Leif Hammer
@leifhammer.bsky.social
DPhil candidate in History, Magdalen College, University of Oxford | Aker Scholar 2021 | Tolkienist | Norwegian & Sámi | He/him | Works on eighteenth-century university history and scholarly culture. Husband
https://history.web.ox.ac.uk/people/leif-hammer
https://history.web.ox.ac.uk/people/leif-hammer
Tonight I’m sleeping on a boat to get to a work seminar tomorrow. Travelling with Havila Castor
November 11, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Tonight I’m sleeping on a boat to get to a work seminar tomorrow. Travelling with Havila Castor
Some weak northern lights here a couple of days ago. I haven’t adjusted to the shortening days yet and when it’s pitch black at 3 pm my body keeps thinking it’s bedtime
November 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Some weak northern lights here a couple of days ago. I haven’t adjusted to the shortening days yet and when it’s pitch black at 3 pm my body keeps thinking it’s bedtime
Happy birthday to my wonderful dad who turns 81 today! Here he is back in August with a bucket full of cloudberries that he picked all by himself
October 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Happy birthday to my wonderful dad who turns 81 today! Here he is back in August with a bucket full of cloudberries that he picked all by himself
Reposted by Leif Hammer
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
October 22, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
Made overnight oats for the first time and they were excellent
October 22, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Made overnight oats for the first time and they were excellent
Did you know that "forgotten or carelessly placed chairs can become tripping hazards"? I didn't either until I took the Healty Working Ergonomics course Oxford forced us to complete.
/s
/s
October 21, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Did you know that "forgotten or carelessly placed chairs can become tripping hazards"? I didn't either until I took the Healty Working Ergonomics course Oxford forced us to complete.
/s
/s
UPDATE: This person (who, by the way, had a non-urgent query imo) not only emailed my work, probably tried calling my work phone (off due to vacation), called my private number multiple times, texted it, messaged my Facebook, but they also texted my mother's phone number. That's way over the line!
I'm uncomfortable with answering work queries during my leisure time and on my private number or SoMe accounts. I'm worried that will just break down any distinction between work and leisure, which is something I already struggle with balancing (3/3)
October 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
UPDATE: This person (who, by the way, had a non-urgent query imo) not only emailed my work, probably tried calling my work phone (off due to vacation), called my private number multiple times, texted it, messaged my Facebook, but they also texted my mother's phone number. That's way over the line!
Had a lovely vacation with my wife. She flew in from the US and we saw Stavanger & Kristiansand here in Norway. Then we went off to Karlovy Vary & Prague in Czechia. Since we're in visa limbo we had to say goodbye for now this morning, which is very hard. I hope we'll be able to live together soon
October 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Had a lovely vacation with my wife. She flew in from the US and we saw Stavanger & Kristiansand here in Norway. Then we went off to Karlovy Vary & Prague in Czechia. Since we're in visa limbo we had to say goodbye for now this morning, which is very hard. I hope we'll be able to live together soon
My email's automatic replies haven't been working while I was off on holiday. Annoying, especially considering I raised the issue with IT and they told me it was working. I did everything right on my end, but it might tie back to a mistake IT made when they created my work account (1/3)
October 17, 2025 at 1:56 PM
My email's automatic replies haven't been working while I was off on holiday. Annoying, especially considering I raised the issue with IT and they told me it was working. I did everything right on my end, but it might tie back to a mistake IT made when they created my work account (1/3)
Visited the Battle of Hafrsfjord monument right outside Stavanger
October 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Visited the Battle of Hafrsfjord monument right outside Stavanger
Mourning is a strange thing. I'm fine one moment and the next I'm not
October 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Mourning is a strange thing. I'm fine one moment and the next I'm not
Rest in peace, dear aunt. I don’t know anyone else who found as much joy in music as you did, both as a listener and as a musician. You were kind and generous to all around you, with unfaltering optimism. We will sorely miss you
September 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Rest in peace, dear aunt. I don’t know anyone else who found as much joy in music as you did, both as a listener and as a musician. You were kind and generous to all around you, with unfaltering optimism. We will sorely miss you
Mourning a tree I liked that got cut down after a storm
September 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Mourning a tree I liked that got cut down after a storm
Wrote a blog post about the conference I went to in Trondheim open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
Back in ‘Mustache City’ (Trondheim): Norwegian Historians' Conference, day 1
Trondheim is often called ‘mustache city’ (bartebyen), though I'm not sure why. Anyway, over to history.
open.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Wrote a blog post about the conference I went to in Trondheim open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
When I studied in Trondheim I lived in one of these cosy houses. As far as I remember, these were not purpose-built as student accommodation but repurposed. Still, they don't make 'em like they used to
September 19, 2025 at 7:09 AM
When I studied in Trondheim I lived in one of these cosy houses. As far as I remember, these were not purpose-built as student accommodation but repurposed. Still, they don't make 'em like they used to
Started Jon Fosse’s new novel “Vaim”
September 18, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Started Jon Fosse’s new novel “Vaim”
The conference I attended in Trondheim posted a few pictures. I'm sad to report that I instantly recognised myself from the bald spot… Though the Magdalen tote and the blazer is also a dead giveaway
September 17, 2025 at 9:58 AM
The conference I attended in Trondheim posted a few pictures. I'm sad to report that I instantly recognised myself from the bald spot… Though the Magdalen tote and the blazer is also a dead giveaway
There's a great interview with Quentin Skinner by Håvard Friis Nilsen (Oslo Metropolitan University) on liberty in the newspaper Klassekampen klassekampen.no/artikkel/202...
Frihet uten slaveri
Frihetsbegrepet har lange røtter, hevder Quentin Skinner. Han minner om at det fantes frihet før liberalismen.
klassekampen.no
September 17, 2025 at 6:52 AM
There's a great interview with Quentin Skinner by Håvard Friis Nilsen (Oslo Metropolitan University) on liberty in the newspaper Klassekampen klassekampen.no/artikkel/202...
Attended a really interesting conference by KulturIT. They make a range of IT services for the museum sector in Norway (and even for some Swedish museums)
September 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Attended a really interesting conference by KulturIT. They make a range of IT services for the museum sector in Norway (and even for some Swedish museums)
NRK (the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) livestreamed the moving process for the Oseberg Ship. Proper slow TV since moving it safely takes a long time
September 10, 2025 at 5:22 PM
NRK (the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) livestreamed the moving process for the Oseberg Ship. Proper slow TV since moving it safely takes a long time
Jeg er i Trondheim 11.-14. september for å delta på Norske historiedager (12.-14. september). Si fra om du også skal på konferansen eller har lyst å møtes til en kjapp kaffe —det hadde vært veldig hyggelig å møte gamle kjenninger!
September 4, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Jeg er i Trondheim 11.-14. september for å delta på Norske historiedager (12.-14. september). Si fra om du også skal på konferansen eller har lyst å møtes til en kjapp kaffe —det hadde vært veldig hyggelig å møte gamle kjenninger!
How am I supposed to bring my work laptop while travelling for work when it dies after five minutes without the charger plugged in
September 1, 2025 at 2:01 PM
How am I supposed to bring my work laptop while travelling for work when it dies after five minutes without the charger plugged in
Devastated to learn that they might not even process my wife’s spousal visa until 2027… Why do our countries keep us apart. Why are we being punished for being of different nationalities!?
August 30, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Devastated to learn that they might not even process my wife’s spousal visa until 2027… Why do our countries keep us apart. Why are we being punished for being of different nationalities!?
It’s the little things. I bought myself a library stamp! 😅
August 29, 2025 at 11:37 AM
It’s the little things. I bought myself a library stamp! 😅
Did my duty and voted 🗳️ 🇳🇴
August 28, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Did my duty and voted 🗳️ 🇳🇴