Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
countesscanuck.bsky.social
Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
@countesscanuck.bsky.social
Historian, writer, community organizer. Blues and jazz, movies, travel, live theatre, and beaches. Foodie. Yoga practioner. Dog Lover.
...and broader climate in which I would be undertaking such a long-term and demanding academic commitment."

I can't blame them. Not. One. Bit. 2/2 #historysky
April 13, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Oh, thank you so much! I appreciate the affirmation. Look forward to hearing what you think of the book!
April 3, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Additional details on my own page. Be well, all.
March 19, 2025 at 4:14 PM
...and make the decisions to work with the conference. This is how many universities work, and it has been how the Big Berks has worked. For example, the contract with Santa Clara for the July 2023 Big Berks was signed on May 16, 2023, less than two months before the conference began."
March 19, 2025 at 4:12 PM
But the Provost's office had the emails with all the components confirming, multiple times, their agreements to let us use the spaces & that their services were available. Indeed, the Provost's office helped us put this all together by sending us to the right people who could confirm availability...
March 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
From inside the Berks: "Contracts are not with the University; it's with the individual components at NU providing spaces and services. We had the dorms, the University Center, all the venues, etc. lined up. And they (NU) don't do contracts until February the year of for something in the summer...
March 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM
From inside the Berks: "I do not know why they (Northwestern) pulled out. I do know that their withdrawal more than a month ago is not a plausible reason to cancel the Berks, given that our pivot to a hotel venue was going well & we had excellent, financially viable bids from Chicago area hotels."
March 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
"I do not know why they (Northwestern) pulled out. I do know that their withdrawal more than a month ago is not a plausible reason to cancel the Berks, given that our pivot to a hotel venue was going well and we had excellent, financially viable bids from Chicago area hotels."
March 19, 2025 at 4:04 PM
"...and make the decisions to work with the conference. This is how many universities work, and it has been how the Big Berks has worked. For example, the contract with Santa Clara for the July 2023 Big Berks was signed on May 16, 2023, less than two months before the conference began."
March 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
"But the Provost's office had the emails with all the components confirming, multiple times, their agreements to let us use the spaces & that their services were available. Indeed, the Provost's office helped us put this all together by sending us to the right people who could confirm availability."
March 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
From inside the Berks: "Contracts are not with the University; it's with the individual components at NU providing spaces and services. We had the dorms, the University Center, all the venues, etc. lined up. And they (NU) don't do contracts until February the year of for something in the summer..."
March 19, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Someone who confirmed this yesterday and who, despite being unceremoniously FIRED without cause or explanation, is taking the high road and not publicly tanking an organization they love and have long served.
March 19, 2025 at 12:52 PM
No. But why would I disbelieve someone who I know, who told me directly, who works at NU, and who has been working on the '26 Berks for a year?
March 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
💯.
March 18, 2025 at 11:50 PM
So different from school to school!
March 18, 2025 at 11:44 PM
I am not accusing Amy of anything, btw. I will note also that the co-presidents, both of whom are woc, were fired last week with no warning, effective immediately, and with no explanation as to why. So... I think there's a lot of stuff we just don't know.
March 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Also, most University services don't sign final contracts for summer event services until spring the year of. Santa Clara signed off in May 2023, just weeks prior to the Berks. And, it's contracts made with individual offices, not the whole university...
March 18, 2025 at 11:18 PM
I think there's a difference between the BoT of the Berks, which sent that email, and the conference co-presidents, who were doing all the work on the ground. They have a paper trail confirming the dorms, room venues, the University Center, and emails from the Provost, etc.
March 18, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Indeed. One of the co-presidents of the 2026 Berks. And, of course, it was announced in Tokyo last summer. Most troubling is that Berks insiders claim NU didn't pull out until just last month. It's all very...odd. idk.
March 18, 2025 at 10:51 PM
I read it, yes. I'm simply relaying what I know firsthand (from having been asked to serve on the program committee last May). And from my own conversations with Berks conference organizers.
March 18, 2025 at 10:01 PM
It was confirmed, publicly, at more than one venue, prior to and after the CFP went out. And I'm hearing that NU didn't back out until last month... So something is off. 🤷🏾‍♀️
March 18, 2025 at 9:50 PM
I'm confused. I was asked to serve on the '26 cmte in May '24. I declined for work reasons, but I was told then that it would be at Northwestern. Additionally, folks who attended related events in Tokyo last year confirm that NU was publicly announced there as the site for the 2026 conference...
March 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM