Joseph M. Adelman
@jmadelman.bsky.social
Historian of politics, business, media in early America. Author of Revolutionary Networks. He/him. See https://josephadelman.com for more.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Right after the January 6 insurrection and in the years afterward, historians wrote about its echoes in the past and its implications for the future.
Here is a roundup of their online articles, with links:
megankatenelson.com/historians-c...
Here is a roundup of their online articles, with links:
megankatenelson.com/historians-c...
Historians Contextualizing the Capitol Insurrection: A Roundup – Megan Kate Nelson
megankatenelson.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Right after the January 6 insurrection and in the years afterward, historians wrote about its echoes in the past and its implications for the future.
Here is a roundup of their online articles, with links:
megankatenelson.com/historians-c...
Here is a roundup of their online articles, with links:
megankatenelson.com/historians-c...
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
u heard sharon, everyone post about their esoteric interests right fucking now. for the good of the community, we need to be hyperfixationmaxxing.
i think this site really needs to figure out how to grow the non-politics verticals (the baseball moment was a good thing!) because i suspect a lot of the bad clusters come out of the political clusters driving 95% of ENG-lang posts
I'd be happy with big non politics accounts.
January 5, 2026 at 9:57 PM
u heard sharon, everyone post about their esoteric interests right fucking now. for the good of the community, we need to be hyperfixationmaxxing.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
January 6, 2026 at 2:00 AM
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
The first great American 250th anniversary date of the year arrives this Friday: the publication of Thomas Paine's COMMON SENSE, which occurred on January 9, 1776.
Many sources have the date as January 10, 1776. This is incorrect. But what accounts for the confusion???? Friends, follow me.
Many sources have the date as January 10, 1776. This is incorrect. But what accounts for the confusion???? Friends, follow me.
January 5, 2026 at 5:20 PM
The first great American 250th anniversary date of the year arrives this Friday: the publication of Thomas Paine's COMMON SENSE, which occurred on January 9, 1776.
Many sources have the date as January 10, 1776. This is incorrect. But what accounts for the confusion???? Friends, follow me.
Many sources have the date as January 10, 1776. This is incorrect. But what accounts for the confusion???? Friends, follow me.
Sometimes I wonder whether government officials know they might get a historian's attention by describing something as mundane as a budget process as "cumbrous, inflexible, and slow-reacting." In any case, thank you 1967 Post Office Department official. #PostOffice
January 5, 2026 at 6:56 PM
Sometimes I wonder whether government officials know they might get a historian's attention by describing something as mundane as a budget process as "cumbrous, inflexible, and slow-reacting." In any case, thank you 1967 Post Office Department official. #PostOffice
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Just passing this along because I keep hearing speculation that someone in the Venezuelan government (Delcy, presumably) cut a deal to get rid of Maduro in part to cut ties with Cuba, which was Maduro's project and not one shared by her
January 5, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Just passing this along because I keep hearing speculation that someone in the Venezuelan government (Delcy, presumably) cut a deal to get rid of Maduro in part to cut ties with Cuba, which was Maduro's project and not one shared by her
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
The more we say to young people "everything that needs to be known is already available to you via this convenient chatbot" the more we signal to them that their brains are vestigial...no need to work on your reading, thinking, or writing skills, machines can do that better. Go scroll.
January 4, 2026 at 4:51 PM
The more we say to young people "everything that needs to be known is already available to you via this convenient chatbot" the more we signal to them that their brains are vestigial...no need to work on your reading, thinking, or writing skills, machines can do that better. Go scroll.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
I appreciate Cameron's whole thread here on student use of genAI. I really wish more folks would listen to what teachers and college profs are witnessing and take it seriously.
But teaching a first-year seminar this past semester really opened my eyes to just how toxic it's already been for younger students. I'm not some knee-jerk tech skeptic and I didn't hold this view 12 months ago. But now? I'm raising the alarm.
January 5, 2026 at 1:05 PM
I appreciate Cameron's whole thread here on student use of genAI. I really wish more folks would listen to what teachers and college profs are witnessing and take it seriously.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
But teaching a first-year seminar this past semester really opened my eyes to just how toxic it's already been for younger students. I'm not some knee-jerk tech skeptic and I didn't hold this view 12 months ago. But now? I'm raising the alarm.
January 4, 2026 at 8:11 PM
But teaching a first-year seminar this past semester really opened my eyes to just how toxic it's already been for younger students. I'm not some knee-jerk tech skeptic and I didn't hold this view 12 months ago. But now? I'm raising the alarm.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Curiosity has to be cultivated for most students and the kind of LLM's they are using (all the time, for everything) sands that away. If you deal mostly w ppl out of college or even current PhDs/advanced undergrads the problem might be less apparent +
January 4, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Curiosity has to be cultivated for most students and the kind of LLM's they are using (all the time, for everything) sands that away. If you deal mostly w ppl out of college or even current PhDs/advanced undergrads the problem might be less apparent +
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
January 5, 2026 at 3:02 AM
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
ALOT going on in the world, so here’s an adorable yet majestic owl for your TL. Hang in there, friends! 🦉 🗃️
January 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM
ALOT going on in the world, so here’s an adorable yet majestic owl for your TL. Hang in there, friends! 🦉 🗃️
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
a lot of problems wouldn't exist if we had a congress with even an ounce of self interest
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Cracking me up the Jets have a player named Quentin Skinner
January 4, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Cracking me up the Jets have a player named Quentin Skinner
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
A shitpost so great Billy Joel actually heard about it
September 21, 2025 at 5:21 AM
A shitpost so great Billy Joel actually heard about it
New in 2026 from Clio Digital Media: Sally Franklin’s Bookshelf!
There are more books than we can possibly feature on @bfworld.bsky.social, so now you’ll be able to learn about even more scholarship on #VastEarlyAmerica. Thanks to @morganmccullough.bsky.social for her work on our new newsletter.
There are more books than we can possibly feature on @bfworld.bsky.social, so now you’ll be able to learn about even more scholarship on #VastEarlyAmerica. Thanks to @morganmccullough.bsky.social for her work on our new newsletter.
Starting next Sunday, you’ll receive a newsletter every other week in which Morgan McCullough, our co-editor, interviews the author of a new book about their work. And we decided to name this new feature after Sally Franklin, Benjamin Franklin’s only daughter.
api.neonemails.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:06 PM
New in 2026 from Clio Digital Media: Sally Franklin’s Bookshelf!
There are more books than we can possibly feature on @bfworld.bsky.social, so now you’ll be able to learn about even more scholarship on #VastEarlyAmerica. Thanks to @morganmccullough.bsky.social for her work on our new newsletter.
There are more books than we can possibly feature on @bfworld.bsky.social, so now you’ll be able to learn about even more scholarship on #VastEarlyAmerica. Thanks to @morganmccullough.bsky.social for her work on our new newsletter.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a law, passed by Congress on November 19 with an overwhelming vote. Complying with it was not optional. The Department of Justice did not comply.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
January 4, 2026 at 6:18 PM
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a law, passed by Congress on November 19 with an overwhelming vote. Complying with it was not optional. The Department of Justice did not comply.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
I just learned that the American Antiquarian Society digitized some Hawaiian language materials, including a paper for children titled Ke Alaula. Like other missionary papers, it appears to re-use illustrations made by the American Tract Society in NY. 🗃️
www.americanantiquarian.org/hawaiian-lan...
www.americanantiquarian.org/hawaiian-lan...
January 3, 2026 at 5:04 AM
I just learned that the American Antiquarian Society digitized some Hawaiian language materials, including a paper for children titled Ke Alaula. Like other missionary papers, it appears to re-use illustrations made by the American Tract Society in NY. 🗃️
www.americanantiquarian.org/hawaiian-lan...
www.americanantiquarian.org/hawaiian-lan...
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
“By focusing not on their students’ ability to use generative AI but on their students’ ability to be generative and thus thrive in a world that can sustain them, they are absolutely thinking about the future. “
Rethinking Schools published my article about pushing back on some of the arguments made by those seeking to rush AI tools into schools.
Resisting AI Mania in Schools
A former English teacher takes on many of the arguments of AI promoters.
rethinkingschools.org
January 3, 2026 at 4:17 PM
“By focusing not on their students’ ability to use generative AI but on their students’ ability to be generative and thus thrive in a world that can sustain them, they are absolutely thinking about the future. “
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
"And even if courts ultimately reject head-of-state immunity, they may still conclude that Maduro is insulated from liability for “official acts,” especially in light of the Supreme Court’s embrace of a version of constitutional “official act” immunity for President Trump in Trump v. United States."
"If we hadn’t already, we’ve unquestionably joined the league of ordinary nations—a league in which we’re acting as little more than a bully, and in circumstances in which no obvious principle of self-defense, human rights, or even humantarianism writ large justifies our bellicosity."
Me on Maduro:
Me on Maduro:
200. Five Questions About the Maduro Arrest Operation
Friday night's U.S. military operation in Venezuela was a textbook violation of international law. It's also entirely unauthorized by U.S. law, which ought to (but probably won't) matter.
www.stevevladeck.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:22 AM
"And even if courts ultimately reject head-of-state immunity, they may still conclude that Maduro is insulated from liability for “official acts,” especially in light of the Supreme Court’s embrace of a version of constitutional “official act” immunity for President Trump in Trump v. United States."
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
There are a lot of MLB players and prospects from Venezuela. Been texting with people in several front offices and nobody knows how this is going to impact players and their families’ ability to get out. A total clusterfuck.
January 3, 2026 at 6:52 PM
There are a lot of MLB players and prospects from Venezuela. Been texting with people in several front offices and nobody knows how this is going to impact players and their families’ ability to get out. A total clusterfuck.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
January 3, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
Reposted by Joseph M. Adelman
Thisclose to panic paralysis at the expanding to-do lists 😱
January 3, 2026 at 12:32 AM
Thisclose to panic paralysis at the expanding to-do lists 😱
Dodgeball tournament
How else can professors prove "merit" besides SAT scores? Wrong answers only. I'll go first: ability to do sixth-grade geometry homework (two professors in my house fail)
January 2, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Dodgeball tournament