Benjamin T. Jones

The disastrous dismantling of the humanities in Australia’s universities has begun A crisis is unfolding for the humanities and social sciences at universities across the country.

www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/31/a...

A shoutout to all the academics who are also working 9 to 9, 24/7 👩‍💻

Labor's bill to cut HECS debts by 20%, which passed this morning, leaves unchanged the structural inequalities built into tertiary education through Job-Ready Graduates. Sign our petition calling for the repeal of this destructive and unfair policy here: www.openpetition.org/au/petition/...

Young Australians have much higher student debt than generations before them, data shows The average Hecs/Help debt held by younger Australians increased by a third between 2009 and 2024

'The independent member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, will this week table an amendment to the student debt bill to reverse the JRG package and change the timing of Hecs/Help indexation until after prepayments are made.'

#highered #auspol #academicsky

And it’s not just writers: comedians, business leaders, academics, musicians and chefs have signed our letter:

Tim Winton among 100 high-profile Australians calling for university fees that don’t ‘punish’ arts students Open letter urges Labor to reverse JRG scheme, introduced by Coalition in 2021, as cost of humanities degrees reaches more than $50,000

More than 100 high-profile and distinguished Australians -and BA graduates- have signed the @austhistassoc.bsky.social open letter calling for the repeal of Job-Ready Graduates: a policy that punishes humanities students with life-changing debts: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Worried about AI imitating people's voices? They had similar concerns in 1893: "When the Phonograph comes into general use in his country, a new law will be wanted ... There are some excellent mimics, who might do great mischief by imitating one's voice in the Phonograph."

From the Anu community on Reddit Explore this post and more from the Anu community

The problem is ANU leadership applied these strategies like they’re running BHP, not a university.

I’ve learned there are basically only three ultimate truths of university faculty life:
1. No, you did not miss anything important at that meeting
2. You will be told that your successes somehow, paradoxically, complicate your tenure case
3. If you do not take up space, space will be taken from you

The jewel in the crown of the ANU • Inside Story Celebrated by previous vice-chancellors, the Australian Dictionary of Biography and its fellow national project, the Australian National Dictionary, are threatened by university cuts

"Professor Parry has defended the Change Proposals by stating that the ADB could easily have been cut altogether. She appears to regard the ADB as an academic unit within the gift of the dean rather than as a collaborative national institution" inside.org.au/the-jewel-in...

What's missing from the Australian Citizenship Test? Two decades on, as confused as ever.

A few thoughts from me on the Australian Citizenship Test. aristotlesaustralia.substack.com/p/whats-miss...

here's my academic hot take: it is not/should not be the responsibility of individual departments (especially in the humanities) to solve enrollment problems

This is a national disgrace.

Academic book writing:

Conclusion: Let me restate my arguments and prove my scholarly worth.
Epilogue: Let me vibe.

getting in an arms race with LLMs over em-dashes by using dashes so long ——— so very long ——— that they have never appeared in training data

It's nice to be appreciated ❤️ #OzHA2025 #AHA2025

Wragge Labs A compilation of things I've built over the last 30 years to help people see and use the online collections of libraries, archives, and museums.

For 30 years I've been experimenting with ways to see & use the online collections of libraries, archives & museums. I've made useful things, playful things, & weird things. Here's a big list of them for you to explore! https://wraggelabs.com #GLAM #histodons #digitalHumanities

Presentations finished, but #AHA2025 @austhistassoc.bsky.social still “Looking up”!! Birdwatching tour with Russell McGregor on town common

#AHA2025 @austhistassoc.bsky.social in Townsville officially complete with last minute salt water croc spotting on the Friday arvo. Thanks everyone for all the inspiration and see you next year at Macquarie!

That's a wrap on #OzHA2025 thanks everyone for four wonderful days of rich intellectual exchange and warmest congratulations to all our prize winners. It's been a genuine pleasure for @CQU to work with @jcu to cohost this great event. See you in Sydney next year! #AHA2025

This was before Lyndon broke into song…!!!

A funny, insightful, and much to the delight of the audience, musical keynote from Lyndon Megarrity. His love for Townsville shines through. #AHA2025 #OzHA2025

A political world we still inhabit • Frank Bongiorno Historian John Hirst founded a career on a distinctive view of colonial Australian politics

A revised version of an old essay from me that also appears as 1 of 3 commentaries (others by Robert Manne and Alex McDermott) in a terrific new collection, edited by Chris Feik, from La Trobe University Press: John Hirst: Selected Writings. Discounted copy available:
inside.org.au/a-political-...

Henry Reynolds' keynote #AHA2025 was brilliant, funny and direct - and an inspiration for everyone @jcuofficial.bsky.social and @austhistassoc.bsky.social . Big thanks!!! Also to @frankbongiorno.bsky.social for terrific moderation and introduction.

A View from the North This year James Cook University celebrates its proud legacy in historical research, writing and publishing through the  Studies in North Que...

Our 4th 'Studies in North Queensland History' retrospective on the occasion of @austhistassoc.bsky.social
#AHA2025 @jcucase.bsky.social @jcuofficial.bsky.social is @frankbongiorno.bsky.social on 'North Queensland separatism in the nineteenth century' jculibrarynews.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-vi...

I've been struck by how heartfelt the introductions have been at this conference. Love to see such sincere collegiality. A beautiful tribute to our final keynote Lyndon Megarrity from Claire Brennan. #AHA2025 #OzHA2025

Day 3 done and dusted 💪 #OzHA2025 #AHA2025

A fascinating, funny, and thoughtful reflection on a life in politics and activism from the irrepressible Margaret Reynolds. #OzHA2025 #AHA2025