Peter L. Twohig
ptwohig.bsky.social
Peter L. Twohig
@ptwohig.bsky.social
Historian employed by a Canadian university. Focus on working people and health and medicine. Co-editor Acadiensis and UTP series Studies in Atlantic Canada History. Good sideman. ❤️ all things Mongolian. Everyone's favourite backup goalie. Fearless AF.
Enjoying my time at the Osler Library for the History of Medicine at McGill.
November 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
CUPE 3912 colleagues remain on strike and my students have expressed their concerns to me in my classes. My employer just sent an email referring us to an administration website for "the latest update" -- it was last updated on 22 October (more than a week ago).
October 31, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Happy to announce the latest edition of Acadiensis is available:
acadiensis.wordpress.com/.../acadiens...
If you are working on topics of interest, shoot me an email.
acadiensis.wordpress.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Peter L. Twohig
Summer research update! Dr @ptwohig.bsky.social worked on his SSHRC-funded project examining how unions, women’s orgs and environmental groups reshaped occupational health. He was a visiting prof at NYU and did research at
@harvard.edu's Schlesinger Library & Archives and
Northeastern University
September 2, 2025 at 1:37 PM
One of my favourite archival discoveries over this past 12 weeks of research in New York and Boston is a letter from a nurse who worked at St. Rita Hospital, in Sydney, NS. I cannot show too much of it here (confidentially restrictions) but all will eventually be revealed.
August 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Weird moment today when I came across a letter from my employer in the archival collections I”m using at Harvard.
July 30, 2025 at 11:42 PM
The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia is looking for a student to serve as a Built Heritage Researcher this fall. Job details are available here: www.htns.ca/employment
Blog 3 — Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia
www.htns.ca
May 21, 2025 at 12:10 PM
There is no question that the humanities are in crisis, and have little support in many universities, governments, funding agencies, etc. But if you want to know why we need the humanities, read Dr. Jill Lepore's guest essay in the NY Times on the genealogy of Elon Musk's ideas.
April 5, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I am so grateful to be the recipient of an McGill University Osler Library Travel grant, that will allow me to spend some time in Montréal doing research for my new project on occupational health.
March 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
I spend a lot of time thinking about my colleagues and students in the US, and what universities are facing. Another chilling article in the NY Times.
March 16, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Super happy to see a microhistory that I co-authored with Saint Mary's graduate student Daniel Englehutt is on the Acadiensis blog. It examines safety culture at Halifax Water, 1945-55. acadiensis.wordpress...
Workers and Safety Culture: A Microhistory of the Public Service Commission of Halifax, 1945-1955
Daniel Englehutt and Peter L. Twohig[1] Introduction Westray. Ocean Ranger. Springhill. The names will resonate with many, important reminders of the dangers of working in the energy sector. Perhap…
acadiensis.wordpress.com
March 12, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I am thrilled to present some new research on the origins of workplace health initiatives tonight to the Dalhousie Society for the History of Medicine. That society, which meets virtually, has been active for more than 40 years. It has been critical in my own professional development.
March 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Terrific opportunity! Postdoctoral Fellow @ University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the History of Modern (19th century-present) Medicine or Public Health mhb.wisc.edu/2025/02/25/p...
Postdoctoral Fellow Announcement: Join us July 2025-2027!
Postdoctoral Fellow: History of Modern (19th century-present) Medicine or Public Health Position Requirements: PhD in history of modern (19th century-present) medicine or public health or closely rela...
mhb.wisc.edu
March 2, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Has anyone coined the term "Trumpuppet" for people who, knowingly or unknowingly, advance the current American agenda in Canada or elsewhere?
February 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Today in Nova Scotia, Nora Bernard will be honored. I have taught about her, and her tremendous impact, for nearly 20 years in my classes. My students meet Nora in three different lectures through the term. I often teach her story with tears in my eyes, and students listen intently.
February 17, 2025 at 1:05 PM
I really hope nobody tells the President about Mexico Bay, on Lake Ontario. It might set off a frenzy.
February 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Folks will want to read Kim TallBear's (UofA) substack on the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (TAAF) statement regarding Circe Sturm’s claims to be of Cherokee and Mississippi Choctaw descent. Sturm made a significant contribution to the concept of 'race shifting'
kimtallbear.substack...
Statement on the TAAF Self-indigenization Investigation of Anthropologist Circe Sturm
FEBRUARY 13, 2025, SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA
kimtallbear.substack.com
February 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
In today's NYT, an opinion piece with a little History of Medicine, including quotations from historians Howard Markel and Natalia Mehlman Petrzela. So much more to be said about this topic and the place of history in the politics of 2025.
February 15, 2025 at 1:50 PM
There is an Interesting opinion piece in today's NYT by Michelle Goldberg on the US situation. J.D. Vance, the VP, told the the National Conservatism Conference in 2021 that "Universities are the Enemy." In Canada, post-secondary education is facing many issues and some settings are struggling.
February 14, 2025 at 10:37 AM
ICYMI, Part 2 of Patrick Lacroix's Making Acadianness in Northern Maine was posted to the @acadiensis.bsky.social blog today.
acadiensis.wordpress.com
Acadiensis
Blogging the history of Atlantic Canada
acadiensis.wordpress.com
January 14, 2025 at 10:21 PM
In yesterday's NY Times, a really interesting article on whether or not people were healthier in the past. Lots of medical historians give perspective. It is always good to see my #MedHist colleagues bring their significant research to bear on imp public policy discussions.
January 14, 2025 at 10:10 AM
I'm reading the back catalogue of the American conservative publication Human Events for a project. Ran across this gem from 1974 on liberal bias in the media
January 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Never forget.
January 6, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Really happy to see God supporting Bluesky, since the other place is a hellscape.
Hi, I’m God.

Bluesky is now over 26 MILLION users.

Congrats, Bluesky!
January 3, 2025 at 10:23 PM