Seth Rockman
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sethrockman.bsky.social
Seth Rockman
@sethrockman.bsky.social
Historian at Brown University: https://history.brown.edu/people/seth-e-rockman Author of _Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery_ Nov. 2024, https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo237040605.html
Reposted by Seth Rockman
The Politics of Family/History. I've been so grateful for opportunities to talk abt the history of genealogy in early America & its implications. Tuesday lovely colleagues @brownhist.bsky.social are hosting my conversation w the great Leslie Harris. Join us! events.brown.edu/history/even...
The Politics of Family History: Karin Wulf in Conversation With Leslie Harris (Northwestern University)
Join the Department of History for a conversation with Karin Wulf and Leslie M. Harris (Northwestern University) on Wulf’s latest publication, Li...
events.brown.edu
November 8, 2025 at 12:34 PM
This is tremendous and I am grateful for this honor.
The James A. Rawley Award for the best book on secession and/or the sectional crisis published over the preceding two years is awarded to Seth Rockman for Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery #2025SHA
November 6, 2025 at 10:13 PM
A controversial theory? GTFO with this "aristocracy" nonsense.
Inside the billionaire network shaping MAGA’s post-Trump future
Chris Buskirk put tech elites in power in Trump’s Washington. His efforts are grounded in a controversial theory — an ‘aristocracy’ is needed to move the country forward.
wapo.st
November 4, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Leaving no option unexplored as Spring semester pre-registration arrives...
November 4, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Extreme local post: classical field hockey gets to div iii finals in overtime win!!!!
October 30, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
Brown's campus-wide semiquincentennial initiative #Brown2026 invites applications for a one-year open-rank position, either as a Visiting Fellow or a Visiting Senior Fellow, for the 2026-2027 academic year. applications will be read starting on December 15, 2025 apply.interfolio.com/175860?fbcli...
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October 28, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
I know it’s too much to expect them to know their history, but if the American Revolution had a motto, it definitely would not have been “immigrants go home.”

It would have been “get your fucking soldiers out of our cities.”
America... boy, I dunno.
October 28, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
It is hard to overstate the stress produced by the incoherence of academic institutions pumping generative AI when they want to play business and then leaving instructors to deal with the results when they want to play school
Cheating with an LLM is the easiest thing in the world for a student to do, but it creates a massive, laborious headache for a prof, if you intend to take it seriously. There’s meetings, emails, discussions, moral dilemmas. It’s just incredibly burdensome, on top of everything else right now.
I had 9 meetings about students using Chat GPT/LLMs on their papers today.

If you want to know why professors burn out, ask anyone trying to teach critical thinking and writing skills to Freshmen....
October 28, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
One year ago
October 27, 2025 at 12:22 PM
*Plantation Goods* has had an incredible run, beyond anything I could have imagined. I am absolutely thrilled that the book is being honored with the Horowitz Prize from the Bard Graduate Center for scholarship on decorative arts, design history, or material culture. @uchicagopress.bsky.social
2024 Horowitz Book Prize Winner
Bard Graduate Center is pleased to announce that the Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Book Prize for the best book on the decorative arts, design history, or material culture of the Americas published...
www.bgc.bard.edu
October 27, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
“Labor is prior to capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is superior and deserves higher consideration.”
Abraham Lincoln's Message to Congress, December 1861.
October 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I usually try to play it cool and take a deep breath when I see stuff like this, but honest to God:

F*** these Nazis
I made an image of all the art posted by US DOL on X since approximately Labor Day
October 26, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Very pleased to have found a physical copy.
October 23, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
The new issue of LABOR is here, and it’s hot!
October 21, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
They just do whatever the hell they want and they rely on Trump’s own complete disregard for the law, his ability to pardon them, and Congressional Republicans cult like obedience to protect them.

We are a joke as a country right now.
October 20, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
Political parties must shift immediately and dramatically to the left to avoid alienating these frustrated and abandoned young women. Am I doing this right?
Our recent poll found that women 28 and younger skew substantially more left than the national average. Nearly 80 percent of Gen Z women want abortion to be legal and seven in 10 want gender-affirming care to be accessible for trans adults.
Gen Z women are the most liberal group in the country
On issues like abortion and gender-affirming care, women 28 and younger skew substantially more left than the national average.
19thnews.org
October 18, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
Axes. Shoes. Cloth.

They may seem ordinary — but these items formed the material infrastructure of American slavery.

Historian Seth Rockman explains how.

🎧 Episode 422: benfranklinsworld.com/422
October 17, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
Tomorrow, 10/18 at 10AM: Join the Department of History as we welcome three distinguished graduates to discuss their pathways from the History concentration into diverse and rewarding careers. This event is part of Brown’s Family Weekend 2025. Learn more: bit.ly/4ncXMuW
October 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Are you excited about the Semiquincentennial and the history/legacy of Am Rev? Do you like to think about democratic societies and knowledge production--past, present, and future? Do you want to spend an upcoming research leave in Providence? Senior and early career positions alike. Click below...
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October 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
A thrill to be in the company of so many wonderful scholars!
Special 🎉🎉🍾 to @sethrockman.bsky.social !!
The AHA is pleased to announce the winners of its 2025 prizes, which honor exceptional books, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, public history, and other historical projects. Congratulations to the 2025 awardees! #AHAPerspectives🗃️
October 15, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I would love for my @brownhist.bsky.social students to think more in these terms.
AI Will Steal Your Finance Job—And That’s a Good Thing
Why the AI revolution could free Columbia from the tyranny of careerism
www.sundial-cu.org
October 15, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Seth Rockman
Plus, we’re giving away 10 free e-books of The Craft of Science Writing, published by @uchicagopress.bsky.social! Tell us, what does trust in science journalism mean to you? We’ll collect responses in the comments here and you could win a free electronic copy!
The Craft of Science Writing
An indispensable guide for media professionals, scientists, and educators who want to hone their science writing craft or provide a resource for students.
www.theopennotebook.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:52 PM
There is a great event coming this Saturday, courtesy of @brownhist.bsky.social

There are lots of reasons to study History. Here are 3.
October 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM