Selena Daly
@selenadaly.bsky.social
Historian of modern Italy, Associate Professor at UCL, researching history of Italian emigration, the First World War, and difficult heritage of Italian Fascism.
https://selenadaly.com
https://selenadaly.com
This is absurd. I have yet to encounter an AI system that can go into an archive and sift through thousands of documents and then put it all together in a coherent narrative!
I think that the people who made this list do not understand what historians actually *do*. We don’t just remember facts and dates and spit them out when asked!
Microsoft released a study showing the 40 jobs most at risk by AI:
February 12, 2026 at 11:53 AM
This is absurd. I have yet to encounter an AI system that can go into an archive and sift through thousands of documents and then put it all together in a coherent narrative!
Not sure that checks out, historically speaking. Supporters of Italian Fascism produced some fantastic avant-garde artworks.
February 10, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Not sure that checks out, historically speaking. Supporters of Italian Fascism produced some fantastic avant-garde artworks.
Reposted by Selena Daly
Hello historians - there is a specific purpose role now advertised in UL’s history department - Title of Post: Assistant Professor in Irish History (specialism History of the Family) - all details are over on UL vacancies! Do share! #jobsky #skystorians #speirgorm #speirghorm
January 16, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Hello historians - there is a specific purpose role now advertised in UL’s history department - Title of Post: Assistant Professor in Irish History (specialism History of the Family) - all details are over on UL vacancies! Do share! #jobsky #skystorians #speirgorm #speirghorm
Reposted by Selena Daly
Have a look at the Introduction of my 'Encounters in Wartime Italy: A Social History of Invasion, Liberation, and Occupation' (OUP 2025)!! This is now available for free until 18 February 2026: academic.oup.com/book/61479/c...
And the book is still 30% off with code AUFLY30!!
Thank you, OUP!
And the book is still 30% off with code AUFLY30!!
Thank you, OUP!
Introduction
Abstract. This chapter establishes the framework for examining the overlooked encounter between British soldiers and Italian civilians during the Allied oc
academic.oup.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Have a look at the Introduction of my 'Encounters in Wartime Italy: A Social History of Invasion, Liberation, and Occupation' (OUP 2025)!! This is now available for free until 18 February 2026: academic.oup.com/book/61479/c...
And the book is still 30% off with code AUFLY30!!
Thank you, OUP!
And the book is still 30% off with code AUFLY30!!
Thank you, OUP!
Reposted by Selena Daly
Hello! I am sharing information about my @researchireland.ie project Locating Loss: histories of infertility in landscapes and spaces. I would love to connect with researchers/ practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, so please share widely! Sharing again for morning Bluesky!
January 15, 2026 at 7:48 AM
Hello! I am sharing information about my @researchireland.ie project Locating Loss: histories of infertility in landscapes and spaces. I would love to connect with researchers/ practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, so please share widely! Sharing again for morning Bluesky!
Reposted by Selena Daly
5.20 a.m. on Monday 28 December 1908, the prosperous Sicilian port city of Messina is mostly asleep. The evening before saw the inauguration of the city's new public lighting system and a Christmas performance of Verdi's opera "Aida" at the Vittorio Emanuele Theatre [Thread] >> 1
December 28, 2024 at 3:12 PM
5.20 a.m. on Monday 28 December 1908, the prosperous Sicilian port city of Messina is mostly asleep. The evening before saw the inauguration of the city's new public lighting system and a Christmas performance of Verdi's opera "Aida" at the Vittorio Emanuele Theatre [Thread] >> 1
I never knew Chris Rea’s dad was Italian! Unclear how the family ended up in Middlesborough but they ran coffee bars and ice cream shops like so many of their compatriots in Britain. www.independent.co.uk/life-style/t...
The Worst of Times: Up to my elbows in ice-cream: Chris Rea talks to
There were nine of us, lots of screaming, crisis after crisis, somebody would be in the bathroom when someone else had an important date. Every meal would be a time bomb, rows breaking out from one si...
www.independent.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I never knew Chris Rea’s dad was Italian! Unclear how the family ended up in Middlesborough but they ran coffee bars and ice cream shops like so many of their compatriots in Britain. www.independent.co.uk/life-style/t...
Reposted by Selena Daly
There are FIVE MORE DAYS to get your abstract submissions in for our forthcoming conference on Food and Nutrition in Wartime in the Modern World! Based on submissions so far, there's fantastic research going on in the field and we're excited about bringing scholars together on this topic.
I'm so pleased to share this Call for Papers for a conference on Food and Nutrition in Wartime in the Modern World, 19th-21st centuries, organised with my colleagues Chris Batten and @rfhodge.bsky.social, kindly supported by @fwwsoc.bsky.social. Submissions to foodandwarconf@gmail.com by 22/12/25!
December 17, 2025 at 9:08 AM
There are FIVE MORE DAYS to get your abstract submissions in for our forthcoming conference on Food and Nutrition in Wartime in the Modern World! Based on submissions so far, there's fantastic research going on in the field and we're excited about bringing scholars together on this topic.
Reposted by Selena Daly
Italian cuisine has been awarded world heritage status by UNESCO. It is the first time that a national cuisine in its entirety has been added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Italy's greatest soft power weapon.
Italy's greatest soft power weapon.
Italian cuisine wins UNESCO World Heritage status - Food & Wine - Ansa.it
Italian cuisine was added to UNESCO's 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' lists at a meeting of the UN agency's Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANSA)
www.ansa.it
December 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Italian cuisine has been awarded world heritage status by UNESCO. It is the first time that a national cuisine in its entirety has been added to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Italy's greatest soft power weapon.
Italy's greatest soft power weapon.
Reposted by Selena Daly
We are pleased to launch today a new programme for early career researchers with @ihr.bsky.social & @chalkefestival.bsky.social
'Pitch my Project' is an opportunity for early career historians to present their research at the Chalke History Festival in 2026 bit.ly/44kfUMM Applications now invited.
'Pitch my Project' is an opportunity for early career historians to present their research at the Chalke History Festival in 2026 bit.ly/44kfUMM Applications now invited.
Pitch my Project: an opportunity for early career historians to present their work at the Chalke History Festival 2026 - RHS
Have you ever wanted to share your research with a wide audience? Would you like to gain experience in public speaking, and be supported to develop imaginative ways to communicate your research to the...
bit.ly
December 10, 2025 at 11:14 AM
We are pleased to launch today a new programme for early career researchers with @ihr.bsky.social & @chalkefestival.bsky.social
'Pitch my Project' is an opportunity for early career historians to present their research at the Chalke History Festival in 2026 bit.ly/44kfUMM Applications now invited.
'Pitch my Project' is an opportunity for early career historians to present their research at the Chalke History Festival in 2026 bit.ly/44kfUMM Applications now invited.
This is the kind of statistic that never cuts through into public debate, more’s the pity.
What do UK graduates do? Lots of information in this annual report.
A reminder that Humanities graduates are quite employable. Compare unemployment rates for Biology (8.4%), Chemistry (5.9%) and Physics (8.0%) with English literature (6.4%), History (7.6%) and Languages (7.6%) for example.
A reminder that Humanities graduates are quite employable. Compare unemployment rates for Biology (8.4%), Chemistry (5.9%) and Physics (8.0%) with English literature (6.4%), History (7.6%) and Languages (7.6%) for example.
graduatemarkettrends.cdn.prismic.io
November 28, 2025 at 3:11 PM
This is the kind of statistic that never cuts through into public debate, more’s the pity.
Reposted by Selena Daly
Are you working on literature and culture in the First World War? have you considered submitting to First World War Studies? meet our Associate Editor @afrayn.bsky.social who is keen to receive more submissions in these fields!
👥 Associate Editors introductions: Andrew Frayn
Continuing our introductions of the FWWS associate editors, this week we’re pleased to highlight Dr. Andrew Frayn, Associate Editor of First World War Studies and a scholar working at the intersection of literature and history.
Continuing our introductions of the FWWS associate editors, this week we’re pleased to highlight Dr. Andrew Frayn, Associate Editor of First World War Studies and a scholar working at the intersection of literature and history.
November 26, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Are you working on literature and culture in the First World War? have you considered submitting to First World War Studies? meet our Associate Editor @afrayn.bsky.social who is keen to receive more submissions in these fields!
Reposted by Selena Daly
Funded PhD opportunities at QUB:
'Childcare provision in late twentieth-century Northern Ireland (1960s-1990s)'
www.qub.ac.uk/courses/post...
'Childcare provision in late twentieth-century Northern Ireland (1960s-1990s)'
www.qub.ac.uk/courses/post...
REF: DfEHIS - HIS-PHD | Courses | Queen's University Belfast
www.qub.ac.uk
November 21, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Funded PhD opportunities at QUB:
'Childcare provision in late twentieth-century Northern Ireland (1960s-1990s)'
www.qub.ac.uk/courses/post...
'Childcare provision in late twentieth-century Northern Ireland (1960s-1990s)'
www.qub.ac.uk/courses/post...
An excellent PhD opportunity for someone to work on family separation during WW1 or WW2. I've done some research on Italian emigrant families separated when the father was serving in the Italian Army and it's a really fascinating area of study. royalhistsoc.org/calendar/phd...
PhD Studentship on Family Separation, funded by ERC - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - RHS
PhD Studentship on Family Separation, funded by European Research Council Call for Applications, deadline - 1 March 2026 This is a call for expressions of interest for a European Research Council-fund...
royalhistsoc.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:53 AM
An excellent PhD opportunity for someone to work on family separation during WW1 or WW2. I've done some research on Italian emigrant families separated when the father was serving in the Italian Army and it's a really fascinating area of study. royalhistsoc.org/calendar/phd...
Fascinating to see the impact of Catherine Connolly's Presidency already in terms of the visibility of the Irish language. I can't ever remember seeing RTE print several paragraphs in Irish in a news article (with English translations). Tús maith! www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
President Connolly speaks of 'intrinsic worth' of Irish
The Irish language has been a central part of President Catherine Connolly's political life and of her election campaign for the presidency.
www.rte.ie
November 11, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Fascinating to see the impact of Catherine Connolly's Presidency already in terms of the visibility of the Irish language. I can't ever remember seeing RTE print several paragraphs in Irish in a news article (with English translations). Tús maith! www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
On 5 December, I'm organising a workshop entitled 'Exploring the health and wellbeing of Italian migrants in Britain today' feat. contributions from academics, psychologists & community groups. See full programme here. Free but booking required! www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Exploring the health and wellbeing of Italian migrants in Britain today
A one-day workshop supported by UCL Health Humanities Seed Funding. Organised by Dr Selena Daly, Associate Professor in Italian Studies, UCL
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
On 5 December, I'm organising a workshop entitled 'Exploring the health and wellbeing of Italian migrants in Britain today' feat. contributions from academics, psychologists & community groups. See full programme here. Free but booking required! www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Every country should conduct their presidential elections as Ireland does.* That apple tart looks delicious.
*(or, at the very least, should have elections to vote for a head of state).
*(or, at the very least, should have elections to vote for a head of state).
The home of the O'Donovan family is being used as a polling station in Coolmoyne, Co Tipperary. Around 250 people are eligible to vote at the house and after they cast their ballot, they will be treated to a cup of tea, a slice of apple or rhubarb tart, or a scone | More: rte.ie/b/1540324
October 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Every country should conduct their presidential elections as Ireland does.* That apple tart looks delicious.
*(or, at the very least, should have elections to vote for a head of state).
*(or, at the very least, should have elections to vote for a head of state).
This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about my recent book Emigrant Soldiers: Mobilising Italians Abroad in the First World War. If anyone has a commute they'd like to liven up with tales of war, take a listen! newbooksnetwork.com/emigrant-sol...
Selena Daly, "Emigrant Soldiers: Mobilising Italians Abroad in the First World War" (Cambridge UP, 2025) - New Books Network
newbooksnetwork.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about my recent book Emigrant Soldiers: Mobilising Italians Abroad in the First World War. If anyone has a commute they'd like to liven up with tales of war, take a listen! newbooksnetwork.com/emigrant-sol...
Reposted by Selena Daly
We are recruiting again. Come join the Trondheim team of BLOCKADE as a 4 year, fully funded postdoc in Modern Economic History - you'll be working with Prof. Jonas Scherner and in one of the most beautiful university towns in Europe (evidence from last visit below)! www.hsozkult.de/searching/id...
October 24, 2025 at 11:05 AM
We are recruiting again. Come join the Trondheim team of BLOCKADE as a 4 year, fully funded postdoc in Modern Economic History - you'll be working with Prof. Jonas Scherner and in one of the most beautiful university towns in Europe (evidence from last visit below)! www.hsozkult.de/searching/id...
Earlier this week, I had a launch at UCL for my book Emigrant Soldiers. I was moved and grateful to see so many friends and colleagues show up to support me. Grazie a tutti. And to Heather Jones who did a wonderful job of contextualising the book (and driving sales!)
October 17, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Earlier this week, I had a launch at UCL for my book Emigrant Soldiers. I was moved and grateful to see so many friends and colleagues show up to support me. Grazie a tutti. And to Heather Jones who did a wonderful job of contextualising the book (and driving sales!)
In dispatches from insane prices in central London, please say hello to the £12.75 sourdough loaf.
October 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
In dispatches from insane prices in central London, please say hello to the £12.75 sourdough loaf.
Very glad to have managed to see Thessaloniki in the sunshine after two days of rain! Interesting mix of Byzantine architecture, Roman ruins and container ships heading into the port! It’s been a great location for the First World War Studies conference with wonderful hospitality.
October 3, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Very glad to have managed to see Thessaloniki in the sunshine after two days of rain! Interesting mix of Byzantine architecture, Roman ruins and container ships heading into the port! It’s been a great location for the First World War Studies conference with wonderful hospitality.
Was very sorry to miss the inaugural meeting of the new IHR Migration and Mobility seminar series (greetings from Greece!) but glad to see that it got off to such a cracking start. Looking forward to the rest of the events this year.
Enjoyed first seminar of @ihr.bsky.social Migration + Mobility seminar series led by the fantastic @kabcommons.bsky.social, starring legend @profpanayi.bsky.social and great presentations by @endeeekay.bsky.social (see pic for book out soon w/ @punctumbooks.bsky.social) & @marcloureiro.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Was very sorry to miss the inaugural meeting of the new IHR Migration and Mobility seminar series (greetings from Greece!) but glad to see that it got off to such a cracking start. Looking forward to the rest of the events this year.
Very pleased to be officially beginning my Leverhulme Research Fellowship year at the International First World War Studies conference in (a rainy) Thessaloniki. Three days of talk about war at sea!
October 1, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Very pleased to be officially beginning my Leverhulme Research Fellowship year at the International First World War Studies conference in (a rainy) Thessaloniki. Three days of talk about war at sea!
A few weeks ago I was interviewed by the Danish newspaper Politken about the memory of Fascism in Italy today, inspired by the debut of Mussolini's great-grandson's in the Serie A (paywalled unfortunately). politiken.dk/internationa...
Diktatorens oldebarn holder sig fra at have sit efternavn på ryggen
Internationalt | Seneste internationale nyheder og begivenheder som f.eks. tsunamien i Stillehavet, krigene i Ukraine og Gaza. Vi dækker, hvad der sker.
politiken.dk
September 30, 2025 at 8:40 AM
A few weeks ago I was interviewed by the Danish newspaper Politken about the memory of Fascism in Italy today, inspired by the debut of Mussolini's great-grandson's in the Serie A (paywalled unfortunately). politiken.dk/internationa...