Ross Balzaretti
@rossbalzaretti.bsky.social
Historian, Emeritus Professor, University of Nottingham. He/him. 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
For academics familiar with the work of Teresa de Lauretis. She has transitioned. Here’s the announcement I received today. She was a kind and generous colleague.
February 8, 2026 at 6:57 PM
For academics familiar with the work of Teresa de Lauretis. She has transitioned. Here’s the announcement I received today. She was a kind and generous colleague.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Sound on, hats off.
Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.
February 5, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Sound on, hats off.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Nottingham University bought the site for £37.5m in 2021 and spent another £40m refurbishing it
Now it’s up for sale at £14m
Many hundreds of redundancies later, we can rest assured that those responsible for the fiasco have done just fine
www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...
Now it’s up for sale at £14m
Many hundreds of redundancies later, we can rest assured that those responsible for the fiasco have done just fine
www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...
University's disastrous new campus could be sold for just £14m
It was previously decided to sell the short-lived campus
www.nottinghampost.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:14 AM
Nottingham University bought the site for £37.5m in 2021 and spent another £40m refurbishing it
Now it’s up for sale at £14m
Many hundreds of redundancies later, we can rest assured that those responsible for the fiasco have done just fine
www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...
Now it’s up for sale at £14m
Many hundreds of redundancies later, we can rest assured that those responsible for the fiasco have done just fine
www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
I wonder if our university leadership team are grateful that we didn’t vote for their preferred candidate for Chancellor in 2015, Peter Mandelson, and elected Lemn Sissay instead.
Lord Mandelson in disgrace
The new Private Eye is out now.
The new Private Eye is out now.
February 4, 2026 at 8:23 AM
I wonder if our university leadership team are grateful that we didn’t vote for their preferred candidate for Chancellor in 2015, Peter Mandelson, and elected Lemn Sissay instead.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
We're back this week, welcoming @rossbalzaretti.bsky.social to speak on 'Corteolona and Santa Cristina: the lives and afterlives of a Lombard “palace” and a “Lombard” monastery'. Weds 4 Feb, 5.30pm, IHR Wolfson NB.02. All welcome - please sign up in advance here!
Corteolona and Santa Cristina: the lives and afterlives of a Lombard “palace” and a “Lombard” monastery
www.history.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 9:09 AM
We're back this week, welcoming @rossbalzaretti.bsky.social to speak on 'Corteolona and Santa Cristina: the lives and afterlives of a Lombard “palace” and a “Lombard” monastery'. Weds 4 Feb, 5.30pm, IHR Wolfson NB.02. All welcome - please sign up in advance here!
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of my PhD supervisor at Cambridge Professor David Abulafia. A very talented historian as well as a great supervisor and mentor who gave me sound career advice when I needed it. May his memory be a blessing. www.cai.cam.ac.uk/news/david-a...
David Abulafia (1949-2026)
Professor David Abulafia CBE has died. He was 76.
www.cai.cam.ac.uk
January 25, 2026 at 11:25 PM
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of my PhD supervisor at Cambridge Professor David Abulafia. A very talented historian as well as a great supervisor and mentor who gave me sound career advice when I needed it. May his memory be a blessing. www.cai.cam.ac.uk/news/david-a...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Absolutely pathetic Keir Starmer. What an affront to democracy!
January 25, 2026 at 12:19 PM
Absolutely pathetic Keir Starmer. What an affront to democracy!
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
It's my show tonight! In which I get to be dark and creepy in an intimate space for my friends and other good people of Nottingham.
🎥🌴🩸
YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
23 Jan, 8.30pm
@nottmplayhouse.bsky.social
nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/you-o...
🎥🌴🩸
YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
23 Jan, 8.30pm
@nottmplayhouse.bsky.social
nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/you-o...
January 23, 2026 at 9:37 AM
It's my show tonight! In which I get to be dark and creepy in an intimate space for my friends and other good people of Nottingham.
🎥🌴🩸
YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
23 Jan, 8.30pm
@nottmplayhouse.bsky.social
nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/you-o...
🎥🌴🩸
YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
23 Jan, 8.30pm
@nottmplayhouse.bsky.social
nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/you-o...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
It me! Online attendance also available; book on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/professor-...
January 22, 2026 at 8:37 PM
It me! Online attendance also available; book on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/professor-...
Congratulations Levi! Afraid I cannot attend as giving a paper at the IHR that evening. I hope it goes brilliantly.
January 23, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Congratulations Levi! Afraid I cannot attend as giving a paper at the IHR that evening. I hope it goes brilliantly.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
The UK government is proposing radical and punitive changes to settlement rules. This is settlement, not citizenship. The consultation is open until 12 February; please respond to it and oppose these evil proposals. Amnesty have a good guide: www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/gu...
Guidance for responding to 'A Fairer Pathway to Settlement' consultation
We are Amnesty International UK. We are ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights.
www.amnesty.org.uk
January 22, 2026 at 10:22 AM
The UK government is proposing radical and punitive changes to settlement rules. This is settlement, not citizenship. The consultation is open until 12 February; please respond to it and oppose these evil proposals. Amnesty have a good guide: www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/gu...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Anyone in the UK who has ever posted or reposted anything about ICE needs to fill this in to avoid being a hypocrite. It’s happening here too.
The UK government is proposing radical and punitive changes to settlement rules. This is settlement, not citizenship. The consultation is open until 12 February; please respond to it and oppose these evil proposals. Amnesty have a good guide: www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/gu...
Guidance for responding to 'A Fairer Pathway to Settlement' consultation
We are Amnesty International UK. We are ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights.
www.amnesty.org.uk
January 22, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Anyone in the UK who has ever posted or reposted anything about ICE needs to fill this in to avoid being a hypocrite. It’s happening here too.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
"Futility" was a novella by Morgan Robertson published in 1898, which depicted the sinking of an "unsinkable" ship called Titan after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic, and the huge loss of life owing to the inadequate number of lifeboats.
#wyrdwednesday
#wyrdwednesday
January 21, 2026 at 5:18 PM
"Futility" was a novella by Morgan Robertson published in 1898, which depicted the sinking of an "unsinkable" ship called Titan after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic, and the huge loss of life owing to the inadequate number of lifeboats.
#wyrdwednesday
#wyrdwednesday
Outrageous. Solidarity to all those union members affected.
Well that’s me locked out. No pay for the foreseeable future, all because I refuse to reschedule lost teaching, for which I have already lost pay as part of the strike. Please donate to support @sheffielducu.bsky.social members like me at www.gofundme.com/f/heubvb-sup...
January 19, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Outrageous. Solidarity to all those union members affected.
That image looks strikingly modern. Fascinating article.
January 19, 2026 at 9:21 AM
That image looks strikingly modern. Fascinating article.
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
The inkless doodles of Eadburg, an 8th-c. nun, discovered by new technology: now published by Jessica Hendy-Hodgkinson in EME doi.org/10.1111/emed... (Open access)
January 19, 2026 at 8:27 AM
The inkless doodles of Eadburg, an 8th-c. nun, discovered by new technology: now published by Jessica Hendy-Hodgkinson in EME doi.org/10.1111/emed... (Open access)
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Re-posting. Needed to see this again, as we launch soon our indicative ballot; management still does not get our anger, the strength of our opposition to course cancellations, huge job losses, inevitable workload increases, and demise/shrinkage of our beautiful UoN. Listen, bosses👇🏽
This is what solidarity looks like.
Say it with me- We. Are. The. University.
And we will NOT stop fighting until this administration listens to ALL of us. Staff, Students, and Community are united!
#StopTheCuts #SaveHE #UniversityOfNOttingham #UniversityOfLittleEngland
Say it with me- We. Are. The. University.
And we will NOT stop fighting until this administration listens to ALL of us. Staff, Students, and Community are united!
#StopTheCuts #SaveHE #UniversityOfNOttingham #UniversityOfLittleEngland
January 18, 2026 at 7:29 PM
Re-posting. Needed to see this again, as we launch soon our indicative ballot; management still does not get our anger, the strength of our opposition to course cancellations, huge job losses, inevitable workload increases, and demise/shrinkage of our beautiful UoN. Listen, bosses👇🏽
You can't say the Poste italiane don't package their parcels well!
January 14, 2026 at 5:31 PM
You can't say the Poste italiane don't package their parcels well!
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Plus reviews of recent books on the Three Chapters controversy, King Liutprand, Hincmar, 11th-century León & Galicia, Alfred the Great, the Regnum Italicum, Ernst Kantorowicz, and cartularies!
Finally, 2026 has started properly, with a new issue of Early Medieval Europe! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14680254...
Early Medieval Europe: Vol 34, No 1
Early Medieval Europe is an interdisciplinary medieval studies journal covering European history from the fall of the Roman Empire up until the 11th century.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Plus reviews of recent books on the Three Chapters controversy, King Liutprand, Hincmar, 11th-century León & Galicia, Alfred the Great, the Regnum Italicum, Ernst Kantorowicz, and cartularies!
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Heba Muraisi, who is on day 72 of her hunger strike, has told her friend she is dying.
I have signed @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social's letter urging David Lammy to engage with the legal representatives of the pro-Palestine hunger strikers.
I have signed @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social's letter urging David Lammy to engage with the legal representatives of the pro-Palestine hunger strikers.
January 13, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Heba Muraisi, who is on day 72 of her hunger strike, has told her friend she is dying.
I have signed @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social's letter urging David Lammy to engage with the legal representatives of the pro-Palestine hunger strikers.
I have signed @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social's letter urging David Lammy to engage with the legal representatives of the pro-Palestine hunger strikers.
Fascinating article for those interested in plant history
observer.co.uk/news/first-p...
observer.co.uk/news/first-p...
The strange tale of Sigmund Freud’s begonia | The Observer
How the gift of a plant helped Emma Freud finally get to know her great-grandfather
observer.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Fascinating article for those interested in plant history
observer.co.uk/news/first-p...
observer.co.uk/news/first-p...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
Why the @royalsociety.org want to be tethered to this sinking ship is beyond me ☹️
Musk should remain member of UK Royal Society, says president ft.trib.al/tC0vaAa
Musk should remain member of UK Royal Society, says president
Paul Nurse tells FT that national science academy should avoid ‘making judgments’ about ‘character’ of fellows
ft.trib.al
January 9, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Why the @royalsociety.org want to be tethered to this sinking ship is beyond me ☹️
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
What would a fellow have to do, to be in contravention of the @royalsociety.org Code of Conduct if Musk's behaviour *doesn't* constitute "acting in a personal or professional capacity in such a manner as is likely to bring the
Society into disrepute"?
royalsociety.org/-/media/abou...
Society into disrepute"?
royalsociety.org/-/media/abou...
January 9, 2026 at 5:29 PM
What would a fellow have to do, to be in contravention of the @royalsociety.org Code of Conduct if Musk's behaviour *doesn't* constitute "acting in a personal or professional capacity in such a manner as is likely to bring the
Society into disrepute"?
royalsociety.org/-/media/abou...
Society into disrepute"?
royalsociety.org/-/media/abou...
Reposted by Ross Balzaretti
I’m still thinking I must have imagined this.
And the BBC package ends with some crap about ‘in these politically charged times, dualling narratives’
WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD IS GOING ON!?!
There is no dual narratives
An innocent woman was shot dead and the Trump administration is lying about
THAT in the story
WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD IS GOING ON!?!
There is no dual narratives
An innocent woman was shot dead and the Trump administration is lying about
THAT in the story
January 8, 2026 at 10:10 PM
I’m still thinking I must have imagined this.