Akil N Awan
@akilnawan.bsky.social
Academic at Royal Holloway, University of London. Director of the Conflict, Violence and Terrorism Research Centre (CVTRC) @cvtrc.bsky.social. Words in New Statesman, BBC History, National Interest, History Today, Jacobin, BylineTimes, Independent
Better late than never.
1100+ Israeli academics urge Heads of Israeli universities to "mobilize the full weight of Israeli academia to stop the war in Gaza", acknowledging "a horrifying litany of war crimes and even crimes against humanity, all of our own doing."
drive.google.com/file/d/1BeAn...
1100+ Israeli academics urge Heads of Israeli universities to "mobilize the full weight of Israeli academia to stop the war in Gaza", acknowledging "a horrifying litany of war crimes and even crimes against humanity, all of our own doing."
drive.google.com/file/d/1BeAn...
May 29, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Better late than never.
1100+ Israeli academics urge Heads of Israeli universities to "mobilize the full weight of Israeli academia to stop the war in Gaza", acknowledging "a horrifying litany of war crimes and even crimes against humanity, all of our own doing."
drive.google.com/file/d/1BeAn...
1100+ Israeli academics urge Heads of Israeli universities to "mobilize the full weight of Israeli academia to stop the war in Gaza", acknowledging "a horrifying litany of war crimes and even crimes against humanity, all of our own doing."
drive.google.com/file/d/1BeAn...
NYT: The US carried out 1100 strikes against the Houthis, burned through $1 billion in munitions & couldn't establish air superiority over one of the poorest countries in the world.
Houthis meanwhile, shot down 7 MQ-9 drones & almost several F-16/F-35 jets & forced a ceasefire on favourable terms.
Houthis meanwhile, shot down 7 MQ-9 drones & almost several F-16/F-35 jets & forced a ceasefire on favourable terms.
May 14, 2025 at 10:25 AM
NYT: The US carried out 1100 strikes against the Houthis, burned through $1 billion in munitions & couldn't establish air superiority over one of the poorest countries in the world.
Houthis meanwhile, shot down 7 MQ-9 drones & almost several F-16/F-35 jets & forced a ceasefire on favourable terms.
Houthis meanwhile, shot down 7 MQ-9 drones & almost several F-16/F-35 jets & forced a ceasefire on favourable terms.
Conservatives break ranks 👏
"An opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history & to uphold the principles we claim to champion. More than 140 UN member states have already recognised Palestine – it is time for the UK to do the same”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
"An opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history & to uphold the principles we claim to champion. More than 140 UN member states have already recognised Palestine – it is time for the UK to do the same”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
May 7, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Conservatives break ranks 👏
"An opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history & to uphold the principles we claim to champion. More than 140 UN member states have already recognised Palestine – it is time for the UK to do the same”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
"An opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history & to uphold the principles we claim to champion. More than 140 UN member states have already recognised Palestine – it is time for the UK to do the same”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Trump's instructions for his new ‘Garden of Heroes’ statues: "All submissions must depict figures from a long, eclectic list issued in a previous executive order...Mr. Trump has also directed that subjects be depicted in a 'realistic' manner, with no modernist or abstract designs allowed."
April 26, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Trump's instructions for his new ‘Garden of Heroes’ statues: "All submissions must depict figures from a long, eclectic list issued in a previous executive order...Mr. Trump has also directed that subjects be depicted in a 'realistic' manner, with no modernist or abstract designs allowed."
Israeli forces have dropped more explosives on Gaza than fell on London, Dresden, & Hamburg combined during WW2. More than 50k Palestinians have been killed
Hospitals are no longer functional, with 654 verified strikes on them & over 1k health-care workers killed
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Hospitals are no longer functional, with 654 verified strikes on them & over 1k health-care workers killed
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
April 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Israeli forces have dropped more explosives on Gaza than fell on London, Dresden, & Hamburg combined during WW2. More than 50k Palestinians have been killed
Hospitals are no longer functional, with 654 verified strikes on them & over 1k health-care workers killed
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Hospitals are no longer functional, with 654 verified strikes on them & over 1k health-care workers killed
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
One of the many reasons to buy @profdanhicks.bsky.social new book are damning revelations like this 👇
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
April 25, 2025 at 6:48 AM
One of the many reasons to buy @profdanhicks.bsky.social new book are damning revelations like this 👇
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
This looks like a really important event. Rather ironic that the US should learn these lessons, considering it also bears some responsibility for those disappearances in places like Argentina & Chile as a result of its support for Operation Condor. Cartoon by Carlos Latuff.
April 23, 2025 at 8:33 PM
This looks like a really important event. Rather ironic that the US should learn these lessons, considering it also bears some responsibility for those disappearances in places like Argentina & Chile as a result of its support for Operation Condor. Cartoon by Carlos Latuff.
This event co-organised by @aaup.bsky.social looks excellent.
'Higher Education: Forgotten Pasts and Alternative Futures–Lessons from the CUNY Experience'
Monday, April 28, 7:00 pm ET
Here's the Zoom registration link: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
'Higher Education: Forgotten Pasts and Alternative Futures–Lessons from the CUNY Experience'
Monday, April 28, 7:00 pm ET
Here's the Zoom registration link: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
April 23, 2025 at 9:30 AM
This event co-organised by @aaup.bsky.social looks excellent.
'Higher Education: Forgotten Pasts and Alternative Futures–Lessons from the CUNY Experience'
Monday, April 28, 7:00 pm ET
Here's the Zoom registration link: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
'Higher Education: Forgotten Pasts and Alternative Futures–Lessons from the CUNY Experience'
Monday, April 28, 7:00 pm ET
Here's the Zoom registration link: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
📢 GET YOUR SUBMISSIONS IN!
The deadline for submitting Paper, Panel & Symposia Proposals closes at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (April 11, UK time).
societyforterrorismresearch.org/conferences/...
The deadline for submitting Paper, Panel & Symposia Proposals closes at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (April 11, UK time).
societyforterrorismresearch.org/conferences/...
April 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
📢 GET YOUR SUBMISSIONS IN!
The deadline for submitting Paper, Panel & Symposia Proposals closes at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (April 11, UK time).
societyforterrorismresearch.org/conferences/...
The deadline for submitting Paper, Panel & Symposia Proposals closes at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (April 11, UK time).
societyforterrorismresearch.org/conferences/...
Excellent from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social
History isn’t winning the argument. They're not ignorant of history. They are threatened by it and their default solution to any threat is deletion and they can do so because they control powerful levers for directing the global flow of money and information.
History isn’t winning the argument. They're not ignorant of history. They are threatened by it and their default solution to any threat is deletion and they can do so because they control powerful levers for directing the global flow of money and information.
February 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Excellent from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social
History isn’t winning the argument. They're not ignorant of history. They are threatened by it and their default solution to any threat is deletion and they can do so because they control powerful levers for directing the global flow of money and information.
History isn’t winning the argument. They're not ignorant of history. They are threatened by it and their default solution to any threat is deletion and they can do so because they control powerful levers for directing the global flow of money and information.
More than 5,300 years ago, the Indus Valley civilization emerged along the Indus River in present-day Pakistan & northwest India. It left behind artifacts, archaeological sites & a mysterious inscrutable script. Officials are offering $1M to decipher the script
www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/o...
www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/o...
January 31, 2025 at 11:13 AM
More than 5,300 years ago, the Indus Valley civilization emerged along the Indus River in present-day Pakistan & northwest India. It left behind artifacts, archaeological sites & a mysterious inscrutable script. Officials are offering $1M to decipher the script
www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/o...
www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/o...
In his book 'On Tyranny' historian @timothysnyder.bsky.social wrote about Anticipatory Obedience.
"most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given... In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked"
"most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given... In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked"
January 30, 2025 at 8:11 PM
In his book 'On Tyranny' historian @timothysnyder.bsky.social wrote about Anticipatory Obedience.
"most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given... In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked"
"most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given... In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked"
Yes, unambiguously after Jun 1941. The Russians tend to get short-changed in how the West remembers WW2.
Stalin reportedly said at the Tehran Conference that WW2 would be won through “British brains (intelligence), American brawn (steel), & Russian blood.” The final death toll largely confirmed this
Stalin reportedly said at the Tehran Conference that WW2 would be won through “British brains (intelligence), American brawn (steel), & Russian blood.” The final death toll largely confirmed this
January 29, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Yes, unambiguously after Jun 1941. The Russians tend to get short-changed in how the West remembers WW2.
Stalin reportedly said at the Tehran Conference that WW2 would be won through “British brains (intelligence), American brawn (steel), & Russian blood.” The final death toll largely confirmed this
Stalin reportedly said at the Tehran Conference that WW2 would be won through “British brains (intelligence), American brawn (steel), & Russian blood.” The final death toll largely confirmed this
Devastating article from @nesrinemalik.bsky.social. Children have made up the majority of casualties in the Gazan genocide. Tens of thousands of innocent children lie dead, many still under rubble. Pause for a moment & allow those statistics to become tragedies so we might try to mourn them properly
January 27, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Devastating article from @nesrinemalik.bsky.social. Children have made up the majority of casualties in the Gazan genocide. Tens of thousands of innocent children lie dead, many still under rubble. Pause for a moment & allow those statistics to become tragedies so we might try to mourn them properly
You spelled ethnic cleansing wrong.
January 26, 2025 at 8:07 PM
You spelled ethnic cleansing wrong.
This is excellent from @jfarkas.bsky.social & @aurelmondon.bsky.social
We we must now "take decisive and radical action if we are to turn the tide against the dystopian reactionary tech oligarchy." @bylinetimes.bsky.social
We we must now "take decisive and radical action if we are to turn the tide against the dystopian reactionary tech oligarchy." @bylinetimes.bsky.social
January 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
This is excellent from @jfarkas.bsky.social & @aurelmondon.bsky.social
We we must now "take decisive and radical action if we are to turn the tide against the dystopian reactionary tech oligarchy." @bylinetimes.bsky.social
We we must now "take decisive and radical action if we are to turn the tide against the dystopian reactionary tech oligarchy." @bylinetimes.bsky.social
"Better treatment"?!
Leaving aside the ugly naked imperialism of all of this, what makes you think Canadians would want to voluntarily die much earlier while bankrupting themselves paying for the US's broken healthcare system in the process?
Leaving aside the ugly naked imperialism of all of this, what makes you think Canadians would want to voluntarily die much earlier while bankrupting themselves paying for the US's broken healthcare system in the process?
January 26, 2025 at 10:33 AM
"Better treatment"?!
Leaving aside the ugly naked imperialism of all of this, what makes you think Canadians would want to voluntarily die much earlier while bankrupting themselves paying for the US's broken healthcare system in the process?
Leaving aside the ugly naked imperialism of all of this, what makes you think Canadians would want to voluntarily die much earlier while bankrupting themselves paying for the US's broken healthcare system in the process?
For some strange reason, I've been thinking about Tom Lehrer's lyrics a lot recently
January 10, 2025 at 9:21 AM
For some strange reason, I've been thinking about Tom Lehrer's lyrics a lot recently
Is there a chance that Trump's crazy plans are based completely on the Mercator projection and how big he thinks Greenland is?
January 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Is there a chance that Trump's crazy plans are based completely on the Mercator projection and how big he thinks Greenland is?
Disgraceful behaviour from Edge Hill University if true. Academics work long hours, & much of their labour is given freely for the benefit of their institutions & higher ed more broadly. Stories like this, which show we can be callously discarded, corrode any remaining goodwill we might still hold
January 7, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Disgraceful behaviour from Edge Hill University if true. Academics work long hours, & much of their labour is given freely for the benefit of their institutions & higher ed more broadly. Stories like this, which show we can be callously discarded, corrode any remaining goodwill we might still hold
One of the speakers who tried (& failed) to prevent the American Historical Association resolution on scholasticide in Gaza passing yesterday argued 'that the resolution failed to acknowledge that the war began on Oct 7 2023'.
This headline is from exactly 16 years ago today.
This headline is from exactly 16 years ago today.
January 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM
One of the speakers who tried (& failed) to prevent the American Historical Association resolution on scholasticide in Gaza passing yesterday argued 'that the resolution failed to acknowledge that the war began on Oct 7 2023'.
This headline is from exactly 16 years ago today.
This headline is from exactly 16 years ago today.
The NYT asked Colson Whitehead what he was looking forward to in 2025. He doesn't sugarcoat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/o...
January 5, 2025 at 5:43 PM
The NYT asked Colson Whitehead what he was looking forward to in 2025. He doesn't sugarcoat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/o...
"Visit Afghanistan, land of culture, cricket and women closeted in their own homes." @catherinebennett.bsky.social on specialist travel companies and the cricketing world, turning a blind eye to the Taliban's gender apartheid.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
January 5, 2025 at 9:57 AM
"Visit Afghanistan, land of culture, cricket and women closeted in their own homes." @catherinebennett.bsky.social on specialist travel companies and the cricketing world, turning a blind eye to the Taliban's gender apartheid.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Thinking about the current state of politics dominated by the ultra rich along with their army of sycophants, fanboys, brownnosers & ass-kissers, some concepts really are eternal. This painting is almost 450 years old.
'Man with the Moneybag and Flatterers' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (c.1592)
'Man with the Moneybag and Flatterers' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (c.1592)
January 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Thinking about the current state of politics dominated by the ultra rich along with their army of sycophants, fanboys, brownnosers & ass-kissers, some concepts really are eternal. This painting is almost 450 years old.
'Man with the Moneybag and Flatterers' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (c.1592)
'Man with the Moneybag and Flatterers' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (c.1592)
"Alcuin did use the phrase 'vox populi, vox dei,' but in doing so he wasn’t celebrating the voice of the people. He was doing the exact opposite. Alcuin was decrying demagogues and fools who elevate the 'tumult of the mob' over the wise counsel of experts."
January 1, 2025 at 4:21 PM
"Alcuin did use the phrase 'vox populi, vox dei,' but in doing so he wasn’t celebrating the voice of the people. He was doing the exact opposite. Alcuin was decrying demagogues and fools who elevate the 'tumult of the mob' over the wise counsel of experts."