Leif Hammer
@leifhammer.bsky.social
DPhil candidate in History, Magdalen College, University of Oxford | Aker Scholar 2021 | Tolkienist | Norwegian & Sámi | He/him | Works on eighteenth-century university history and scholarly culture. Husband
https://history.web.ox.ac.uk/people/leif-hammer
https://history.web.ox.ac.uk/people/leif-hammer
Pinned
Leif Hammer @leifhammer.bsky.social reviews 'Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia', by Johan Östling @johanostling.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia, by Johan Östling
The history of universities is a genre nearly as old as universities themselves, with an extensive historiography characterised by dense tomes but lacking
academic.oup.com
Read my review of Johan Östling's recent book on university history. It's a shame his book's only available in Swedish, but I've tried to give a summary on this excellent intro to university history
Stargate SG-1 was just so good. Haven't watched it in years and I think I might rewatch the entire series
December 9, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Stargate SG-1 was just so good. Haven't watched it in years and I think I might rewatch the entire series
Sitting like a shrimp at my desk editing this massive document
December 9, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Sitting like a shrimp at my desk editing this massive document
Read my review of Johan Östling's recent book on university history. It's a shame his book's only available in Swedish, but I've tried to give a summary on this excellent intro to university history
Leif Hammer @leifhammer.bsky.social reviews 'Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia', by Johan Östling @johanostling.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia, by Johan Östling
The history of universities is a genre nearly as old as universities themselves, with an extensive historiography characterised by dense tomes but lacking
academic.oup.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Read my review of Johan Östling's recent book on university history. It's a shame his book's only available in Swedish, but I've tried to give a summary on this excellent intro to university history
Reposted by Leif Hammer
Leif Hammer @leifhammer.bsky.social reviews 'Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia', by Johan Östling @johanostling.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia, by Johan Östling
The history of universities is a genre nearly as old as universities themselves, with an extensive historiography characterised by dense tomes but lacking
academic.oup.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Leif Hammer @leifhammer.bsky.social reviews 'Kunskapens stora hus: Huvudlinjer i universitetets historia', by Johan Östling @johanostling.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-...
We polished the stone as well
December 1, 2025 at 2:45 PM
We polished the stone as well
Today a school group and I polished one of the northernmost (and little known) Stolpersteine in the world to remember Phillip Philipson who was deported to and killed in Auschwitz. And I taught them about Norwegian Jews, antisemitism, and the Holocaust
open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
Remembering Phillip Philipson who died in Auschwitz
Polishing one of the northenmost Stolpersteine and reflecting on the Holocaust
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Today a school group and I polished one of the northernmost (and little known) Stolpersteine in the world to remember Phillip Philipson who was deported to and killed in Auschwitz. And I taught them about Norwegian Jews, antisemitism, and the Holocaust
open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
open.substack.com/pub/leifhamm...
Teaching about the Holocaust tomorrow to a school group. We're looking at one of the northenmost Stolpersteine in the world, the one for Phillip Philipson (1897-1943)
November 30, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Teaching about the Holocaust tomorrow to a school group. We're looking at one of the northenmost Stolpersteine in the world, the one for Phillip Philipson (1897-1943)
My poor dad has lost four of his cats this year. One got run over, two from sickness, and today his 15 year old cat passed away from old age. I feel so sad for him
November 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
My poor dad has lost four of his cats this year. One got run over, two from sickness, and today his 15 year old cat passed away from old age. I feel so sad for him
Good morning guys
November 20, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Good morning guys
An op-ed in the student paper the Cherwell, states that universities were “never supposed to function as courts”. But actually, if Oxford starts acting like one it’s a return to tradition (I’m not saying that’s a good thing). Universities used to have self-jurisdiction and their own courts.
November 19, 2025 at 8:10 AM
An op-ed in the student paper the Cherwell, states that universities were “never supposed to function as courts”. But actually, if Oxford starts acting like one it’s a return to tradition (I’m not saying that’s a good thing). Universities used to have self-jurisdiction and their own courts.
Proud of my first museum output! The next task is a historical plaque including a map which will put my GIS skills to the test
I put together a historical calendar and received it in print today. Read all about it here:
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
New publication: a historical calendar
On putting one together, local history, and travel
leifhammer.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Proud of my first museum output! The next task is a historical plaque including a map which will put my GIS skills to the test
How do other people feel about unsolicited constructive criticism?
November 18, 2025 at 5:41 PM
How do other people feel about unsolicited constructive criticism?
I put together a historical calendar and received it in print today. Read all about it here:
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
New publication: a historical calendar
On putting one together, local history, and travel
leifhammer.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I put together a historical calendar and received it in print today. Read all about it here:
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
leifhammer.substack.com/p/new-public...
Soaking up what little daylight there is before the dark season. We won’t see the sun again until February
November 17, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Soaking up what little daylight there is before the dark season. We won’t see the sun again until February
Tonight I’m sleeping on a boat to get to a work seminar tomorrow. Travelling with Havila Castor
November 11, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Tonight I’m sleeping on a boat to get to a work seminar tomorrow. Travelling with Havila Castor
Some weak northern lights here a couple of days ago. I haven’t adjusted to the shortening days yet and when it’s pitch black at 3 pm my body keeps thinking it’s bedtime
November 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Some weak northern lights here a couple of days ago. I haven’t adjusted to the shortening days yet and when it’s pitch black at 3 pm my body keeps thinking it’s bedtime
Happy birthday to my wonderful dad who turns 81 today! Here he is back in August with a bucket full of cloudberries that he picked all by himself
October 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Happy birthday to my wonderful dad who turns 81 today! Here he is back in August with a bucket full of cloudberries that he picked all by himself
Reposted by Leif Hammer
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
October 22, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
Made overnight oats for the first time and they were excellent
October 22, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Made overnight oats for the first time and they were excellent
Did you know that "forgotten or carelessly placed chairs can become tripping hazards"? I didn't either until I took the Healty Working Ergonomics course Oxford forced us to complete.
/s
/s
October 21, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Did you know that "forgotten or carelessly placed chairs can become tripping hazards"? I didn't either until I took the Healty Working Ergonomics course Oxford forced us to complete.
/s
/s
UPDATE: This person (who, by the way, had a non-urgent query imo) not only emailed my work, probably tried calling my work phone (off due to vacation), called my private number multiple times, texted it, messaged my Facebook, but they also texted my mother's phone number. That's way over the line!
I'm uncomfortable with answering work queries during my leisure time and on my private number or SoMe accounts. I'm worried that will just break down any distinction between work and leisure, which is something I already struggle with balancing (3/3)
October 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
UPDATE: This person (who, by the way, had a non-urgent query imo) not only emailed my work, probably tried calling my work phone (off due to vacation), called my private number multiple times, texted it, messaged my Facebook, but they also texted my mother's phone number. That's way over the line!
Had a lovely vacation with my wife. She flew in from the US and we saw Stavanger & Kristiansand here in Norway. Then we went off to Karlovy Vary & Prague in Czechia. Since we're in visa limbo we had to say goodbye for now this morning, which is very hard. I hope we'll be able to live together soon
October 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Had a lovely vacation with my wife. She flew in from the US and we saw Stavanger & Kristiansand here in Norway. Then we went off to Karlovy Vary & Prague in Czechia. Since we're in visa limbo we had to say goodbye for now this morning, which is very hard. I hope we'll be able to live together soon
My email's automatic replies haven't been working while I was off on holiday. Annoying, especially considering I raised the issue with IT and they told me it was working. I did everything right on my end, but it might tie back to a mistake IT made when they created my work account (1/3)
October 17, 2025 at 1:56 PM
My email's automatic replies haven't been working while I was off on holiday. Annoying, especially considering I raised the issue with IT and they told me it was working. I did everything right on my end, but it might tie back to a mistake IT made when they created my work account (1/3)
Visited the Battle of Hafrsfjord monument right outside Stavanger
October 3, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Visited the Battle of Hafrsfjord monument right outside Stavanger