Markus Sam Merin
@markussammerin.bsky.social
PhD Candidate, UMich History. Studying the death of Italian Communism. I saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada at Trader Vick's. His hair was perfect. 🕎
Pinned
"My dear son, my late great joy, am I thus leaving you without a father? An entire people - no, that is still too small - the human race will be a father to you"
-letter of a victim of the Nazi prison camps, reproduced at the 'Museo Monumento al Deportato politico e razziale' in Carpi
-letter of a victim of the Nazi prison camps, reproduced at the 'Museo Monumento al Deportato politico e razziale' in Carpi
Has... has generalissimo *ever* had leftwing cultural connotations?
November 9, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Has... has generalissimo *ever* had leftwing cultural connotations?
Virno, Negri et. al's letter from Rebibbia prison is certainly one of the most fascinating documents ever born from the defeat of a revolutionary movement libcom.org/article/do-y...
November 9, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Virno, Negri et. al's letter from Rebibbia prison is certainly one of the most fascinating documents ever born from the defeat of a revolutionary movement libcom.org/article/do-y...
I have to meet with two of the most important and senior people in my specific area of study next week and manage not to make a fool of myself while speaking in Italian. I'd like my odds better if I had a better track record of not putting my foot in my mouth talking to senior academics in English
November 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM
I have to meet with two of the most important and senior people in my specific area of study next week and manage not to make a fool of myself while speaking in Italian. I'd like my odds better if I had a better track record of not putting my foot in my mouth talking to senior academics in English
Where does Mamdani stand on the legalization of ferret ownership in New York City?
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Where does Mamdani stand on the legalization of ferret ownership in New York City?
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
After Zohran's historic victory in New York City, we’re gearing up for an ambitious new phase of worker organizing across all five boroughs.
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the labor movement in New York and beyond. You can help. 🔗👇
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the labor movement in New York and beyond. You can help. 🔗👇
November 5, 2025 at 6:45 PM
After Zohran's historic victory in New York City, we’re gearing up for an ambitious new phase of worker organizing across all five boroughs.
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the labor movement in New York and beyond. You can help. 🔗👇
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the labor movement in New York and beyond. You can help. 🔗👇
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
the secret is that we keep marxism sort of confused & rough around the edges so that you (you in particular!) can have the joy of setting it right. it’s like a proof left to the reader, or those scenes in video games where you have to press the X button quickly to save the world
November 4, 2025 at 8:26 PM
the secret is that we keep marxism sort of confused & rough around the edges so that you (you in particular!) can have the joy of setting it right. it’s like a proof left to the reader, or those scenes in video games where you have to press the X button quickly to save the world
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
1/ New Bolsover, Derbyshire: a model village built between 1891 and 1896 by the Bolsover Colliery Company for its workers to the designs of Arthur Brewill and Basil Baily. It comprised a double horseshoe of houses arranged around a central 'village' green and also included ...
November 4, 2025 at 7:09 PM
1/ New Bolsover, Derbyshire: a model village built between 1891 and 1896 by the Bolsover Colliery Company for its workers to the designs of Arthur Brewill and Basil Baily. It comprised a double horseshoe of houses arranged around a central 'village' green and also included ...
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
BREAKING: Both Satmar factions decide not to endorse a candidate for mayor and decry the vicious campaign against Mamdani that paints him as hostile to Jews.
In letters to their community members, the Satmar leadership calls the attacks against Mamdani false and dangerous.
In letters to their community members, the Satmar leadership calls the attacks against Mamdani false and dangerous.
October 29, 2025 at 6:22 PM
BREAKING: Both Satmar factions decide not to endorse a candidate for mayor and decry the vicious campaign against Mamdani that paints him as hostile to Jews.
In letters to their community members, the Satmar leadership calls the attacks against Mamdani false and dangerous.
In letters to their community members, the Satmar leadership calls the attacks against Mamdani false and dangerous.
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
Apparently Christoph Waltz explained dialectics on a cooking show??
October 31, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Apparently Christoph Waltz explained dialectics on a cooking show??
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
This seems outrageously cruel.
And just a handful of months before these folks would have been set to enjoy the release of one of the biggest games of their careers too.
The imbalance of power in the games industry remains utterly fucked.
And just a handful of months before these folks would have been set to enjoy the release of one of the biggest games of their careers too.
The imbalance of power in the games industry remains utterly fucked.
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:58 PM
This seems outrageously cruel.
And just a handful of months before these folks would have been set to enjoy the release of one of the biggest games of their careers too.
The imbalance of power in the games industry remains utterly fucked.
And just a handful of months before these folks would have been set to enjoy the release of one of the biggest games of their careers too.
The imbalance of power in the games industry remains utterly fucked.
I'd really like someone to try and explain why ~2015-2020 was such a golden age of indie games that I don't think we've seen anything like before or since
October 31, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I'd really like someone to try and explain why ~2015-2020 was such a golden age of indie games that I don't think we've seen anything like before or since
Synagogue of Modena
October 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Synagogue of Modena
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
The worker who fell to his death at the Gateway tunnel site last week recently worked a 35-hour shift, as construction managers race against the clock to finish the project on time, @gothamist.com reports gothamist.com/news/worker-...
Worker who died at Gateway tunnel site clocked 'crazy hours' before death, colleague says
Jorge Sanchez, 52, was described by his best friend and co-worker as a hard worker and dedicated family man.
gothamist.com
October 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The worker who fell to his death at the Gateway tunnel site last week recently worked a 35-hour shift, as construction managers race against the clock to finish the project on time, @gothamist.com reports gothamist.com/news/worker-...
Today in the Italian Communist Party archives I found a spreadsheet sent by the party in Rome to all of its local federations where party secretaries were asked to report all acts of political violence, and there was a specific line asking them to count all acts of "proletarian shopping"
Starting in Milan, in 73, revolutionary groups would mass up, go into supermarkets and chase out the bosses/security, get on the loudspeaker and declare everything free. They would then make revolutionary speeches while shoppers gleefully enjoyed the discount. They called this "proletariat shopping"
October 27, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Today in the Italian Communist Party archives I found a spreadsheet sent by the party in Rome to all of its local federations where party secretaries were asked to report all acts of political violence, and there was a specific line asking them to count all acts of "proletarian shopping"
"this is how we talk in our own spaces" my group chats are full of Sonic the Hedgehog references and charts of precious metal prices. You need to get new friends
No, this is how Nazis talk in their own spaces. I don’t know abut this dude, but I never talked about gassing people and raping women when I was hanging out with my pals.
October 21, 2025 at 8:17 PM
"this is how we talk in our own spaces" my group chats are full of Sonic the Hedgehog references and charts of precious metal prices. You need to get new friends
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
My dad worked his whole adult life in the mines. He has black lung. Enforce the fucking silica rule.
Black lung is still killing America’s coal miners. Last week, a group of black lung patients made the long journey to Washington D.C. with a simple plea for Trump’s Department of Labor: enforce the silica rule, and stop this plague.
My report for @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/poli...
My report for @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/poli...
Trump Has Handed Coal Miners a “Death Sentence.” But They’re Not Going Without a Fight.
After the government betrayed them by refusing to enforce a crucial workplace health rule, a group of coal miners traveled to DC to put Trump on notice.
www.thenation.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:35 PM
My dad worked his whole adult life in the mines. He has black lung. Enforce the fucking silica rule.
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
Your semi-regular pic of Bologna's tramway works
Via San Felice. In its narrowest point, this street is around 6.5 meters wide.
(Pic not mine)
Via San Felice. In its narrowest point, this street is around 6.5 meters wide.
(Pic not mine)
October 18, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Your semi-regular pic of Bologna's tramway works
Via San Felice. In its narrowest point, this street is around 6.5 meters wide.
(Pic not mine)
Via San Felice. In its narrowest point, this street is around 6.5 meters wide.
(Pic not mine)
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
Like it or not, the emergence of historic preservation is deeply linked to car-lite policies.
When automobility became a mass phenomenon, there were only two viable options: either adapt the existing city to car mobility or curb down car mobility demand to make it compatible with the existing city.
When automobility became a mass phenomenon, there were only two viable options: either adapt the existing city to car mobility or curb down car mobility demand to make it compatible with the existing city.
October 17, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Like it or not, the emergence of historic preservation is deeply linked to car-lite policies.
When automobility became a mass phenomenon, there were only two viable options: either adapt the existing city to car mobility or curb down car mobility demand to make it compatible with the existing city.
When automobility became a mass phenomenon, there were only two viable options: either adapt the existing city to car mobility or curb down car mobility demand to make it compatible with the existing city.
Yesterday in the archives the former mayor of Bologna walked in and sat behind me and started reading a century-old socialist newspaper on the microfilm machine while I happened to be reading a speech he gave in 1988 from before he was mayor. This is such a weird place
October 18, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Yesterday in the archives the former mayor of Bologna walked in and sat behind me and started reading a century-old socialist newspaper on the microfilm machine while I happened to be reading a speech he gave in 1988 from before he was mayor. This is such a weird place
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
I enjoyed speaking with Juliet Schulman-Hall for @masslive.bsky.social about how the Professor Watchlist and Canary Mission get us farther from, not closer to, a free exchange of ideas on campus. www.masslive.com/news/2025/10...
This isn’t Rate My Professor: Explosion in watchlists brings new threats to academics
Online commentary used to be limited to sites like "Rate My Professor," which jokingly rated how "hot" a professor was. It's changed drastically.
www.masslive.com
October 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I enjoyed speaking with Juliet Schulman-Hall for @masslive.bsky.social about how the Professor Watchlist and Canary Mission get us farther from, not closer to, a free exchange of ideas on campus. www.masslive.com/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
I'm wrapping up the case study of Bologna's 1970s - 1990s traffic plans, and I think that there are three main overarching policy takeaways:
- a strong initial vision, which is both simple and sophisticated;
- incrementalism, but with strong commitment over time.
- total pragmatism;
- a strong initial vision, which is both simple and sophisticated;
- incrementalism, but with strong commitment over time.
- total pragmatism;
October 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I'm wrapping up the case study of Bologna's 1970s - 1990s traffic plans, and I think that there are three main overarching policy takeaways:
- a strong initial vision, which is both simple and sophisticated;
- incrementalism, but with strong commitment over time.
- total pragmatism;
- a strong initial vision, which is both simple and sophisticated;
- incrementalism, but with strong commitment over time.
- total pragmatism;
The curse of being a researcher in Italy is that the archival process is just as lonely as it would be anywhere else but because you work in a picturesque Mediterranean country no one will ever feel bad for you (and maybe they shouldn't)
October 8, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The curse of being a researcher in Italy is that the archival process is just as lonely as it would be anywhere else but because you work in a picturesque Mediterranean country no one will ever feel bad for you (and maybe they shouldn't)
Being "the Italy guy" in my social circles means a lot of people reach out to me with questions about Operation Gladio/the years of lead I'm not equipped for.
"Did the French blow up the Ustica flight?"
"Did the CIA/KGB/Mossad kill Aldo Moro?"
Dude. I spent today reading about fishing cooperatives.
"Did the French blow up the Ustica flight?"
"Did the CIA/KGB/Mossad kill Aldo Moro?"
Dude. I spent today reading about fishing cooperatives.
October 6, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Being "the Italy guy" in my social circles means a lot of people reach out to me with questions about Operation Gladio/the years of lead I'm not equipped for.
"Did the French blow up the Ustica flight?"
"Did the CIA/KGB/Mossad kill Aldo Moro?"
Dude. I spent today reading about fishing cooperatives.
"Did the French blow up the Ustica flight?"
"Did the CIA/KGB/Mossad kill Aldo Moro?"
Dude. I spent today reading about fishing cooperatives.
Reposted by Markus Sam Merin
Agriculture’s new album The Spiritual Sound is available everywhere today.
The record is a study in joy and intensity, carrying forward the ecstatic spirit of their debut while pushing deeper into grief, transcendence, and renewal.
Listen: youtu.be/k9yMIboriEY
@agriculturemusic.bsky.social
The record is a study in joy and intensity, carrying forward the ecstatic spirit of their debut while pushing deeper into grief, transcendence, and renewal.
Listen: youtu.be/k9yMIboriEY
@agriculturemusic.bsky.social
October 3, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Agriculture’s new album The Spiritual Sound is available everywhere today.
The record is a study in joy and intensity, carrying forward the ecstatic spirit of their debut while pushing deeper into grief, transcendence, and renewal.
Listen: youtu.be/k9yMIboriEY
@agriculturemusic.bsky.social
The record is a study in joy and intensity, carrying forward the ecstatic spirit of their debut while pushing deeper into grief, transcendence, and renewal.
Listen: youtu.be/k9yMIboriEY
@agriculturemusic.bsky.social