Why the VC and Exec Board of Exeter Uni needs the humanities: a very short thread. 1. When you tell us we’re ‘in scope’ for redundancy, we can parse your choice of violent language to show that the process you have triggered is predatory and combative. #DefendExeterUni

I've signed and sent a letter - from authors, broadcasters, journalists, artists, scholars and performers - to express our deep concern at @exeter.ac.uk’s troubling plans to make mass redundancies within the Humanities Dept @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social. I would love it if you read and shared widely.

Broadcaster, scientist, and author Adam Rutherford has just sent this letter to senior leaders of Exeter Uni on behalf of its glittering signatories, who include Stephen Fry, Alice Roberts, Rob Macfarlane, Samira Ahmed, Emily Wilson, Marina Warner, Natalie Haynes… #DefendExeterUni

I’m so cross that Exeter is telling students & soon-to-be students that their degrees will not be impacted by the proposed cuts. It’s not true. Students and degree programmes will be impacted if there are no longer subject specialists doing the teaching. #DefendExeterUni

Wake up, University VC and Council. It’s not too late to turn this around and champion your humanities staff and our world-class departments. #DefendExeterUni www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Fury over Exeter University plan to scrap dozens of humanities posts

Rowan Williams and Mark Kermode join campaign against proposed cuts for arts and social sciences

theguardian.com

Fun(damental) fact: Exeter Uni’s finances are strong. We’ve large cash reserves (£200m in 24/25). Never had a budget deficit. The university’s claimed financial ‘crisis’ is manufactured.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

Exeter made me a researcher, and I owe much to colleagues there past and present and so admire their scholarship and broader championship of our field. These cuts are evidently senseless, counterproductive, and cruel. I hope the union, petition, and other pressure…

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

Exeter is one of the best TRS departments in the UK, staffed by wonderful humans doing outstanding research and excellent teaching. The shortsightedness of this decision is staggering, and there’s not much about the state of higher education that can still shock me. Please share and sign.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

Yes, exactly what Adam says:

Adam Rutherford@adamrutherford.bsky.social · last mo.

This is cultural suicide and intellectual vandalism. In an era where humanities-illiterate tech bros have unearned god-like powers, we need historians, philosophers, ethicists, classicists more than ever.

This is cultural suicide and intellectual vandalism. In an era where humanities-illiterate tech bros have unearned god-like powers, we need historians, philosophers, ethicists, classicists more than ever.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

@adamrutherford.bsky.social I know you know how valuable the humanities are. At Exeter, 500 of us are in scope for compulsory redundancy. Please could you share our petition, if you feel able? Thank you x

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

Stop the gutting of theology/religion (and other humanities) at Exeter! c.org/ZYN4WwbKFr @proffrancesca.bsky.social

Sign the Petition

Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter

c.org

I was never able to do my PhD after I was accepted to Exeter years ago (chronic health issues). But the staff and academics there were so warm, so kind, and so damn clever that it is an absolute scandal that the university execs are trying to gut the very things that make Exeter great. Please sign 👇

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

The UK is at risk of a self-imposed lobotomy, killing its ability to understand culture and tradition, including on matters of such broad interest as the Bible. #UniExeter should understand that the past as well as the future are at stake.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

Guess what? I’m at risk of redundancy. My job - and those of my colleagues in my department and across our wider faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences - is one of those currently targeted for cuts. I received a personal letter today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

So grateful for the vocal, public support of our colleagues at other universities. Thank you ❤️ #DefendExeterUni #DefendT&R

Please take a moment to read and sign this petition on behalf of the Theology and Religion Department at @exeter.ac.uk. Their outstanding scholarship needs our support.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

My friend (& former author) @proffrancesca.bsky.social is set to lose her job, along with her colleagues across the humanities. That successive governments & now even the Russell Group cannot value these vital subjects is a disgrace. We need the humanities even more than ever.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

Guess what? I’m at risk of redundancy. My job - and those of my colleagues in my department and across our wider faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences - is one of those currently targeted for cuts. I received a personal letter today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is such a disappointing decision by Exeter: I was recommending them as a beacon of classics and the humanities to a would-be student only last week, because they have so many brilliant scholars doing great work. I hope they rethink.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

Guess what? I’m at risk of redundancy. My job - and those of my colleagues in my department and across our wider faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences - is one of those currently targeted for cuts. I received a personal letter today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I’d love it if you’d sign this. It might not prevent me and my colleagues losing our jobs, but it will draw attention to the ideological vandalism being perpetrated by the wealthy execs running our university. Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter - sign the petition below! c.org/NpvY4sR9gH

Sign the Petition

Stop Redundancies at the University of Exeter

c.org

The #UniExeter is set to cut a large % of staff--mostly in Humanities, of course. One would think that Exeter considers @proffrancesca.bsky.social a valued asset as a public intellectual whose work is profound & will be influential & who makes any institution she is part of look worthwhile.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou@proffrancesca.bsky.social · last mo.

Guess what? I’m at risk of redundancy. My job - and those of my colleagues in my department and across our wider faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences - is one of those currently targeted for cuts. I received a personal letter today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Guess what? I’m at risk of redundancy. My job - and those of my colleagues in my department and across our wider faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences - is one of those currently targeted for cuts. I received a personal letter today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

University of Exeter in talks to cut about 150 members of staff

The university says it is consulting with colleagues over "limited and specific potential changes".

bbc.co.uk

Sharing one of my favorite episodes of the Data Over Dogma Podcast, featuring Prof. Francesca Stavrakopoulou! youtu.be/VpqRJGnsnNQ

Discussing God's Wife with Prof. Francesca Stavrakopoulou!

YouTube video by Dan McClellan

youtu.be

This was a really good episode of @empirepoduk.bsky.social with @proffrancesca.bsky.social on the "invention" of Yahwistic monotheism in the Babylonian exile - the religious view that much later evolved into the "Abrahamic" faiths.

367. Ancient Egypt: The Origin of Abrahamic Religions? (Ep 7)

Empire: World History · Episode

open.spotify.com

This podcast was fun to do - from Freud and Akhenaten to Asherah and the Bible, we covered a lot. Thread and links to episode below 👇

Empire: World History@empirepoduk.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Did monotheism originate in Ancient Egypt?

Fancy a literary evening out in London, thinking about historical non-fiction and its usefulness (or not)? I’ll be at this ‘Winner of Winners’ event with m’good pal Diarmaid MacCulloch and other starry writers like him. www.englishpen.org/posts/events...

Historians on 25 Years of Historical Non-Fiction: The PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize

englishpen.org

Special offer for May only: my award-winning tome 'A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth' is available on Kindle for just 99 of your English pence. www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Short-H...

Great early career job opportunities here 👇

Laura Feldt@laurafeldt.bsky.social · last yr.

JOBS: At the Study of Religions in beautiful Bergen, we are looking for 2 PhD Fellows and 1 Postdoctoral Fellow in HB/Second Temple + ancient forms of Christianity for the RADHEART project: www.linkedin.com/posts/laura-... Deadline: April 22 Read more about RADHEART: www.uib.no/en/ahkr/1760...

Thread 👇

Alicia Turner@aliciaturner.bsky.social · last yr.

(1/11) URGENT: York University @YorkUniversity has suspended admissions to Religious Studies. This is a backdoor tactic to shut down the program without due process. This will ultimately be bad for York and everyone. #YUGOOD --we aren't.

Religion and Theology degrees are among those humanities programmes scheduled for closure at the University of Cardiff. Please consider signing this petition in protest. chng.it/JC8MgNQyp7

Sign the Petition

Save Our Religion And Theology Degree!

chng.it

I wrote about JD Vance's visit to Dachau today, and how Christians appropriate sites of Jewish murder into Christian penitential narratives: religiondispatches.org/jd-vance-is-...

JD Vance is Merely the Latest Conservative Christian to Use Nazi Camps to Cleanse His Antisemitism Sins

On Thursday of this past week, Vice President JD Vance visited the site of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, making him the latest in a string of American public officials to visit a former Na...

religiondispatches.org