Vanda Wilcox
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vandawilcox.bsky.social
Vanda Wilcox
@vandawilcox.bsky.social
professional procrastinator, precarious historian, cat serf, romanista. Writes about the First World War, Italy, imperialism & Georgette Heyer, not usually all at once.🪡🥧🐈‍⬛️
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
When it’s 1922 and you think the Irish War of Independence is done and dusted but turns out not everyone is satisfied with the resulting treaty
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Unlike most apps these days, Scrivener (@scrivenerapp.bsky.social) does not use AI in any way.

I've been a happy user of Scrivener for 15+ years. And boy, am I happy about that! Thank you, Scrivener!

tinyurl.com/2mh99w3y
Does Scrivener use AI? / General / Knowledge Base - Literature and Latte Support
scrivener.tenderapp.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
A 1940 issue of an Italian fascist magazine, dedicated to Germany in Africa. It advocates the overthrow of the Versailles treaty & the restoration of the German colonial empire; sings the praises of pre-1918 German colonialism; attacks the mandate system.

There is ... a lot going on here.
November 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM
what a photo

looking forward to seeing what @artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social does with it
Scott McTominay’s stunner: the height of contact is unreal

📸 Andrew Milligan
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
A 1940 issue of an Italian fascist magazine, dedicated to Germany in Africa. It advocates the overthrow of the Versailles treaty & the restoration of the German colonial empire; sings the praises of pre-1918 German colonialism; attacks the mandate system.

There is ... a lot going on here.
November 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM
1938 advert for colonial fizzy drinks made in Italian East Africa, proudly proclaimed to be Made in the Empire

(I would like to try tamarind soda though, I must admit)
November 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
More and more envious of my husband's impressive ability to keep America on mute, truly a life skill we all need in the 2020s
November 18, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
whenever i’m feeling even the slightest bit pleased with myself i just need to visit the duplicate items folder of zotero to be reminded how impressively inefficient i am👏🏽
November 18, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Today in class we read the 1945 Labour Party manifesto. Students generally enthusiastic. I had to make clear to them that the Labour Party of 2025 as about as far from that text as it's possible to be, alas.
November 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Daughter, perusing the bookshelf in my bedroom: hmm, The Dictators.

Me, sleepily: I'm in that book!

D, pensive: you *are* quite dictatorial, it's true

Me: no, as an author! Not as one of history's greatest monsters!

D: no, mum, I think you're just famously bossy.
November 16, 2025 at 9:04 AM
There are people in the churchyard behind my flat very loudly singing Max Pezzali songs and playing the bongos. I should like them to stop.

Also it's November and raining ffs. Go home.
November 15, 2025 at 9:25 PM
the description of the cricket match in Murder Must Advertise is one of my favourite pieces of sports writing ever. every time I read it it fills me with pure delight.
November 15, 2025 at 12:30 PM
what I should be doing today: grading essays, going to the gym, grading more essays

what I actually want to be doing today: going to bed, eating cake, reading Dorothy L. Sayers, napping
November 14, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
An excellent PhD opportunity for someone to work on family separation during WW1 or WW2. I've done some research on Italian emigrant families separated when the father was serving in the Italian Army and it's a really fascinating area of study. royalhistsoc.org/calendar/phd...
PhD Studentship on Family Separation, funded by ERC - CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - RHS
PhD Studentship on Family Separation, funded by European Research Council Call for Applications, deadline - 1 March 2026 This is a call for expressions of interest for a European Research Council-fund...
royalhistsoc.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:53 AM
today I sent off a book proposal to a publisher and they got straight back to me to say it looks good & will go out to review! feeling very productive and pleased with myself💪

now I'm supposed to be marking 22 essays on the 1848 revolutions, as a little reward
November 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Je republie mon témoignage, paru dans @mediapart.fr trois jours après l’attentat.
« J'étais ce soir-là au Bataclan » blogs.mediapart.fr/edition/les-...
J'étais ce soir-là au Bataclan
Suite à notre appel à témoignages, nous avons reçu celui de Christophe N., enseignant, 39 ans, qui était au Bataclan vendredi 13. « J’ai longtemps hésité à donner ce témoignage, mais je pense que cel…
blogs.mediapart.fr
November 12, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
November 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
TFW when your creative side-project gets disastrously out of hand
🇫🇷 Quatre personnes, soupçonnées d'avoir participé au tournage sauvage d'un clip de rap qui a causé un incendie dans la banlieue de Lyon samedi, ont été interpellées jeudi matin et placées en garde à vue, a appris l'AFP de source proche du dossier.
November 13, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
The journal Navegar (LABIMI/UERJ) explores migration studies through a transatlantic lens. Its 2016 issue, Italianos no Brasil: e-imigração e retorno, revisits Italian communities in São Paulo and beyond, revealing rich cultural exchanges between Italy and Brazil. #ItalyBrazil #academicsky
www.labimi.com.br
November 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Looking forward to speaking at the Institute of Historical Research Seminar in King's College London next Wednesday evening. I will present research from the @erc.europa.eu COLVET project. Open to all but pre-registration required to attend. Thanks to the organisers www.eventbrite.ie/e/colonial-v...
Colonial Veterans and Citizenship in the French Empire
Presenting research from the project, Ex-Soldiers of Empire; Towards a Comparative History of Colonial Veterancy in the Interwar Period.
www.eventbrite.ie
November 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
twice a week I sit on an Italo train listening to the amazingly maccheronic English-language announcements declare that all the 'ayls' of the train must be kept clear of my luggages.

it would cost so little for them to record a proper message, it drives me round the bend.
November 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
November 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Please sign to protest the closure of Modern Languages programmes at Nottingham.

Solidarity with affected colleagues and students in Modern Languages and other departments.
👇👇👇
c.org/xYPmDLcXBn
c.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Got sent a questionnaire about AI at work, designed by the business department, which asked 'how I use AI personally' and 'how I use AI for teaching'.

No option for 'I don't' was available.

Not sure my write-in comments will entirely delight the business department.
November 10, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Vanda Wilcox
Italian WW1 trench near Bosco Malo (Hudi Log) on the Carso, dug in summer 1917, untouched since then (except by brush fires in 2021).
November 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM