Want to gently suggest that when a rando on social media says "history shows X" it usually is either 1) just wrong or 2) simplified to the point of meaninglessness
Jon Dell Isola
@medievaljon.bsky.social
PhD Medieval Historian. I think about the meaning and purpose of history a lot in my newsletter Among the Ruins (http://among-the-ruins.ghost.io). Special Projects Assistant @medievalacademy.bsky.social. All opinions my own.
The Idea of Evangelisation: ‘Mission’, Theology and Scripture from the Early Church to the Age of Bede, by Samuel Cardwell. #OpenAccess! #medievalsky www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10....
liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk
throwing this onto #medievalsky
Alex Harvey@alexharvv.bsky.social · 14h agoA (belated) cfp for #IMC2027 FORGET THE VIKINGS: Other raids, raiders, & raiding practises of the Early Medieval Period Read below for details, and if you're interested (or know anyone who might be), please submit your proposal of 150 words to the attached e-mail (also in alt text) before 1/9/26
Of the things humanity doesn't need, a Dr. Evil Verizon commercial has gotta be near the top of the list
Really loving using @obsidian.md for planning out this course in the fall. It is so easy to keep everything organized without having six million word files
Being a historian does certainly involve managing and organizing lots of "facts" but that isn't all we do. But also the process of organizing and managing is itself a part of interpretation and is important to historical process
Casting certain people as "stars" means reinforcing privileges and prestige while also generating immense guilt among those who don't fit the mold, in this essay I will...
Dr. Katja Thieme (she/they)@katjathieme.bsky.social · yesterdayA humble academic proposal: let's not have stars. Everyone hired as an academic at a university is there to teach younger generations, to make new knowledge, to have that knowledge critically evaluated by others, and to act on collective insights. We do not need to designate some people as stars.
Like Loebs? Every fall semester, I like to remind people that while Perseus has many free Loebs sectioned up into book and chapter, if you want to download and read the public domain Loebs (277 of them) as PDFs or txt files, Duke U's very own Ryan Baumann created _Loebolus 📗📕_. ryanfb.xyz/loebolus/
Loebolus
ryanfb.xyz
This. Plus "don't make enough money" is absolute bullshit. We have literally mountains of data on the value of college degrees. There is no such thing as a major or college degree that is not "worth it" financially. It's right-wing bullsh*t & should be treated as such. bsky.app/profile/coop...
Brooke Harrington@ebharrington.bsky.social · 2d ago"don't make enough money" is a fig leaf All those degree programs--social work, art, etc.--have disproportionately female student bodies. This is designed to make it harder for women to attend college--college education being a key factor in women's autonomy from men & left-leaning voting pattern.
It requires expertise to be able to say, “I do not know the answer to that question, and that is becauae thus far scholarly consensus is that we do not have the knowledge needed at this time to answer that question.” Sometimes “I don’t know” is a far more rigorous answer than people might think.
This week I wrestle with a very thorny issue: Should history make us uncomfortable or comfortable? I don't know if I fully came to a conclusion but here are some ideas about using history to teach us morality, how we abdicate responsibility to the past, and how we draw meaning from it.
Should History Make You Uncomfortable?
Spend enough time on the internet and it's likely you've come across the sentiment that "history that makes you comfortable isn't history but propaganda." Sometimes it is expressed more bluntly as "hi...
among-the-ruins.ghost.io
Jessica Minieri@jessicaminieri.bsky.social · 3d agoHad an amazing time talking about all things Louis of Toulouse and relic theft with @loren325.bsky.social of the Multicultural Middle Ages Podcast ( @medievalacademy.bsky.social ) 🥳 Click the link to learn more about the global history of the relics of Louis and his place within the Iberian world:
I’ve seen in two culture /higher ed magazines recently the claim that the printing press engendered a crisis of authority at universities bc anyone could publish what they wanted and people could learn things without universities. This is not true.
Nothing drives me to anger faster than seeing people act like the solution to massive systemic issues (healthcare costs, poverty, etc.) is to simply hyperoptimize every decision in your life. I hate it. A regular person shouldn't need to negotiate with their doctor over the cost of a procedure!
This week I wrestle with a very thorny issue: Should history make us uncomfortable or comfortable? I don't know if I fully came to a conclusion but here are some ideas about using history to teach us morality, how we abdicate responsibility to the past, and how we draw meaning from it.
Should History Make You Uncomfortable?
Spend enough time on the internet and it's likely you've come across the sentiment that "history that makes you comfortable isn't history but propaganda." Sometimes it is expressed more bluntly as "hi...
among-the-ruins.ghost.io
Interesting! #medievalsky
John Marshall@jmarshallmed.bsky.social · 5d agoDelighted to see my latest article in PRIA in the wild. It analyses eight fascinating letters sent by Irish kings to the kings of England in the 13thC, while also providing a full transcription and translation of them in the appendix. Even better is that its open access: muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
"Details, in their singularity and idiosyncrasy, point to the capaciousness of human experience." New today in the Society's journal 'Transactions': Joe Moran 'On Detail in Historical Writing': bit.ly/44UMi8C Now available OA @joemoransblog.bsky.social @massobsarchive.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
Dot Porter@leoba.bsky.social · 5d agoDo you use digitized medieval manuscripts in any capacity? Do you have opinions about the metadata that describes them? We want to hear from you! Please take a moment to fill out our very short survey. Please repost and share with anyone you know who might be interested! forms.gle/sBPXAnoRhwe1...
there are a lot of philosophical concepts that get egregiously misused out of the seminar room (and in the seminar room, to be fair). but in terms of sheer pernicious misuse "social construct" has gotta be top 5 somewhere and it's not number 5
Scott Bryan@scottygb.bsky.social · 7d agoChannel 4 has announced documentary “The Great ADHD Myth?” It “seeks to determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct.”
Film I've watched more than six times (decided not to do Fury Road, M&C, or Michael Clayton which also rock)
Green Knight What
Alt: Green Knight: "What else ought there be?"
static.klipy.com
Alan Elrod@aselrod.bsky.social · 6d agoFilm you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli.
The William and Mary Quarterly forum on the recently discovered John Dickinson documents, revealing his previously unknown secret attempt to prevent the American Revolution, is now available online! The WMQ has generously made the issue open access for the next month. muse.jhu.edu/issue/57168
Periodic reminder: I am looking for people to review digital projects at the MAA's Database of Medieval Digital Resources! I'm looking for (PhD) medievalists, not just DH specialists. MAA membership not required! You can sign up through the form below (pick MDR reviewer) or contact me! #medievalsky
medievalacademy.org
Join us for season 6 by Oct 15th!! 🍂 #medievalsky #medieval
The Multicultural Middle Ages Podcast@mmapod.bsky.social · 6d agoSo much of season 5 to go, but we’re already looking ahead! Interested in appearing on the pod? Submit an episode proposal by October 5th! More details, including previous calls for episodes, can be found on our website. See the link in bio.
The problem with evaluating historical periods is that it often tilts into what I think of as "tier list" debates that use invented and imperfect metrics. Think "who has the best army in the middle ages" or similar. Metrics are very difficult to gauge and use, so opinions can easily differ
I also frequently get people who are really excited when they hear I am a medievalist. People love this stuff and don't let those destroying the humanities convince you otherwise
Chris Riedel@medievalhistory.bsky.social · last wk.People actually do care about the past. Far from being told I'm wasting my time, I universally get a positive reaction on telling people that I teach ancient and medieval history. Don't belittle the manifestations of that interest if you want people to keep caring about the past.
One of the best activities we had in grad school was to get assigned two books on the fall of Rome, one arguing from the material side for collapse and the other for transformation/continuity. It was easier to reconcile than it may seem, which is good.
A lot of this has little to do with actual historical reality and more to do with modern preoccupations that Rome = Civilization. If you are deeply invested in that idea then the fall of Rome must be a cataclysmic event. Also tied to ideas that empires are the highest form of govt
Jon Dell Isola@medievaljon.bsky.social · last wk.I'm not strong enough for another round of Fall of Rome/Dark Ages discourse. No serious medievalist is arguing that the early middle ages was a time of sunshine and roses. This is different than saying it was a time of pure collapse with no "culture" or writing or whatever metric you wanna use