Donna Trembinski
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medievalatx.bsky.social
Donna Trembinski
@medievalatx.bsky.social
390 followers 450 following 99 posts
New to bluesky! Finally leaving the darkside that was twitter.

Who I am:
Professor of Art and Material Culture at STFX
Settler living in Mi'kma'ki, unceded territory
Specialist training in medieval religion and medicine
Student of the global premodern
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
sonjadrimmer.bsky.social
People of Connecticut and regions nearby. Come on out on September 16! Free and open to the public.
A poster for a talk I'm giving. Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 4:30pm Boger Hall, Room 112, 41 Wyllys Avenue, Middletown, Connecticut Free and open to the public. "Extracting the Past: How the 'AI' Industry Exploits Art History and What We Can Do to Stop It." Over the last several years, universities and museums have partnered with commercial technology firms like Google, Microsoft, and Meta, who have promised that their AI products will enhance both historical research and accessibility to historical collections. These promises, however, are not supported by the reality of what computer vision--the branch of AI most relevant to the history of art--can achieve. So why have major institutions in education and the arts been so quick to take up these firms' offers? This talk responds to this question by providing an introduction to computer vision's origins in military surveillance, an overview of its development under late capitalist regimes of exploitative micro-labor, and an orientation to how computer vision works. However, the main focus of this talk is not what computer vision does. Rather, Drimmer considers the culture of the AI industry, its main objectives, and the dangerous vision for the future that it promises--and whether those promises are credible or even in good faith. This vision for the future has relied on extracting history, and art history in particular, and Drimmer argues that it is our responsibility as art historians to be knowledgeable about the forms this extraction takes. Drimmer concludes with suggestions about what we can do to protect the subjects and practitioners of our discipline, as well as education in the humanities more broadly, against this incursion. Drimmer does not intend an intransigent rejection of a given technology; rather this talk articulates a challenge that is grounded in knowledge of the historical origins and corporate practices of the AI industry today.
August 27, 2025 at 3:48 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Solidarity with the faculty Dalhousie who were locked out by their administration this morning. Thinking of them on the lines and I hope to be there to march with them on Friday.
August 20, 2025 at 8:48 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
More and more evidence to support movements of peoples in the EMA- here people from sub Saharan Africa buried in Kent. Every time I teach a finding like this to a class, they are surprised, because it up ends what they have been taught, often in grade school, about the hegemonic white Middle Ages.
August 13, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
drdragases.bsky.social
Spread word! In memory of the late Walter Goffart, we kindly invite scholars to submit proposals for papers on a range of topics clustered around quintessential Goffartian subjects Maps, Migrations, and the Mechanics of Settlement & Taxation in Late Antiquity. To be held at @imc-leeds.bsky.social.
CALL FOR PAPERS: MAPS, MIGRATIONS, AND THE MECHANICS OF SETTLEMENT & TAXATION IN LATE ANTIQUITY. PAPERS IN MEMORY OF WALTER GOFFART (INTERNATIONAL MEDIEVAL CONGRESS, LEEDS 6-9 JULY 2026) Just before turning 91 this year, Walter Goffart passed away on Friday 14 February at New Haven. For more than six decades, Goffart delivered seminal contributions to a wide rang of subjects, ranging from Carolingian monastic manuscripts, to Constantinopolitan policy on the “barbarian question” or Early Modern cartography. In honour of his intellectual legacy, we will organize sessions and a roundtable at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds, the largest gathering of scholars working on Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages in Europe. We kindly invite researchers at any stage (from PhD student to Professor) to propose papers on a range of topics close - but certainly not limited - to quintessential Goffartian subjects, such as: - Critical approaches to ‘Barbarian’ ethnicity and identity - Eastern Roman foreign policy on the West - Late Roman institutional history - The Early Modern and Modern reception of die Völkerwanderung - The first historiographers of the Early Medieval Kingdoms Those interested in joining, are kindly asked to send an abstract of max. 300 words (plus brief bio of max. 100 words), for twenty-minute papers before Monday 15 September to jeroen.wijnendaele@ugent.be. Accepted speakers will be notified on Monday 22 September, and are expected to arrange their own funding to cover expenses for registration, accommodation and travel. We will consider publishing select papers of sufficient quality afterwards. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele (also on behalf of Guy Halsall, Michael Kulikowski & Danuta Shanzer) Ghent University & Gerda Henkel Stiftung
August 12, 2025 at 6:58 AM
medievalatx.bsky.social
This is amazing!
greenleejw.bsky.social Surprised Eel Historian, PhD @greenleejw.bsky.social · Jul 21
The other day I drew a subway-style map for The Hobbit, and it was very well received. Some of you asked if I could do one for LoTR, so I have!

Forgive the eel watermark; I'm working on making these something you can buy, if you like.
Subway style map to go with The Lord of the Rings, showing the different pathways of various parties throughout the book. The title reads: "Lord of the Rings Transit Map: One Does Not Simply Walk Ino Mordor When One Can Ride." The map takes up the middle part of the page, and there are two keys. The one on the left is titles "Standard Service Lines, and has color keys matched to the subway lines on the map. Lines are named: "Shire-Bree Commuter Line Old Forrest Crescent Wildland Scenic Line Fellowship Line Gollum / Sméagol Line Uruk Hai Express Three Hunters Line Fangorn Slow Service Rohan to Gondor Business Line Black Ships Ferry Service Oliphant Direct Line Army of the West Line Gandalf Express A smaller key on the right side of the map is labeled: "Limited Service Lines" and has color keys matched to the following names lines: "Eagle Express Paths of the Dead Line Nazgûl Search & Resuce Valinor Ltd." A note at the bottom reads: "* Mount Doom station only accepts Rings of Power in payment. Plan accordingly."
July 22, 2025 at 1:12 AM
medievalatx.bsky.social
This whole thread is important. Sad to see what has been an excellent medievalist press gobbled up by T and F. And of course, this is the result. At the end of the thread, @aspencerhall.bsky.social has recced some excellent books from AUP, doing T and F's job for them.
aspencerhall.bsky.social Alicia Spencer-Hall @aspencerhall.bsky.social · Jul 8
New era of @amsterdamupress.bsky.social under T&F ownership is not going well for its medievalist authors. This week is the flagship European conference for medieval studies @imc-leeds.bsky.social #IMC2025. AUP listed as an exhibitor at book fair, incl in programme. No sign of them, online or irl
July 8, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
canmedievalists.bsky.social
Another day, another session summary! To begin, Katherine Pierpont used municipal records to trace the presence of troubadours and jongleurs in medieval Toulouse. Her work enables her to sometimes place individuals in precise domiciles and allows her to start to understand their social networks.
A part of a conference schedule noting the names of scholars and titles of papers for a particular panel, details below. Session 5A: Mapping Medieval People's Lives || Cartographier la vie des médiévaux Location: SJ2-2003 Katherine Pierpont, University of Toronto The Proof is in the Property: Digital Maps as Historical Narratives in Toulouse (c. 1150-1250) Emily Hutchison, Mount Royal University Healthscaping in a Time of Climate Change: Mapping the Evidence in Late Medieval Paris Lucie Laumonier, Concordia University Neighborly Relations: the Montpellier Butchers c. 1380-1500 Chair: Isabelle Cochelin, University of Toronto
July 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Hey at CSM Medievalists! I know we just finished our annual conference, but is there any interest in a DH workshop/sharing what we are doing at CSM 2025? Just a thought right now...
June 26, 2025 at 7:28 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
I'm biased, but i think broad approach means we are often publishing cutting edge work. Come join us!
medievalatx.bsky.social Donna Trembinski @medievalatx.bsky.social · Jun 20
Putting on my JCHA co-editor hat. JCHA publishes original research on all aspects, places and periods of history and its related disciplines. If you are interested in publishing with us, see our submission guidelines here: jcha-rshc.ca/index.php/jc...
Submissions | Journal of the Canadian Historical Association | Revue de la Société historique du Canada
jcha-rshc.ca
June 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Putting on my JCHA co-editor hat. JCHA publishes original research on all aspects, places and periods of history and its related disciplines. If you are interested in publishing with us, see our submission guidelines here: jcha-rshc.ca/index.php/jc...
Submissions | Journal of the Canadian Historical Association | Revue de la Société historique du Canada
jcha-rshc.ca
June 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Fascinating find near my hometown, where a rock was carved in a Futhark version of the Lord's Prayer. The version is from 1611 but was republished (and copied into stone to claim space) in the 19th c. But the comments make clear why we need to teach the skills of history. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Mysterious carving found in northern Ontario wilderness | CBC News
Seven years after it was discovered in the northern Ontario bush near the town of Wawa, a carving in the bedrock remains an archaeological, mystery. But plans are in the works to develop it into a tou...
www.cbc.ca
June 18, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
illinoispress.bsky.social
The Outstanding Dissertation in Disability History prize, in partnership with the Disability Histories series & the Disability History Association, is now open for submissions!
Visit go.illinois.edu/DisabilityHi... for guidelines.
*Submissions due by June 30, 2025*
#DisabilityHistory #DisHist
Now Announcing The Outstanding Dissertation in Disability History Prize Submissions due by June 30, 2025 University of Illinois Press
June 17, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
medievalacademy.bsky.social
Symposium - Ritual Cultures of Medieval Religious Women

A symposium of new research on nuns, beguines, recluses, and other sisters.

DATE: 14-15 July 2025

HOSTED BY: Notre Dame Rome and the Medieval Institute of the University of Notre Dame.
www.themedievalacademyblog.org/symposium-ri...
June 17, 2025 at 5:04 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
I'm in a new department @stfx-university.bsky.social, Art and Material Cultures so I'm designing new courses like this one that looks at the social and architectural realities of building cathedrals and castles in the Middle Ages. So exciting to be teaching this in the fall! I'll see you in Art 395!
A page that explains what the course is (Art 395: Castles and Cathedrals, Rebuilding Notre Dame) and what it's about (materials, architecture, space, craft, economics, society, catastrophe, rebuilding, nostalgia) and the assessments planned for the course including planning and executing a day camp for kids, planning an art scheme for a portion of the cathedral and in class workshops.
June 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Every democracy has understood that an educated voting population was necessary for its survival (even if, in the past, the voting population and so education was limited by class/gender). Hollowing out education only benefits those who can afford access to it anyway- elites in a failing democracy.
modernlanguage.bsky.social Modern Language Association @modernlanguage.bsky.social · May 14
The MLA, @acls1919.bsky.social, and @historians.org filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the unlawful dismantling of the NEH: "Congress believed NEH to be essential to the functioning of our democracy, and the public interest would be served by honoring that determination."
May 14, 2025 at 11:35 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
So appreciative of Shami Ghosh's review of Ziolkowski's new book (Nostalgia and the German(ic) Past) in the TMR today. A really important reminder that there is no neutral position, no matter how much we might wish or pretend there is. It's hard to read, but oh so important in our field right now.
May 12, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
cndhistassoc.bsky.social
Friday Feature: This roundtable is coming up soon! Join us online this Monday to discuss Rowan Dorin’s prizewinning book. #cdnhist #medieval @medievalatx.bsky.social
cndhistassoc.bsky.social Canadian Historical Association | Société historique du Canada @cndhistassoc.bsky.social · Apr 10
The Journal of the Canadian Historical Association invites you to a roundtable discussion of Rowan Dorin’s Ferguson-Prize-winning book, “No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expulsion in Medieval Europe”. #cdnhist #medieval #roundtable #skystorians @medievalatx.bsky.social
Roundtable Discussion: "No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expulsion in Medieval Europe" by Rowan Dorin | Canadian Historical Association | Société historique du Canada
The Journal of the Canadian Historical Association invites you to a roundtable discussion of Rowan Dorin's Ferguson-Prize-winning book, No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expuls...
cha-shc.ca
May 2, 2025 at 12:05 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
More than a quarter of people eligible to vote in this election have already voted. This has shattered records. It's pretty clear Canadians understand the importance of this national election and the critical importance of good leadership right now. www.cbc.ca/news/politic....
Record 7.3 million Canadians voted during advance polls: Elections Canada | CBC News
About 7.3 million Canadians took advantage of advance voting and cast their ballots over the long weekend, according to Elections Canada.
www.cbc.ca
April 23, 2025 at 1:26 AM
medievalatx.bsky.social
I suspected this travel advisory was coming. Here we are. This is from is our the national union of university teachers in Canada, representing faculty from 120 universities. I'm sorry to be missing the Zoo for a while, but I, like most of my colleagues, hit at least 2 of those bullet points.
In bold green at the top: 2025 Supplement to the CAUT Advisory on Travel to the United States. Given the rapidly evolving political landscape in the United States and reports of individuals encountering difficulties crossing the border, CAUT is issuing a supplement to its 2019 and 2005 Travel Advisory. This Supplemental Advisory addresses recent developments at the U.S. border, as well as legislative and judicial developments in Canada. CAUT strongly recommends that academic staff travel to the U.S. only if essential and necessary. In addition, CAUT recommends that academics who fall into the following categories exercise particular caution: § Citizens or residents of a country identified in media reports as likely to be subject to a travel ban § Citizens or residents of a country where there are diplomatic tensions with the U.S. § Travelers with passport stamps evidencing recent travel to countries that may be subject to a travel ban or where there are diplomatic tensions with the U.S. § Those who have expressed negative opinions about the current U.S. administration or its policies § Those whose research could be seen as being at odds with the position of the current U.S. administration Travelers who identify as transgender or whose travel documents indicate a sex other than their sex assigned at birth.
April 14, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
jonathanhealey.bsky.social
New job at Oxford - do please share widely!

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMS153/a...
Associate Professor in History, 1000-1500 at University of Oxford
Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Associate Professor in History, 1000-1500 on jobs.ac.uk!
www.jobs.ac.uk
April 14, 2025 at 10:34 AM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Join the CHA and CSM for a online panel about Rowan Dorin's awarding winning book! May 5, 5 pm UTC. Featuring Rowan Dorin, Nicholas Terpstra, Elisheva Baumgarten, Ada Maria Kuskowski, Marie Dejoux with Miri Rubin (moderator) and Shannon McSheffrey (chair). To register, follow the link. #medievalsky
cndhistassoc.bsky.social Canadian Historical Association | Société historique du Canada @cndhistassoc.bsky.social · Apr 10
The Journal of the Canadian Historical Association invites you to a roundtable discussion of Rowan Dorin’s Ferguson-Prize-winning book, “No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expulsion in Medieval Europe”. #cdnhist #medieval #roundtable #skystorians @medievalatx.bsky.social
Roundtable Discussion: "No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expulsion in Medieval Europe" by Rowan Dorin | Canadian Historical Association | Société historique du Canada
The Journal of the Canadian Historical Association invites you to a roundtable discussion of Rowan Dorin's Ferguson-Prize-winning book, No Return: Jews, Christian Usurers and the Spread of Mass Expuls...
cha-shc.ca
April 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
How did I not know Murderbot was being turned into a series! This looks amazing. Not surprising, the books were also amazing.
April 9, 2025 at 6:02 PM
medievalatx.bsky.social
Apparently @bsky.app is the place to be for research! It definitely has been the new home of #medieval research for months.
eicathomefinn.bsky.social Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Apr 9
'Bluesky has overtaken its flailing rival X in hosting posts related to new academic research, indicating the platform is fast becoming the go-to place for scholars to share their work.'
X’s dominance ‘over’ as Bluesky becomes new hub for research
Data indicates more scholars turning to alternative social media site to post about their work after Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover
www.timeshighereducation.com
April 9, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Donna Trembinski
histoftech.bsky.social
“From April 14-18, select UBC graduate programs at UBC Vancouver will re-open their applications for US citizens to be considered for Sept 2025 or Jan 2026 entry - they are ready to provide quick admissions decisions for these applicants“ #gradstudent #gradschool

www.grad.ubc.ca/us-applicant...
US Applicant Week
www.grad.ubc.ca
April 8, 2025 at 3:23 AM