Mary Laven
@marylaven.bsky.social
Historian of Italy, religion and material culture. Thinking about a more diverse Renaissance.
c.org/T5FKn56YzK Terrible decision to shut down Languages at Nottingham. Part of a wave of closures in the Humanities here and elsewhere in the UK. PLEASE SIGN!
We Can Make an Impact.
Stop the removal of Modern Languages courses at the University of Nottingham!
c.org
November 8, 2025 at 8:07 AM
c.org/T5FKn56YzK Terrible decision to shut down Languages at Nottingham. Part of a wave of closures in the Humanities here and elsewhere in the UK. PLEASE SIGN!
An important piece taking stock of EDI @camhistory.bsky.social
Rewriting the narrative: the case for diversity and inclusion
The Faculty of History is steadily building a more inclusive and representative academic environment. But, as staff acknowledge, the journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
⬇️⬇️
The Faculty of History is steadily building a more inclusive and representative academic environment. But, as staff acknowledge, the journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
⬇️⬇️
September 25, 2025 at 11:06 AM
An important piece taking stock of EDI @camhistory.bsky.social
Reposted by Mary Laven
Last week, I published a piece in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) critically assessing current attempts by political and scientific actors to counter the rise of right-wing parties in East Germany through new ‘lighthouse’ projects. Will this really help after years of neglect?
September 15, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Last week, I published a piece in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) critically assessing current attempts by political and scientific actors to counter the rise of right-wing parties in East Germany through new ‘lighthouse’ projects. Will this really help after years of neglect?
Reposted by Mary Laven
Happy to share my review of this timely book, just published in the AHR.
Esther Elizabeth Adaire. Neo-Nazi Postmodern: Right-Wing Terror Tactics, the Intellectual New Right, and the Destabilization of Memory in Germany since 1989 url: academic.oup.com/ahr/article-...
Esther Elizabeth Adaire. Neo-Nazi Postmodern: Right-Wing Terror Tactics, the Intellectual New Right, and the Destabilization of Memory in Germany since 1989 url: academic.oup.com/ahr/article-...
Esther Elizabeth Adaire. Neo-Nazi Postmodern: Right-Wing Terror Tactics, the Intellectual New Right, and the Destabilization of Memory in Germany since 1989
Imagine a young neo-Nazi in the early 1990s—likely with shaved hair and wearing a bomber jacket, maybe sitting on an overturned beer crate in a depressing
academic.oup.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Happy to share my review of this timely book, just published in the AHR.
Esther Elizabeth Adaire. Neo-Nazi Postmodern: Right-Wing Terror Tactics, the Intellectual New Right, and the Destabilization of Memory in Germany since 1989 url: academic.oup.com/ahr/article-...
Esther Elizabeth Adaire. Neo-Nazi Postmodern: Right-Wing Terror Tactics, the Intellectual New Right, and the Destabilization of Memory in Germany since 1989 url: academic.oup.com/ahr/article-...
Reposted by Mary Laven
Congratulations to Professor Lucy Delap, appointed new Chair of Cambridge's History Faculty, to succeed Professor Mary Laven on 1 October 2025.
Lucy is Professor of Modern British & Gender History at @cam.ac.uk and a Fellow of Murray Edwards College.
@lucydelap.bsky.social @marylaven.bsky.social
Lucy is Professor of Modern British & Gender History at @cam.ac.uk and a Fellow of Murray Edwards College.
@lucydelap.bsky.social @marylaven.bsky.social
Lucy Delap appointed new Chair of the Faculty | Faculty of History University of Cambridge
www.hist.cam.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Congratulations to Professor Lucy Delap, appointed new Chair of Cambridge's History Faculty, to succeed Professor Mary Laven on 1 October 2025.
Lucy is Professor of Modern British & Gender History at @cam.ac.uk and a Fellow of Murray Edwards College.
@lucydelap.bsky.social @marylaven.bsky.social
Lucy is Professor of Modern British & Gender History at @cam.ac.uk and a Fellow of Murray Edwards College.
@lucydelap.bsky.social @marylaven.bsky.social
Reposted by Mary Laven
The shortlist for the Society's 2025 First Book Prize for early career historians is now available bit.ly/4kkm4lW
Eight titles have been selected, following an open call for submissions of books published in 2024. Two winners of the 2025 prize will be announced in July.
#Skystorians
Eight titles have been selected, following an open call for submissions of books published in 2024. Two winners of the 2025 prize will be announced in July.
#Skystorians
May 29, 2025 at 7:44 AM
The shortlist for the Society's 2025 First Book Prize for early career historians is now available bit.ly/4kkm4lW
Eight titles have been selected, following an open call for submissions of books published in 2024. Two winners of the 2025 prize will be announced in July.
#Skystorians
Eight titles have been selected, following an open call for submissions of books published in 2024. Two winners of the 2025 prize will be announced in July.
#Skystorians
Reposted by Mary Laven
Summer likely to be hottest ever in UK
August 27, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Summer likely to be hottest ever in UK
Reposted by Mary Laven
British "debate" on migration is in the gutter, but we should still be shocked that Labour's response yesterday was to criticise Farage for being insufficiently detailed in his plan for mass detention camps.
Regardless of whether Reform's deportation plan "works", if they get a chance to try it - like the Tories' Rwanda policy, or Trump's deportations - it will ostentatiously torment thousands of people and further engrain racism in British politics. It must be opposed on that basis.
August 27, 2025 at 7:34 AM
British "debate" on migration is in the gutter, but we should still be shocked that Labour's response yesterday was to criticise Farage for being insufficiently detailed in his plan for mass detention camps.
Reposted by Mary Laven
🔎 New research identifies 19th-century welfare cuts as a major cause of rise in early-childhood mortality.
The findings - from researchers incl. @camhistory.bsky.social's Prof Simon Szreter - reveal a politically-induced cause of the irregular drop in survival rates during this period.
Read more⬇️
The findings - from researchers incl. @camhistory.bsky.social's Prof Simon Szreter - reveal a politically-induced cause of the irregular drop in survival rates during this period.
Read more⬇️
Now on the Long Run: 'The new poor law and the health of the population of England and Wales'.
By David Green, Gabriel Mesevage, Graham Mooney & Simon Szreter.
@kings-sga.bsky.social @kingshistory.bsky.social @jhu.edu
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
By David Green, Gabriel Mesevage, Graham Mooney & Simon Szreter.
@kings-sga.bsky.social @kingshistory.bsky.social @jhu.edu
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>The Economic History Review</em> | EHS Journal | Wiley Online Library
We estimate the impact of reductions in poor law expenditure on rural life expectancy and mortality rates in England and Wales following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act. Given the scale of cuts impos...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
August 27, 2025 at 7:39 AM
🔎 New research identifies 19th-century welfare cuts as a major cause of rise in early-childhood mortality.
The findings - from researchers incl. @camhistory.bsky.social's Prof Simon Szreter - reveal a politically-induced cause of the irregular drop in survival rates during this period.
Read more⬇️
The findings - from researchers incl. @camhistory.bsky.social's Prof Simon Szreter - reveal a politically-induced cause of the irregular drop in survival rates during this period.
Read more⬇️
In hope and trepidation ...
July 16, 2025 at 10:50 AM
In hope and trepidation ...
I just signed this petition calling for better cooperation with the EU on the environment. Will you add your name, too? www.europeanmovement.co.uk/uk-eu-enviro...
Tell The Government: Strengthen UK-EU Environmental Cooperation
Climate change and environmental problems don't respect borders. The UK and EU must work together to protect our shared environment, tackle the climate crisis, and preserve biodiversity for future gen...
www.europeanmovement.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 8:23 AM
I just signed this petition calling for better cooperation with the EU on the environment. Will you add your name, too? www.europeanmovement.co.uk/uk-eu-enviro...
🌳 Will you sign the petition to help restore the Ghost Woods and protect our green spaces for future generations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...
Bring back the ancient woodlands smothered beneath your timber plantations
Ancient woodlands are vanishing – and with them, some of our most loved and endangered wildlife. Forestry England manages over 100,000 acres of land that used to be ancient woodland - that’s bigger th...
you.38degrees.org.uk
July 11, 2025 at 9:42 AM
🌳 Will you sign the petition to help restore the Ghost Woods and protect our green spaces for future generations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...
Reposted by Mary Laven
Just received news that 27 people have been arrested in Parliament Square under the Terrorism Act 2000 for holding signs saying "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action".
This is real police state behaviour.
This is real police state behaviour.
July 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Just received news that 27 people have been arrested in Parliament Square under the Terrorism Act 2000 for holding signs saying "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action".
This is real police state behaviour.
This is real police state behaviour.
Reposted by Mary Laven
Open letter re Lord Browne's candidacy for Chancellor of the University of Cambridge now at 300 signatures. 🥳
chancellorletter.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/o...
chancellorletter.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/o...
Open Letter re the Chancellorship of the University of Cambridge
The next Chancellor will, we are told, ‘play a vital part in Cambridge’s public-facing activities, fundraising, and in providing advice to senior members of the University’. To do this successfully…
chancellorletter.wordpress.com
July 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Open letter re Lord Browne's candidacy for Chancellor of the University of Cambridge now at 300 signatures. 🥳
chancellorletter.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/o...
chancellorletter.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/o...
Reposted by Mary Laven
The rainstorm that caused the Texas flooding disaster was of a severity that would occur just once in 1,000 years in a stable climate.
This was a complex, compound tragedy of a type that climate warming is making more frequent.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
This was a complex, compound tragedy of a type that climate warming is making more frequent.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Texas floods reveal limitations of disaster forecasting under climate crisis
Texas’s ‘flash flood alley’ could bring even more floods in near future as Trump cuts compound with warming climate
www.theguardian.com
July 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
The rainstorm that caused the Texas flooding disaster was of a severity that would occur just once in 1,000 years in a stable climate.
This was a complex, compound tragedy of a type that climate warming is making more frequent.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
This was a complex, compound tragedy of a type that climate warming is making more frequent.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Mary Laven
350 signatures! including many plucky fighters from the tuition fee wars of 2010-11.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Open Letter re Chancellorship
Open Letter re the Chancellorship of the University of Cambridge The next Chancellor will, we are told, ‘play a vital part in Cambridge’s public-facing activities, fundraising, and in providing advi...
docs.google.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
350 signatures! including many plucky fighters from the tuition fee wars of 2010-11.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Mary Laven
Some welcome publicity (in yesterday's Times) for our open letter opposing Lord Browne of Madingley's bid for the Chancellorship of the University of Cambridge -- the letter is at chancellorletter.wordpress.com
July 2, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Some welcome publicity (in yesterday's Times) for our open letter opposing Lord Browne of Madingley's bid for the Chancellorship of the University of Cambridge -- the letter is at chancellorletter.wordpress.com
Reposted by Mary Laven
My letter in today’s Guardian.
June 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
My letter in today’s Guardian.
Reposted by Mary Laven
'Global Histories of the Portuguese Revolution' - co-edited by @camhistory.bsky.social's @pramospinto.bsky.social - goes beyond the limits of national history to locate the revolution at the intersection of transnational historical phenomena.
A new global approach to this still understudied event ⬇️
A new global approach to this still understudied event ⬇️
Global Histories of the Portuguese Revolution edited by Luís Trindade, Rita Lucas Narra, Ricardo Noronha & Pedro Ramos Pinto locates the revolution at the intersection of transnational historical phenomena.
Out now! 📚 bit.ly/435Ym5m
Out now! 📚 bit.ly/435Ym5m
June 24, 2025 at 12:56 PM
'Global Histories of the Portuguese Revolution' - co-edited by @camhistory.bsky.social's @pramospinto.bsky.social - goes beyond the limits of national history to locate the revolution at the intersection of transnational historical phenomena.
A new global approach to this still understudied event ⬇️
A new global approach to this still understudied event ⬇️
Reposted by Mary Laven
Campaigning for Cam Uni Chancellor to be an ethical force. Focusing on its core purposes, education, research, and caring for all its staff and students. Severing all connections with oil and arms. @mikescialom.bsky.social @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social @owenjones.bsky.social @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
June 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Campaigning for Cam Uni Chancellor to be an ethical force. Focusing on its core purposes, education, research, and caring for all its staff and students. Severing all connections with oil and arms. @mikescialom.bsky.social @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social @owenjones.bsky.social @georgemonbiot.bsky.social
Reposted by Mary Laven
The sea is now the only available conduit to bring essential aid to Palestinians. If Israel attacks these aid flotillas, as it has threatened, it will also set a dangerous long-term precedent of unlawful policing in international waters, which will further entrench its unlawful occupation on land.
Take one minute: go to bit.ly/IsraelOnNotice and send a letter to the Israeli government, UN officials, and diplomatic missions demanding that Israel abide by international law and refrain from attacking, sabotaging or otherwise interfering with the #Madleen and her mission.
June 8, 2025 at 9:35 PM
The sea is now the only available conduit to bring essential aid to Palestinians. If Israel attacks these aid flotillas, as it has threatened, it will also set a dangerous long-term precedent of unlawful policing in international waters, which will further entrench its unlawful occupation on land.
And a great chance to hear our brilliant colleagues @julieb534.bsky.social @arthurasseraf.bsky.social and Sujit Sivasundaram speaking about why History matters.
Wondering what it is like to study history at Cambridge, and what we are looking for in potential students? Watch this!
www.youtube.com/channel/UC6T...
More detail about the course here: www.hist.cam.ac.uk/course/histo...
www.youtube.com/channel/UC6T...
More detail about the course here: www.hist.cam.ac.uk/course/histo...
Cambridge History Faculty
Faculty of History, University of Cambridge
The Faculty of History is one of the largest history departments in the world. Over one hundred people pursue teaching and research within the History Facu...
www.youtube.com
June 19, 2025 at 5:08 PM
And a great chance to hear our brilliant colleagues @julieb534.bsky.social @arthurasseraf.bsky.social and Sujit Sivasundaram speaking about why History matters.
Reposted by Mary Laven
Many thanks to Emily Betz for a great conversation.
We are thrilled to speak with Prof Mary Laven @marylaven.bsky.social about her research on the Italian #Renaissance (can we call it Italian? 🤔) and what it means to work closely with #museums as an historian. Check out our latest podcast episode ⬇️
open.spotify.com/episode/0QWb... #Skystorians
open.spotify.com/episode/0QWb... #Skystorians
June 19, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Many thanks to Emily Betz for a great conversation.
A lovely piece about our wonderful colleague Peter Mandler.
Prof Peter Mandler’s (@petermandler.bsky.social) insatiable curiosity has fuelled an extraordinary career over more than two decades at Cambridge.
As he steps back from formal teaching, the acclaimed historian reflects on a life of intellectual breadth, public advocacy—and no plans to slow down ⬇️⬇️
As he steps back from formal teaching, the acclaimed historian reflects on a life of intellectual breadth, public advocacy—and no plans to slow down ⬇️⬇️
June 17, 2025 at 2:38 PM
A lovely piece about our wonderful colleague Peter Mandler.