Margot Finn
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eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn
@eicathomefinn.bsky.social
16K followers 4.3K following 9.2K posts

Historian of Britain and colonialism, material culture, the EIC. Also works on equalities, museums, open access & research policy. Download the EIC @ Home open access volume here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/88277 (or individual chapters via JSTOR) .. more

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Margot C. Finn is a British historian and academic who specialises in Britain and the British colonial world during the long nineteenth century. She has been Professor of Modern British History at the University College, London (UCL) since 2012. Finn was previously the President of the Royal Historical Society and a trustee of the Victoria & Albert Museum. .. more

Political science 31%
Economics 26%
Posts Replies Media Videos

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 38m
Is History repeating itself with SMRs?
drpauldorfman.bsky.social Dr Paul Dorfman @drpauldorfman.bsky.social · 42m
"I spent 50 years in the #nuclear industry, advancing to senior vice president and managing projects at 70 nuclear power plants. I once believed the dream. The nuclear industry’s latest pitch is an expensive distraction from real #climate solutions."
www.theenergymix.com/the-nuclear-...
#Encore: The Nuclear Mirage: Why Small Modular Reactors Won’t Save Nuclear Power
Don’t believe the hype around SMRs, says 50-year industry veteran Arnie Gundersen, calling them an expensive distraction from real climate solutions.
www.theenergymix.com

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

drpauldorfman.bsky.social
Dr Paul Dorfman @drpauldorfman.bsky.social · 42m
"I spent 50 years in the #nuclear industry, advancing to senior vice president and managing projects at 70 nuclear power plants. I once believed the dream. The nuclear industry’s latest pitch is an expensive distraction from real #climate solutions."
www.theenergymix.com/the-nuclear-...
#Encore: The Nuclear Mirage: Why Small Modular Reactors Won’t Save Nuclear Power
Don’t believe the hype around SMRs, says 50-year industry veteran Arnie Gundersen, calling them an expensive distraction from real climate solutions.
www.theenergymix.com

Reposted by Jonathan Hopkin, Margot C. Finn

lrb.co.uk
London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 1h
‘Voters for the historic duopoly mostly cite the lack of a better alternative that can plausibly win. If that sense changes, the floor will vanish beneath Labour’s feet.’

@piercepenniless.bsky.social on Britain’s political futures:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
James Butler · Short Cuts: Labour’s Complacency
The few optimists in Labour claim that polling numbers aren’t meaningful this far from an election: faced with a...
www.lrb.co.uk

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

royalsocietypublishing.org
Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 1h
At the midway point, out 5th most popular paper this year is from #RSOS, investigating bottlenose #dolphins who use marine sponges as tools to protect their snouts while hunting on the seafloor - a skill spread through family lines: doi.org/10.1098/rsos...
Bottlenose dolphin. Credit: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

histparl.bsky.social
History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 1h
In the run-up to the new year, we're counting down our five most popular articles of 2025!

In at no. 5, in June Dr Martin Spychal explored the parliamentary career of Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP:
Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP - The History of Parliament
This is the first article in a new series for the Victorian Commons on Peter McLagan (1823-1900), by Dr Martin Spychal, Senior Research Fellow on our House of
historyofparliament.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1h
'For all its sectarian and racial faultlines, Northern Ireland holds valuable lessons, said Macaulay, a peace activist. “We used to think that the Troubles would never end, that peace would never come. But it did come. Things can turn around.”' 2/2

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1h
'The Circle of Change is the brainchild of 174 Trust, a charity based in the New Lodge area of north Belfast, an interface of Catholic and Protestant housing estates that endured murderous violence during the Troubles.' 1/2
‘It restored my hope’: how community action is confronting racism in Belfast
An initiative linking people across race, class and faith offers an antidote to silence, hate and growing division Donate to the charity appeal here
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1h
'“If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient,” [Sharyn] Alfonsi wrote.' An argument not only relevant for US media.
Bari Weiss defends decision to pull 60 Minutes episode on El Salvador prison
CBS News editor-in-chief argues in memo that network’s priority was ‘comprehensive and fair’ coverage
www.theguardian.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2h
'Foreign-born doctors and nurses were being put off by antagonism by politicians towards migrants, media coverage of immigration, the racist abuse of international medical graduates by NHS colleagues and racist aggression by patients toward minority ethnic NHS staff'. 2/2

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2h
'Record numbers of foreign-born doctors are quitting the NHS and the post-Brexit surge in those coming to work in it has stalled. At the same time, the number of nurses and midwives joining the NHS has fallen sharply over the past year.' 1/2
Foreign medics shunning NHS because of anti-migrant rhetoric, says top doctor
Exclusive: UK now an ‘unwelcoming, racist’ country for overseas health workers, according to medical colleges leader
www.theguardian.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2h
Some Habermas for the nearly new year, with a sharing link for 3 non-subscribers.
Jürgen Habermas: Germany’s political and cultural phenomenon
Two new books bring fresh insights into the philosopher who has towered over seven decades of German public life
giftarticle.ft.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 23h
Gold (digital) Open Access

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Margot C. Finn

jowolff.bsky.social
Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 1d
News story warning people not to use AI to help plan their mountain walks. But sure, use it to govern the country.

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d
Yes, have lectured for them: very engaged learners.

Reposted by Mel Bartley, Charles West

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d
'We don’t really know how AI reaches its conclusions – even the programmers admit as much. Nor can we verify its reasoning against clear, objective criteria. So when we follow AI’s advice, we are not guided by reason. We are back in the realm of faith.'
Our king, priest and feudal lord – how AI is taking us back to the dark ages | Joseph de Weck
Since the Enlightenment, we’ve been making our own decisions. But now AI may be about to change that, says Joseph de Weck, a fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute
www.theguardian.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d
'Sanner, a retired history professor, said older people were “more and more alert” and that there is a “fantastic hunger for education”. She added: “It’s totally fascinating that there are so many who want to learn more and learn more about the world. It is so very needed in our time.”' 2/2

Reposted by Richard Shaw, Samantha Brennan, Leo McCann , and 2 more

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d
'Record numbers of Swedish retirees are enrolling in a university run “by pensioners for pensioners” amid increased loneliness and a growing appetite for learning and in-person interactions.' 1/2
‘Keeps your mind alert’: older Swedes reap the benefits of learning for pleasure
Retirees with ‘fantastic hunger for education’ taking part in university organised events in record numbers
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Margot C. Finn, François Guesnet

duncanweldon.bsky.social
Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 1d
Find this fascinating.
The Tapestry is literally priceless. There is no market. Why not £2 billion? Or £500 million?
www.ft.com/content/ec9a... Bayeux Tapestry set to be covered by £800mn UK Treasury indemnity
Bayeux Tapestry set to be covered by £800mn UK Treasury indemnity
Nearly 1,000-year-old depiction of Norman Conquest will be on display at British Museum in 2026
www.ft.com

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Margot C. Finn

stuartelden.bsky.social
Stuart Elden @stuartelden.bsky.social · 2d
Foucault’s Christmas - "a Christmas day without writing, that was impossible! ... a day when, as he said, 'nothing has happened for several thousand years' " progressivegeographies.com/2024/12/25/f...
A photograph of Foucault sitting at a desk with bookshelves behind and a typewriter and papers in front of him. There is a large old-fashioned lampshade above him.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

katherineschof8.bsky.social
Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 2d
Happy Christmas to all those celebrating!

A Mughal virgin and child, by Ghulam Shah Salim before 1605, after an engraving by Flemish artist Bernard van Orley (1492-1542). Dedication to Prince Shah Salim who became the emperor Jahangir 1695–27.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

bjpaddy.bsky.social
Brendan Paddy @bjpaddy.bsky.social · 2d
If you like seabirds, living with the people you work with & weather that rolls in fresh off the Atlantic @scotwildlife.bsky.social are looking for a ranger on Handa
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
New ranger wanted for isolated uninhabited island of Handa
The job comes with a few challenges - including weekly boat trips to mainland for washing and shopping.
www.bbc.co.uk

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2d
Alt text: A woman dressed in ancient Greek dress stands on the right. She is placing folded textiles into a box (which is on the left). The open lid of the box looks like the lifted cover of a photocopy machine, giving the appearance of the woman attempting to copy a complete, closed volume.
arca-artcrime.bsky.social ARCA @arca-artcrime.bsky.social · 6d
Despite frequent remonstrations from digital archivists, Persephone never accepted that she could not photocopy a whole book in one go.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Margot C. Finn

hetanshah.bsky.social
Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 2d
Glad to see what is happening to the BBC Written Archive getting a bit more coverage. Can I suggest people use the public consultation for the BBC Charter Review to raise this issue
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/9febe15...
The BBC scandal of 2025 that went unnoticed
The Written Archives Centre has closed off access to most of its treasures, leaving historians in dismay
www.telegraph.co.uk

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Margot C. Finn

britishacademy.bsky.social
The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 3d
'We need to nurture those subjects which enable us to build a resource - "human ingenuity" - to interact with the technologies, politics and institutions that will shape the future'

Our President @sjs1869.bsky.social looks to the future for BBC R4 Today (from 45mins) https://bbc.in/49pus0h
Today - 24/12/2025 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Margot C. Finn

ppfideas.bsky.social
Past Present Future Podcast @ppfideas.bsky.social · 3d
What could be more Christmassy than @leaypi.bsky.social on Rosa Luxemburg?! 🎁
ppfideas.bsky.social Past Present Future Podcast @ppfideas.bsky.social · 3d
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

Today in our season of live recordings David and @leaypi.bsky.social. look at the biopic of a revolutionary: Margaretha von Trotta’s 'Rosa Luxemburg' (1986), which explores the deeply unstable relationship between the personal and the political.

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3d
Good reading.
The best of the long read in 2025
The long read: Our 20 favourite pieces of in-depth reporting, essays and profiles from the year
www.theguardian.com

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3d
(with apologies for pre-coffee spelling!)

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3d
Kudos to North Allerton (and to the Refugee Council). giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
‘A place of welcome’: Yorkshire town rallies round to help asylum seekers
Churches and community groups in Northallerton provide food, clothing and company for refugee families
giftarticle.ft.com

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Margot C. Finn

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 3d
Reminder that within research community contexts the demand for evidence before allowing assertion is not censorship; it is upholding standards of evidence.
markhisted.org Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 3d
There is a direct line between Mario Rubio now weaponizing the government against “censorship,” Jay Bhattacharya crying “censorship,” M Shellenberger lying on Substack about “censorship,” and the ongoing destruction of our public health, vaccine, and science infrastructure.
noupside.bsky.social Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 3d
The US State Department is now going to be deporting people and/or revoking visas over Benz, Taibbi, and Shellenberger’s “censorship industrial complex” hoax.

Let that sink in. This is what the Twitter Files pretext was actually about. Water boys for authoritarians.

www.state.gov/releases/off...

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Alan Richardson, Margot C. Finn

markhisted.org
Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 3d
There is a direct line between Mario Rubio now weaponizing the government against “censorship,” Jay Bhattacharya crying “censorship,” M Shellenberger lying on Substack about “censorship,” and the ongoing destruction of our public health, vaccine, and science infrastructure.
noupside.bsky.social Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 3d
The US State Department is now going to be deporting people and/or revoking visas over Benz, Taibbi, and Shellenberger’s “censorship industrial complex” hoax.

Let that sink in. This is what the Twitter Files pretext was actually about. Water boys for authoritarians.

www.state.gov/releases/off...
Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex - United States Department of State
The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose....
www.state.gov