Heather Swadley
@heatherswadley.bsky.social
independent scholar, developmental editor, and archival researcher | passionate about health and civil rights | loves cats, coffee, clarinets, and Taylor Swift | she/her
http://heatherannswadley.com | heatherswadley.substack.com
http://heatherannswadley.com | heatherswadley.substack.com
Pinned
UPDATE: I'm now offering both developmental editing and archival research support services! I've wanted to stay academic-adjacent even though I needed to leave my TT-job for personal reasons. And this feels like a great way to do that.
So what does this mean?
So what does this mean?
Reposted by Heather Swadley
One is that teaching university students *well* requires much more work (and frankly, compassion) now than it did when I started nine years ago. 2/
November 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
One is that teaching university students *well* requires much more work (and frankly, compassion) now than it did when I started nine years ago. 2/
Reposted by Heather Swadley
The key word is "dictate." As 186 University of California law faculty wrote at the end of our own letter begging our Regents not to sign an agreement with a similar savings clause, the word "dictate" sets the bar WAY too low.
Home
UC Law Faculty to Regents: Resist the Unlawful Demands
sites.google.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:37 PM
The key word is "dictate." As 186 University of California law faculty wrote at the end of our own letter begging our Regents not to sign an agreement with a similar savings clause, the word "dictate" sets the bar WAY too low.
New Substack! Also, if anyone needs developmental editing, archival research support, or law review placement help over the holidays, please let me know!
open.substack.com/pub/heathers...
open.substack.com/pub/heathers...
November 29, 2025 at 5:31 PM
New Substack! Also, if anyone needs developmental editing, archival research support, or law review placement help over the holidays, please let me know!
open.substack.com/pub/heathers...
open.substack.com/pub/heathers...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
IMO, while there's always a fair amount of politics interfering with lawmaking, we've had nothing the past few years. The bipartisan _children's cancer_ package went down last year. If you're in it to actually make improvements and you're not able to even move the most basic, bipartisan things...
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
IMO, while there's always a fair amount of politics interfering with lawmaking, we've had nothing the past few years. The bipartisan _children's cancer_ package went down last year. If you're in it to actually make improvements and you're not able to even move the most basic, bipartisan things...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
"As long as policymakers continue to flood money into AI, small press publishers will only grow in importance. The quality of the books they produce, driven by that creative, alternative thinking & integrative design focus is only set to become more in demand." www.thebookseller.com/comment/dont...
Don’t invest in AI, invest in the future of the book
Why the publishing industry must back small presses, rather than LLMs.
www.thebookseller.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
"As long as policymakers continue to flood money into AI, small press publishers will only grow in importance. The quality of the books they produce, driven by that creative, alternative thinking & integrative design focus is only set to become more in demand." www.thebookseller.com/comment/dont...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
As we all wait for Callais to come down, our piece showing that Shelby County increased the racial turnout gap in most of the covered parts of the country has cleared the replication check and is incoming at JOP.
Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.
Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.
November 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
As we all wait for Callais to come down, our piece showing that Shelby County increased the racial turnout gap in most of the covered parts of the country has cleared the replication check and is incoming at JOP.
Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.
Gutting the VRA was bad, actually.
Reposted by Heather Swadley
To fill the growing vacuum of history education in the U.S., racial justice organizers are offering truth-based curricula. Read my reporting: newsletter.mariannedhenin.com/educators-fi....
Educators Fight Suppression to Teach America’s Real History
To fill the growing vacuum of history education in the U.S., racial justice organizers are offering truth-based curricula.
newsletter.mariannedhenin.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:00 PM
To fill the growing vacuum of history education in the U.S., racial justice organizers are offering truth-based curricula. Read my reporting: newsletter.mariannedhenin.com/educators-fi....
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Another
bsky.app/profile/prop...
bsky.app/profile/prop...
After reporting by ProPublica and other publications, the administration is dropping an effort that could have led 830,000 people to lose eligibility for Social Security disability payments.
How the Trump Administration Abandoned Plans for a Major Cut in Disability Benefits for Older Workers
After meeting with advocates, the Trump administration confirmed it has scrapped a controversial regulation that would have cut disability benefits for older workers.
www.propublica.org
November 22, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Another
bsky.app/profile/prop...
bsky.app/profile/prop...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Back again for the mid-November #polisky eJobs update (11/1-11/15):
November 2024: 60 total positions (31 open to assistant TT)
November 2025: 36 total positions (12 open to assistant TT)
November 2024: 60 total positions (31 open to assistant TT)
November 2025: 36 total positions (12 open to assistant TT)
BOO it's Halloween and the end of October monthly #polisky eJobs update (10/1-10/31):
October 2024: 135 total positions (71 open to assistant TT)
October 2025: 108 total positions (59 open to assistant TT) *
* possible miscount because multiple listings have 2+ positions included
October 2024: 135 total positions (71 open to assistant TT)
October 2025: 108 total positions (59 open to assistant TT) *
* possible miscount because multiple listings have 2+ positions included
scary spooky times for the mid-month #polisky eJobs update (10/1-10/15):
October 2024: 74 total positions (40 open to assistant TT)
October 2025: 58 total positions (34 open to assistant TT)
October 2024: 74 total positions (40 open to assistant TT)
October 2025: 58 total positions (34 open to assistant TT)
November 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Back again for the mid-November #polisky eJobs update (11/1-11/15):
November 2024: 60 total positions (31 open to assistant TT)
November 2025: 36 total positions (12 open to assistant TT)
November 2024: 60 total positions (31 open to assistant TT)
November 2025: 36 total positions (12 open to assistant TT)
UPDATE: I'm now offering both developmental editing and archival research support services! I've wanted to stay academic-adjacent even though I needed to leave my TT-job for personal reasons. And this feels like a great way to do that.
So what does this mean?
So what does this mean?
November 17, 2025 at 10:33 PM
UPDATE: I'm now offering both developmental editing and archival research support services! I've wanted to stay academic-adjacent even though I needed to leave my TT-job for personal reasons. And this feels like a great way to do that.
So what does this mean?
So what does this mean?
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Alice Wong was one of the most effective people challenging the Whiteness of disability communities and its many flaws, but who believed fiercely in us as a community, in disabled people as oracles.
Alice brought so much to so many of us, it’s hard to measure the kind of gratitude I have for that.
Alice brought so much to so many of us, it’s hard to measure the kind of gratitude I have for that.
November 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Alice Wong was one of the most effective people challenging the Whiteness of disability communities and its many flaws, but who believed fiercely in us as a community, in disabled people as oracles.
Alice brought so much to so many of us, it’s hard to measure the kind of gratitude I have for that.
Alice brought so much to so many of us, it’s hard to measure the kind of gratitude I have for that.
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Alice Wong. i could literally teach an entire semester of philosophy of technology & disability through a lens of just her. You should all go spend time with her work. Her essays, podcasts, TV appearances, books, all of it; it is all so good.
Good night Alice. Rest in power, pending justice & peace
Good night Alice. Rest in power, pending justice & peace
About
The Disability Visibility Project is an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. What does the DVP do? Believes that disabled narratives matter …
disabilityvisibilityproject.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Alice Wong. i could literally teach an entire semester of philosophy of technology & disability through a lens of just her. You should all go spend time with her work. Her essays, podcasts, TV appearances, books, all of it; it is all so good.
Good night Alice. Rest in power, pending justice & peace
Good night Alice. Rest in power, pending justice & peace
Reposted by Heather Swadley
What a privilege it is to be a younger disabled person in a community shaped by Alice Wong. Rest in peace, Alice.
November 15, 2025 at 8:19 AM
What a privilege it is to be a younger disabled person in a community shaped by Alice Wong. Rest in peace, Alice.
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
Reposted by Heather Swadley
congress is a russian nesting doll of counter-majoritarian structures. seems to me that there's no need for a supermajority rule on top of that!
November 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
congress is a russian nesting doll of counter-majoritarian structures. seems to me that there's no need for a supermajority rule on top of that!
Do I have any friends or friends of friends currently working on book manuscripts who would benefit from a free or very low cost developmental editor?
If so, please DM me!
If so, please DM me!
November 6, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Do I have any friends or friends of friends currently working on book manuscripts who would benefit from a free or very low cost developmental editor?
If so, please DM me!
If so, please DM me!
Reposted by Heather Swadley
This is what I meant yesterday when I said the blue wave wasn’t about the Democratic Party
The Party didn’t do much. In some cases, it risked doing damage by approving or disapproving candidates regardless of what voters wanted
The wave was created by voters DESPITE the Party
And that’s democracy
The Party didn’t do much. In some cases, it risked doing damage by approving or disapproving candidates regardless of what voters wanted
The wave was created by voters DESPITE the Party
And that’s democracy
November 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
This is what I meant yesterday when I said the blue wave wasn’t about the Democratic Party
The Party didn’t do much. In some cases, it risked doing damage by approving or disapproving candidates regardless of what voters wanted
The wave was created by voters DESPITE the Party
And that’s democracy
The Party didn’t do much. In some cases, it risked doing damage by approving or disapproving candidates regardless of what voters wanted
The wave was created by voters DESPITE the Party
And that’s democracy
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Jeremy Peters byline so of course it's terrible
Typically terrible so of course he includes an attack on elitist Mamdani's education by Yale Law's JD Vance
Typically terrible so of course he includes an attack on elitist Mamdani's education by Yale Law's JD Vance
I honestly don't think the NY Times has been this bad in my lifetime, it's deeply shameful.
October 29, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Jeremy Peters byline so of course it's terrible
Typically terrible so of course he includes an attack on elitist Mamdani's education by Yale Law's JD Vance
Typically terrible so of course he includes an attack on elitist Mamdani's education by Yale Law's JD Vance
Meet my midlife crisis.
Her name is Samantha. If anyone knows good [adult] clarinet teachers over zoom or in the DMV, lmk. I’m relearning much quicker than expected but would like some lessons. :)
Her name is Samantha. If anyone knows good [adult] clarinet teachers over zoom or in the DMV, lmk. I’m relearning much quicker than expected but would like some lessons. :)
October 28, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Meet my midlife crisis.
Her name is Samantha. If anyone knows good [adult] clarinet teachers over zoom or in the DMV, lmk. I’m relearning much quicker than expected but would like some lessons. :)
Her name is Samantha. If anyone knows good [adult] clarinet teachers over zoom or in the DMV, lmk. I’m relearning much quicker than expected but would like some lessons. :)
Reposted by Heather Swadley
We have a FANTASTIC lineup for our symposium on Nov 6-7 on The Power of State Constitutional Rights. Come in person to Northwestern Law School or watch online. You can see the agenda and register here! brennan.swoogo.com/stateconstit...
October 16, 2025 at 1:07 PM
We have a FANTASTIC lineup for our symposium on Nov 6-7 on The Power of State Constitutional Rights. Come in person to Northwestern Law School or watch online. You can see the agenda and register here! brennan.swoogo.com/stateconstit...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Reposted by Heather Swadley
"And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
I am proud to say that MIT has rejected Trump's poison compact. MIT President Sally Kornbluth: "Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education."
@aaup.org @aft.org @higheredlabor.bsky.social @uaw.org
links.mit.edu/nl3/N5Jy2cKq...
@aaup.org @aft.org @higheredlabor.bsky.social @uaw.org
links.mit.edu/nl3/N5Jy2cKq...
Regarding the Compact
links.mit.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
"And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
My only real contribution to the Taylor Swift "discourse" is that But Daddy I Love Him is still *the* anthem for autistic girls who grew up in evangelical settings.
a swifterpics photo of a woman dancing on stage
ALT: a swifterpics photo of a woman dancing on stage
media.tenor.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:07 PM
My only real contribution to the Taylor Swift "discourse" is that But Daddy I Love Him is still *the* anthem for autistic girls who grew up in evangelical settings.
Reposted by Heather Swadley
i desperately want everyone involved in the destruction of USAID to have to, st the very least, answer to the american people for the suffering and misery they have caused apnews.com/article/myan...
Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.
apnews.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
i desperately want everyone involved in the destruction of USAID to have to, st the very least, answer to the american people for the suffering and misery they have caused apnews.com/article/myan...
Reposted by Heather Swadley
Why are your healthcare costs higher?
Why is your electricity bill tripled?
Why is everything you buy so much more expensive?
Why are your neighbors gone?
Why can’t your mom get a cancer treatment?
Republicans.
Why is your electricity bill tripled?
Why is everything you buy so much more expensive?
Why are your neighbors gone?
Why can’t your mom get a cancer treatment?
Republicans.
October 8, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Why are your healthcare costs higher?
Why is your electricity bill tripled?
Why is everything you buy so much more expensive?
Why are your neighbors gone?
Why can’t your mom get a cancer treatment?
Republicans.
Why is your electricity bill tripled?
Why is everything you buy so much more expensive?
Why are your neighbors gone?
Why can’t your mom get a cancer treatment?
Republicans.