Mark Williams
@mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Reader in Early Modern History. Currently writing a cultural history of the English East India Company. He/Him. Immigrant. Academic. Father.
All opinions my own.
All opinions my own.
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Mark Williams
@mrfw17thc.bsky.social
· May 7
Validate User
academic.oup.com
New article!
'Seeing Women in the Early English and Dutch East India Companies' is now available as an Advance Article with Historical Research.
It's been years of work, but I'm proud of this one. I hope #earlymodern #skystorians enjoy it!
Some context below:
academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
'Seeing Women in the Early English and Dutch East India Companies' is now available as an Advance Article with Historical Research.
It's been years of work, but I'm proud of this one. I hope #earlymodern #skystorians enjoy it!
Some context below:
academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Reposted by Mark Williams
"What is certain, and felt instinctively by almost everybody, is that things cannot go on in their present way" – The Times, May 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
November 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM
"What is certain, and felt instinctively by almost everybody, is that things cannot go on in their present way" – The Times, May 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
Reposted by Mark Williams
Ah yes Leicester, a tip-top History UoA in REF2021 currently eviscerating it’s History provision (among other subjects). Have they also won the THE irony of the year award?
#THEAwards Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences goes to the University of Leicester for an interdisciplinary study, led by Dr Sarah Inskip, which uncovered the long-term health impacts of tobacco use in historical populations. Leicester’s second win tonight! 🤩
November 13, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Ah yes Leicester, a tip-top History UoA in REF2021 currently eviscerating it’s History provision (among other subjects). Have they also won the THE irony of the year award?
Reposted by Mark Williams
working at the nyt
November 13, 2025 at 2:37 PM
working at the nyt
Reposted by Mark Williams
Memorandum attesting to the fact that Domingo Rodriguez 'is now, and has been for upwards of 17 years ... '
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Memorandum attesting to the fact that Domingo Rodriguez 'is now, and has been for upwards of 17 years ... '
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
Reposted by Mark Williams
Working on a presentation and...JFC, we need to shut down the pulpy "[Thing] of Auschwitz" machine until we can figure out what's going on.
These things are just stealing the oxygen of important Holocaust histories.
These things are just stealing the oxygen of important Holocaust histories.
November 13, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Working on a presentation and...JFC, we need to shut down the pulpy "[Thing] of Auschwitz" machine until we can figure out what's going on.
These things are just stealing the oxygen of important Holocaust histories.
These things are just stealing the oxygen of important Holocaust histories.
At least 50% of Underground stations sound like an early 17th c plot to overthrow the Stuarts.
November 13, 2025 at 9:08 AM
At least 50% of Underground stations sound like an early 17th c plot to overthrow the Stuarts.
Reposted by Mark Williams
Beautiful embellishment on a printed shipping pass out of New York, ca. 1698. #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Beautiful embellishment on a printed shipping pass out of New York, ca. 1698. #skystorians
Reposted by Mark Williams
Letters to pirates ... #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Letters to pirates ... #skystorians
Reposted by Mark Williams
'Reform UK has been accused of embracing racism after it picked a former academic who argued that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British as the head of its new student organisation.' 1/3
Reform UK accused of embracing racism over its pick for head of student organisation
Matthew Goodwin argued people from minority ethnic backgrounds born and raised in UK were not always British
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:52 AM
'Reform UK has been accused of embracing racism after it picked a former academic who argued that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British as the head of its new student organisation.' 1/3
Beautiful embellishment on a printed shipping pass out of New York, ca. 1698. #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Beautiful embellishment on a printed shipping pass out of New York, ca. 1698. #skystorians
Letters to pirates ... #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Letters to pirates ... #skystorians
Reposted by Mark Williams
That unsounded ocean you gasp in, is Life; those sharks, your foes; those spades, your friends
November 11, 2025 at 9:47 PM
That unsounded ocean you gasp in, is Life; those sharks, your foes; those spades, your friends
Reposted by Mark Williams
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
November 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
Exactly this.
I honestly think those Brits inclined to complain about the BBC should see just how poor this sort of programming is in other parts of the world. For most, BBC programming is something to be envied and emulated, not decried.
Private services will only dumb it all down.
I honestly think those Brits inclined to complain about the BBC should see just how poor this sort of programming is in other parts of the world. For most, BBC programming is something to be envied and emulated, not decried.
Private services will only dumb it all down.
There are many subtle and complex arguments one can have about the future of the BBC — but I guarantee you that no other channel or streaming service will be as committed to factual programming, children’s education, history shows, religious discussion, poetry, arts, or state of the nation debate
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Exactly this.
I honestly think those Brits inclined to complain about the BBC should see just how poor this sort of programming is in other parts of the world. For most, BBC programming is something to be envied and emulated, not decried.
Private services will only dumb it all down.
I honestly think those Brits inclined to complain about the BBC should see just how poor this sort of programming is in other parts of the world. For most, BBC programming is something to be envied and emulated, not decried.
Private services will only dumb it all down.
Reposted by Mark Williams
If Britain is 'sliding "into economic crisis over £85bn sickness bill', what can UK Arts, Humanities & Social Science research tell us about alternative pathways?
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Britain sliding 'into economic crisis' over £85bn sickness bill, ex-John Lewis boss warns
The number of people who are out of work for health reasons has grown by 800,000 since 2019.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
If Britain is 'sliding "into economic crisis over £85bn sickness bill', what can UK Arts, Humanities & Social Science research tell us about alternative pathways?
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Swansea University historians have some excellent answers. 1/4
@torstenbell.bsky.social @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Williams
Let's play Bucks Name or Name Name
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Let's play Bucks Name or Name Name
Very valuable thread on the impact of UKHE cuts and what we stand to lose through them.
I worked closely with the case study cited and wrote the Environment Template for that UoA.
We have all of us been in scope for redundancy since January. Where does that leave such important research?
I worked closely with the case study cited and wrote the Environment Template for that UoA.
We have all of us been in scope for redundancy since January. Where does that leave such important research?
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 10:20 AM
Very valuable thread on the impact of UKHE cuts and what we stand to lose through them.
I worked closely with the case study cited and wrote the Environment Template for that UoA.
We have all of us been in scope for redundancy since January. Where does that leave such important research?
I worked closely with the case study cited and wrote the Environment Template for that UoA.
We have all of us been in scope for redundancy since January. Where does that leave such important research?
Reposted by Mark Williams
ICYMI the Telegraph's reporting on the BBC bias 'crisis' included the fantastical claim that the right-wing and unabashedly anti-woke History Reclaimed website is a legitimate arbiter either of historical fact or political balance
November 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM
ICYMI the Telegraph's reporting on the BBC bias 'crisis' included the fantastical claim that the right-wing and unabashedly anti-woke History Reclaimed website is a legitimate arbiter either of historical fact or political balance
Reposted by Mark Williams
These people are arguing against a BBC culture that exists only in their heads, in the same way that reactionaries argue against the cultures of cities and universities that only exist in their heads.
Suzanne Moore, who would rather be locked up than pay her BBC licence fee because the BBC is too nice to trans people for her liking.
November 10, 2025 at 8:52 AM
These people are arguing against a BBC culture that exists only in their heads, in the same way that reactionaries argue against the cultures of cities and universities that only exist in their heads.
Reposted by Mark Williams
By a single line on the massive environmental impact of AI, its notorious hallucinations, or stealing everyone’s work. To be expected from university senior managers I suppose.
NEW on Wonkhe: There are legitimate use-cases for AI that deliver efficiency, but for Nick Jennings and Sam Grogan the real prize is active development of AI learning partnership skills buff.ly/UriccMh
November 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
By a single line on the massive environmental impact of AI, its notorious hallucinations, or stealing everyone’s work. To be expected from university senior managers I suppose.
Reposted by Mark Williams
I expected better analysis from Wonkhe articles than a spewing of AI tech bro platitudes and dismissive of genuine concerns about reliability of LLM.
November 10, 2025 at 7:35 AM
I expected better analysis from Wonkhe articles than a spewing of AI tech bro platitudes and dismissive of genuine concerns about reliability of LLM.
Reposted by Mark Williams
A national newspaper journalist went on a British TV channel to claim police stats showed asylum-seekers committed 44% of sex crimes in Dorset.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
November 8, 2025 at 8:39 AM
A national newspaper journalist went on a British TV channel to claim police stats showed asylum-seekers committed 44% of sex crimes in Dorset.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
BBC Director General Tim Davie resigns over wrecking of the Edmund Fitzgerald fifty years ago today.
November 9, 2025 at 6:44 PM
BBC Director General Tim Davie resigns over wrecking of the Edmund Fitzgerald fifty years ago today.
Reposted by Mark Williams
I can't imagine a job i'd like to do less. Managing an organisation held to a ludicrous standard by roaring idiots on a daily basis, while the main mediums it uses are all in decline and it's starved of resources.
November 9, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I can't imagine a job i'd like to do less. Managing an organisation held to a ludicrous standard by roaring idiots on a daily basis, while the main mediums it uses are all in decline and it's starved of resources.