will pooley
@willpooley.bsky.social
historian of witchcrafts, folklore, France 18-20th c
ass. ed. French History
ed. Cambridge Elements in Magic
also #CreativeHistories
that’s an actual photo of me
ass. ed. French History
ed. Cambridge Elements in Magic
also #CreativeHistories
that’s an actual photo of me
Pinned
will pooley
@willpooley.bsky.social
· Nov 10
Sheet Happens
When I started working on witchcraft cases in France from 1790-1940, I knew I wanted to count them. This, of course, was my first mistake. The oldest version I have of the Excel spreadsheet I built…
williamgpooley.wordpress.com
My reintroduction: historian of french magic, folklore, witchcraft, tarot. I blog about all that, as well as writing, creative historical methods, quantification and research process.
A surprising number of you sickos can’t get enough spreadsheet chat🗃️
williamgpooley.wordpress.com/2024/05/22/s...
A surprising number of you sickos can’t get enough spreadsheet chat🗃️
williamgpooley.wordpress.com/2024/05/22/s...
Reposted by will pooley
This is really, really great.
wantmymtv.vercel.app
wantmymtv.vercel.app
MTV REWIND - I Want My MTV
Celebrating 44 years of continuous music videos. Stream classic music videos 24/7.
wantmymtv.vercel.app
January 6, 2026 at 4:58 PM
This is really, really great.
wantmymtv.vercel.app
wantmymtv.vercel.app
Reposted by will pooley
Kick started the new work year with another installment of my 'research walk', retracing the parish boundaries of 17thC Portishead for my book on 'Everyday Life in the 17thC Village'. Got a taste of the 'Little Ice Age' - a period of colder temperatures that impacted the 17thC - by going out in -1!
January 6, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Kick started the new work year with another installment of my 'research walk', retracing the parish boundaries of 17thC Portishead for my book on 'Everyday Life in the 17thC Village'. Got a taste of the 'Little Ice Age' - a period of colder temperatures that impacted the 17thC - by going out in -1!
me: “look it turns out I don’t *hate* the markup tool for marking in Blackboard ultra”
people who know me well: “call the police will poley has been kidnapped”
people who know me well: “call the police will poley has been kidnapped”
January 6, 2026 at 3:14 PM
me: “look it turns out I don’t *hate* the markup tool for marking in Blackboard ultra”
people who know me well: “call the police will poley has been kidnapped”
people who know me well: “call the police will poley has been kidnapped”
underrated gifts for new parents: everyone probably knows the “bunch of frozen meals” or voucher to buy same.
but one they never tell you: rechargeable batteries and charger. so many damn batteries
but one they never tell you: rechargeable batteries and charger. so many damn batteries
January 6, 2026 at 12:51 PM
underrated gifts for new parents: everyone probably knows the “bunch of frozen meals” or voucher to buy same.
but one they never tell you: rechargeable batteries and charger. so many damn batteries
but one they never tell you: rechargeable batteries and charger. so many damn batteries
the government can’t get anything right, but then you look at the leader of the opposition and honestly her unfailing instinct to support positions that enjoy support of bare 1/5 voters is frankly impressive
January 6, 2026 at 12:44 PM
the government can’t get anything right, but then you look at the leader of the opposition and honestly her unfailing instinct to support positions that enjoy support of bare 1/5 voters is frankly impressive
Reposted by will pooley
NEW
But what about international law?
What happens to an international legal order when a superpower goes rogue
Substack:
emptycity.substack.com/p/but-what-a...
Personal Blog:
davidallengreen.com/2026/01/but-...
But what about international law?
What happens to an international legal order when a superpower goes rogue
Substack:
emptycity.substack.com/p/but-what-a...
Personal Blog:
davidallengreen.com/2026/01/but-...
But what about international law?
What happens to an international legal order when a superpower goes rogue?
emptycity.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:03 AM
NEW
But what about international law?
What happens to an international legal order when a superpower goes rogue
Substack:
emptycity.substack.com/p/but-what-a...
Personal Blog:
davidallengreen.com/2026/01/but-...
But what about international law?
What happens to an international legal order when a superpower goes rogue
Substack:
emptycity.substack.com/p/but-what-a...
Personal Blog:
davidallengreen.com/2026/01/but-...
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 will pooley
Keen to know more about 'Thermal horizons: energy and infrastructures of British global power, c. 1830–1900'? Join us to discuss Alex Bremmer's paper on Tuesday 13 January either in person at the Institute of Historical Research, London or on Zoom, 5:30 GMT. Free and open to the public.
Thermal horizons: energy and infrastructures of British global power, c.1830-1900
www.history.ac.uk
January 6, 2026 at 11:29 AM
Keen to know more about 'Thermal horizons: energy and infrastructures of British global power, c. 1830–1900'? Join us to discuss Alex Bremmer's paper on Tuesday 13 January either in person at the Institute of Historical Research, London or on Zoom, 5:30 GMT. Free and open to the public.
“NO…
…THING could STOP me from saying YES!!”
…THING could STOP me from saying YES!!”
academics: this brave new year, why not practice saying “no” in your work life by starting small.
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
January 6, 2026 at 9:35 AM
“NO…
…THING could STOP me from saying YES!!”
…THING could STOP me from saying YES!!”
Reposted by will pooley
This year, History Workshop Journal will celebrate two milestones: its 50th anniversary and its 100th issue.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
HWJ in the Classroom
From histories of the French Revolution, to policing in Early Modern England, to LGBTQ+ histories, these reflections highlight HWJ as a valuable resource across many different classrooms.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
January 6, 2026 at 7:00 AM
This year, History Workshop Journal will celebrate two milestones: its 50th anniversary and its 100th issue.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
academics: this brave new year, why not practice saying “no” in your work life by starting small.
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
January 6, 2026 at 9:16 AM
academics: this brave new year, why not practice saying “no” in your work life by starting small.
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
“no… way of course id love to do an extra thing even tho i haven’t done the million other things”
Reposted by will pooley
Includes a short reflection from me on how I used History Workshop articles in modules designed for the MA in Black British History.
Many congratulations to @historyworkshop.org.uk on this milestone year. #HWJ100
Many congratulations to @historyworkshop.org.uk on this milestone year. #HWJ100
This year, History Workshop Journal will celebrate two milestones: its 50th anniversary and its 100th issue.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
HWJ in the Classroom
From histories of the French Revolution, to policing in Early Modern England, to LGBTQ+ histories, these reflections highlight HWJ as a valuable resource across many different classrooms.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
January 6, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Includes a short reflection from me on how I used History Workshop articles in modules designed for the MA in Black British History.
Many congratulations to @historyworkshop.org.uk on this milestone year. #HWJ100
Many congratulations to @historyworkshop.org.uk on this milestone year. #HWJ100
Reposted by will pooley
It was exciting to be invited to help celebrate @historyworkshop.org.uk’s anniversary, especially as it gave me yet another reason to rave about teaching with Michaela Kalcher’s work on trauma, the Terror, and an incredible diary doi.org/10.1093/hwj/...
January 6, 2026 at 7:54 AM
It was exciting to be invited to help celebrate @historyworkshop.org.uk’s anniversary, especially as it gave me yet another reason to rave about teaching with Michaela Kalcher’s work on trauma, the Terror, and an incredible diary doi.org/10.1093/hwj/...
Reposted by will pooley
holiday academic Bluesky (US version): here is a list of everything I accomplished this year plus I had some Thoughts about the humanities
holiday academic Bluesky (UK version): I’m 80% brandy butter, 12% brussels sprouts, 8% brisk walk, what’s a university again, also I’ve forgotten how to write
holiday academic Bluesky (UK version): I’m 80% brandy butter, 12% brussels sprouts, 8% brisk walk, what’s a university again, also I’ve forgotten how to write
December 29, 2025 at 8:59 PM
holiday academic Bluesky (US version): here is a list of everything I accomplished this year plus I had some Thoughts about the humanities
holiday academic Bluesky (UK version): I’m 80% brandy butter, 12% brussels sprouts, 8% brisk walk, what’s a university again, also I’ve forgotten how to write
holiday academic Bluesky (UK version): I’m 80% brandy butter, 12% brussels sprouts, 8% brisk walk, what’s a university again, also I’ve forgotten how to write
Reposted by will pooley
nice of them to illustrate this one with a picture of a cock
Your fact of the day:
The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in six American citizens suffers a food-borne illness annually. In the UK, the figure is one in 132.
bylinetimes.com/2020/02/28/f...
The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in six American citizens suffers a food-borne illness annually. In the UK, the figure is one in 132.
bylinetimes.com/2020/02/28/f...
Fowl Play: How US Chicken Imports will Pollute Britain's Poor
Since joining the EU British food has gone from bog-awful to top-notch, but Otto English reveals how a US Trade deal will unravel 40 years of progress.
bylinetimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:20 PM
nice of them to illustrate this one with a picture of a cock
we are living in a world where the “sensible” solutions being peddled amount to
“leopard deterrent (for facial application)”
“leopard deterrent (for facial application)”
January 4, 2026 at 7:42 AM
we are living in a world where the “sensible” solutions being peddled amount to
“leopard deterrent (for facial application)”
“leopard deterrent (for facial application)”
Reposted by will pooley
![Comic. [Comment section on a video. 564 comments, including posts from three different avatars: “Who else is here in 2023?” “Is anyone else watching this in 2017?” “Anyone else here in 2025?”] [caption] For some reason, confused time travelers always try to find each other using YouTube comments.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreia42izz36bkhdteb5743objgf2s3whe3kblmnxnwjvgggtu66ea54@jpeg)
January 2, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Reposted by will pooley
On January 1, 1804, revolutionaries established the independent country of Haiti, the first nation to permanently ban slavery. As we begin a year engulfed by the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, it’s worth reading the Haitian Declaration of Independence in full. 🇭🇹
January 1, 2026 at 1:04 PM
On January 1, 1804, revolutionaries established the independent country of Haiti, the first nation to permanently ban slavery. As we begin a year engulfed by the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, it’s worth reading the Haitian Declaration of Independence in full. 🇭🇹
Reposted by will pooley
Lots being said - quite rightly - about this. But two things more:
- The desire to create a sort of 'final act' of an academic career by throwing in with reactionaries is neither sympathetic nor dignified.
- Adapting to the state of the field is part of the job, not a burden.
- The desire to create a sort of 'final act' of an academic career by throwing in with reactionaries is neither sympathetic nor dignified.
- Adapting to the state of the field is part of the job, not a burden.
The reason this Harvard history professor decided he was done with one of the best and most privileged jobs in the world was, in his own words, because he was forced to lecture in a mask during peak Covid.
I’m not making this up.
I’m not making this up.
December 31, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Lots being said - quite rightly - about this. But two things more:
- The desire to create a sort of 'final act' of an academic career by throwing in with reactionaries is neither sympathetic nor dignified.
- Adapting to the state of the field is part of the job, not a burden.
- The desire to create a sort of 'final act' of an academic career by throwing in with reactionaries is neither sympathetic nor dignified.
- Adapting to the state of the field is part of the job, not a burden.
Reposted by will pooley
2025 has been a rotten year for most early career postdoctoral researchers, especially in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
Early Career Researcher Network
An inclusive, researcher-led network for UK-based early career researchers working in the humanities and social sciences
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
December 31, 2025 at 2:47 PM
2025 has been a rotten year for most early career postdoctoral researchers, especially in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
*goose with lowered head shouting*
“independence from what?
INDEPENDENCE FROM WHAT???!”
“independence from what?
INDEPENDENCE FROM WHAT???!”
January 1, 2026 at 8:26 AM
*goose with lowered head shouting*
“independence from what?
INDEPENDENCE FROM WHAT???!”
“independence from what?
INDEPENDENCE FROM WHAT???!”
Reposted by will pooley
Oh no, thank you, I actually just had a year.
January 1, 2026 at 4:17 AM
Oh no, thank you, I actually just had a year.
transphobia is a disease and it certainly appears to me that the recovery rate is v low if not zero
December 31, 2025 at 7:22 AM
transphobia is a disease and it certainly appears to me that the recovery rate is v low if not zero
