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Vivien Chan

@inoutofpractice.bsky.social

Sowing seeds ๐ŸŒฑ Making sensations ๐Ÿ’ซ (Dr, she/they) Design historian, educator, image maker. Hong Kong, design history, material/visual/spatial culture, everyday. @historywo.bsky.social editorial fellow. https://vivienchan.co.uk/

1,200 Followers  |  126 Following  |  53 Posts  |  Joined: 22.02.2024  |  1.7133

Latest posts by inoutofpractice.bsky.social on Bluesky

It's a pleasure to include Sabine's research @sabinehanke.bsky.social in the series! The history of the circus, while problematic in contemporary times, is clearly a site where you can find important intersecting identities and frictions.

29.07.2025 09:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Sometimes the historical dictionary offers solace through the existence of an obsolete word that is sorely needed now. One of them is โ€˜respairโ€™, recorded just once, in the 15th century. It means fresh hope, and a recovery from despair.

26.07.2025 08:59 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1942    ๐Ÿ” 493    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 46    ๐Ÿ“Œ 23

Myself and Mary's fellowships are ending in October, and we're now looking for two new fellows!

I have had the best time, it's been a brilliant way to transition out of the PhD alongside teaching. It's been a joy to learn from the team and contribute something of my own too!

Any questions? DM me!

13.07.2025 09:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'm so pleased to include Kar Yern in the series, both because we share lots of research interests, and because his research is so dynamic and rich! Keep an eye out for his upcoming book on Malay(si)a Foodways ๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿ‘€

09.07.2025 05:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Another in From Place to Place today, and so excited to include sensory histories in this piece by Meg Parsons and Karen Fisher. Thinking about how processes of itinerance have the capacity to be violent, in colonial notions of exploration and transformation.

24.06.2025 07:29 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Vivien Chan | IIAS

I'm so excited to share that from October I will be a fellow at IIAS @iias.bsky.social in Leiden. I'll be working on a project on wetness in spatial histories of Hong Kong and SEA, continuing on from my research on wet markets. Looking forward to exploring NL!

www.iias.asia/profile/vivi...

19.06.2025 12:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Another super exciting one to add to the From Place to Place roster! What if we thought of itinerance through objects? how are histories materialised? So wonderful to work with Hege on this piece!

12.06.2025 10:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

A huge honour to have Becky Taylor in From Place to Place, and amazing to see such beautiful and rare archival material alongside her research.

10.06.2025 08:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So happy to be able to commission more design historians to write for HW! As a grassroots archive enthusiast, I was so excited to find out about Elli's collection of garments.

29.05.2025 06:31 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 18    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Huge congrats to @maryknewman.bsky.social on her new series on Indigenous histories!

20.05.2025 11:05 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I had the pleasure of being one of the people Juli would share her insights with while walking around Hong Kong. It sparked lots of conversations about what we can vs. what we choose to call history. Super honoured to share Juli's work in From Place to Place!

13.05.2025 07:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Such an imaginative and exciting piece from @davehitchcock.bsky.social and a significant question about the relationship between itinerance and the making of public spaces - who gets to make it theirs?

08.05.2025 10:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Begging Places How does a public space become a 'begging place'? David Hitchcock on the life of Jamaican street sweeper in Regency London, Charles McGee.

How does a public space become a 'begging place'?

In our latest article, Dave Hitchcock @davehitchcock.bsky.social on the life of Jamaican street sweeper in Regency London, Charles McGee.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk/urban/beggin...

08.05.2025 09:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

We stand in solidarity with trans women and the trans community and we will always be a space that recognises the importance of trans history.

Read on for a selection from our archive ๐Ÿงต 1/8

21.04.2025 09:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 302    ๐Ÿ” 106    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

There isn't a story on the BBC News site about today's trans rights rally at Parliament Square where it's estimated 20k attended. But they did have a story last week about the Let Women Speak transphobe rally in Bristol where 100 people attended.

19.04.2025 16:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5054    ๐Ÿ” 1617    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 69    ๐Ÿ“Œ 35

Hi Andrew, thanks so much for these recommendations! I'll be sure to check them out.

10.04.2025 09:33 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Another piece for From Place to Place today!

Anitha was so generous with me when I was in Surabaya for a conference late last year, and knows so much about her city. She took me around so many places, and at every corner was something and someone she knew. Such a gift to have her on board!

10.04.2025 07:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Mapping Surabaya's Street Markets Anitha Silvia explores the intricate histories found in mapping the informal street markets of Surabaya.

What histories are we missing when places operate in unofficial and responsive ways?

Anitha Silvia on the on-going histories of Surabaya's street markets, and how to archive as history unfolds on the street:
www.historyworkshop.org.uk/public-histo...

10.04.2025 07:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Really excited to have Felicity involved in the series, thinking about precarity and romanticism, the reality vs. fantasies in narratives of women's histories.

Also seems fitting now the flowers are all coming up for springgggg ๐Ÿ’

03.04.2025 08:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

A haiku for the Reading Room users:

window is damaged
therefore does not work. yet I,
also damaged, do.

21.03.2025 12:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 18    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This week's article features audio of some of Eileen's storytelling and song, another treat for the ears alongside Zarna's last week, and Odila's from the first piece. I'm still a maker at heart, and interested in the sensory and the tactile as visceral history-writing and telling.

20.03.2025 10:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I've always greatly admired independent history practitioners who have found ways to share old stories in new ways with the public. Feels very special to get to feature some of their work as part of the series!

20.03.2025 10:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Radical Objects: A Photo of Hiro Sumpter Ulrike Wรถhr Greenham unpacks this photo of Hiro Sumpter, and what it reveals about the politics of race and ethnicity at the Royal Air Force Greenham Common airbase in Berkshire, UK.

One from our Radical Objects series suggested by Vivien (@inoutofpractice.bsky.social)

Ulrike Wรถhr unpacks this image of Hiro Sumpter and what it reveals about the politics of race within feminist and anti-nuclear power activism.

18.03.2025 16:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Contribute Interested in publishing an article or podcast with History Workshop? Find out how to contribute to our digital magazine of radical history.

This article launches a new series on "History & Higher Education in Crisis"

We are inviting articles on:
๐ŸŽ“ the history & origins of this crisis
๐Ÿ”ฎ its impact on research, methodologies, specialisms & teaching
โœŠ building solidarities & collective action

www.historyworkshop.org.uk/contribute/

13.03.2025 11:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 31    ๐Ÿ” 26    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

A brilliant piece and for an ECR what is hopeful is the passion of my colleagues who can be both realistic and supportive, and believe in the root essence of university as a site for knowledge exchange and collaboration.

13.03.2025 09:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
A Decade of Crisis The UK's universities are in crisis. Dave Hitchcock on how the sector became 'broken' and why it must be understood as an interdependent system.

UK universities are in crisis.

Dave Hitchcock (@davehitchcock.bsky.social) on how the sector became 'broken' and why it must be approached as an interdependent system.

www.historyworkshop....

13.03.2025 07:08 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 224    ๐Ÿ” 153    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 44

The third piece for the series, how listening is hard work, is fulfilling, is radical in the research process. If listening was as important as speaking/reading in research, we'd be in a different place. It was so wonderful to work with Zarna, a fellow design historian!

11.03.2025 09:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Queer Activists and the Struggle for AIDS Education Donald Trump's January 20th Executive Order is a harmful attack on queer and transgender healthcare education, but it will be resisted. Lucy Kelly turns to the legacy of queer activists and allies in the struggle for AIDS education in theโ€ฆ

Donald Trump's January 20th Executive Order is a harmful attack on queer and transgender healthcare education, but it will be resisted.

Lucy Kelly turns to the legacy of queer activists and allies in the struggle for AIDS education in the 1980-90s.

www.historyworkshop....

06.03.2025 07:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image

Such a profound and hopeful evening listening to @taoleighgoffe.bsky.social @ogoegbunam.bsky.social on Tao's new book Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean and the origins of the climate crisis. Had me thinking so much about itinerance (coral spores, mongoose etc) as well as more on water ๐ŸŒŠ

03.03.2025 21:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

so amazing Beckie congrats!!

24.02.2025 15:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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