Ariel Ron
@arielron.bsky.social
ag, energy, econ & political history @ SMU // director Clements Center for Southwest Studies // web: arielron.net // book: Grassroots Leviathan (Johns Hopkins UP 2020) http://bit.ly/2CjHK1G // review: http://bit.ly/3xiKlja
Reposted by Ariel Ron
I once processed records at NARA in Ft Worth - Individuals petitioned for access to their money or to sell their land & often would be told no. The trustee knew better. It was very enlightening.
"doesn't need such nice furniture" or "almost as smart as a white man"
Looking forward to reading this!
"doesn't need such nice furniture" or "almost as smart as a white man"
Looking forward to reading this!
Emilie Connolly's book about native dispossession and public is coming out next week. She's not on here to be embarrassed by me saying this is the proverbial "highly anticipated" book but at it is, at least by me.
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
November 18, 2025 at 11:56 PM
I once processed records at NARA in Ft Worth - Individuals petitioned for access to their money or to sell their land & often would be told no. The trustee knew better. It was very enlightening.
"doesn't need such nice furniture" or "almost as smart as a white man"
Looking forward to reading this!
"doesn't need such nice furniture" or "almost as smart as a white man"
Looking forward to reading this!
does it matter if you reconcile opposing positions dialectically on a higher plane or categorically on a common basis?
November 19, 2025 at 8:15 PM
does it matter if you reconcile opposing positions dialectically on a higher plane or categorically on a common basis?
Strange update: actual army spending on forage in 1850 was $1 million, which as a share of GDP is exactly equal to DoD spending on fuel in 2022
In 1850 the US Army's quartermaster general estimated that feeding the full authorized number of horses for mounted units would come to ~$2 mil. The entire federal budget in these years was around ~$45 mil., so the Army animals alone accounted for 4-5% of federal spending.
November 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Strange update: actual army spending on forage in 1850 was $1 million, which as a share of GDP is exactly equal to DoD spending on fuel in 2022
Emilie Connolly's book about native dispossession and public is coming out next week. She's not on here to be embarrassed by me saying this is the proverbial "highly anticipated" book but at it is, at least by me.
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
November 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Emilie Connolly's book about native dispossession and public is coming out next week. She's not on here to be embarrassed by me saying this is the proverbial "highly anticipated" book but at it is, at least by me.
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
“We believe that the complete, uncensored stories of the past must be told”
Good statement from Alliance for Texas History
www.alliancefortexashistory.org/taking-a-stand
Good statement from Alliance for Texas History
www.alliancefortexashistory.org/taking-a-stand
November 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
“We believe that the complete, uncensored stories of the past must be told”
Good statement from Alliance for Texas History
www.alliancefortexashistory.org/taking-a-stand
Good statement from Alliance for Texas History
www.alliancefortexashistory.org/taking-a-stand
Is there anything good to read about labor discipline as a general problem of political economy, not just in capitalism? Or, relatedly, is there a compelling theory of democratic discipline out there I'm not aware of?
November 17, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Is there anything good to read about labor discipline as a general problem of political economy, not just in capitalism? Or, relatedly, is there a compelling theory of democratic discipline out there I'm not aware of?
Reposted by Ariel Ron
Thanks to @modamhist.bsky.social for publishing my conversation with @imreszeman.bsky.social, Bob Johnson, Cara Daggett, and Jennifer Wenzel on history and the energy humanities. We hope it is helpful! Check it out here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
“Energy Humanities and American History” | Modern American History | Cambridge Core
“Energy Humanities and American History”
www.cambridge.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Thanks to @modamhist.bsky.social for publishing my conversation with @imreszeman.bsky.social, Bob Johnson, Cara Daggett, and Jennifer Wenzel on history and the energy humanities. We hope it is helpful! Check it out here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
The Civil War illustrator Edwin Forbes did several sketches of individual equines with captions such as "old horse soldier" and "meditative mule." The one shown here is "a tough customer." Is the second, unfinished mule a ghostly presence, a remembrance of the tough mule's fallen comrades?
November 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The Civil War illustrator Edwin Forbes did several sketches of individual equines with captions such as "old horse soldier" and "meditative mule." The one shown here is "a tough customer." Is the second, unfinished mule a ghostly presence, a remembrance of the tough mule's fallen comrades?
The Dallas Morning News printed my letter about the TX A&M regents' bad & wasteful rule change. FWIW I think that, in addition to academic freedom, administrative bloat & overreach should be a regular theme in attacking this stuff. It's got a lot of rhetorical advantages and happens to also be true.
November 12, 2025 at 11:55 PM
The Dallas Morning News printed my letter about the TX A&M regents' bad & wasteful rule change. FWIW I think that, in addition to academic freedom, administrative bloat & overreach should be a regular theme in attacking this stuff. It's got a lot of rhetorical advantages and happens to also be true.
Special forum on the 25th anniversary of Richard Bensel's Political Economy of American Industrialization, coming soon in Reviews of American History, w/contributions from me, Rosanne Currarino, Noam Maggor, Nicolas Barreyre, and Emma Teitelman, and a response from Bensel.
November 12, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Special forum on the 25th anniversary of Richard Bensel's Political Economy of American Industrialization, coming soon in Reviews of American History, w/contributions from me, Rosanne Currarino, Noam Maggor, Nicolas Barreyre, and Emma Teitelman, and a response from Bensel.
Reposted by Ariel Ron
During the Great Recession (2008-09) UK GDP fell by 6%. Thankfully, it mostly recovered after 5 years.
Since Brexit referendum (2016) UK GDP has fallen between 6% and 8%. Unclear whether and when it will fully recover.
www.nber.org/papers/w3445...
Since Brexit referendum (2016) UK GDP has fallen between 6% and 8%. Unclear whether and when it will fully recover.
www.nber.org/papers/w3445...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
November 10, 2025 at 10:24 PM
During the Great Recession (2008-09) UK GDP fell by 6%. Thankfully, it mostly recovered after 5 years.
Since Brexit referendum (2016) UK GDP has fallen between 6% and 8%. Unclear whether and when it will fully recover.
www.nber.org/papers/w3445...
Since Brexit referendum (2016) UK GDP has fallen between 6% and 8%. Unclear whether and when it will fully recover.
www.nber.org/papers/w3445...
Apparently the Texas A&M board of regents is attempting to micromanage teaching to the level of absurdity. They intend to subject any and all teaching on race and gender to pre-clearance and to impose a vague rule about syllabi. Just adding to the administrative bloat.
www.tamus.edu/regents/wp-c...
www.tamus.edu/regents/wp-c...
November 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Apparently the Texas A&M board of regents is attempting to micromanage teaching to the level of absurdity. They intend to subject any and all teaching on race and gender to pre-clearance and to impose a vague rule about syllabi. Just adding to the administrative bloat.
www.tamus.edu/regents/wp-c...
www.tamus.edu/regents/wp-c...
“a through line that has rapidly become a top-tier issue in U.S. politics: electric bills”
💯 @ddayen.bsky.social, great messaging and policy pointers
prospect.org/2025/11/06/e...
💯 @ddayen.bsky.social, great messaging and policy pointers
prospect.org/2025/11/06/e...
The Electric Bill Election - The American Prospect
On Tuesday, the soaring cost of power was a key factor in several races, including those in Georgia, Virginia, and New Jersey. Democrats have a plan that can match their economic populist rhetoric.
prospect.org
November 7, 2025 at 3:14 AM
“a through line that has rapidly become a top-tier issue in U.S. politics: electric bills”
💯 @ddayen.bsky.social, great messaging and policy pointers
prospect.org/2025/11/06/e...
💯 @ddayen.bsky.social, great messaging and policy pointers
prospect.org/2025/11/06/e...
Reposted by Ariel Ron
The #1 lesson from yesterday’s blowout:
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
November 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The #1 lesson from yesterday’s blowout:
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
Humanities majors killed on the job market
1) Mamdani- Africana Studies
2) Spanberger -French
3) Sherill - Global History
Heritage caping for Carlson platforming Fuentes on the eve of Mamdani winning is as good a lesson as one could hope for
November 6, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Heritage caping for Carlson platforming Fuentes on the eve of Mamdani winning is as good a lesson as one could hope for
On non-cooperation with ICE, has anyone written a piece comparing it to antebellum personal liberty laws?
November 6, 2025 at 12:07 AM
On non-cooperation with ICE, has anyone written a piece comparing it to antebellum personal liberty laws?
I've never been able to understand what DSA's real economic vision is, but Mamdani bringing in Lina Khan suggests that they're cool with smaller-scale, more competitive capitalism
www.wsj.com/us-news/mamd...
www.wsj.com/us-news/mamd...
Mamdani Taps Antitrust Crusader Lina Khan to Help Lead Transition
Her appointment is likely to do little to assuage a business community rattled by the mayor-elect’s progressive agenda.
www.wsj.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I've never been able to understand what DSA's real economic vision is, but Mamdani bringing in Lina Khan suggests that they're cool with smaller-scale, more competitive capitalism
www.wsj.com/us-news/mamd...
www.wsj.com/us-news/mamd...
Phenomenal partisan hackery on the USDA's front page.
October 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Phenomenal partisan hackery on the USDA's front page.
The correlate to this is that there’s also some wonderful pedantry
Anyone considering a career in academia should be forewarned, of course, about the terrible job market and, now, about the terrible politics. But above all they should be warned about the terrible pedantry.
October 24, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The correlate to this is that there’s also some wonderful pedantry
Anyone considering a career in academia should be forewarned, of course, about the terrible job market and, now, about the terrible politics. But above all they should be warned about the terrible pedantry.
October 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Anyone considering a career in academia should be forewarned, of course, about the terrible job market and, now, about the terrible politics. But above all they should be warned about the terrible pedantry.
Reposted by Ariel Ron
You may have read that your protein supplements are giving you lead poisoning. That's not the case. If you want to have protein shakes, that's fine. But whether you need to and whether they're safely regulated is a different story. My latest for @vox.com.
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
No, your protein powder isn’t poisoning you
New testing finds two-thirds of popular protein powders exceed lead limits — especially plant-based brands. What you need to know before your next scoop — and why the reality is different.
www.vox.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
You may have read that your protein supplements are giving you lead poisoning. That's not the case. If you want to have protein shakes, that's fine. But whether you need to and whether they're safely regulated is a different story. My latest for @vox.com.
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
Reposted by Ariel Ron
The former top soybean lobbyist who fought to keep the tree-wrecking pesticide dicamba on the market now runs EPA pesticide policy
and the agency just proposed re-approving dicamba with even fewer restrictions than before.
Gotta have dicamba to grow the soybeans we can’t sell.
Gift Article:
and the agency just proposed re-approving dicamba with even fewer restrictions than before.
Gotta have dicamba to grow the soybeans we can’t sell.
Gift Article:
From Industry to E.P.A.: Lobbyist Now Oversees Pesticide Rules
www.nytimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The former top soybean lobbyist who fought to keep the tree-wrecking pesticide dicamba on the market now runs EPA pesticide policy
and the agency just proposed re-approving dicamba with even fewer restrictions than before.
Gotta have dicamba to grow the soybeans we can’t sell.
Gift Article:
and the agency just proposed re-approving dicamba with even fewer restrictions than before.
Gotta have dicamba to grow the soybeans we can’t sell.
Gift Article:
The thing about beef, unlike pork and chicken, is that production isn't dominated by a handful of oligopolistic giants. It's a bunch of independents who're very committed to ranching as a whole way of life and they're politically engaged.
October 21, 2025 at 5:06 PM
The thing about beef, unlike pork and chicken, is that production isn't dominated by a handful of oligopolistic giants. It's a bunch of independents who're very committed to ranching as a whole way of life and they're politically engaged.
Very curious to see how farmers respond to the trade war closure of the China soy market, then Trump bailing out Milei as Argentina ups its own soy exports to China & now, apparently, Trump wants to raise US beef imports from ARG, presumably to support the peso. When do these people say enough?
Argentinian Beef Import Plan Harms U.S. Cattle Producers
WASHINGTON (October 20, 2025) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) responded to comments from President Donald J. Trump that suggested importing Argentinian beef as a solution to ...
www.ncba.org
October 21, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Very curious to see how farmers respond to the trade war closure of the China soy market, then Trump bailing out Milei as Argentina ups its own soy exports to China & now, apparently, Trump wants to raise US beef imports from ARG, presumably to support the peso. When do these people say enough?
Indigenous nations on the Great Plains probably practiced some kind of active tree management, esp. of cottonwoods, bc these were essential for surviving winter by providing fuelwood & bark as food for their horses. This suggests they practiced pollarding, a technique for encouraging new growth. 1/
October 18, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Indigenous nations on the Great Plains probably practiced some kind of active tree management, esp. of cottonwoods, bc these were essential for surviving winter by providing fuelwood & bark as food for their horses. This suggests they practiced pollarding, a technique for encouraging new growth. 1/