Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Elisa Romagnoli

@elisalromagnoli.bsky.social

Good riddance

September 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social

Don’t look away. This is what Libya’s migrant detention facilities look like. This is what Trump is doing.

Amnesty International called Libya’s migrant detention centers a “hellscape,” where beatings and sexual violence are rampant and there are many reports of trafficking and even slavery.

A picture of an incredibly grim room, filed with depressed-looking African men, in filthy clothes laying on filthy mattresses in a filthy detention center with bars on the window. Everyone looks like the life has gone out of them.

Global development
This article is more than 3 years old
Fresh evidence of violence at Libyan detention centres as boats turned back
This article is more than 3 years old
Amnesty International says sexual abuse and beatings rife at camps for those forcibly returned after trying to cross the Med

May 7, 2025 at 2:47 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Doghouse Reilly

@chadstanton.blacksky.app

Directly downstream of recasting college as a work credential than a site of learning.

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · May 7

“Massive numbers of students are going to emerge from university with degrees, and into the workforce, who are essentially illiterate…Both in the literal sense and in the sense of being historically illiterate and having no knowledge of their own culture, much less anyone else’s.”

Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College

ChatGPT has unraveled the entire academic project.

nymag.com

May 7, 2025 at 11:14 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Adam Carlson

@admcrlsn.bsky.social

Hi everyone — I was laid off from my job on Friday

If you know of any open opportunities in polling or market research (full-time or contracts/consulting), please let me know. I have 12 years of experience in the industry

If you don’t, please consider reposting/sharing

Thanks!

May 5, 2025 at 6:56 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Dheepa Sundaram, PhD (she/her)

@themodsisyphus.bsky.social

Stunning

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · May 7

Speechless.

I asked Wendy if I could read the paper she turned in, and when I opened the document, I was surprised to see the topic: critical pedagogy, the philosophy of education pioneered by Paulo Freire. The philosophy examines the influence of social and political forces on learning and classroom dynamics. Her opening line: “To what extent is schooling hindering students’ cognitive ability to think critically?” Later, I asked Wendy if she recognized the irony in using AI to write not just a paper on critical pedagogy but one that argues learning is what “makes us truly human.” She wasn’t sure what to make of the question. “I use AI a lot. Like, every day,” she said. “And I do believe it could take away that critical-thinking part. But it’s just — now that we rely on it, we can’t really imagine living without it.”

May 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Paul Duane 🥔

@paulduane.bsky.social

The Guardian has an 'explainer' about the India-Pakistan conflict that manages to avoid stating that the border between the countries was originally drawn by an Englishman who had never been to India and signed off on in a hurry by Lord Mountbatten because he had to get back to Britain for a party.

May 7, 2025 at 11:31 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Red Emma’s

@redemmas.org

On 5/21, we're welcoming @kamaufranklin.bsky.social, @marpark.bsky.social & @micahh.bsky.social, editors of the new No Cop City, No Cop World collection, for a talk on the fight for a world without police, in conversation w/Sam Master of Organizing Black and Erica Caines of Black Alliance for Peace.

May 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

@olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social

solid signs at Princeton, NJ's protest

A large number of protestors gathered in front of the Princeton public library. One sign in the center of the picture reads "my other sign is a pitchfork"

April 6, 2025 at 2:44 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Akela Lacy

@akelalacy.bsky.social

NEW: People are asking John Fetterman for their money back - and many of them are small dollar donors. theintercept.com/2025/04/05/j...

Small-Dollar Donors Are Asking John Fetterman for Their Money Back

Amid a wellspring of discontent over Fetterman’s coziness with Israel and Republicans, people are demanding campaign donation refunds.

theintercept.com

April 5, 2025 at 2:23 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌

@chanda.blacksky.app

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Raquel Willis on how the Democrats are failing trans people

“We all deserve the right to be the drivers of our own destinies."

www.motherjones.com

March 16, 2025 at 1:20 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Prism

@prismreports.org

Labor activists secured heat protections for construction workers on a $3 billion redevelopment project, @alexmar.bsky.social reports. The achievement, after relentless advocacy efforts, sets a new precedent for responsible development amid rising temperatures.
prismreports.org/2025/03/12/c...

Worker safety activists secure victory in Miami redevelopment deal

The developer of the $3 billion project committed to implementing stringent heat protections for construction workers, among other measures

prismreports.org

March 16, 2025 at 2:01 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Doctora Malka Older

@older.bsky.social

*taps sign*

Doctora Malka Older @older.bsky.social · Nov 11

don't comply in advance, don't despair in advance

March 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Aliette de Bodard

@aliettedebodard.com

I just got an email that offered me AI services to summarize long legal documents. I. Uh. Would definitely not use AI for this, what with its tendency to hallucinate.

March 12, 2025 at 11:08 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Doctora Malka Older

@older.bsky.social

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Adriana Guatame-García @adrianaguatame.bsky.social · Mar 6

A friend included this anti-acknowledgement section on her PhD thesis. She also added the proposition: “Systematic bullying and undermining of girls and women in STEM starts early on and is the reason why they do not stay in science and related fields.”
Absurd we still need to go through this
🧪👩‍🔬

There have been people less than helpful in my journey here. I wanted to acknowledge those too, bc I know I am not unique in this experience.
No thank you to the physics study assoc that made me sing songs about how women couldn't study physics without sleeping with the professor, the day I stepped into university life. No thank you to the 5th year physics student that decided to assign me a stripper name within the first minute of meeting me in the physics coffee corner in my first year. No thank you to the technician that was responsible for onboarding me on the use of the cluster in my third year who raised his eyebrows and asked me if that meant I was some sort of computer girl. No thank you to the senior researcher that sent me utterly inappropriate texts after a conference, then proceeded to apologise months later by telling me they had not been meant for me anyway so no hard feelings remain hopefully And no thank you to him for attending every conference I've been to since. No thank you to the people who told me that it was surprising that I was doing a PhD since I was a girl. No thank you to the man who mistook me for a coffee lady at a conference, and after having to correct him two times that I did not work there, responded with you should consider it. No thank you to the researcher that asked me what I was wearing underneath my outfit during a conference. No thank you to the physicist who declared to a room full of other physicists that biologists don't know how to design an experiment. No thank you to the people who have called me scary instead of strong and intimidating instead of intelligent.
And finally, no thank you to the exec board of the TU Delft, whose knee-jerk reaction to being held up a mirror about the social safety at the university, was to sue the party holding up the mirror instead of looking at the problems they highlighted.
... You have made me feel like I do not belong in science & I cannot forgive you for that.

March 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Elisa Romagnoli

@elisalromagnoli.bsky.social

Omgomgomg just the book i need to read! Immediately to the top of the list

Aliette de Bodard @aliettedebodard.com · Mar 6

Quick reminder I've got this book about 4 bickering juniors teaming up (sort of) to solve a murder. Thirsty disaster lesbians in space, with bonus space jellyfish. And one very cute very autistic MC who has to take charge because someone needs to do it. Does she like it? No. But she has the SKILLS.

Jon @phyrkrakr.bsky.social · Mar 5

Well, NAVIGATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS was just what I needed to read tonight. Thanks @aliettedebodard.com for writing such a sweet space opera

March 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Preeti Chhibber

@runwithskizzers.bsky.social

is your rep on this list? light those phones up

Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · Mar 6

Ten Democrats voted to censure their colleague Al Green. Here are their names:

Ami Bera, Calif.; Ed Case, Hawaii; Jim Costa, Calif.; Laura Gillen, N.Y.; Jim Himes, Conn.; Chrissy Houlahan, Pa.; Marcy Kaptur, Ohio; Jared Moskowitz, Fla.; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Wash.; and Tom Suozzi, N.Y.

March 6, 2025 at 3:57 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Gillian Branstetter

@gbbranstetter.bsky.social

I think what anti-SW people really object to about "sex work is work" isn't what it implies about sex work but what it implies about all other work

swop-usa.bsky.social @swop-usa.bsky.social · Mar 5

There's something really ominous about people who argue that if we acknowledge that sex work is work, we're opening the door to legalized sexual harassment.

Why would you think sex workers not being criminals means you can force someone into sex acts at any workplace, including SWs workplaces?

March 6, 2025 at 12:15 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Georgina Kiersten

@ingloriousgigi.bsky.social

TEXANS! Today, I want you to contact your reps and get in their asses about this issue. They are literally trying to criminalize transgender people.

Georgina Kiersten @ingloriousgigi.bsky.social · Mar 6

When I say that there is a trans witch hunt going on right now in Texas? This is the type of shit I am talking about. If this law goes through I can be arrested and go to to jail FOR SIMPLY BEING TRANSGENDER!

Proposed law could charge transgender Texans with fraud

Under HB 3817, Texans could be charged with "gender identity fraud" for identifying as a sex different from the one they were assigned at birth.

www.chron.com

March 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Eric Umansky

@ericumansky.bsky.social

Meanwhile, Democrats are considering censuring...Rep. Al Green.

www.axios.com/newsletters/...

Some House Democrats aren't ruling out voting tomorrow to censure Green for "breach of proper conduct."

March 6, 2025 at 3:10 AM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Preeti Chhibber

@runwithskizzers.bsky.social

Are these your reps? Call and give them a piece of your mind for even considering voting for this shit

Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · Mar 6

Meanwhile, Democrats are considering censuring...Rep. Al Green.

www.axios.com/newsletters/...

March 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM

Reposted by Elisa Romagnoli

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

@theradr.bsky.social

Solidarité

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · Mar 6

Aix-Marseille University in France will provide 15 million Euros over 3 years to 15 American scientists who feel threatened or hindered in their research by the orange manbaby.