Andrew WM Smith

A map to visualise the transnational networks in @smidbob.bsky.social ‘s latest book on the Larzac (Rainbow colours from phone filter for effect only) @ihr.bsky.social

Thanks Laura. Great to speak to you down the line & thanks for the listening tips!

Révision constitutionnelle : « L’heure n’est ni aux postures de Cassandre ni à la résignation, mais à la responsabilité démocratique » Dans une tribune au « Monde », un collectif de parlementaires estime que « partout où les forces illibérales ont prospéré, elles ont exploité les zones de fragilité procédurale ». Pour permettre la mise en place d’un solide rempart institutionnel, ces députés déposent une proposition de loi visant à clarifier explicitement la procédure de révision de la Constitution.

Révision constitutionnelle : « L’heure n’est ni aux postures de Cassandre ni à la résignation, mais à la responsabilité démocratique »

Is this any more than a historian's hankering for the longue durée? Perhaps... but still

A lot of that has to look at how the far right are treated in the press, with breathless recitation of "populism" & alarmist policy priorities smoothing over difficulties & (esp in this case!) actual criminality. The schedule of news cycles & electoral attention seem oft aligned (and gang aft agley)

Yet, timelines of electoral appeal/success can be short & forgetful. At a workshop last week, there was discussion of how to challenge movements whose appeal rests on a short horizon for change ("get the current lot out") while balancing responsible policy building (ie boring technocratic wonkery)

Le Pen’s far right eyes local elections as launchpad for French presidential bid The National Rally’s strong polling numbers don’t guarantee victory.

Good read on upcoming Municipals. Worth remembering: 1 in 3 RN officials elected in 2020 have since resigned. They've continued to struggle with local roots (part of the problem of a whacko militant base) & their 'labos' in key cities have not succeeded

www.politico.eu/article/firs...

I may also have some Roquefort for the occasion...

(Online participants will have to provide their own, sadly)

Modern French History Seminar

You can also hear much more about the book at my book launch tonight!

It takes place at the IHR in Senate House, from 5.30pm. If you can't attend, you can always watch along online!

www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

🗃️ #skystorians

Manchester University Press - Make cheese not war Make cheese not war - Browse and buy the Hardcover edition of Make cheese not war by Andrew W. M. Smith

You can find out much more about the Larzac protests (which were explicitly non-violent) in my new book, Make cheese not war: manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526175878/

However, he was quick to say: it was Montredon sur Larzac, not Montredon-des-Corbières! In the trial held in Millau, winegrowers rep Maffre-Baugé sat in the stands, and the spectre of a broader regional radicalism was certainly feared by authorities (if largely imagined)

In my new book, I write about how this event nearly got José Bové in trouble on the Larzac plateau. Despite the peaceful protests, some direct action against the army base (ripping up documents) saw the protesters arrested and interned. The problem came when police found out JB lived in Montredon...

(There should hopefully be some sort of coverage in the UK press as well, as I've been trying to work with some journalists on coverage - fingers crossed, we'll see how that goes)

Manchester University Press - Terror and terroir Terror and terroir - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Terror and terroir by Andrew W. M. Smith

You can find out much more about the process that led to that violent confrontation in my first book, Terror and terroir: the winegrowers of the Languedoc and modern France

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526131898/

Blood and Wine: The Gun Fight at Montredon 40 years on On 4 March 1976 at Montredon-des-Corbières, close to Narbonne, winegrower Emile Pouytès and CRS officer Commander Joel Le Goff were shot and killed, during the course of a demonstration which turne…

Big anniversary yesterday - the 50th anniversary of the fatal gunfight at Montredon (near Narbonne, in the south of France) between winegrowers and police. Here's a blogpost I wrote on the 40th anniversary:

🗃️ #skystorians

uclhistory.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/b...

Six Nations: le XV de France prend une claque en Écosse et dit adieu au Grand Chelem Le XV de France peut oublier ses rêves de Grand Chelem dans le Tournoi des Six Nations. Balayés 50-40, un score flatteur grâce à une fin de match débridée, les Français ont été dépassés par l'Écosse. Ils se retrouvent désormais à égalité de points avec le XV du Chardon, mais gardent leur destin en main grâce à la différence de points.

Six Nations: le XV de France prend une claque en Écosse et dit adieu au Grand Chelem

One day I wanted to engage students in my history class in a way that would make an impact. I wrote an article for this month’s issue of Perspectives on History (American Historical Association) that will blow you away about it! Read the pdf version here: www.historians.org/wp-content/u...

Thank you, looking forward to it! Glad it all arrived ok

Looking forward to celebrating the launch of this bad boy with @smidbob.bsky.social on Monday. Come join us at the IHR if you’re in London!

The French definitely lead the way on this!

S4E6 - Mesopotamian Around with Gilgamesh

To my shame, I have never actually read it, but my most recent engagement with it was my daughter re-listening to the Podcast 'Greeking Out' which covered it. Perhaps that can be a palate cleanser for the whole thing!

open.spotify.com/episode/6xGZ...

No Second Chances: The Inside Story of the Campaign for a Second Referendum Join Mile End Institute to celebrate the publication of Morgan Jones’s new book about the campaign for a second EU referendum and its impact

Why did the People's Vote campaign fail? Could Brexit have been stopped? What lessons can be learned?

Join us on 19 March to launch @morganj0nes.bsky.social's new book: "No Second Chances: The Inside Story of the Campaign for a Second Referendum".

All welcome!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/no-second-...

You can also click through for a couple of images of the archival reading room in Millau and the beautiful view out of its window!

I was interviewed by the French History Network blog about my new @manchesterup.bsky.social book, 'Make cheese not war'. It was an ace opportunity to reflect on the lifecycle of a book project, personal encounters, research-led teaching (& vice versa) & more

frenchhistorysociety.co.uk/6838/

🗃️

Now resolved!

Call for applications!

We are looking for a small press to take up a temporary residency at UCL!

£5,000 to spend flexibly, an opportunity to work with outstanding collections & collaborate with brilliant students and staff!

blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...

Congratulations!

Pick up your Age Of Revolutions companion collection! Great essays drawn from essays that first appeared on the site and others unique to the book! upress.virginia.edu/title/10176/

If anyone is trying to access the SSFH website, it is currently down. I am working with our hosts and a developer to investigate, but it looks like a wordpress plugin has brought the site down overnight. Access hopefully restored soon!

Many thanks to @bryanbanksphd.bsky.social and @cindyermus.bsky.social for their work bringing the volume together and all their efforts making @ageofrevolutions.bsky.social such an amazing trove of historical insight! 🗃️ #skystorians