Nienke Groskamp
@nienkegroskamp.bsky.social
PhD student in history & philosophy of science, studying esotericism and reproduction in 19th-century America @ Cambridge HPS.
In just under a month, I’ll be leaving Cambridge for the other Cambridge. For three months, I’ll be a visiting scholar at Harvard’s History of Science Department, and I’m so excited! If you’re around between late January and late April, please reach out.
December 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM
In just under a month, I’ll be leaving Cambridge for the other Cambridge. For three months, I’ll be a visiting scholar at Harvard’s History of Science Department, and I’m so excited! If you’re around between late January and late April, please reach out.
OK thanks I'll read the thesis in 2125 I guess
December 16, 2025 at 10:30 AM
OK thanks I'll read the thesis in 2125 I guess
Met this guy in an archive. 1852
November 26, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Met this guy in an archive. 1852
Study spot of the week
November 25, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Study spot of the week
Reposted by Nienke Groskamp
"Op het overlijdensbericht van Betsy liet de familie een foto van haar als achttienjarig meisje afdrukken." – Adèle Yon.
👉 www.nederlandseboekengids.com/20251125-man...
👉 www.nederlandseboekengids.com/20251125-man...
November 25, 2025 at 6:05 AM
"Op het overlijdensbericht van Betsy liet de familie een foto van haar als achttienjarig meisje afdrukken." – Adèle Yon.
👉 www.nederlandseboekengids.com/20251125-man...
👉 www.nederlandseboekengids.com/20251125-man...
One of the best parts of my "job" is that male professors/archivists/librarians are often forced to say "obstetrics" and almost never succeed
September 30, 2025 at 8:47 AM
One of the best parts of my "job" is that male professors/archivists/librarians are often forced to say "obstetrics" and almost never succeed
Skeletons in the river, 1861
September 26, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Skeletons in the river, 1861
Psychic Dexter finds missing person, 1856
September 24, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Psychic Dexter finds missing person, 1856
"The Clairvoyant Family Physician," Mrs Lucina Tuttle, 1855: Nightmares can KILL and you should take some syrup.
September 23, 2025 at 1:45 PM
"The Clairvoyant Family Physician," Mrs Lucina Tuttle, 1855: Nightmares can KILL and you should take some syrup.
Book recommendations in the Staatsbibliothek Berlin: “Kill the Mockingbird”
July 31, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Book recommendations in the Staatsbibliothek Berlin: “Kill the Mockingbird”
Bad breath? Stomach Pain? Nose picking? It's probably WORMS (ad in the Jeffersonian, 1853)
July 23, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Bad breath? Stomach Pain? Nose picking? It's probably WORMS (ad in the Jeffersonian, 1853)
Reposted by Nienke Groskamp
For the past 10yrs or so I've tried to explain to students how keyword searching trains us to see looking at the world as seeking a known target. By contrast, being in a library, archive, gallery asks us to make a network of connections, questions, possibilities. Which one makes thinking more free?
Seems to me an increasing amount of bad history is based on the idea that you can just keyword search terms (esp. 21st c. terms) to locate origins & relative usage. It's totally unimaginable to these keyword searchers why folks in the past would use diff terms or not mention common practice at all.
"the term doesn't appear therefore the concept didn't exist" is genuinely very dumb?
July 20, 2025 at 8:22 AM
For the past 10yrs or so I've tried to explain to students how keyword searching trains us to see looking at the world as seeking a known target. By contrast, being in a library, archive, gallery asks us to make a network of connections, questions, possibilities. Which one makes thinking more free?
Reposted by Nienke Groskamp
Seems to me an increasing amount of bad history is based on the idea that you can just keyword search terms (esp. 21st c. terms) to locate origins & relative usage. It's totally unimaginable to these keyword searchers why folks in the past would use diff terms or not mention common practice at all.
"the term doesn't appear therefore the concept didn't exist" is genuinely very dumb?
July 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Seems to me an increasing amount of bad history is based on the idea that you can just keyword search terms (esp. 21st c. terms) to locate origins & relative usage. It's totally unimaginable to these keyword searchers why folks in the past would use diff terms or not mention common practice at all.
Working from home is a lot more bearable when housesitting in Paris
July 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Working from home is a lot more bearable when housesitting in Paris
This book is so incredibly well-written, dissecting a topic that I was a bit apprehensive about with a bold and engaging writing style that I absolutely envy
July 16, 2025 at 9:35 AM
This book is so incredibly well-written, dissecting a topic that I was a bit apprehensive about with a bold and engaging writing style that I absolutely envy
No, Adobe, I do not want your AI summaries, leave me alone
July 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
No, Adobe, I do not want your AI summaries, leave me alone
Magnetic medicated paper and hair clips, advertisement in "American Spiritualist," 1869.
July 14, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Magnetic medicated paper and hair clips, advertisement in "American Spiritualist," 1869.
Proud to announce my unprecedentedly fast ascent to the position of university chair
July 9, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Proud to announce my unprecedentedly fast ascent to the position of university chair
And now: running around - only somewhat frantically - as a volunteer at BSHS (hist of sci) conference in Cambridge. More snacks!
July 9, 2025 at 11:57 AM
And now: running around - only somewhat frantically - as a volunteer at BSHS (hist of sci) conference in Cambridge. More snacks!
Massive personal win: after 2.5 years and an ungodly amount of lessons, I finally passed my driving test today!! Silly as it may sound, it might be the hardest thing I've ever done.
July 7, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Massive personal win: after 2.5 years and an ungodly amount of lessons, I finally passed my driving test today!! Silly as it may sound, it might be the hardest thing I've ever done.
Reposted by Nienke Groskamp
🚨 #Skystorians of accidents, environmental health, drink, drugs, sex, crime, #police 🚨
CfP 'Policing and #PublicHealth, c.1800-2000' workshop www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...
[typo in desc': we *may* be able to make a small travel contribution]
#HistSTM #LegalHist #HistSex #HistGender #HistMed
CfP 'Policing and #PublicHealth, c.1800-2000' workshop www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...
[typo in desc': we *may* be able to make a small travel contribution]
#HistSTM #LegalHist #HistSex #HistGender #HistMed
June 30, 2025 at 8:06 AM
🚨 #Skystorians of accidents, environmental health, drink, drugs, sex, crime, #police 🚨
CfP 'Policing and #PublicHealth, c.1800-2000' workshop www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...
[typo in desc': we *may* be able to make a small travel contribution]
#HistSTM #LegalHist #HistSex #HistGender #HistMed
CfP 'Policing and #PublicHealth, c.1800-2000' workshop www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...
[typo in desc': we *may* be able to make a small travel contribution]
#HistSTM #LegalHist #HistSex #HistGender #HistMed
What a slogan for a city
June 29, 2025 at 8:15 AM
What a slogan for a city
I had so much fun geeking out about Christian Science and childbirth at #ESSWE10! Thanks to all who were there and to all the lovely people providing input in the breaks between sessions as well.
June 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
I had so much fun geeking out about Christian Science and childbirth at #ESSWE10! Thanks to all who were there and to all the lovely people providing input in the breaks between sessions as well.
Wouter Hanegraaff just opened #ESSWE10, the tenth conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism in Vilnius. I’m very excited to present here and to wear my new badge labeled ‘United Kingdom’!
June 26, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Wouter Hanegraaff just opened #ESSWE10, the tenth conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism in Vilnius. I’m very excited to present here and to wear my new badge labeled ‘United Kingdom’!
Reposted by Nienke Groskamp
🚨Salaried PhD position in history of medicine at the University of Zurich with the wonderful @fcondrau.bsky.social 🚨 (ignore the 60%, this is just the Swiss system, and amounts to a very respectable pay)
#histmed #histstm
jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie...
#histmed #histstm
jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie...
UZH: Assistant History of Medicine
The History of Medicine Group within the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine and the Center for Medical Humanities at the University of Zurich, led by Professor Flurin Condrau, seek...
jobs.uzh.ch
June 17, 2025 at 4:11 PM
🚨Salaried PhD position in history of medicine at the University of Zurich with the wonderful @fcondrau.bsky.social 🚨 (ignore the 60%, this is just the Swiss system, and amounts to a very respectable pay)
#histmed #histstm
jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie...
#histmed #histstm
jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie...