@dr-rachel-taylor.bsky.social
I’ve a lot of affection for Northwestern and respect for faculty there (who voted against this!) But this is deeply shameful.
Look, every single “deal” reached by a university with the Trump administration is a moral stain that will be seen with deep embarrassment once we’re through this. But for Northwestern to do this now, when the administration is visibly weakened, is even more shameful and inexcusable.
November 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM
I’ve a lot of affection for Northwestern and respect for faculty there (who voted against this!) But this is deeply shameful.
Reposted
Columbia and Northwestern are the academic homes to the most prestigious journalism schools in the country and they are the two universities that caved to the Trump administration’s extortion demands that are directly connected to the First Amendment. Just gonna sit with that for a while.
November 29, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Columbia and Northwestern are the academic homes to the most prestigious journalism schools in the country and they are the two universities that caved to the Trump administration’s extortion demands that are directly connected to the First Amendment. Just gonna sit with that for a while.
What a weird view of the working classes! My working class Nan left school at 14, but seemed happy that her grandkids had more options. Her working class husband moved long distances for work & the life he wanted. It doesn’t honour them to remove opportunities and choices from their descendants!
November 29, 2025 at 11:07 AM
What a weird view of the working classes! My working class Nan left school at 14, but seemed happy that her grandkids had more options. Her working class husband moved long distances for work & the life he wanted. It doesn’t honour them to remove opportunities and choices from their descendants!
Reposted
A tragic bridge collapse 🏗️ at the Kalando mine ⛏️ in the DRC 🇨🇩 has claimed at least 50 lives 🕯️ and left many injured 🚑. This heartbreaking event 😔 underscores the urgent need for safer conditions ⚠️ for artisanal miners.
At least 50 miners killed in Congo bridge collapse; unions demand action
The tragic bridge collapse at the Kalando artisanal copper and cobalt mine in Mulondo, Lualaba province, on 15November 2025, which claimed at least 50 lives and left dozens injured or missing, is a he...
www.industriall-union.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
A tragic bridge collapse 🏗️ at the Kalando mine ⛏️ in the DRC 🇨🇩 has claimed at least 50 lives 🕯️ and left many injured 🚑. This heartbreaking event 😔 underscores the urgent need for safer conditions ⚠️ for artisanal miners.
Reposted
Wole Soyinka's US visa revoked
Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka says US revokes his visa
Nigeria's Nobel Prize-winning author Wole Soyinka said on Tuesday the United States had revoked his non-immigrant visa issued last year and he was told to re-apply if he wished to try again to visit the U.S.
www.reuters.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Wole Soyinka's US visa revoked
Another to add to my list of favourite journal article titles…
'Counting the Stakes: A Reassessment of Vlad III Dracula': new in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society' bit.ly/46iJfIU
In this new article, Dénes Harai reconsiders the victims of 'Vlad the Impaler' (c.1431-76), the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula #Skystorians 1/2
In this new article, Dénes Harai reconsiders the victims of 'Vlad the Impaler' (c.1431-76), the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula #Skystorians 1/2
September 23, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Another to add to my list of favourite journal article titles…
I would really appreciate a regular “hello olds! Here’s what politics looks like on teen TikTok” newsletter.
Suspect lots of people here don't realise how big a deal Kirk was on TikTok in the UK. Twins have seen loads of videos about him (mostly him being "owned" by progressive students). Lots of chat about it already on their WhatsApps. Much more so than anything in UK politics.
September 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I would really appreciate a regular “hello olds! Here’s what politics looks like on teen TikTok” newsletter.
I worry about this, and also about universities avoiding students from political / religious/ sexual minorities within foreign countries, who might make (justified) asylum claims.
I suspect the likeliest outcome of creating a strong financial incentive to avoid asylum claims would be to encourage university managers to find ways to close access to British HE to all applicants from poor & politically unstable countries which generate most asylum claims.
August 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I worry about this, and also about universities avoiding students from political / religious/ sexual minorities within foreign countries, who might make (justified) asylum claims.
Reposted
"Belgium’s federal prosecutor referred a 92-year-old former diplomat, Étienne Davignon, to the Brussels criminal court over alleged war crimes related to the killings."
Belgium marks Congo’s slain leader Lumumba's 100th birthday w exhibition – & possible trial: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Belgium marks Congo’s slain leader Lumumba's 100th birthday w exhibition – & possible trial: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
‘Lumumba everlasting’: Belgium marks Congo’s slain leader’s 100th birthday with exhibition – and possible trial
Surprise move towards trial of veteran diplomat over Patrice Lumumba’s 1961 assassination coincides with show seeking to widen focus on his life and fight
www.theguardian.com
July 29, 2025 at 7:08 PM
"Belgium’s federal prosecutor referred a 92-year-old former diplomat, Étienne Davignon, to the Brussels criminal court over alleged war crimes related to the killings."
Belgium marks Congo’s slain leader Lumumba's 100th birthday w exhibition – & possible trial: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Belgium marks Congo’s slain leader Lumumba's 100th birthday w exhibition – & possible trial: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
I have a programme that uses AI to "narrate" academic articles etc and it can be useful, although always a bit odd. What I love (or hate!) about fiction audiobooks, though, is the way the narrator interprets the text and the characters. I worry about great readings becoming harder to find.
The nuances in tone, the landing of a punchline, the twin joys of reading out loud and listening to what is being read.
These are human traits and human pleasures and AI cannot deliver it - only imitate.
What next? AI written books and poems?
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...
These are human traits and human pleasures and AI cannot deliver it - only imitate.
What next? AI written books and poems?
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...
Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audiobooks
Amazon brand will offer more than 100 artificial intelligence-generated voices in English and other languages
www.theguardian.com
May 14, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I have a programme that uses AI to "narrate" academic articles etc and it can be useful, although always a bit odd. What I love (or hate!) about fiction audiobooks, though, is the way the narrator interprets the text and the characters. I worry about great readings becoming harder to find.
Reposted
Remarkable to think this may be the first pope in history to have partaken of Malört, or even to know what Malört is. Watch out for his communion wine
On the one hand, POTATOES!
On the other, MALöRT!
On the other, MALöRT!
May 8, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Remarkable to think this may be the first pope in history to have partaken of Malört, or even to know what Malört is. Watch out for his communion wine
Reposted
Le philosophe congolais Valentin-Yves Mudimbe est décédé à l'âge de 83 ans
Le philosophe congolais Valentin-Yves Mudimbe est décédé à l'âge de 83 ans
Il avait signé L'Invention de l'Afrique, un incontournable des études africaines : le philosophe congolais Valentin-Yves Mudimbe est décédé tôt ce 22 avril 2025 à l’âge de 83 ans en Caroline du Nord, aux États-Unis, où il vivait. Il était l'un des intellectuels africains les plus respectés.
rfi.my
April 22, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Le philosophe congolais Valentin-Yves Mudimbe est décédé à l'âge de 83 ans
Reposted
If the UK was really, really smart, it would now plough tens of billions into research centres and take in all the American academics fleeing the US. Spoiler: the UK is not smart. 🇬🇧
8. It is difficult to overstate what a catastrophe this will be for the US research and education systems, particular in biomedical fields.
It is deliberate and wanton devastation entirely out of scale with any concern about DEI activities on campuses.
The goal is destroy US universities.
It is deliberate and wanton devastation entirely out of scale with any concern about DEI activities on campuses.
The goal is destroy US universities.
February 8, 2025 at 10:01 AM
If the UK was really, really smart, it would now plough tens of billions into research centres and take in all the American academics fleeing the US. Spoiler: the UK is not smart. 🇬🇧
Reposted
This is a national scandal. When will the government wake up and realise they are presiding over the rapid implosion of the UK's world-renowned university sector?
Cardiff: University confirms plans to cut 400 jobs
Vice-chancellor Wendy Larner says
www.bbc.co.uk
January 28, 2025 at 7:43 PM
This is a national scandal. When will the government wake up and realise they are presiding over the rapid implosion of the UK's world-renowned university sector?