Ross Balzaretti
@rossbalzaretti.bsky.social
Historian, Emeritus Professor, University of Nottingham. He/him. 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Horrified by the proposed closure of Modern Languages @uniofnottingham.bsky.social This would end language higher education in the East Midlands & decimate the uni’s research profile. Shortsighted and reckless. #University_of_Little_England #SaveNottinghamLanguages #WeAreUoN
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Horrified by the proposed closure of Modern Languages @uniofnottingham.bsky.social This would end language higher education in the East Midlands & decimate the uni’s research profile. Shortsighted and reckless. #University_of_Little_England #SaveNottinghamLanguages #WeAreUoN
This is a good rebuttal to ludicrous attacks from the hardly impartial hard right. We must defend the BBC before it is too late.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
If you care about the BBC, stand up and defend it: this could be the beginning of the end | Polly Toynbee
Replacing the TV licence with a means-tested alternative may help disarm the right of one of its most effective weapons, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:22 PM
This is a good rebuttal to ludicrous attacks from the hardly impartial hard right. We must defend the BBC before it is too late.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Another strike so it's time for #PupsOnPickets 🐕🐶
November 10, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Another strike so it's time for #PupsOnPickets 🐕🐶
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Blast of a morning, even if my back gave up just after 10am @uonucu.bsky.social out in force making noise bringing the colours to the picket line
November 10, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Blast of a morning, even if my back gave up just after 10am @uonucu.bsky.social out in force making noise bringing the colours to the picket line
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Great and brave reporting by the upstart startup Sheffield Tribune. A reminder that the internet is still available for the proper reporting of ‘local’ news if you do it right
Shocking article in the Sheffield Tribune. A solicitor, Andrew Milne, buying up freeholds of houses and then making (false) threats to the leaseholders to bully them into buying the freehold at a huge premium.
November 10, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Great and brave reporting by the upstart startup Sheffield Tribune. A reminder that the internet is still available for the proper reporting of ‘local’ news if you do it right
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Shocking article in the Sheffield Tribune. A solicitor, Andrew Milne, buying up freeholds of houses and then making (false) threats to the leaseholders to bully them into buying the freehold at a huge premium.
November 7, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Shocking article in the Sheffield Tribune. A solicitor, Andrew Milne, buying up freeholds of houses and then making (false) threats to the leaseholders to bully them into buying the freehold at a huge premium.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
There will only be more of this if the university is left unchecked.
Join us as we fight back against the short sighted choices of this university. Picket line on monday and 4 more weeks of strikes.
We will win this.
www.reddit.com/r/UniUK/comm...
Join us as we fight back against the short sighted choices of this university. Picket line on monday and 4 more weeks of strikes.
We will win this.
www.reddit.com/r/UniUK/comm...
November 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM
There will only be more of this if the university is left unchecked.
Join us as we fight back against the short sighted choices of this university. Picket line on monday and 4 more weeks of strikes.
We will win this.
www.reddit.com/r/UniUK/comm...
Join us as we fight back against the short sighted choices of this university. Picket line on monday and 4 more weeks of strikes.
We will win this.
www.reddit.com/r/UniUK/comm...
Good for them, it's madness what has been proposed.
November 8, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Good for them, it's madness what has been proposed.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Huge thanks to @tregenza.bsky.social who came to photograph our second Agnes Flues parkrun. Photos to follow! People were appearing at Wollaton to join us right up to the event starting - you can catch a glimpse of @uonucu.bsky.social folk in this lovely video www.facebook.com/share/r/1BUG...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Huge thanks to @tregenza.bsky.social who came to photograph our second Agnes Flues parkrun. Photos to follow! People were appearing at Wollaton to join us right up to the event starting - you can catch a glimpse of @uonucu.bsky.social folk in this lovely video www.facebook.com/share/r/1BUG...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
And if you can't make it, you can support the run here as we raise funds for our branch activities: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...
Help raise £750 to support the Agnes Parkrun Fundraiser – JustGiving Crowdfunding
Iʼm raising money to support the Agnes Parkrun Fundraiser. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.
www.justgiving.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:01 AM
And if you can't make it, you can support the run here as we raise funds for our branch activities: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Taking a quick step back from yesterday's news to remind everyone that the annual Agnes Flues memorial park run will take place tomorrow (8/11) at 9 AM. Throw on some @UCU.org.uk colours and join us as we honour this absolute legend.
November 7, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Taking a quick step back from yesterday's news to remind everyone that the annual Agnes Flues memorial park run will take place tomorrow (8/11) at 9 AM. Throw on some @UCU.org.uk colours and join us as we honour this absolute legend.
And as far as I am aware that has not yet happened. Whether a higher education institution can be a proper university without these subjects ...I don't think so.
It is vital that such drastic changes - which go to heart of the nature of the university - are properly costed & justified in terms of meaningful, concrete data. And that evidence must be shared if confidence - and accountability - are to be ensured
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 12:02 PM
And as far as I am aware that has not yet happened. Whether a higher education institution can be a proper university without these subjects ...I don't think so.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
You know it's a pretty bad decision when the response from people is to create about 100 different petitions...
Sign every one. Let's fight this by all means necessary.
Sign every one. Let's fight this by all means necessary.
Although I am inevitably caught up in the likely dire implications for my department (Music), it isn’t just us in the Faculty of Arts or in the university under threat.
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Sign the Petition
Stop the removal of Theology Undergraduate courses at the University of Nottingham
c.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:57 AM
You know it's a pretty bad decision when the response from people is to create about 100 different petitions...
Sign every one. Let's fight this by all means necessary.
Sign every one. Let's fight this by all means necessary.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
"The consultation is set to conclude by the end of February and includes a redundancy review of 163 colleagues". With Nottingham closing modern languages, East Midlands comes monoglot.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
University of Leicester to consult on redundancies
University bosses are also planning to stop a number of courses.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 5:55 AM
"The consultation is set to conclude by the end of February and includes a redundancy review of 163 colleagues". With Nottingham closing modern languages, East Midlands comes monoglot.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Although I am inevitably caught up in the likely dire implications for my department (Music), it isn’t just us in the Faculty of Arts or in the university under threat.
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Sign the Petition
Stop the removal of Theology Undergraduate courses at the University of Nottingham
c.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Although I am inevitably caught up in the likely dire implications for my department (Music), it isn’t just us in the Faculty of Arts or in the university under threat.
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Do consider signing this petition in support of colleagues teaching Theology!
c.org/6kntRm2JVh
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
This week, UoN announced course suspensions for all modern languages, music, theology & religious studies, biosciences, mental health nursing and more.
@uonucu.bsky.social fighting management tooth & nail to prevent this reckless, shortsighted stupidity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@uonucu.bsky.social fighting management tooth & nail to prevent this reckless, shortsighted stupidity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 PM
This week, UoN announced course suspensions for all modern languages, music, theology & religious studies, biosciences, mental health nursing and more.
@uonucu.bsky.social fighting management tooth & nail to prevent this reckless, shortsighted stupidity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@uonucu.bsky.social fighting management tooth & nail to prevent this reckless, shortsighted stupidity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
STRIKE RESUMES ON MONDAY!!!
On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).
On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).
November 5, 2025 at 6:21 PM
STRIKE RESUMES ON MONDAY!!!
On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).
On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).
Highly recommended. I held this 15 years ago. Great department and lovely part of the world to live in!
The Department of Medieval History at the University of St Andrews invites applications for the Donald Bullough Fellowship to be taken up during either semester of the academic year 2026-2027.
The closing date for applications is Monday 1 December 2025.
The closing date for applications is Monday 1 December 2025.
November 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Highly recommended. I held this 15 years ago. Great department and lovely part of the world to live in!
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
There goes my son's favourite discipline... We have to look for Loughborough, then. www.leicester.news/university-o...
University of Leicester moves forward with plans to cut 150 jobs
A 'large number of staff' across several schools could be impacted
www.leicester.news
November 5, 2025 at 5:53 AM
There goes my son's favourite discipline... We have to look for Loughborough, then. www.leicester.news/university-o...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Grim. LGBTQIA are among the people you’re elected to represent you muppets. God knows how Helen Belcher deals with this shit.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Row after Wiltshire Council rejects motion to support LGBTQIA+ community - BBC News
An amended motion to support everybody was passed after concerns the original plans were divisive.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Grim. LGBTQIA are among the people you’re elected to represent you muppets. God knows how Helen Belcher deals with this shit.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Great stocking filler what who said that
www.waterstones.com/book/a-good-...
www.waterstones.com/book/a-good-...
A Good Year by Polis Loizou | Waterstones
Buy A Good Year by Polis Loizou from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.
www.waterstones.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Great stocking filler what who said that
www.waterstones.com/book/a-good-...
www.waterstones.com/book/a-good-...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
I’ve seen on the media how pundits amusingly refer to Zack Polanski as if entirely propped up by social media & youngsters’ ‘vibes’ but to this middle aged women (who has no TikTok account) he seems the most serious political leader in sight talking about real issues with conviction and directness 🤷🏻♀️
November 3, 2025 at 8:34 AM
I’ve seen on the media how pundits amusingly refer to Zack Polanski as if entirely propped up by social media & youngsters’ ‘vibes’ but to this middle aged women (who has no TikTok account) he seems the most serious political leader in sight talking about real issues with conviction and directness 🤷🏻♀️