *Domination*:
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
November 1, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Worth a read, particular for a hardline non-believer like myself who nevertheless hates bad history.
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
At @ihr.bsky.social we can now offer PhD by Publication in History! For those with a substantial body of existing published research (within past 10 years), but without a PhD, should be of particular interest to #heritage professionals and independent scholars!
October 14, 2025 at 8:53 AM
At @ihr.bsky.social we can now offer PhD by Publication in History! For those with a substantial body of existing published research (within past 10 years), but without a PhD, should be of particular interest to #heritage professionals and independent scholars!
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
You know you’ve been a UCU rep a while when you get a long service award and one of the first things you do is work out what that would mean for any statutory redundancy payout
October 8, 2025 at 9:38 AM
You know you’ve been a UCU rep a while when you get a long service award and one of the first things you do is work out what that would mean for any statutory redundancy payout
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
The UAE is an authoritarian autocracy, a petro-state with no income tax for citizens, to bribe them for the lack of democratic voice or free speech
It is 85% migrant, a segregated society with a ban on integration in principle and practice, few rights, equal opportunities, nor voice for incomers
It is 85% migrant, a segregated society with a ban on integration in principle and practice, few rights, equal opportunities, nor voice for incomers
October 7, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The UAE is an authoritarian autocracy, a petro-state with no income tax for citizens, to bribe them for the lack of democratic voice or free speech
It is 85% migrant, a segregated society with a ban on integration in principle and practice, few rights, equal opportunities, nor voice for incomers
It is 85% migrant, a segregated society with a ban on integration in principle and practice, few rights, equal opportunities, nor voice for incomers
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
No, it never existed, and then the imaginary target was scrapped by the Conservatives years ago anyway.
The rise in numbers going to uni was entirely down to higher demand from students.
The rise in numbers going to uni was entirely down to higher demand from students.
did that 50% uni target thing actually still exist in any meaningful sense?
September 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
No, it never existed, and then the imaginary target was scrapped by the Conservatives years ago anyway.
The rise in numbers going to uni was entirely down to higher demand from students.
The rise in numbers going to uni was entirely down to higher demand from students.
Nope. This is in no way a good thing. Not even remotely
AI can’t raise the dead, but it might do the next best thing on.ft.com/4gFXyus | opinion
AI can’t raise the dead, but it might do the next best thing
Rapid advances in generative AI and voice technology mean communicating with the deceased will no longer be sci-fi
on.ft.com
September 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Nope. This is in no way a good thing. Not even remotely
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Journalism is a tough gig in 2025. News desks are pared to the bone, specialists are all but gone, nobody wants to pay to consume and advertising is in a death spiral.
So let's be honest about why Farage and co get so much coverage: they provide endless, cheap, easy stories and promote rage clicks.
So let's be honest about why Farage and co get so much coverage: they provide endless, cheap, easy stories and promote rage clicks.
September 26, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Journalism is a tough gig in 2025. News desks are pared to the bone, specialists are all but gone, nobody wants to pay to consume and advertising is in a death spiral.
So let's be honest about why Farage and co get so much coverage: they provide endless, cheap, easy stories and promote rage clicks.
So let's be honest about why Farage and co get so much coverage: they provide endless, cheap, easy stories and promote rage clicks.
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Anyone shocked that Reform plan to deport immigrants with Indefinite Leave to Remain hasn’t been paying attention.
Next it will be stripping citizenship from dual citizens, then deporting them.
Who do you think Reform are?
This.
This is who they are.
Next it will be stripping citizenship from dual citizens, then deporting them.
Who do you think Reform are?
This.
This is who they are.
September 21, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Anyone shocked that Reform plan to deport immigrants with Indefinite Leave to Remain hasn’t been paying attention.
Next it will be stripping citizenship from dual citizens, then deporting them.
Who do you think Reform are?
This.
This is who they are.
Next it will be stripping citizenship from dual citizens, then deporting them.
Who do you think Reform are?
This.
This is who they are.
Modern language education is probably the best educational crisis in Britain but gets very little coverage because we assume the rest of the world just speaks English as a second language
The government managed to recruit only 43 per cent of its target number of modern foreign language teachers for initial teacher training in 2024-25.
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
September 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Modern language education is probably the best educational crisis in Britain but gets very little coverage because we assume the rest of the world just speaks English as a second language
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
Asst'd reasons, incl that in laboratory sci subjects 1. You need buildings w labs (£££); 2. having undergrad lab classes to staff limits how bad you can make your staff-student ratios; 3. demand for sci PhDs means Unis can't staff lecture courses w casualized staff like they often do in arts/hums.
As we keep saying: when the humanities are in trouble, the sciences are, too; generally, at UK universities, the sciences are cross-subsidised by the arts and humanities.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Quarter of UK university physics departments at risk of closing, survey finds
Four out of five making staff cuts as physicists say findings are ‘great concern’ for UK’s leadership in important areas
www.theguardian.com
September 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Asst'd reasons, incl that in laboratory sci subjects 1. You need buildings w labs (£££); 2. having undergrad lab classes to staff limits how bad you can make your staff-student ratios; 3. demand for sci PhDs means Unis can't staff lecture courses w casualized staff like they often do in arts/hums.
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
As we keep saying: when the humanities are in trouble, the sciences are, too; generally, at UK universities, the sciences are cross-subsidised by the arts and humanities.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Quarter of UK university physics departments at risk of closing, survey finds
Four out of five making staff cuts as physicists say findings are ‘great concern’ for UK’s leadership in important areas
www.theguardian.com
September 20, 2025 at 7:56 AM
As we keep saying: when the humanities are in trouble, the sciences are, too; generally, at UK universities, the sciences are cross-subsidised by the arts and humanities.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
The worst kind of policy moaner is a middle aged arts or humanities graduate grumbling that not enough young people study STEM subjects.
September 19, 2025 at 10:49 AM
The worst kind of policy moaner is a middle aged arts or humanities graduate grumbling that not enough young people study STEM subjects.
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
The UK’s problems aren’t caused by immigration on.ft.com/46p3BPl
The UK’s problems aren’t caused by immigration
It’s not hard to see how so many came to worry about the issue. But the data isn’t there
on.ft.com
September 18, 2025 at 4:40 AM
The UK’s problems aren’t caused by immigration on.ft.com/46p3BPl
Reposted by Gordon McKelvie
The best advice to students beginning university can be summed up as: if in doubt, ask your teachers (or librarians, or student support staff, etc. as relevant) and not the plagiarism robot. The Guardian can send my fee to my PO Box.
Vacuous, generic and scattershot advice for incoming 1st years on the use of AI at university. Especially liking 'Chin recommends giving it class notes and asking it to generate practice exam questions.' Surely we can't be the only programme that supplies students with past & practice exams?
How to use ChatGPT at university without cheating: ‘Now it’s more like a study partner’
The ubiquitous AI tool has a divisive effect on educators with some seeing it a boon and others a menace. So what should you know about where to draw the line between check and cheat?
www.theguardian.com
September 14, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The best advice to students beginning university can be summed up as: if in doubt, ask your teachers (or librarians, or student support staff, etc. as relevant) and not the plagiarism robot. The Guardian can send my fee to my PO Box.
I am wondering if the death of Alexander III in 1286 could be the basis of a Carry On Film?
September 8, 2025 at 7:35 AM
I am wondering if the death of Alexander III in 1286 could be the basis of a Carry On Film?