Isabel “Izzy” Black (Joely)
@autisticalchemyst.bsky.social
I study the anthropology of magic, objects, and people. Moomins. Writing a book about making magical objects in Roman Egypt. I also write fantasy fiction and building a model of the Moomin House. Autistic. joelyblack.substack.com.
Exciting news! I got the final list of objects and papyri documents for the @thejohnrylands.bsky.social catalogue. It's got three magical amulets showing the full progression of change from 150BCE to 500CE Egypt. I can now write about the whole transition. #AcademicSky #ClassicsSky
So I didn’t get the fellowship I applied for. Haven’t managed to get any job (academic and not) I’ve applied for in 18 months of applying. Feeling kind of dreadful. Please don’t do the getting a job in academia is hard. It’s bollocks awful everywhere. #AcademicSky
I should be working on a book proposal, a catalogue essay, and a book chapter. My brain can't stop planning a book that's all about the Moomin House. A whole book.
I'm starting to think the spectre of Marx doesn't want me reading Specters of Marx. Or maybe it's another ghost. This week I've got a GP appointment to look at my dodgy foot (a real medical term). @lizgloyn.bsky.social @bigfridge224.bsky.social
We are now 50% funded! To get us through the next 50%: www.kickstarter.com/projects/str...
Strange Horizons 2026
A free weekly speculative fiction magazine with a global perspective.
kickstarter.com
Gautam Bhatia@gautambhatia88.bsky.social · last yr.Strange Horizons’ annual fund-drive is now live: www.kickstarter.com/projects/str... We are entirely community-funded, and this is our main source of income. Help us enter our 26th year?
We dont often in life get to work with actual real-world heroes. That happened for us yesterday when Jenna and 300 of her brave #NIH colleagues allowed us to stand up with them against the Trump regime's war on science and health in America. TY Jenna & all #NIHheroes #StandUpForScience #SaveNIH
Jenna Norton@jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · last yr.Today, my NIH colleagues and I did something scary but really important. We spoke up about egregious harms we are seeing happen to research participants and public health through thoughtless and politicized policies at NIH. 🧵1/3 apnews.com/article/nih-...
I'll say this for Derrida. He's horrible to read but the horror did compel me to go out for a run. So there's that. #AcademicSky #Hauntology
Yesterday I submitted the edits for my first academic article to Studia Scandinavica. Moomins ahoy! Now I have finally opened the review, edit, and notes on my proposal for @edinburghup.bsky.social's editors. With deep apologies for my procrastination. *Bows* #AcademicSky
A History of the World in Six Plagues explores the myriad ways in which people people exerted their agency during the pandemic lockdown.
How lockdowns through history have led to revolt and misinformation
bigissue.com
My first academic article has been accepted for publication by Studia Scandinavica. It’s about Moominmamma’s handbag. Revisions due in three weeks. After @theconversation.com’s event last week I guess this makes me a Moominologist now. #academicsky
My not-hot take on the ‘why don’t UK universities aggressively pursue American academics cut adrift’ discussion is three-fold. One: there are a lot of brilliant un- and under-employed academics here already. Two: have you *seen* what’s happening in HE here? Three: immigrating isn’t that easy.
It's been a minute, but here I am writing about Moominmamma's handbag for @theconversation.com: theconversation.com/with-moominm...
With Moominmama, Tove Jansson created a hero who wields a handbag instead of a sword
Moominmama is resourceful, and shows it is possible to survive a long and arduous journey without a weapon, instead using her bag.
theconversation.com
'Archaeologists make breakthrough as life-size sculptures discovered in Pompeii tomb'
Breakthrough as life-size sculptures discovered in Pompeii tomb
New discoveries are overturning the assumptions that used to be made about a woman’s place in society, writes Emily Hauser
independent.co.uk
@moudhy.bsky.social’s Between Two Rivers has me doing one of my favourite things: hunting museum online catalogues for stuff. Usually for me it’s papyri and terracottas. Now it’s cuneiform tablets. I want to LOOK AT THEM ALL.
I’m really only here to say I decided to pick up @chuckwendig.bsky.social’s Wanderers a couple of months back because it was on offer. It’s mind-bendingly good so far. Very much recommend.
No #DigitalFriday today because it is a public holiday in the UK; take that work/life balance seriously and I'll see you all next week ;)
Public voting for the 2025 Locus Awards is open till April 15. THE SENTENCE has been long-listed in the best SF novel category, along with a ton of great work. If you’re so inclined, the voting link (open to all) is available here: poll.voting.locusmag.com
Welcome to the Locus Awards Poll. Deadline for voting is April 15. You can return and edit or add to your ballot up until the deadline.
poll.voting.locusmag.com
This. I teach because being with the students and helping them learn is the best bit.
Emma Kennedy@emmakeddev.bsky.social · last yr.Academic workloads are often used to justify automation. But our research into staff experience in large group teaching found that what kept people going was precisely the connection with students. Reducing the 'load' of this, while keeping more disconnected work, makes the problem worse.
My favourite @thejohnrylands.bsky.social papyri discovery of the week: Proclus writes to Sarapion asking about his health. Everyone is worried for him. His daughter is annoyed she hasn’t had an update. “Can you tell dad to let me know he’s okay?” It’s so human and it’s 1700 yrs old. #skystorians
New plan. Add four more and attach them to each month. Your birth month is your hamster. Hamstomancy: predicting your future from your hamster chart.
Joanna L. Pearce, Ph.D.@jlphistory.bsky.social · last yr.Grain Piglet is my nickname at the local bakery.
I wasn’t going to attend @archaeobruja.bsky.social’s talk today because I was having a bad anxiety day. Then I did. It was so inspirational. Made me see I could combine storytelling with ancient research for this fellowship proposal. Now I’m all excited. #AcademicSky #Skystorians.
The Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities initiative provides mini-grants of up to $2,000 to support public engagement projects. The next deadline is May 16, 2025! To learn more about the initiative, please visit: classicalstudies.org/outreach/anc...
I’m supposed to be writing a research proposal but instead I am lying here crying with anxiety.
Field Archaeologists at all levels Archaeological Research Services Salary: £24,730 - £34,980 ( Pay Award Pending ) Closing Date: 31/05/25 Location: UK wide www.bajr.org/job-ad/field...
Field Archaeologists at all levels - BAJR - British Archaeology Jobs and Resources
Salary: £24,730 - £34,980 ( Pay Award Pending )Closing Date: 31/05/25Location: On sites across the UK
bajr.org
"research activity conducted by Universities is fantastically loss-making," Vivien Stern, @universities-uk.bsky.social on BBC4 today Reckless choice of word to describe a public good, produced by public service institutions, charities and their workforce. This is what got us into this mess.
I’ll be speaking on speculative fiction and alternative futures this Friday evening, in Bhopal. Please drop by if you’re free.
How to drag a queen like a queen. Essentially, humans have been putting stuff off since the beginning of humans and have also been telling each other off for it for about as long.
Moudhy Al-Rashid (she/her)@moudhy.bsky.social · last yr."Stop procrastinating" in cuneiform: "Why don't you write your tablet and do your homework? If you don't, they will say: "Is *this* the sister of Sheru'a-eṭirat, eldest daughter of the Succession Palace of Ashur-etel-ilani-mukinni, the great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria?"
