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David Wilson

@davidwilsonhist.bsky.social

Historian working on legal and environmental history within context of colonialism & oceans / lakes, esp. piracy, fishing, & marine science. Current focus: Law, Science, and the British Colonial Fisheries Advisory Committee. Senior Lecturer @ Strathclyde.

2,438 Followers  |  666 Following  |  63 Posts  |  Joined: 08.11.2023  |  2.0912

Latest posts by davidwilsonhist.bsky.social on Bluesky

Or you can also join us for our launch event in Blantyre at @DLivingstoneBP on 12 August from 14:30-16:30 where the pop-up exhibition will also be displayed in August and September!

www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/events/lesso...

06.08.2025 07:58 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Lessons from Lake Malawi: Fisheries Governance in the Colonial Era

Join us at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther and online on 14 August as we launch our pop-up exhibition at the museum based on our Lessons from Lake Malawi projects. 🐠🐟

Co-hosted by the Scotland-Malawi Partnership.

www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/events/lesso...

03.08.2025 19:30 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 1

It was a real privilege to be asked to chat about our OA article on fisheries in Lake Malawi for the JAH podcast 🐟.

Link below — check it out and let me know what you think! 👇

27.07.2025 14:30 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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In our latest #OA #HistoryMatters piece, the team of Milo Gough, Bryson Nkhoma, Elias Chirwa, @davidwilsonhist.bsky.social‬, Charles Knapp, Tracy Morse, and Wapulumuka Mulwafu explore the history of present day #Fisheries management in #LakeMalawi:

bit.ly/4lmkjoT

10.07.2025 18:19 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

Our final virtual panel for Problem of Piracy IV is starting in just over an hour —

“Encountering and Policing Piracy”

Feat. four papers covering diverse legal and practical measures to tackle piracy across geographical and temporal bounds.

Register using the link below! 🏴‍☠️

13.06.2025 14:48 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Two exciting online panels on the history of piracy tomorrow for Problem of Piracy IV:

“Performing Piracy and Power”

and

“Dynamics of Piracy and Privateering”

Registration link in the post below!

All welcome!

11.06.2025 18:23 — 👍 6    🔁 5    💬 1    📌 0
Information of three virtual panels, details available via Eventbrite using the link in the post.

Information of three virtual panels, details available via Eventbrite using the link in the post.

🚨🏴‍☠️ Performing, practising, and policing piracy!

The 4th Problem of Piracy conference takes place in Exeter later this month.

But next week we have THREE special virtual panels that are open to all on 12 and 13 June.

Details and registration link via: www.problemofpiracy.com/conference-2025 🏴‍☠️🚨

04.06.2025 09:13 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 5
Information of three virtual panels, details available via Eventbrite using the link in the post.

Information of three virtual panels, details available via Eventbrite using the link in the post.

🚨🏴‍☠️ Performing, practising, and policing piracy!

The 4th Problem of Piracy conference takes place in Exeter later this month.

But next week we have THREE special virtual panels that are open to all on 12 and 13 June.

Details and registration link via: www.problemofpiracy.com/conference-2025 🏴‍☠️🚨

04.06.2025 09:13 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 5
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Home - East Jersey Bound Home page: Scots emigrants to East New Jersey in the 1680s: why did they come, who were they and what became of them?

A new website w/database on the 1680s Scottish migration to East New Jersey is 'live' #earlymodern #VastEarlyAmerica eastjerseybound.scot

03.06.2025 12:01 — 👍 42    🔁 22    💬 3    📌 1
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Afropolitans and the fantasy of a digital nation Web3 utopians promised a sovereign future for the African diaspora—but what they delivered was a networking club for elites, wrapped in crypto-libertarian hype and Afro-futurist aesthetics.

An insightful and disquieting article on “Afropolitans and the fantasy of a digital nation” by Milo Gough, one member of the Lessons of Lake Malawi team.

africasacountry.com/2025/05/afro...

28.05.2025 11:44 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Sounds good! Im away this week then should be around for most of the summer.

Ah, yes, that conference looked great but I had to withdraw as my teaching schedule changed … One of my students is going though, will be sure to introduce you both too!

24.05.2025 08:32 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Ah sorry I misread that! But looking forward all the same.

23.05.2025 19:58 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Definitely! The parallels are really interesting (inc similar laws and rhetoric, AND personnel…). Always keen to unpack more — we should have a coffee soon and discuss!

23.05.2025 19:58 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Ha! Fantastic, and congrats! Looking forward to checking out your new chapter in Isaac’s book too! Currently away but hoping the Routledge book might be waiting when I get back too…

23.05.2025 16:54 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

My article "Seasonal Harvests: Migration, Reproduction, and Religion in the Early Modern Spanish Tuna Fisheries" is now available online in advance of the July issue of
@envirohistory.bsky.social. The essay reflects years of work and revision; I'm so grateful for the help I got along the way.

23.05.2025 15:52 — 👍 31    🔁 7    💬 1    📌 1

Ah thank you Cathy! All just lucky timing — like buses, the printing of publications seem to arrive in multiples…!

Hope all’s well otherwise. I’ve been away for the past few writing sessions unfortunately, but hope to attend more regularly in June!

23.05.2025 16:44 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Colonialism, Governance, and Fisheries: Perspectives from Lake Malawi | The Journal of African History | Cambridge Core Colonialism, Governance, and Fisheries: Perspectives from Lake Malawi - Volume 66

‼️🐠 Our short “History Matters” piece — “Colonialism, Governance, and Fisheries: Perspectives from Lake Malawi” just published OA in The Journal of African History!

doi.org/10.1017/S002...

A lengthier piece expanding on fisheries surveys & colonial development in L. Malawi coming soon in Isis… 🐠‼️

23.05.2025 10:05 — 👍 6    🔁 4    💬 2    📌 0
The first known map of Barbados, created before scientific cartography took off. Created by Richard Ligon, it lists the plantations around the coastal parts of the island, while the less-explored interior is an explosion of images and symbolism which highlights what Ligon knew and imagined about this space.

The first known map of Barbados, created before scientific cartography took off. Created by Richard Ligon, it lists the plantations around the coastal parts of the island, while the less-explored interior is an explosion of images and symbolism which highlights what Ligon knew and imagined about this space.

I'm shocked at how little we engage with the extra-geographical features of early modern maps. I mean, LOOK at this one!

14.05.2025 14:30 — 👍 11    🔁 5    💬 3    📌 1
Slightly amended so I can fit this here: I am writing to you as an immigrant who chose to make the UK my home. As someone who is now also a British citizen. And as a German-born historian who understands where the complete normalisation of the far right can end. I write to say: For shame! I first came to the UK in the 1990s for a visit with my grandmother. Objectively, much was backwards here. No mixer taps in the bathroom; awful ‘bread’; and strings had to be pulled to switch on lights. But however I felt about this, my own string had been pulled: I loved this Cool Britannia. It was quite possibly then that I decided that the UK was to be my home. When I arrived to settle here permanently, I made a choice: to contribute my skills, my knowledge—all I have to offer—to this country rather than another one. I am deeply disgusted by your comment today that immigration has done ‘incalculable damage’ to the country. This is the language of the far right. It is insulting, hateful & will fuel xenophobia. And it is just wrong. Migration is a normal part of the human existence. None of us would be where we are without it. Open your fridge and you will see migration. Immigrants help make the UK tick every single day, whether we clean toilets in our hospitals or provide care for the elderly; whether we empty our bins or carry out cancer research. We are mothers, sons-in-law, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours and colleagues. I ask you not tell me that you do not mean me. I know that you do not—at least not primarily—mean a white woman from Europe who has a PhD. But who do you mean? And, much more importantly, who do you think those racists who were engaged in riots on our streets last summer think you mean? Anti-immigration narratives have defined UK policymaking for the best part of two decades. And fundamentally so. They were the key driver in delivering Brexit, for example, and, as such, have directly limited the rights and opportunities of British citizens.

Slightly amended so I can fit this here: I am writing to you as an immigrant who chose to make the UK my home. As someone who is now also a British citizen. And as a German-born historian who understands where the complete normalisation of the far right can end. I write to say: For shame! I first came to the UK in the 1990s for a visit with my grandmother. Objectively, much was backwards here. No mixer taps in the bathroom; awful ‘bread’; and strings had to be pulled to switch on lights. But however I felt about this, my own string had been pulled: I loved this Cool Britannia. It was quite possibly then that I decided that the UK was to be my home. When I arrived to settle here permanently, I made a choice: to contribute my skills, my knowledge—all I have to offer—to this country rather than another one. I am deeply disgusted by your comment today that immigration has done ‘incalculable damage’ to the country. This is the language of the far right. It is insulting, hateful & will fuel xenophobia. And it is just wrong. Migration is a normal part of the human existence. None of us would be where we are without it. Open your fridge and you will see migration. Immigrants help make the UK tick every single day, whether we clean toilets in our hospitals or provide care for the elderly; whether we empty our bins or carry out cancer research. We are mothers, sons-in-law, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours and colleagues. I ask you not tell me that you do not mean me. I know that you do not—at least not primarily—mean a white woman from Europe who has a PhD. But who do you mean? And, much more importantly, who do you think those racists who were engaged in riots on our streets last summer think you mean? Anti-immigration narratives have defined UK policymaking for the best part of two decades. And fundamentally so. They were the key driver in delivering Brexit, for example, and, as such, have directly limited the rights and opportunities of British citizens.

This obsessive focus on immigration as the ‘problem’—that is the real problem. And it is consistently delivering poor outcomes for the UK. Instead of tackling this, you are choosing to consolidate it, sowing divisions along the way. You may point me to polling and tell me that this is what voters want. Do they? I am not surprised at all that over 50% of voters might say they want to see immigration reduced if that is the question they are being asked. What we need to know is what they would answer to the question: “Would you like to see immigration reduced? What this would mean for you and your local community is XYZ.” That is not how surveys can ask questions, but governments absolutely can choose to make policy using such a more informed position. Prime Minister, you continue to talk a lot about making the tough choices. But let’s be clear: setting immigrants up as the ‘other’, as a scapegoat—describing us as a threat ‘pulling the country apart’, a ‘squalid chapter’, a risk that might make the UK an ‘island of strangers’—these are not tough choices at all. These are the easy choices. They are the choices that populists make who have no solutions to the real problems a country faces. What I would like to know, Prime Minister, is what you will do when your policies lead to the implosion of the UK’s Higher Education sector. What you will tell communities when they can no longer provide any care for the elderly. The policies you announced today will not solve anything at all. They will have exclusively negative impacts. For those immediately affected; for our communities; and for our economy. Being pro-immigration—it is progressive, yes, but the much more crucial point is that it is also the most pro-UK policy approach that any politician in the country can pursue. And you are choosing to do the opposite. This, Prime Minister, is the real damage—and it will be very calculable indeed. Tanja Bueltmann

This obsessive focus on immigration as the ‘problem’—that is the real problem. And it is consistently delivering poor outcomes for the UK. Instead of tackling this, you are choosing to consolidate it, sowing divisions along the way. You may point me to polling and tell me that this is what voters want. Do they? I am not surprised at all that over 50% of voters might say they want to see immigration reduced if that is the question they are being asked. What we need to know is what they would answer to the question: “Would you like to see immigration reduced? What this would mean for you and your local community is XYZ.” That is not how surveys can ask questions, but governments absolutely can choose to make policy using such a more informed position. Prime Minister, you continue to talk a lot about making the tough choices. But let’s be clear: setting immigrants up as the ‘other’, as a scapegoat—describing us as a threat ‘pulling the country apart’, a ‘squalid chapter’, a risk that might make the UK an ‘island of strangers’—these are not tough choices at all. These are the easy choices. They are the choices that populists make who have no solutions to the real problems a country faces. What I would like to know, Prime Minister, is what you will do when your policies lead to the implosion of the UK’s Higher Education sector. What you will tell communities when they can no longer provide any care for the elderly. The policies you announced today will not solve anything at all. They will have exclusively negative impacts. For those immediately affected; for our communities; and for our economy. Being pro-immigration—it is progressive, yes, but the much more crucial point is that it is also the most pro-UK policy approach that any politician in the country can pursue. And you are choosing to do the opposite. This, Prime Minister, is the real damage—and it will be very calculable indeed. Tanja Bueltmann

My letter to the Prime Minister. #immigration

12.05.2025 14:46 — 👍 1053    🔁 451    💬 82    📌 72
Arial image of Stillbay fish traps South Africa. Sources Goggle Maps.

Arial image of Stillbay fish traps South Africa. Sources Goggle Maps.

Aerial satellite imagery of the wooden fish traps from the coast Kosi Bay Zululand South Africa.

Aerial satellite imagery of the wooden fish traps from the coast Kosi Bay Zululand South Africa.

Digital photograph (colour); view of painted rock art on a rock face showing oval-like shape (net?) outlined in red and infilled by red fishes. The shape is surrounded by several human figures and animals, most of them antelopes infilled in red and depicted upright facing right. The human figures are outlined or infilled in red, mostly depicted upright facing right and in some cases with the legs splayed as if running. Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe.

Digital photograph (colour); view of painted rock art on a rock face showing oval-like shape (net?) outlined in red and infilled by red fishes. The shape is surrounded by several human figures and animals, most of them antelopes infilled in red and depicted upright facing right. The human figures are outlined or infilled in red, mostly depicted upright facing right and in some cases with the legs splayed as if running. Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe.

Images of river fish weir Cuiva River, Bié Province, Angola

Images of river fish weir Cuiva River, Bié Province, Angola

Today let's celebrate #africanworldheritageday, #Africa is home to all and a dynamic continent with heritage unlike any other! #coastalhistory #Angloa #Zululand #Southafrica #Zimbabwe.

05.05.2025 12:40 — 👍 8    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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The Routledge History of the Modern Maritime World since 1500 | Kennet The Routledge History of the Modern Maritime World since 1500 provides a wide-ranging set of chapters, covering the sixteenth century to the present, which

“The Routledge History of the Modern Maritime World since 1500” edited by Kenneth Morgan released last week!

A privilege to be among such esteemed colleagues. It will be an excellent teaching resource too — I’ll certainly be assigning many chapters!

www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/1...

05.05.2025 12:42 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

Ha, thank you! Hope all’s well!!

14.04.2025 14:40 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Looking forward to this chapter coming out soon as part of a fantastic volume!

And the @shiftingsovs.bsky.social volume looks fantastic too!!

14.04.2025 14:40 — 👍 7    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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We are live! Our 25 projects across 11 partner institutions are now open for applications!

For more on these positions, visit: www.sgsss.ac.uk/studentships...

We encourage applicants to review our guidance for more on eligibility, the application process, etc: www.sgsss.ac.uk/files/Studen...

13.03.2025 11:17 — 👍 6    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Spatialising Glasgow’s Involvement in Transatlantic Slaving Economies: A Study of the Historical and Postcolonial Roles and Impacts of the Tobacco Merchant’s House since the 1780s - Scottish Graduate ... Focusing on Glasgow’s Tobacco Merchant’s House (TMH) at 42 Miller Street, the overarching aim of the project is to offer the first focused and full-length study of Glasgow’s involvement in transatlant...

My colleague @davidwilsonhist.bsky.social and I are delighted to invite applications for a PhD studentship funded by ESRC @sgsss.bsky.social, collaborating partner Scottish Civic Trust. #history #slavery #Glasgow

Full details below.

#skystorians #PhDsky #academicsky www.sgsss.ac.uk/studentship/...

13.03.2025 12:57 — 👍 27    🔁 14    💬 0    📌 1

Come join @tanjabueltmann.net and I at Strathclyde for a funded PhD on built heritage and Glasgow’s slaving links, centred around Tobacco Merchant’s House.

Excellent ops to engage with heritage industry via co-supervision by Scottish Civic Trust!

Details below!

Any questions - get in touch!

13.03.2025 14:39 — 👍 38    🔁 33    💬 1    📌 1

Ha thanks, Milica, it’s incredible!

04.03.2025 17:24 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

I’m visiting at the EUI in Florence! It is really rather amazing…!! And it’s just slightly warmer and drier and brighter than Glasgow right now …

04.03.2025 16:53 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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There are certainly worse places to spend a week writing …

04.03.2025 11:20 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 3    📌 0
A screen grab of the cover. It is light blue, with The Routledge History of he Modern Maritime World since 1500 as the title, with an image of a ship, and 'edited by Kenneth Morgan on the bottom.

A screen grab of the cover. It is light blue, with The Routledge History of he Modern Maritime World since 1500 as the title, with an image of a ship, and 'edited by Kenneth Morgan on the bottom.

Coming soon! Routledge Maritime History of the Modern World. Publication scheduled for May 2025. For those who took Research Skills w/ Cathryn, you'll recognise her chapter. It also includes chapters by @davidwilsonhist.bsky.social and Richard Blakemore among others! #MaritimeHistory #CoastalHistory

23.02.2025 13:08 — 👍 18    🔁 8    💬 1    📌 2

@davidwilsonhist is following 20 prominent accounts