Sonali Dhanpal
@sonalidhanpal.bsky.social
Historian of modern architecture and urbanism and a fellow at the Buell/ SOF Heyman at Columbia
Pinned
This is such a huge compliment to get from of the best urban historians of Britain
My article is the first from my second project on race, empire and post war housing in Britain! It’s in a Special Issue on State Effects in Grey Room edited by Zeynep Celik Alexander with Lucia Allais.
My article is the first from my second project on race, empire and post war housing in Britain! It’s in a Special Issue on State Effects in Grey Room edited by Zeynep Celik Alexander with Lucia Allais.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Academic book publishing: the more the book costs, the less proof-reading it has received
January 29, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Academic book publishing: the more the book costs, the less proof-reading it has received
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
extremely wholesome scenes in my neighborhood (I bet in yours too): kids building snow forts, neighbors freeing each others' cars and sidewalks from ice. nice to get the opposite of the doomscroll in
January 26, 2026 at 10:53 PM
extremely wholesome scenes in my neighborhood (I bet in yours too): kids building snow forts, neighbors freeing each others' cars and sidewalks from ice. nice to get the opposite of the doomscroll in
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
FREE EBOOK!
Cities Under Siege, Stephen Graham's powerful exposé of how political violence operates through the spaces of urban life is available as a free download.
Cities Under Siege, Stephen Graham's powerful exposé of how political violence operates through the spaces of urban life is available as a free download.
Cities Under Siege
Cities are the new battleground of our increasingly urban world. From the slums of the global South to the wealthy financial centers of the West, Cities Under Siege traces the spread of political viol...
www.versobooks.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:44 PM
FREE EBOOK!
Cities Under Siege, Stephen Graham's powerful exposé of how political violence operates through the spaces of urban life is available as a free download.
Cities Under Siege, Stephen Graham's powerful exposé of how political violence operates through the spaces of urban life is available as a free download.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
"How many people does it take before it becomes wrong?
A thousand?
Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does it take, admiral?"
- Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Insurrection
A thousand?
Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does it take, admiral?"
- Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Insurrection
January 25, 2026 at 7:18 PM
"How many people does it take before it becomes wrong?
A thousand?
Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does it take, admiral?"
- Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Insurrection
A thousand?
Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does it take, admiral?"
- Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Insurrection
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Today’s General Strike in Minnesota was so beautiful. The care that humans have towards one another in this time of unprecedented state cruelty gives me tremendous hope. As a society, we know how to draw lines in the sand. Don’t disappear our friends, family, and neighbors.
January 24, 2026 at 3:10 AM
Today’s General Strike in Minnesota was so beautiful. The care that humans have towards one another in this time of unprecedented state cruelty gives me tremendous hope. As a society, we know how to draw lines in the sand. Don’t disappear our friends, family, and neighbors.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Looking forward to the launch of my book Coolie Migrants, Indian Diplomacy next week (Wednesday, 28 Jan) at Exeter, organised by wonderful colleagues at the Centre for Imperial and Global History and South Asia Centre. Please join us - hybrid option available.
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
Coolie Migrants, Indian Diplomacy Book Launch
www.exeter.ac.uk
January 23, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Looking forward to the launch of my book Coolie Migrants, Indian Diplomacy next week (Wednesday, 28 Jan) at Exeter, organised by wonderful colleagues at the Centre for Imperial and Global History and South Asia Centre. Please join us - hybrid option available.
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
I reviewed MORE AND MORE AND MORE which argues that there’s no historical precedent for an “energy transition”; instead, we see symbiotic linkages between wood, coal, oil, and now renewables. I’m convinced. But the book’s analysis of capitalism falls short @thebaffler.com Link ⬇️
January 20, 2026 at 8:10 PM
I reviewed MORE AND MORE AND MORE which argues that there’s no historical precedent for an “energy transition”; instead, we see symbiotic linkages between wood, coal, oil, and now renewables. I’m convinced. But the book’s analysis of capitalism falls short @thebaffler.com Link ⬇️
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Adam is in his tooze feekum phase
January 20, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Adam is in his tooze feekum phase
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
When Nottingham's overseas campuses are cited as evidence without any reference to Nottingham's UK campus woes, you know you have a half-baked, politically convenient policy in the oven. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
UK drops target for international student recruitment
Government to encourage education providers to open campuses overseas as it focuses on reducing migration
giftarticle.ft.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:51 AM
When Nottingham's overseas campuses are cited as evidence without any reference to Nottingham's UK campus woes, you know you have a half-baked, politically convenient policy in the oven. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
‘We regularly call the cops on our students. Now we’ve sold them to Microsoft’.
Big announcement from @manchester.ac.uk today:
"The University of Manchester has announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, becoming the first university in the world to give Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training to every student and colleague."
#GenerativeAI #Research #Manchester
"The University of Manchester has announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, becoming the first university in the world to give Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training to every student and colleague."
#GenerativeAI #Research #Manchester
World-first AI partnership between The University of Manchester and Microsoft announced
The University of Manchester becomes first university in the world to provide Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training to all students and staff.65,000 staff and students will receive full Microsoft ...
www.manchester.ac.uk
January 19, 2026 at 12:29 PM
‘We regularly call the cops on our students. Now we’ve sold them to Microsoft’.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Semester 2 ESALA’s Semester 2 **Colonial Debris / Decolonial Horizons** continues.
* Black Geographic Interventions Against Empire (4 Feb) * Imagined Futures, Colonial Reckonings (25 Feb) * Hill Station film + Q&A (11 Mar)
* After Colonial Debris (18 Mar)///
Join us! Event links coming soon.
* After Colonial Debris (18 Mar)///
Join us! Event links coming soon.
January 19, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Semester 2 ESALA’s Semester 2 **Colonial Debris / Decolonial Horizons** continues.
* Black Geographic Interventions Against Empire (4 Feb) * Imagined Futures, Colonial Reckonings (25 Feb) * Hill Station film + Q&A (11 Mar)
* After Colonial Debris (18 Mar)///
Join us! Event links coming soon.
* After Colonial Debris (18 Mar)///
Join us! Event links coming soon.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
#OnThisDay 15 Jan 1919, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, founders of the Communist Party of Germany, were executed by Freikorps forces following the failed Spartacist revolt. Their deaths marked a violent suppression of leftist uprisings during post-war German political turmoil.
January 15, 2026 at 11:59 AM
#OnThisDay 15 Jan 1919, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, founders of the Communist Party of Germany, were executed by Freikorps forces following the failed Spartacist revolt. Their deaths marked a violent suppression of leftist uprisings during post-war German political turmoil.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
There should be grave national concern about one of Britain’s leading economic sectors and chief export earners shedding tens of thousands of often skilled relatively well paid jobs. Universities are also key to local and regional economies across the country.
Pay-off spend up by two-thirds as universities shed 13,000 jobs
Analysis of UK sector accounts shows number of job losses well above predictions, with experts warning cuts are not over yet
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:11 AM
There should be grave national concern about one of Britain’s leading economic sectors and chief export earners shedding tens of thousands of often skilled relatively well paid jobs. Universities are also key to local and regional economies across the country.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
"In this contested landscape, depth became a site of resistance + control. Engineers calculated coefficients to keep silt particles suspended in the new canals. Rebel 🐎men hid in dust storms to move invisibly past army strongholds. Widows swallowed land deeds to disrupt colonial property transfer."
CRUNCH: Depth and Belonging
Ijlal Muzaffar examines how depth reveals invisible connections between land and belonging, traced through silt, dust and bodies in colonial Sindh.
www.ucl.ac.uk
January 14, 2026 at 3:18 PM
"In this contested landscape, depth became a site of resistance + control. Engineers calculated coefficients to keep silt particles suspended in the new canals. Rebel 🐎men hid in dust storms to move invisibly past army strongholds. Widows swallowed land deeds to disrupt colonial property transfer."
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Gotta say: it takes a white guy emeritus prof from Yale to proclaim that faculty life hasn't changed in 40 years — amidst adjunctification, platformization, public funding cuts, the substitution of tech for competent support staff, the disappearance of those jobs *my* senior advisors enjoyed...
Opinion | Why Professors Fear the Future
Academic life has barely changed in 40 years. Why? The faculty likes it that way.
www.chronicle.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Gotta say: it takes a white guy emeritus prof from Yale to proclaim that faculty life hasn't changed in 40 years — amidst adjunctification, platformization, public funding cuts, the substitution of tech for competent support staff, the disappearance of those jobs *my* senior advisors enjoyed...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
Debates continue to circulate—as they should—about the utility of neoliberalism as a category of analysis and political practice. Myself + three other historians wrote a brief overview of how it works in our field for the Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
January 14, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Debates continue to circulate—as they should—about the utility of neoliberalism as a category of analysis and political practice. Myself + three other historians wrote a brief overview of how it works in our field for the Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
'Writing the History of Neoliberalism: A Comment' bit.ly/3LKB8NF - new article in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'.
With contributions from Quinn Slobodian, Priya Lal, Gary Gerstle & Tehila Sasson.
@quinnslobodian.com, @priyalalista.bsky.social @tsasson.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
With contributions from Quinn Slobodian, Priya Lal, Gary Gerstle & Tehila Sasson.
@quinnslobodian.com, @priyalalista.bsky.social @tsasson.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
January 13, 2026 at 2:19 PM
'Writing the History of Neoliberalism: A Comment' bit.ly/3LKB8NF - new article in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'.
With contributions from Quinn Slobodian, Priya Lal, Gary Gerstle & Tehila Sasson.
@quinnslobodian.com, @priyalalista.bsky.social @tsasson.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
With contributions from Quinn Slobodian, Priya Lal, Gary Gerstle & Tehila Sasson.
@quinnslobodian.com, @priyalalista.bsky.social @tsasson.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
A reminder that the call for papers for the Modern British Studies conference in June 2026 is still open - you've got until Jan 31st to submit panel or paper proposals. Exciting to see some already on our desk! #MBS26
www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/moder...
www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/moder...
Modern British Studies Conference 2026 - University of Birmingham
Conference information
www.birmingham.ac.uk
January 12, 2026 at 1:44 PM
A reminder that the call for papers for the Modern British Studies conference in June 2026 is still open - you've got until Jan 31st to submit panel or paper proposals. Exciting to see some already on our desk! #MBS26
www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/moder...
www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/moder...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
“The TX Higher Ed Coord Board officially launched its Office of the Ombudsman website Fri, providing a portal where students + members of the public can file complaints against the state’s public colleges and universities… [Ombud] Simmons is a former tech co executive [+] venture capitalist.” 😬
Texas Launches Portal for Public Complaints Against Colleges
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board officially launched its Office of the Ombudsman website Friday, providing a portal where students and members of the public can file complaints against th...
www.insidehighered.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:55 PM
“The TX Higher Ed Coord Board officially launched its Office of the Ombudsman website Fri, providing a portal where students + members of the public can file complaints against the state’s public colleges and universities… [Ombud] Simmons is a former tech co executive [+] venture capitalist.” 😬
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
This type of public protest feels very Pink Pussy Hat coded, and there’s a real power in a form of almost cringe (?) public feminism that comes from brazenly adopting insults as epithets. It goes back to the SlutWalks, and further back than that too.
Shout out to these women❤️
We "fucking bitches" wont stop fighting fascists.
We "fucking bitches" wont stop fighting fascists.
January 12, 2026 at 6:52 PM
This type of public protest feels very Pink Pussy Hat coded, and there’s a real power in a form of almost cringe (?) public feminism that comes from brazenly adopting insults as epithets. It goes back to the SlutWalks, and further back than that too.
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
📢 Call for Papers 📢
2026 Commodities of Empire workshop: “Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers.”
📍 Madrid, 2–3 September 2026
⏳ Submission deadline: 14 February 2026
👉 CFP: commoditiesofempire.org.uk/events/
@davidedgerton.bsky.social @samuelcoghe.bsky.social
2026 Commodities of Empire workshop: “Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers.”
📍 Madrid, 2–3 September 2026
⏳ Submission deadline: 14 February 2026
👉 CFP: commoditiesofempire.org.uk/events/
@davidedgerton.bsky.social @samuelcoghe.bsky.social
January 12, 2026 at 10:22 AM
📢 Call for Papers 📢
2026 Commodities of Empire workshop: “Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers.”
📍 Madrid, 2–3 September 2026
⏳ Submission deadline: 14 February 2026
👉 CFP: commoditiesofempire.org.uk/events/
@davidedgerton.bsky.social @samuelcoghe.bsky.social
2026 Commodities of Empire workshop: “Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers.”
📍 Madrid, 2–3 September 2026
⏳ Submission deadline: 14 February 2026
👉 CFP: commoditiesofempire.org.uk/events/
@davidedgerton.bsky.social @samuelcoghe.bsky.social
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
The Land Worker, journal of the National Union of Agricultural Workers, used striking images - photos, engravings & cartoons - to help get their message across.
On Plough Monday, this short 🧵 shows just a few examples of the plough as a symbol of rural life through the pages of The Land Worker...
On Plough Monday, this short 🧵 shows just a few examples of the plough as a symbol of rural life through the pages of The Land Worker...
January 12, 2026 at 11:55 AM
The Land Worker, journal of the National Union of Agricultural Workers, used striking images - photos, engravings & cartoons - to help get their message across.
On Plough Monday, this short 🧵 shows just a few examples of the plough as a symbol of rural life through the pages of The Land Worker...
On Plough Monday, this short 🧵 shows just a few examples of the plough as a symbol of rural life through the pages of The Land Worker...
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
'UK universities have been criticised for offering PhD studentships with significant teaching loads, often without offering doctoral candidates extra time to complete their studies.'
Calls for longer PhD scholarships as teaching loads creep up
Doctoral candidates offered hybrid ‘stipend and salary’ studentships with significant teaching hours will struggle to balance competing pressures, union fears
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:54 AM
'UK universities have been criticised for offering PhD studentships with significant teaching loads, often without offering doctoral candidates extra time to complete their studies.'
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
hard to disagree with any of this, altho the paths this has followed are quite different in different pockets of academia. IMO there’s still a lot of prestige bound up with specific publishers/journals in e.g. history
Is academic research experiencing the same ‘enshittification’ that Cory Doctorow identifies in online platforms?
Martina Linnenluecke and I say yes!
A summary of our paper is out today in The Conversation
Full paper at: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
theconversation.com/the-5-stages...
Martina Linnenluecke and I say yes!
A summary of our paper is out today in The Conversation
Full paper at: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
theconversation.com/the-5-stages...
The 5 stages of the ‘enshittification’ of academic publishing
Academic publishing now shows the same decline that has hit social media and online marketplaces.
theconversation.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:51 AM
hard to disagree with any of this, altho the paths this has followed are quite different in different pockets of academia. IMO there’s still a lot of prestige bound up with specific publishers/journals in e.g. history
Reposted by Sonali Dhanpal
University of Dundee architecture students have successfully campaigned to address a shortage of teaching staff which threatened accreditation of courses.
Dundee architecture students win fight against course-threatening staff shortages
Dundee architecture students win fight against course-threatening staff shortages
www.architectsjournal.co.uk
January 6, 2026 at 11:53 AM
University of Dundee architecture students have successfully campaigned to address a shortage of teaching staff which threatened accreditation of courses.