Mark Hines
@markshines.bsky.social
PhD student at the University of Kentucky
Fulbright Taiwan
Race and representation in fantasy games, toxic fan studies, popular culture
markhines.me
Fulbright Taiwan
Race and representation in fantasy games, toxic fan studies, popular culture
markhines.me
Reposted by Mark Hines
All I want for Christmas is a political party that will fight for me and the people I love.
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
All I want for Christmas is a political party that will fight for me and the people I love.
Reposted by Mark Hines
honestly the only piece worth reading on the platner situation. @tressiemcphd.bsky.social is absolutely cooking here. (gift link)
Opinion | A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:36 PM
honestly the only piece worth reading on the platner situation. @tressiemcphd.bsky.social is absolutely cooking here. (gift link)
Reposted by Mark Hines
We're happy to announce the call for contributions for our new HGN theme: Fictions! Following a successful event last month, this theme explores the relationship between history and fiction in games, and how they shape each other.
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
Call for Contributions - Fictions | Historical Games Network
Our theme of Fictions started with a HGN | IWM panel at the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival. You can read more about the event on the Historical Games Network blog and you can watch the ...
www.historicalgames.net
October 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
We're happy to announce the call for contributions for our new HGN theme: Fictions! Following a successful event last month, this theme explores the relationship between history and fiction in games, and how they shape each other.
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
Reposted by Mark Hines
UVA school of data science is hiring this year—searches are open to folks from all disciplines. We need humanists & social scientists to teach ethics/data & society courses + do research that supports school’s mission to be holistic in the study of data science: datascience.virginia.edu/faculty-jobs
Faculty Jobs — School of Data Science
School of Data Science at the University of Virginia.
datascience.virginia.edu
October 13, 2025 at 6:23 PM
UVA school of data science is hiring this year—searches are open to folks from all disciplines. We need humanists & social scientists to teach ethics/data & society courses + do research that supports school’s mission to be holistic in the study of data science: datascience.virginia.edu/faculty-jobs
And a huge thanks to the team at Studies in the Fantastic! It was an honor working with them, and their efforts really brought out the best in our piece!
October 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
And a huge thanks to the team at Studies in the Fantastic! It was an honor working with them, and their efforts really brought out the best in our piece!
Reposted by Mark Hines
Is Bloodborne's Gothic horror just aesthetics, or a critique of Victorian gender roles? 🤔🩸
Mark Hines and Riley Wilkins in "Isn't that how you've made me?" analyze Bloodborne's feminine dualities, arguing the game constructs and critiques the impossible standard of "good" and "bad" femininity.
Mark Hines and Riley Wilkins in "Isn't that how you've made me?" analyze Bloodborne's feminine dualities, arguing the game constructs and critiques the impossible standard of "good" and "bad" femininity.
October 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Is Bloodborne's Gothic horror just aesthetics, or a critique of Victorian gender roles? 🤔🩸
Mark Hines and Riley Wilkins in "Isn't that how you've made me?" analyze Bloodborne's feminine dualities, arguing the game constructs and critiques the impossible standard of "good" and "bad" femininity.
Mark Hines and Riley Wilkins in "Isn't that how you've made me?" analyze Bloodborne's feminine dualities, arguing the game constructs and critiques the impossible standard of "good" and "bad" femininity.
Reposted by Mark Hines
"This Whole Thing Smacks Of Gondor," i holler as i overturn my uncle's funeral pyre and turn the 4th Age of Man into the 4th Age of Shit
October 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM
"This Whole Thing Smacks Of Gondor," i holler as i overturn my uncle's funeral pyre and turn the 4th Age of Man into the 4th Age of Shit
Reposted by Mark Hines
it's weird how several decades of organized assault on higher education has led to a cratering of American public opinion on higher education
news.gallup.com/poll/695003/...
news.gallup.com/poll/695003/...
Perceived Importance of College Hits New Low
The percentage of Americans who consider a college education "very important" has slipped below the majority level.
news.gallup.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:39 PM
it's weird how several decades of organized assault on higher education has led to a cratering of American public opinion on higher education
news.gallup.com/poll/695003/...
news.gallup.com/poll/695003/...
Reposted by Mark Hines
We’re thrilled to announce that Issue 19, a special issue on Gendered Violence and Video Games, is now live on Project Muse (muse.jhu.edu/issue/55643) and the UTampa Press website (utampapress.org/product/stud...
Thank you to all our contributors. Go check it out!
#SFF #VideoGames #SpecFic
#Read
Thank you to all our contributors. Go check it out!
#SFF #VideoGames #SpecFic
#Read
a bunch of colorful squares are flying in the air
ALT: a bunch of colorful squares are flying in the air
media.tenor.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:15 PM
We’re thrilled to announce that Issue 19, a special issue on Gendered Violence and Video Games, is now live on Project Muse (muse.jhu.edu/issue/55643) and the UTampa Press website (utampapress.org/product/stud...
Thank you to all our contributors. Go check it out!
#SFF #VideoGames #SpecFic
#Read
Thank you to all our contributors. Go check it out!
#SFF #VideoGames #SpecFic
#Read
Reposted by Mark Hines
EA's bombshell deal to go private could be good for investors, but bad for employees. Leveraged buyouts almost always lead to immediate mass layoffs, and more than half of EA's current cash flow will likely go toward servicing the debt.
This week's column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
This week's column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
EA's Deal to Go Private Could Be Good for Investors, Bad for Employees
Leveraged buyouts almost always lead to cost-cutting in the form of big layoffs
www.bloomberg.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:08 PM
EA's bombshell deal to go private could be good for investors, but bad for employees. Leveraged buyouts almost always lead to immediate mass layoffs, and more than half of EA's current cash flow will likely go toward servicing the debt.
This week's column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
This week's column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by Mark Hines
It is (almost) funny to me how, for decades, we've seen the decline of appreciation and funding for liberal arts (and subsequently enrollments), and for 10 to 15 years, we've also seen the rise of (technocratic) authoritarianism, but people won't connect the dots. www.startribune.com/liberal-arts...
Liberal arts are on a long decline. Some Minnesota schools are finding new ways to boost them.
English majors in Minnesota have declined by 44% while health professions have increased sevenfold, for instance. What’s the future for the liberal arts?
www.startribune.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:30 PM
It is (almost) funny to me how, for decades, we've seen the decline of appreciation and funding for liberal arts (and subsequently enrollments), and for 10 to 15 years, we've also seen the rise of (technocratic) authoritarianism, but people won't connect the dots. www.startribune.com/liberal-arts...
Reposted by Mark Hines
Some might even say it’s *designed* to be that way!
Doing some historical research for a project and while it's an obvious point that we all "know" in some sense, it's bracing and shocking to be reminded of just how violent a place America has been throughout its history.
October 1, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Some might even say it’s *designed* to be that way!
Reposted by Mark Hines
COVER REVEAL! ‼️
We are SO excited to announce our newest issue to our collection of Studies in the Fantastic!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming, gender, and violence.
Coming this fall!🍁🎃🍂 Stay tuned!
#Gaming #Gender #Violence #SFF #SFFCommunity
We are SO excited to announce our newest issue to our collection of Studies in the Fantastic!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming, gender, and violence.
Coming this fall!🍁🎃🍂 Stay tuned!
#Gaming #Gender #Violence #SFF #SFFCommunity
September 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
COVER REVEAL! ‼️
We are SO excited to announce our newest issue to our collection of Studies in the Fantastic!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming, gender, and violence.
Coming this fall!🍁🎃🍂 Stay tuned!
#Gaming #Gender #Violence #SFF #SFFCommunity
We are SO excited to announce our newest issue to our collection of Studies in the Fantastic!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of gaming, gender, and violence.
Coming this fall!🍁🎃🍂 Stay tuned!
#Gaming #Gender #Violence #SFF #SFFCommunity
Reposted by Mark Hines
Give folks their flowers
No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier
"They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier
"They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
September 29, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Give folks their flowers
No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier
"They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
No, I mean right now. Go tell someone you loved their work right now. They're on social media just say it, it has never been easier
"They know how much people love--" no they don't go say it right now to a composer or artist or game dev or writer or anyone AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
Reposted by Mark Hines
Why is this horrible for Universities?
Just about everyone who isn't a citizen or green card holder already who's hired for a tenure track faculty position is hired through an H1B and then, after 3-5 years, applies for a green card.
This is literally "No more foreign professors can be hired"
Just about everyone who isn't a citizen or green card holder already who's hired for a tenure track faculty position is hired through an H1B and then, after 3-5 years, applies for a green card.
This is literally "No more foreign professors can be hired"
Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.
September 20, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Why is this horrible for Universities?
Just about everyone who isn't a citizen or green card holder already who's hired for a tenure track faculty position is hired through an H1B and then, after 3-5 years, applies for a green card.
This is literally "No more foreign professors can be hired"
Just about everyone who isn't a citizen or green card holder already who's hired for a tenure track faculty position is hired through an H1B and then, after 3-5 years, applies for a green card.
This is literally "No more foreign professors can be hired"
Reposted by Mark Hines
One of my students pointed out yesterday that jstor now has AI summaries of articles turned on by default & I didn't think it was possible to hate this tech more than I already did but here we are.
September 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
One of my students pointed out yesterday that jstor now has AI summaries of articles turned on by default & I didn't think it was possible to hate this tech more than I already did but here we are.
Reposted by Mark Hines
Despite decades of talking about agency in gaming, our discussions remain in their infancy *precisely* because no off-the-shelf taxonomy can capture the liberation some players feel while being directed down a narrow lane with a forced decision, or the andiety some feel when co-creating.
August 31, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Despite decades of talking about agency in gaming, our discussions remain in their infancy *precisely* because no off-the-shelf taxonomy can capture the liberation some players feel while being directed down a narrow lane with a forced decision, or the andiety some feel when co-creating.
Reposted by Mark Hines
I invented a new phone to help save time in the morning
April 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I invented a new phone to help save time in the morning
Reposted by Mark Hines
I once read a source in which a British captain, after the anguish cries of a FOUR YEAR OLD enslaved girl bothered him so much on the voyage, went below deck and stabbed her to death just for quiet.
If you’re not familiar with the primary sources, it’s difficult to comprehend how bad it was.
If you’re not familiar with the primary sources, it’s difficult to comprehend how bad it was.
"How bad slavery was" is worse. Much worse. Much worse than you think, much worse than you're taught, much worse than museums depict. Worse.
August 21, 2025 at 5:53 AM
I once read a source in which a British captain, after the anguish cries of a FOUR YEAR OLD enslaved girl bothered him so much on the voyage, went below deck and stabbed her to death just for quiet.
If you’re not familiar with the primary sources, it’s difficult to comprehend how bad it was.
If you’re not familiar with the primary sources, it’s difficult to comprehend how bad it was.
Reposted by Mark Hines
📢Press Start is delighted to welcome our newest board members! We'll be introducing one member every day in this thread, so please give them all a warm welcome♥️
August 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
📢Press Start is delighted to welcome our newest board members! We'll be introducing one member every day in this thread, so please give them all a warm welcome♥️
Reposted by Mark Hines
Mark Hines is a PhD candidate in English at the University of Kentucky. He is interested in representations of race and gender in virtual and fantastic worlds. His dissertation explores fantasy games and their racial groups since 2020.
August 19, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Mark Hines is a PhD candidate in English at the University of Kentucky. He is interested in representations of race and gender in virtual and fantastic worlds. His dissertation explores fantasy games and their racial groups since 2020.
Reposted by Mark Hines
Sam Altman: I see humans achieving omnipotence using dark matter by… 2030 maybe? That’s if OpenAI is given a quadrillion dollars
Theo Von: Yeah
Altman: Or, we may become a race of slaves, genetically modified to be harvested by robot spiders. That’s if OpenAI doesn’t get the money
Von: Right
Theo Von: Yeah
Altman: Or, we may become a race of slaves, genetically modified to be harvested by robot spiders. That’s if OpenAI doesn’t get the money
Von: Right
August 19, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Sam Altman: I see humans achieving omnipotence using dark matter by… 2030 maybe? That’s if OpenAI is given a quadrillion dollars
Theo Von: Yeah
Altman: Or, we may become a race of slaves, genetically modified to be harvested by robot spiders. That’s if OpenAI doesn’t get the money
Von: Right
Theo Von: Yeah
Altman: Or, we may become a race of slaves, genetically modified to be harvested by robot spiders. That’s if OpenAI doesn’t get the money
Von: Right
Reposted by Mark Hines
2 bits of data from new Economist/YouGov poll.....
13% support for cutting research funding to universities. 24% among Republicans. Polling on this continues to be catastrophic for the Rs, suggests Dems should be learning far harder into standing up for science and our universities. 1/
13% support for cutting research funding to universities. 24% among Republicans. Polling on this continues to be catastrophic for the Rs, suggests Dems should be learning far harder into standing up for science and our universities. 1/
August 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
2 bits of data from new Economist/YouGov poll.....
13% support for cutting research funding to universities. 24% among Republicans. Polling on this continues to be catastrophic for the Rs, suggests Dems should be learning far harder into standing up for science and our universities. 1/
13% support for cutting research funding to universities. 24% among Republicans. Polling on this continues to be catastrophic for the Rs, suggests Dems should be learning far harder into standing up for science and our universities. 1/
Reposted by Mark Hines
I considered the Department of Homeland Security’s new white nationalist recruitment memes, in the context of the well-documented history of DHS downplaying and disregarding white nationalism and “domestic extremism.” As upsetting as these posts are, it also tracks.
DHS’s Neo-Nazi Memes Show the Agency for What It Is
From the beginning, the Department of Homeland Security has downplayed the threat of white nationalism while focusing its law enforcement power on groups it deems a threat to an imaginary ideal Americ...
newrepublic.com
August 14, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I considered the Department of Homeland Security’s new white nationalist recruitment memes, in the context of the well-documented history of DHS downplaying and disregarding white nationalism and “domestic extremism.” As upsetting as these posts are, it also tracks.