Miloš Jovanović
@milosthehistorian.com
Balkan barbarian burrowing through history. Own opinions only, alliteration accidental.
Author of Cites of Dust and Mud | Asst. Prof at UCLA | Yugo Millennial | Cat dad
Author of Cites of Dust and Mud | Asst. Prof at UCLA | Yugo Millennial | Cat dad
Pinned
Cities of Dust and Mud: Urbanism and Bourgeois Fantasy in the Balkans, 1820-1920
Urbanism and Bourgeois Fantasy in the Balkans, 1820-1920
bookshop.org
Why do bourgeois elites try to transform cities? What happens when their fantasies fail to materialize?
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
In two unrelated images, downloading my students' assignments is disabled for _security reasons_ and the UC Regents invest 32% of a $1.2B portfolio into microchip technologies.
At least my students' work is not being used to train AI EdTech webinars... Oh. Oh, no.
corp.kaltura.com/landing_page...
At least my students' work is not being used to train AI EdTech webinars... Oh. Oh, no.
corp.kaltura.com/landing_page...
December 20, 2025 at 5:07 AM
In two unrelated images, downloading my students' assignments is disabled for _security reasons_ and the UC Regents invest 32% of a $1.2B portfolio into microchip technologies.
At least my students' work is not being used to train AI EdTech webinars... Oh. Oh, no.
corp.kaltura.com/landing_page...
At least my students' work is not being used to train AI EdTech webinars... Oh. Oh, no.
corp.kaltura.com/landing_page...
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Big exposé on (lack of) instructional spending at UC-Merced, by their intrepid and fearless chapter of the @uc-faculty.bsky.social.
“UC Merced has actively divested from instruction, showing a pattern of deprivation of the instructional budget relative to ourselves and other campuses.”
“UC Merced has actively divested from instruction, showing a pattern of deprivation of the instructional budget relative to ourselves and other campuses.”
Memo on University Spending on Instruction – UC Merced Faculty Association
ucmfa.org
December 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Big exposé on (lack of) instructional spending at UC-Merced, by their intrepid and fearless chapter of the @uc-faculty.bsky.social.
“UC Merced has actively divested from instruction, showing a pattern of deprivation of the instructional budget relative to ourselves and other campuses.”
“UC Merced has actively divested from instruction, showing a pattern of deprivation of the instructional budget relative to ourselves and other campuses.”
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
All the centers they’re cutting add up to less than $7 million in spending.
UNC athletics budget is $185.4 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
UNC athletics budget is $185.4 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
December 18, 2025 at 12:45 AM
All the centers they’re cutting add up to less than $7 million in spending.
UNC athletics budget is $185.4 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
UNC athletics budget is $185.4 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
#OtD 17 Dec 1933 sexual contact between men was re-criminalised in the USSR, after it had been decriminalised in 1922 in the wake of the 1917 revolution. After it was introduced, gay and bisexual men began to flood into the gulags stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8868...
December 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
#OtD 17 Dec 1933 sexual contact between men was re-criminalised in the USSR, after it had been decriminalised in 1922 in the wake of the 1917 revolution. After it was introduced, gay and bisexual men began to flood into the gulags stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8868...
Stuff like this fuels fascism. Complete disrespect of the law, blatant corruption.
An illustration of how L.A. City Public Works so-called "Large Asphalt Repair" works (or really *doesn't work*). Today Bureau of Street Services left an un-resurfaced ~4-ft-wide strip on a 30-ft-wide part of Hoover... in order to avoid triggering curb ramps for wheelchair access
December 17, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Stuff like this fuels fascism. Complete disrespect of the law, blatant corruption.
Excellent news. What's left of Serbia's independent judiciary + a tremendous amount of activism on the ground stopped the construction of a Trump hotel on top of NATO bombing ruins in the center of Belgrade.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/u...
(some historical context in 🧵)
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/u...
(some historical context in 🧵)
Kushner’s Firm Pulls Out of Trump-Branded Hotel Deal in Serbia
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Excellent news. What's left of Serbia's independent judiciary + a tremendous amount of activism on the ground stopped the construction of a Trump hotel on top of NATO bombing ruins in the center of Belgrade.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/u...
(some historical context in 🧵)
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/15/u...
(some historical context in 🧵)
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
👇👇👇
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 13, 2025 at 2:05 AM
👇👇👇
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
@ankahajkova.bsky.social work has illuminated voices and identities hidden by history. Challenging dominate narratives Anna provides us with an important new work of scholarship. Will be using it in class in the spring.
December 15, 2025 at 6:40 PM
@ankahajkova.bsky.social work has illuminated voices and identities hidden by history. Challenging dominate narratives Anna provides us with an important new work of scholarship. Will be using it in class in the spring.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
L.A. City: we might not know the right name of the street, but we know this project is exempt from HLA.
December 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM
L.A. City: we might not know the right name of the street, but we know this project is exempt from HLA.
Chomsky has always been the archetypal tunnel-vision anti-imperialist, an inherently Realpolitik, unprincipled stance. His apologia for Milošević, Assad, or Khmer Rouge set the stage for Bannon friendliness. Hopefully, a lesson for the Russia or Iran apologists on the “anti-imperialist” left.
December 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Chomsky has always been the archetypal tunnel-vision anti-imperialist, an inherently Realpolitik, unprincipled stance. His apologia for Milošević, Assad, or Khmer Rouge set the stage for Bannon friendliness. Hopefully, a lesson for the Russia or Iran apologists on the “anti-imperialist” left.
Why do bourgeois elites try to transform cities? What happens when their fantasies fail to materialize?
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
Cities of Dust and Mud: Urbanism and Bourgeois Fantasy in the Balkans, 1820-1920
Urbanism and Bourgeois Fantasy in the Balkans, 1820-1920
bookshop.org
December 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Why do bourgeois elites try to transform cities? What happens when their fantasies fail to materialize?
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
Learn about the social costs of elite-led urban change in my book! Published by @stanfordpress.bsky.social and available for pre-order today!
bookshop.org/p/books/citi...
Trying to redo my website and remain surprised that in the face of all this innovation, writing simple HTML+CSS still seems easier. As it did 30 years ago when I first dabbled in HTML.
No one needs CI deploy strategies and node.js for five static pages.
No one needs CI deploy strategies and node.js for five static pages.
December 14, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Trying to redo my website and remain surprised that in the face of all this innovation, writing simple HTML+CSS still seems easier. As it did 30 years ago when I first dabbled in HTML.
No one needs CI deploy strategies and node.js for five static pages.
No one needs CI deploy strategies and node.js for five static pages.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
this, from @kevinbaker.bsky.social, is a better analysis of the intersection between LLMs and academic science than 98% of what's out there.
Context Widows
or, of GPUs, LPUs, and Goal Displacement
artificialbureaucracy.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 5:47 PM
this, from @kevinbaker.bsky.social, is a better analysis of the intersection between LLMs and academic science than 98% of what's out there.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Solid reporting by @jaweedkaleem.bsky.social of the @latimes.com on pressure inside the DOJ to pursue a case against UCLA despite very weak facts. (Indeed, the real facts are in my view considerably weaker than this story states.)
Nine DOJ attorneys resigned rather than pursue this bogus case.
Nine DOJ attorneys resigned rather than pursue this bogus case.
Times Investigation: Ex-Trump DOJ lawyers say 'fraudulent' UC antisemitism probes led them to quit
The Times spoke to nine former Department of Justice civil rights attorneys tasked with investigating antisemitism complaints at the University of California. They all resigned during their investigat...
www.latimes.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Solid reporting by @jaweedkaleem.bsky.social of the @latimes.com on pressure inside the DOJ to pursue a case against UCLA despite very weak facts. (Indeed, the real facts are in my view considerably weaker than this story states.)
Nine DOJ attorneys resigned rather than pursue this bogus case.
Nine DOJ attorneys resigned rather than pursue this bogus case.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
I have spoken extensively, albeit, I fear, at times in truncated fashion about what is taking place at UCLA and how it connects to broader politics of suppression both at the level of the federal government and at the level of the UC. My colleague @fishkin.bsky.social has authored a must-read.
Balkinization: Making Policy Based on Falsehoods: The Federal Government vs UCLA
A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics
balkin.blogspot.com
December 12, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I have spoken extensively, albeit, I fear, at times in truncated fashion about what is taking place at UCLA and how it connects to broader politics of suppression both at the level of the federal government and at the level of the UC. My colleague @fishkin.bsky.social has authored a must-read.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
In our most recent AAUP TV episode, Jeremy Varon, Prof of History and AAUP The New School Leadership Council member, discusses the university administration's proposal to terminate up to 40% of full-time faculty.
The proposed layoffs will be catastrophic for faculty, students, and staff.
The proposed layoffs will be catastrophic for faculty, students, and staff.
December 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM
In our most recent AAUP TV episode, Jeremy Varon, Prof of History and AAUP The New School Leadership Council member, discusses the university administration's proposal to terminate up to 40% of full-time faculty.
The proposed layoffs will be catastrophic for faculty, students, and staff.
The proposed layoffs will be catastrophic for faculty, students, and staff.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
It’s important to contextualize just how much less safe American drivers are than everywhere else in the world, and it’s getting worse!
December 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
It’s important to contextualize just how much less safe American drivers are than everywhere else in the world, and it’s getting worse!
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Something stinks at The New School.
Between ’22 & ‘23, numerous high-level admin received large raises: President Joel Towers ( 11.6% to $417,000), exec dean Richard Kessler (11.7%, to $469,000), & provost Rene White (10.9%, to over $712,000).
Now they’re broke? 🤔
@newschoolaaup.bsky.social
Between ’22 & ‘23, numerous high-level admin received large raises: President Joel Towers ( 11.6% to $417,000), exec dean Richard Kessler (11.7%, to $469,000), & provost Rene White (10.9%, to over $712,000).
Now they’re broke? 🤔
@newschoolaaup.bsky.social
Protests Arise as New York’s New School Threatens Severe Cuts to Staffing and Programs
Faculty and students are protesting as New York's New School for Social Research is threatening major layoffs to deal with a $48 million deficit.
www.artnews.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Something stinks at The New School.
Between ’22 & ‘23, numerous high-level admin received large raises: President Joel Towers ( 11.6% to $417,000), exec dean Richard Kessler (11.7%, to $469,000), & provost Rene White (10.9%, to over $712,000).
Now they’re broke? 🤔
@newschoolaaup.bsky.social
Between ’22 & ‘23, numerous high-level admin received large raises: President Joel Towers ( 11.6% to $417,000), exec dean Richard Kessler (11.7%, to $469,000), & provost Rene White (10.9%, to over $712,000).
Now they’re broke? 🤔
@newschoolaaup.bsky.social
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Really neat example of how everything about an object—binding, foxing, water damage, annotations—can help us understand it.
December 11, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Really neat example of how everything about an object—binding, foxing, water damage, annotations—can help us understand it.
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Another wretched thing about the #LargeAsphaltRepair scandal (other being anti-ADA & anti-HLA) is that the Bureau of Street Services is leaving heavily damaged areas where people bike, while resurfacing areas where people drive…https://futureis.la/p/la-has-stopped-repaving-our-streets
LA has stopped repaving our streets
The reason why is probably illegal
futureis.la
December 10, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Another wretched thing about the #LargeAsphaltRepair scandal (other being anti-ADA & anti-HLA) is that the Bureau of Street Services is leaving heavily damaged areas where people bike, while resurfacing areas where people drive…https://futureis.la/p/la-has-stopped-repaving-our-streets
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
A colleague just shared this, saying, “This collection of union contract provisions over technology governance is full of ideas.”
laborcenter.berkeley.edu/negotiating-...
laborcenter.berkeley.edu/negotiating-...
Participation in technology governance
laborcenter.berkeley.edu
December 10, 2025 at 8:10 PM
A colleague just shared this, saying, “This collection of union contract provisions over technology governance is full of ideas.”
laborcenter.berkeley.edu/negotiating-...
laborcenter.berkeley.edu/negotiating-...
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Administrators are inking deals with OpenAI and inviting Palantir onto campus, ignoring faculty expertise and rolling out unproven data-thieving surveillance snake oil tech on our studens, staff and us. Enough.
Artificial Intelligence and Academic Professions
Educational technology, or ed-tech, including artificial intelligence (AI), continues to become more integrated into teaching and research in higher education, with minimal oversight. The AAUP’s ad ho...
www.aaup.org
December 10, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Administrators are inking deals with OpenAI and inviting Palantir onto campus, ignoring faculty expertise and rolling out unproven data-thieving surveillance snake oil tech on our studens, staff and us. Enough.
“The non-property classes are far from homogeneous. They have different political, aesthetic, and cultural standpoints — and the role of politics is to give them a common project.”
jacobin.com/2025/12/fern...
jacobin.com/2025/12/fern...
Fernando Haddad on Brazil’s Place in Global Capitalism
Positioned between major power blocs, Brazil sits at the center of debates on geopolitics, development, and the green transition. In an interview, left-wing finance minister Fernando Haddad assesses d...
jacobin.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:46 PM
“The non-property classes are far from homogeneous. They have different political, aesthetic, and cultural standpoints — and the role of politics is to give them a common project.”
jacobin.com/2025/12/fern...
jacobin.com/2025/12/fern...
Reposted by Miloš Jovanović
Cool to see that students and staff at the University of Rochester created a book wheel from 16th-century designs (from 2019). Book history is so much more interesting than you might think!
Turning the gears of an early modern search engine
The book wheel is a recreation of a 16th century design, solving the problem of needing access to multiple books at the same time.
www.rochester.edu
December 6, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Cool to see that students and staff at the University of Rochester created a book wheel from 16th-century designs (from 2019). Book history is so much more interesting than you might think!