Dave Addison
@daveaddison.bsky.social
Historian of Late Antiquity. British Academy Postdoc at University of Liverpool. Hispanophile, Leodensian.
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/david-addison
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/david-addison
Pinned
Dave Addison
@daveaddison.bsky.social
· Nov 18
Visions of the Desert in Atlantic Iberia: The Enigmas of Paschasius of Dumium’s Liber geronticon
The apophthegmata patrum or “sayings of the desert fathers” were an essential resource for Late Antique monastics. Compiled in Greek, they quickly circulated in an array of languages, including Cop...
doi.org
Very happy to see my new article on Paschasius of Dumium and the Iberian translation of the Apophthegmata patrum published (open access) in Al-Masaq. Features Atlantic-Mediterranean connectivity, Evagrius Ponticus, and a crocodile. doi.org/10.1080/0950...
Wild stat in the FT: Coventry University spend 12% of *all* annual expenditure paying fees to middle-men who recruit international students 🤯
September 25, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Wild stat in the FT: Coventry University spend 12% of *all* annual expenditure paying fees to middle-men who recruit international students 🤯
I genuinely don't understand who this kind of messaging from Kyle is for. Do red wall voters dream of Silicon valley in the fens? Are Economist subscribers a major voting bloc? Or does he just spend too much time talking fifteen or so guys from a handful of think tanks?
Lol. How well did the last govt insulting load-bearing parts of their electoral coalition work out for them? Like they watched what the Lib Dems did to the home counties and wondered what it'd be like if the Greens did that to the two dozen largest university towns.
Right. My students working two part time jobs and/or having an hour and a half commute to uni because they have to live at home due to the cost of student accommodation lack drive and vigour. Sure thing, Peter. The UK Govt still haven't a clue about the realities of universities today.
September 19, 2025 at 10:27 AM
I genuinely don't understand who this kind of messaging from Kyle is for. Do red wall voters dream of Silicon valley in the fens? Are Economist subscribers a major voting bloc? Or does he just spend too much time talking fifteen or so guys from a handful of think tanks?
September 19, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Ditto
I've deleted my academia.edu. The new ToCs were totally unacceptable.
Academia.edu - Find Research Papers, Topics, Researchers
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academia.edu
September 18, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Ditto
Would be easier to imagine journalism surviving the AI threat if certain journalists weren't equally, or rather more, prone to hallucination.
"CROWDS wave flags" according to the Daily Mail caption of this picture
August 24, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Would be easier to imagine journalism surviving the AI threat if certain journalists weren't equally, or rather more, prone to hallucination.
Relatedly, I think it's strange how little university AI conversations relate to the business context of all of this. (For good and for ill).
You don't have to be an AI doomer to wonder whether the promises that these companies valuations can ever be made good.
You don't have to be an AI doomer to wonder whether the promises that these companies valuations can ever be made good.
Breaking news: The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed with its biggest decline since August 1, with software group Palantir falling 9.4% and chipmaker Arm Holdings shedding 5%. on.ft.com/4fJPF6E
August 19, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Relatedly, I think it's strange how little university AI conversations relate to the business context of all of this. (For good and for ill).
You don't have to be an AI doomer to wonder whether the promises that these companies valuations can ever be made good.
You don't have to be an AI doomer to wonder whether the promises that these companies valuations can ever be made good.
AI question: Have any scholarly societies/journals/professional bodies put out policy statements on the use of LLMs in historical research? I'm aware of many on teaching and assessing, but not so many regarding research. There was a roundtable in the AHR in 2023, but this wasn't a policy piece.
August 19, 2025 at 5:45 PM
AI question: Have any scholarly societies/journals/professional bodies put out policy statements on the use of LLMs in historical research? I'm aware of many on teaching and assessing, but not so many regarding research. There was a roundtable in the AHR in 2023, but this wasn't a policy piece.
Eye-opening stuff here from Clifford Ando on Chicago
!["The cost of servicing its [Chicago's] debt is now 85 percent of the value of all undergraduate tuition."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cfbqyg7tk7v2su2x52zyifks/bafkreid4vfbjhqg33mp5qygw75qmeqer6cdsyolsisg2y3ib5754prvlwe@jpeg)
August 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Eye-opening stuff here from Clifford Ando on Chicago
Reposted by Dave Addison
Any #medievalsky members heading to the Leeds International Medieval Congress take care about emails from Global Travel Experts (ops@gtravelhost.com) asking you to 'confirm your booking.' Seems to be an elaborate scam & has targeted other international conferences: www.faops2024.org/gnuboard/bbs...
May 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Any #medievalsky members heading to the Leeds International Medieval Congress take care about emails from Global Travel Experts (ops@gtravelhost.com) asking you to 'confirm your booking.' Seems to be an elaborate scam & has targeted other international conferences: www.faops2024.org/gnuboard/bbs...
Really enjoyed writing this piece with @merleeisenberg.bsky.social on the use and abuse of "feudalism" in current political thinking. Thanks v much to @jacobinmag.bsky.social. Free to read here: jacobin.com/2025/05/capi...
May 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Really enjoyed writing this piece with @merleeisenberg.bsky.social on the use and abuse of "feudalism" in current political thinking. Thanks v much to @jacobinmag.bsky.social. Free to read here: jacobin.com/2025/05/capi...
Reposted by Dave Addison
Late to the party, I know. But here's my review of Peter Brown's autobiography, in which, among other things, I ask what the Brownian rethinking of the end of the Roman Empire tells us about thr intellectual history of Britain's own imperial twilight link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Peter Brown, Journeys of the Mind: A Life in History - Society
Society -
link.springer.com
May 15, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Late to the party, I know. But here's my review of Peter Brown's autobiography, in which, among other things, I ask what the Brownian rethinking of the end of the Roman Empire tells us about thr intellectual history of Britain's own imperial twilight link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Late to the party, I know. But here's my review of Peter Brown's autobiography, in which, among other things, I ask what the Brownian rethinking of the end of the Roman Empire tells us about thr intellectual history of Britain's own imperial twilight link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Peter Brown, Journeys of the Mind: A Life in History - Society
Society -
link.springer.com
May 15, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Late to the party, I know. But here's my review of Peter Brown's autobiography, in which, among other things, I ask what the Brownian rethinking of the end of the Roman Empire tells us about thr intellectual history of Britain's own imperial twilight link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Dave Addison
The British media, especially newspapers, is also getting more detached from public opinion as it has an ever decreasing market, the draw of American clicks, and owners who are happy to treat them as loss-making vanity (and power) projects.
I am a broken record on this point but I think it is important: the gap between how awful the British media and political class are and the actual British public is *huge*, you genuinely get an unrepresentative vision of how bad the UK is if you judge by these public phenomenon.
You'd never know it from some media and politicians but "The UK is among the countries with the least anti-immigration views in Europe. While in 2002-03 only 27% of the public felt immigration had a positive impact on the economy, this jumped to 66% in 2023-24." theconversation.com/what-britons...
April 1, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The British media, especially newspapers, is also getting more detached from public opinion as it has an ever decreasing market, the draw of American clicks, and owners who are happy to treat them as loss-making vanity (and power) projects.
I met a Times journalist once and they spent the entire time quizzing me on why younger people are refusing to subscribe to the newspaper of record these days. They had this weird sense that they were entitled to people's attention, since the Times was the truly representative centre of Brit media.
So on brand for The Times to help whip up the victimhood of the right, rather than calling it what it is…
Criminal abuse of power. A corrupt politician being found guilty in a court of law.
Judges did their job. Le Pen muzzled herself. She is responsible for her own demise. Democracy is safer today.
Criminal abuse of power. A corrupt politician being found guilty in a court of law.
Judges did their job. Le Pen muzzled herself. She is responsible for her own demise. Democracy is safer today.
April 1, 2025 at 8:38 AM
I met a Times journalist once and they spent the entire time quizzing me on why younger people are refusing to subscribe to the newspaper of record these days. They had this weird sense that they were entitled to people's attention, since the Times was the truly representative centre of Brit media.
What better way to celebrate Bradford's re-vamped Science & Media Museum (2025) than by closing the university's chemistry, film and television courses?
Uuurrggh, yet again. 'The University and College Union said that as many as 300 jobs could go at the Yorkshire university and warned that courses in chemistry and film and television were set to be shut down.'
Bradford threatened with strike over job cuts and course closures
Union fears as many as 300 jobs could go at Yorkshire university, plus courses in chemistry and film and television
www.timeshighereducation.com
March 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
What better way to celebrate Bradford's re-vamped Science & Media Museum (2025) than by closing the university's chemistry, film and television courses?
Apparently Clyde Pharr translated the Theodosian Code to own the libs (a healthier response than many today ...)
March 12, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Apparently Clyde Pharr translated the Theodosian Code to own the libs (a healthier response than many today ...)
Good news for medievalists ... But on a serious note, is there any good work from pre-modern historians engaging with Varoufakis's "Technofeudalism" etc?
If there was ever any doubt as to how big tech really works, it died today – if you want to understand Meta and co, a knowledge of feudalism will serve you far better than a knowledge of capitalism. 🧵
January 7, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Good news for medievalists ... But on a serious note, is there any good work from pre-modern historians engaging with Varoufakis's "Technofeudalism" etc?
Reposted by Dave Addison
A reminder about the EME/BSR fellowship: a month's stay in Rome for someone doing/recently finished a PhD on early medieval European history. Deadline 31st January.
bsr.ac.uk/second-bsr-e...
bsr.ac.uk/second-bsr-e...
Second BSR/Early Medieval Europe Fellowship - bsr.ac.uk
In partnership with the journal Early Medieval Europe, the British School at Rome is pleased to announce the second BSR/EME Fellowship. Aimed at early career researchers (defined as current PhD stu...
bsr.ac.uk
January 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
A reminder about the EME/BSR fellowship: a month's stay in Rome for someone doing/recently finished a PhD on early medieval European history. Deadline 31st January.
bsr.ac.uk/second-bsr-e...
bsr.ac.uk/second-bsr-e...
It's clear that there are particularly acute issues in funding for the humanities and arts, but I've also always found it eye-opening to speak to scientists about how bad things are getting in their disciplines. A general crisis.
NEW
Fall in UK university core science courses stokes fears for industrial strategy
Chemistry courses have dropped a quarter and biosciences by 15% in past 5 years
www.ft.com/content/563f... via @financialtimes.com with @amyborrett.bsky.social & @pmdfoster.bsky.social
Fall in UK university core science courses stokes fears for industrial strategy
Chemistry courses have dropped a quarter and biosciences by 15% in past 5 years
www.ft.com/content/563f... via @financialtimes.com with @amyborrett.bsky.social & @pmdfoster.bsky.social
Fall in UK university core science courses stokes fears for industrial strategy
Chemistry courses have dropped a quarter and biosciences by 15% in past 5 years
www.ft.com
January 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
It's clear that there are particularly acute issues in funding for the humanities and arts, but I've also always found it eye-opening to speak to scientists about how bad things are getting in their disciplines. A general crisis.
Reposted by Dave Addison
December 29, 2024 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Dave Addison
About a 10th of the number of Ukrainian refugee children state schools took in without any panicked coverage.
Such nonsense.
Such nonsense.
There are more than 10m children in school in the UK…but, per Times, 3,000 might move to state sector because of VAT rise…so Whitehall is “braced” 😲😲😲
Says a lot about UK media bubble, the way this story is reported.
You pay VAT on luxuries. Private schooling is that.
Says a lot about UK media bubble, the way this story is reported.
You pay VAT on luxuries. Private schooling is that.
December 26, 2024 at 9:15 AM
About a 10th of the number of Ukrainian refugee children state schools took in without any panicked coverage.
Such nonsense.
Such nonsense.
I'm slightly surprised by the negative response from academics to Labour's axing of the Latin programme in certain states schools. What's a good reason to teach Lati to children, besides a hazy nostalgia for the bad old days of grammar schools and the cultural canon they cultivated?
December 22, 2024 at 4:24 PM
I'm slightly surprised by the negative response from academics to Labour's axing of the Latin programme in certain states schools. What's a good reason to teach Lati to children, besides a hazy nostalgia for the bad old days of grammar schools and the cultural canon they cultivated?
Reposted by Dave Addison
Well this forthcoming book looks perfectly delightful from a great scholar: "Gardens in Northern Iberia in the Early Middle Ages: Practice, Product, and Sale" by Wendy Davies: academic.oup.com/book/58984
Gardens in Northern Iberia in the Early Middle Ages: Practice, Product, and Sale
Abstract. This book is about gardens in northern Spain and northern Portugal in the early middle ages, that part of the Iberian peninsula that lay beyond M
academic.oup.com
November 25, 2024 at 7:28 PM
Well this forthcoming book looks perfectly delightful from a great scholar: "Gardens in Northern Iberia in the Early Middle Ages: Practice, Product, and Sale" by Wendy Davies: academic.oup.com/book/58984
Reposted by Dave Addison
Very happy to see my new article on Paschasius of Dumium and the Iberian translation of the Apophthegmata patrum published (open access) in Al-Masaq. Features Atlantic-Mediterranean connectivity, Evagrius Ponticus, and a crocodile. doi.org/10.1080/0950...
Visions of the Desert in Atlantic Iberia: The Enigmas of Paschasius of Dumium’s Liber geronticon
The apophthegmata patrum or “sayings of the desert fathers” were an essential resource for Late Antique monastics. Compiled in Greek, they quickly circulated in an array of languages, including Cop...
doi.org
November 18, 2024 at 8:41 AM
Very happy to see my new article on Paschasius of Dumium and the Iberian translation of the Apophthegmata patrum published (open access) in Al-Masaq. Features Atlantic-Mediterranean connectivity, Evagrius Ponticus, and a crocodile. doi.org/10.1080/0950...
Very happy to see my new article on Paschasius of Dumium and the Iberian translation of the Apophthegmata patrum published (open access) in Al-Masaq. Features Atlantic-Mediterranean connectivity, Evagrius Ponticus, and a crocodile. doi.org/10.1080/0950...
Visions of the Desert in Atlantic Iberia: The Enigmas of Paschasius of Dumium’s Liber geronticon
The apophthegmata patrum or “sayings of the desert fathers” were an essential resource for Late Antique monastics. Compiled in Greek, they quickly circulated in an array of languages, including Cop...
doi.org
November 18, 2024 at 8:41 AM
Very happy to see my new article on Paschasius of Dumium and the Iberian translation of the Apophthegmata patrum published (open access) in Al-Masaq. Features Atlantic-Mediterranean connectivity, Evagrius Ponticus, and a crocodile. doi.org/10.1080/0950...