John Sabapathy
@jwwsabapathy.bsky.social
Professor of history @uclhistory.bsky.social + co-convenor @anthropoceneucl.bsky.social. Editor at @enghistrev.bsky.social.
Institutions, rationalities, environments, mostly medieval.
https://tinyurl.com/2p8r9yeh + https://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropocene/.
Institutions, rationalities, environments, mostly medieval.
https://tinyurl.com/2p8r9yeh + https://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropocene/.
Pinned
Anthropocene Vernaculars: Crawford Lake
An experimental piece of writing tracing the histories of Crawford Lake, Ontario which was nominated as a global example of the Anthropocene.
thinkpieces-review.co.uk
An 'experimental' piece of writing by me @ucl-ias.bsky.social on Crawford Lake, the site proposed for the Anthropocene's location c.1950.
(Publication was delayed—it was written before the Subcommission for Quaternary Stratigraphy's rejection of the Anthropocene as an epoch).
#Anthropocene
(Publication was delayed—it was written before the Subcommission for Quaternary Stratigraphy's rejection of the Anthropocene as an epoch).
#Anthropocene
Reposted by John Sabapathy
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
How aware is/are your MP(s) of what your local universities deliver beyond taught programmes? Little in political debate or media suggests that their understanding is high. Perhaps it's time to add tutorials with worked examples to the mix, before it's too late. ICSs offer easy starting points. 8/8
This is an excellent🧵—and a sign of how threadbare & impoverished UK non-stem discourse is that,again and again, such cases need to be mounted in these terms in an affluent & supposedly mature polity.
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
The organ donation ‘opt-out’ has been a fatal failure | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
This is an excellent🧵—and a sign of how threadbare & impoverished UK non-stem discourse is that,again and again, such cases need to be mounted in these terms in an affluent & supposedly mature polity.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
Many thanks to the Centre for Apocalyptic & Postapocalyptic Studies (CAPAS) @uniheidelberg.bsky.social for welcoming @fmussgnug.bsky.social, @jwwsabapathy.bsky.social & Emily Baker to talk about emergence and emergencies last week—we look forward to our discussions in Bloomsbury next spring!
November 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Many thanks to the Centre for Apocalyptic & Postapocalyptic Studies (CAPAS) @uniheidelberg.bsky.social for welcoming @fmussgnug.bsky.social, @jwwsabapathy.bsky.social & Emily Baker to talk about emergence and emergencies last week—we look forward to our discussions in Bloomsbury next spring!
Reposted by John Sabapathy
‘The recommendation to abandon the English Baccalaureate at GCSE would eliminate one of the few remaining safeguards for language provision in England’s schools and risk narrowing education for the next generation.’
Our response to the curriculum review
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/the-uks...
Our response to the curriculum review
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/the-uks...
The UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences, The British Academy responds to the final report of the curriculum and assessment review
The final report of the Curriculum and Assessment review, released today, raises important questions about how we maintain a balanced and effective education system that works for all. The UK’s nation...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 6:20 PM
‘The recommendation to abandon the English Baccalaureate at GCSE would eliminate one of the few remaining safeguards for language provision in England’s schools and risk narrowing education for the next generation.’
Our response to the curriculum review
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/the-uks...
Our response to the curriculum review
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/the-uks...
This is an amazing collaboration. I’ve heard McVinnie on the RFH organ, extraordinary—also a lovely & generous man who sent me a rough cut of him playing Hanne Darboven just because I complained on the other place about how hard it is to hear her work.
Add to playlist: Tristan Perich and James McVinnie’s piece for organ and 100 loudspeakers, plus the week’s best new tracks
Perich’s work, performed with McVinnie at Royal Festival Hall, is the latest addition to today’s canon of boundary-pushing pipe organ music
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:52 AM
This is an amazing collaboration. I’ve heard McVinnie on the RFH organ, extraordinary—also a lovely & generous man who sent me a rough cut of him playing Hanne Darboven just because I complained on the other place about how hard it is to hear her work.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
🌍 New from Anthropocene Vernaculars:
@jwwsabapathy.bsky.social's 'Koutarcano: An Exercise in the Historic Present' explores Wendat history, language, and the Anthropocene at Crawford Lake.
🔗 shorturl.at/6UyCn
@jwwsabapathy.bsky.social's 'Koutarcano: An Exercise in the Historic Present' explores Wendat history, language, and the Anthropocene at Crawford Lake.
🔗 shorturl.at/6UyCn
Anthropocene Vernaculars: Crawford Lake
An experimental piece of writing tracing the histories of Crawford Lake, Ontario which was nominated as a global example of the Anthropocene.
shorturl.at
November 5, 2025 at 1:43 PM
🌍 New from Anthropocene Vernaculars:
@jwwsabapathy.bsky.social's 'Koutarcano: An Exercise in the Historic Present' explores Wendat history, language, and the Anthropocene at Crawford Lake.
🔗 shorturl.at/6UyCn
@jwwsabapathy.bsky.social's 'Koutarcano: An Exercise in the Historic Present' explores Wendat history, language, and the Anthropocene at Crawford Lake.
🔗 shorturl.at/6UyCn
Reposted by John Sabapathy
British Academy Early Career Network: Writing Retreat
28 Nov, 9am-5pm @britishacademy.bsky.social
If you are an early career researcher looking to finish (or start) that piece of writing/lecture/grant application/proposal, this event might be for you!
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
28 Nov, 9am-5pm @britishacademy.bsky.social
If you are an early career researcher looking to finish (or start) that piece of writing/lecture/grant application/proposal, this event might be for you!
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Early Career Network: Writing Retreat
If you are an early career researcher looking to finish (or start) that piece of writing/lecture/grant application/proposal, this event might be for you!
www.ucl.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 10:51 AM
British Academy Early Career Network: Writing Retreat
28 Nov, 9am-5pm @britishacademy.bsky.social
If you are an early career researcher looking to finish (or start) that piece of writing/lecture/grant application/proposal, this event might be for you!
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
28 Nov, 9am-5pm @britishacademy.bsky.social
If you are an early career researcher looking to finish (or start) that piece of writing/lecture/grant application/proposal, this event might be for you!
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Reposted by John Sabapathy
📣 ANNONCE
Le vendredi 28 novembre à Poitiers je co-organise avec le @cescm-7302.bsky.social une table ronde hommage à Martin Aurell, on parlera bien sûr de l'empire plantagenêt et d'autres sujets de ses recherches.
➡️ Infos et réservations des places : www.billetweb.fr/enregistreme...
Le vendredi 28 novembre à Poitiers je co-organise avec le @cescm-7302.bsky.social une table ronde hommage à Martin Aurell, on parlera bien sûr de l'empire plantagenêt et d'autres sujets de ses recherches.
➡️ Infos et réservations des places : www.billetweb.fr/enregistreme...
October 31, 2025 at 4:18 PM
📣 ANNONCE
Le vendredi 28 novembre à Poitiers je co-organise avec le @cescm-7302.bsky.social une table ronde hommage à Martin Aurell, on parlera bien sûr de l'empire plantagenêt et d'autres sujets de ses recherches.
➡️ Infos et réservations des places : www.billetweb.fr/enregistreme...
Le vendredi 28 novembre à Poitiers je co-organise avec le @cescm-7302.bsky.social une table ronde hommage à Martin Aurell, on parlera bien sûr de l'empire plantagenêt et d'autres sujets de ses recherches.
➡️ Infos et réservations des places : www.billetweb.fr/enregistreme...
With a school governor + Y9/Y13 parent hat, this is wise advice: teachers struggle to complete GCSE curricula & exams are top heavy—this trickles down to KS3. Reduced testing's sensible: are children allowed to enjoy learning?. Wise focus on SEND, AI & climate education. Will government listen?
Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report
The conclusions and recommendations of the independent review of the curriculum, assessment and qualifications system in England.
www.gov.uk
November 5, 2025 at 8:47 AM
With a school governor + Y9/Y13 parent hat, this is wise advice: teachers struggle to complete GCSE curricula & exams are top heavy—this trickles down to KS3. Reduced testing's sensible: are children allowed to enjoy learning?. Wise focus on SEND, AI & climate education. Will government listen?
The scandal of one of the world’s greatest libraries dying publicly while everyone watches and - no one? - does anything….
At least @timeshighered.bsky.social have written up the story
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/british...
British Library chief executive quits amid strike action over pay
National library chief Rebecca Lawrence will be replaced by interim head Jeremy Silver with immediate effect
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The scandal of one of the world’s greatest libraries dying publicly while everyone watches and - no one? - does anything….
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
British Library chief executive quits midway through PCS strike
The British Library has been thrown into further turmoil midway through a two-week PCS strike with the resignation of its chief executive Rebecca Lawrence.
www.pcs.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
Does anyone know how much money was spent on digitising medieval manuscripts at the British Library that the 2023 cyber hack took down? (preparing for a class tomorrow!)
November 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Does anyone know how much money was spent on digitising medieval manuscripts at the British Library that the 2023 cyber hack took down? (preparing for a class tomorrow!)
Reposted by John Sabapathy
A newly appointed Head of Department thanked me for this old Guardian column last week. So I feel duty bound to share it.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
University administration in permanent revolution? Try masterful inactivity
The only way for academics to cope with the pace of change in universities is to ignore everything
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
A newly appointed Head of Department thanked me for this old Guardian column last week. So I feel duty bound to share it.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘We are all in danger’. This is excellent on Pasolini by Olivia Laing.
What did Pasolini know? Fifty years after his brutal murder, the director’s vision of fascism is more urgent than ever
With mystery still surrounding Pier Paolo Pasolini’s death, the poet and film-maker’s warnings of corruption and rising totalitarianism offer a chilling message for our times
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:29 AM
‘We are all in danger’. This is excellent on Pasolini by Olivia Laing.
Obv the best Halloween 🎃 album ever.
Peepshow (Remastered and Expanded) by Siouxsie & The Banshees on Apple Music
Album · 2014 · 13 Songs
music.apple.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Obv the best Halloween 🎃 album ever.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
Last night, Professor Jason Peacey delivered a truly magisterial Annual Holden Lecture at Senate House! ✨
His talk, Tickets and Trifles: Ephemeral Print and Restoration England, revealed how the most fleeting historical documents can offer the deepest insights into our past. 📜
His talk, Tickets and Trifles: Ephemeral Print and Restoration England, revealed how the most fleeting historical documents can offer the deepest insights into our past. 📜
October 31, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Last night, Professor Jason Peacey delivered a truly magisterial Annual Holden Lecture at Senate House! ✨
His talk, Tickets and Trifles: Ephemeral Print and Restoration England, revealed how the most fleeting historical documents can offer the deepest insights into our past. 📜
His talk, Tickets and Trifles: Ephemeral Print and Restoration England, revealed how the most fleeting historical documents can offer the deepest insights into our past. 📜
Extraordinary (but now unsurprising) use of Tolkien here. (Sharing link 👇).
October 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Extraordinary (but now unsurprising) use of Tolkien here. (Sharing link 👇).
Reposted by John Sabapathy
👏👏 to @fmussgnug.bsky.social for a 🎆 inaugural lecture on loving apocalypse too much @uclselcs.bsky.social last night!
Saul Bellow's Herzog, Frank Kermode, Loki & multiverse destruction, Mary Shelley's & apocalypses as a way of looking beyond & through them to something more sustaining.
Saul Bellow's Herzog, Frank Kermode, Loki & multiverse destruction, Mary Shelley's & apocalypses as a way of looking beyond & through them to something more sustaining.
October 29, 2025 at 9:27 AM
👏👏 to @fmussgnug.bsky.social for a 🎆 inaugural lecture on loving apocalypse too much @uclselcs.bsky.social last night!
Saul Bellow's Herzog, Frank Kermode, Loki & multiverse destruction, Mary Shelley's & apocalypses as a way of looking beyond & through them to something more sustaining.
Saul Bellow's Herzog, Frank Kermode, Loki & multiverse destruction, Mary Shelley's & apocalypses as a way of looking beyond & through them to something more sustaining.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
Really exciting event in London on Friday 7.30pm:
Two incredible writers, Pankaj Mishra and @nesrinemalik.bsky.social, in conversation about the world emerging from Western dominance.
They're founding editors of the new @Equatormag. Check it out! 👇
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/pan...
Two incredible writers, Pankaj Mishra and @nesrinemalik.bsky.social, in conversation about the world emerging from Western dominance.
They're founding editors of the new @Equatormag. Check it out! 👇
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/pan...
Pankaj Mishra & Nesrine Malik: Equator | Southbank Centre
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Really exciting event in London on Friday 7.30pm:
Two incredible writers, Pankaj Mishra and @nesrinemalik.bsky.social, in conversation about the world emerging from Western dominance.
They're founding editors of the new @Equatormag. Check it out! 👇
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/pan...
Two incredible writers, Pankaj Mishra and @nesrinemalik.bsky.social, in conversation about the world emerging from Western dominance.
They're founding editors of the new @Equatormag. Check it out! 👇
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/pan...
Reposted by John Sabapathy
À Dunkerque (Nord), une campagne de fouilles révèle de nouvelles données sur la poldérisation et les occupations médiévales de l’ancien estuaire de la Denna.
En savoir plus 👉 www.inrap.fr/dunkerque-le...
En savoir plus 👉 www.inrap.fr/dunkerque-le...
October 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
À Dunkerque (Nord), une campagne de fouilles révèle de nouvelles données sur la poldérisation et les occupations médiévales de l’ancien estuaire de la Denna.
En savoir plus 👉 www.inrap.fr/dunkerque-le...
En savoir plus 👉 www.inrap.fr/dunkerque-le...
An amazing musician.
Pictures by Jack DeJohnette on Apple Music
Album · 1977 · 6 Songs
music.apple.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:47 PM
An amazing musician.
re your post on horror & women @mattielubchansky.com, did you see Mariana Enriquez's comments in the Observer?
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
Mariana Enríquez: ‘The fear of the old female body is out...
The Argentinian writer on her cemetery obsession, horror’s fixation with ageing, and the novel she tossed on the barbecue
observer.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 5:35 PM
re your post on horror & women @mattielubchansky.com, did you see Mariana Enriquez's comments in the Observer?
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
It's official @fmussgnug.bsky.social @uclselcs.bsky.social has sold out the Gustave Tuck.
Clearly we do, indeed, love apocalypses too much.
Clearly we do, indeed, love apocalypses too much.
October 27, 2025 at 5:22 PM
It's official @fmussgnug.bsky.social @uclselcs.bsky.social has sold out the Gustave Tuck.
Clearly we do, indeed, love apocalypses too much.
Clearly we do, indeed, love apocalypses too much.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
Calling all @ucl.ac.uk ECRs working on #envhums, #health, #socialscience, #Anthropocene, and on climate/health/cultural @uclgrandchallenges.bsky.social related topics. Do come to our ECR showcase lunch Weds, incl news on ECR ££ for 25/26.
Our ECR Showcase (hosted by UCL Anthropocene and UCL Health Mind & Society) is at the www.artworkersguild.org on Wednesday! There'll be networking, a light lunch, presentations on last year's projects and an announcement of this year's ECR funding! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecr-showca...
October 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Calling all @ucl.ac.uk ECRs working on #envhums, #health, #socialscience, #Anthropocene, and on climate/health/cultural @uclgrandchallenges.bsky.social related topics. Do come to our ECR showcase lunch Weds, incl news on ECR ££ for 25/26.
Reposted by John Sabapathy
I’m old enough to remember when everybody agreed that higher education was a “market” and offering “choice” was how the universities were meant to grow
on.ft.com/3WTwBue
on.ft.com/3WTwBue
October 27, 2025 at 7:32 AM
I’m old enough to remember when everybody agreed that higher education was a “market” and offering “choice” was how the universities were meant to grow
on.ft.com/3WTwBue
on.ft.com/3WTwBue