Dan Stewart

The Humanities as Canary: Understanding this Crisis Now - The Scholarly Kitchen The Humanities have always been the canary in the coal mine of the full knowledge industry. What information can help us understand this crisis and its implications?

“We may be past the point of no return, but at a minimum we ought to … assess where we are, and what we’re losing when we fully cashier robust support for Humanities research. The Humanities are us.” Feels like a(nother) good day to share this. scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2025/04/02/t...

It ended up a busy and crazy end of summer and start of semester (I have FOUR classes...eep).

BUT I also got this thing finally published.

74 pages in Hesperia. Not bad for my first ever peer-reviewed article in a major journal!

You can check it out at muse.jhu.edu/article/970046

The Open University Caridad Svich is a US-based playwright, songwriter, editor, educator and translator of Cuban-Argentine-Spanish-Croatian descent.

Pleased to share this fascinating conversation with the brilliant playwright Caridad Svich @csvich.bsky.social, where we talked about her Iphigenia play and how to adapt Greek tragedy now. Out now in Practitioners' Voices in Classical Reception Studies!
university.open.ac.uk/arts/researc...

The Institute of Classical Studies is pleased to announce its Researcher Training Programme for 2025-26 academic year. Designed for researchers in Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology, Reception Studies and Philology.

You can find an overview of programme activities here: shorturl.at/Q8Ke4

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Training activities include:
• Intros to digital approaches to Classics
• Developing & leading a major project
• Publishing in journals
• Applying for postdocs & fellowships
• Spring School in 3D imaging and modelling

Most activities are free & open to all regardless of career stage/affiliation
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On the day Rubio inaugurated an archaeological “tunnel burrowed under a Palestinian district, along a Roman-era street” in an “archaeological park established by an Israeli settler organisation… Israeli planes bombed the most important storage depot of ancient artefacts in Gaza City”

YouTube video by Sheffield Zooarchaeology Lab The destruction of the Zooarch laboratories in Sheffield

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bEv... For decades we've worked to enhance the Sheffield Zooarch Lab & to see years of dedication destroyed by corporate executives who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing is heart breaking @watchingbrief.bsky.social #savesheffieldarchaeology

Events Stay up to date with the upcoming events organised or hosted by the Institute of Historical Research

History curious? You don't need to be in London (or the UK) to attend many Institute of Historical Research seminars, although if you're in Bloomsbury you'll enjoy doing so. Most are hybrid (online/in person). They're free, usually fortnightly and open to the public.

Starting this week:

Unlike some in my union, I feel for Management. All their options are bad. But I'll be striking next week to support colleagues at risk, to support what universities are supposed to be about, to tell the void that we get to choose the society we want. The university belongs to all of us. Choose it.

This and previous governments are undermining all of that. They chase the short-term and the quick fix. But society is an investment. Investments take time to mature. It's the same with education. We can't silence critics, we need to listen to them, debate them, argue with them. Be open to them.

We need critical and engaged citizens who are media literate. Who know how to question what they're told, to analyse evidence, to identify bullshit. We need people who can hold power to account - whether that power is economic, political, scientific, or technological. That's what university is for.

You don't work in #UKHE without having a deep love for what you do, no matter the ranking. Love for the subject, for the questions, for the sharing. The pressures on HE right now are so high, every subject is at risk. It's everywhere, and that is so much worse. We stand to lose so much as a country

Uni rankings are an obvious nonsense; chasing them is often a waste of time. But it's also nice to have external validation for all the hard work we put in. Behind every ranking is a team of enthusiastic, passionate, subject experts who are sacrificing evenings and weekends to promote our subjects

So #Leicester is heading out on strike soon, against looming job cuts. Today we found out that #AncientHistory is ranked first in the Times University Rankings. In the Guardian we're 5th. But we're also all overworked and demoralised. We try to protect the students from that, but it's always there.

A photo of the roof of St Pancras station

Alright, let’s do this one more time… #UKHE

Whelp, so long.

YouTube video by Bob Ross Bob Ross - Frosty Winter Morn (Season 23 Episode 1)

Anger and fear are appropriate and necessary emotions right now but fwiw I’ve been watching Bob Ross lately and it really helps take the edge off. youtu.be/1-9_enMBquw?...

If you're in London today, then there's plenty of opportunities to show Mr Trump that he's not welcome.

If you miss the march, then come along to the rally in Parliament Square at 5 instead and make some noise.

How AI is undermining learning and teaching in universities | Letter Letter: Prof Leo McCann and Prof Simon Sweeney say student misuse of generative artificial intelligence is widespread and we must be sceptical of its usefulness

"Claims that AI helps preparation or research is simply cover for students taking shortcuts that do not develop their learning skills."
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

We have a small number of bursaries for this year's TAG - if you are speaking and fall into the unwaged category (students and those currently not in employment) please apply! Deadline 15th Oct.

Esp given assassination of Kirk in US i find Musk's intervention here, calling for dissolution of parliament and a new govt, really scary .

Also UK govt bodies should get the fuck off X.

arg curse my fat fingers

If you are in a medium to large regional city, try to start with your local food not bombs. If there's a university nearby, student societies can also help. Or get three friends together, have coffee, and start organising yourself. 🖤

“Over the months and years to come, we will have to fight for our values like never before. That means proudly making the case for diversity and openness. It means that we must make that case without embarrassment or apology…”

In light of those odious people in London yesterday, re-upping these posters.

a man with a beard is touching another man 's face and says shhhh Alt: a man with a beard is touching another man 's face and says shhhh

Pay no attention to the 17 point gap between 4th and 5th

The Guardian 2026 league table for classics and ancient history, showing Leicester is 5th

League tables are total bullsh… wait a second, 5th?!? I love league tables!

Front cover: National 5 Classical Studies. Images taken from frescoes in the villa of mysteries.

I finished writing this tonight. It’s a textbook for National 5 Classical Studies, the first of its kind.

I’m not sure but I think the last Scotland-specific Classics textbook for schools came out in 1983.

Anyway, it’s 220 pages long and will be available for free/donation from tomorrow.

Great thread on the problems with 'funded/hobbyist' research-think.