Dr Barbara Eichner
@barbaraeichner.bsky.social
Music historian, author of "History in Mighty Sounds" and a perenially half-written study of music in monasteries and nunneries around 1600. Loves country walks, reading, sightseeing, archaeology.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
🚨The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 55,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 100,000. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
November 26, 2025 at 8:41 AM
🚨The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 55,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 100,000. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
It is time for universities — not just staff and student unions, but the senior management too — to admit out loud that this government is actively trying to make universities fail. We *all* need to come together and collectively try to fight their attempts to loot and pillage.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 24, 2025 at 10:25 AM
It is time for universities — not just staff and student unions, but the senior management too — to admit out loud that this government is actively trying to make universities fail. We *all* need to come together and collectively try to fight their attempts to loot and pillage.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Lumping them together as “AI” gives readers the impression that a single class of tool is discerning novel protein structures, teasing subtle patterns out of mountains of LHC data, writing a student’s History 101 paper, and arguing a ketamine-addled billionaire could post up Shaq in his prime. No.
November 22, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Lumping them together as “AI” gives readers the impression that a single class of tool is discerning novel protein structures, teasing subtle patterns out of mountains of LHC data, writing a student’s History 101 paper, and arguing a ketamine-addled billionaire could post up Shaq in his prime. No.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
RMA statement on the proposed suspension of recruitment to all UG music programmes at the University of Nottingham: www.rma.ac.uk/2025/11/17/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
RMA statement on the proposed suspension of recruitment to all UG music programmes at the University of Nottingham: www.rma.ac.uk/2025/11/17/s...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Your regular reminder that there is absolutely nothing "hard" or "tough" about targeting the poorest, most vulnerable, and least able to defend themselves groups of people on the entire planet
November 17, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Your regular reminder that there is absolutely nothing "hard" or "tough" about targeting the poorest, most vulnerable, and least able to defend themselves groups of people on the entire planet
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 PM
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
This is how you do flags on lamp posts. Thank you, Oxford.
November 15, 2025 at 4:21 PM
This is how you do flags on lamp posts. Thank you, Oxford.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
This perfectly encapsulates why we need the BBC
November 13, 2025 at 2:12 PM
This perfectly encapsulates why we need the BBC
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
November 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
November 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
So what's next? Cancel "Blue Planet" because David Attenburgh is concerned about climate change, "Strictly come dancing" because it's too rainbow, or "More or less" because they spread facts?! www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
BBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign - live updates
Davie says
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
So what's next? Cancel "Blue Planet" because David Attenburgh is concerned about climate change, "Strictly come dancing" because it's too rainbow, or "More or less" because they spread facts?! www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Just nuts. Caving in to Trump that easily doesn't bode well for Britain in general.
BBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary edit
Davie says
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Just nuts. Caving in to Trump that easily doesn't bode well for Britain in general.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
This is awful news to come out of Nottingham. MedRen-ers will be aware that Nottingham has hosted three MedRens in 2012, 1985, and the first ever MedRen in 1972.
Do consider signing the petition in the next post.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Do consider signing the petition in the next post.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:43 AM
This is awful news to come out of Nottingham. MedRen-ers will be aware that Nottingham has hosted three MedRens in 2012, 1985, and the first ever MedRen in 1972.
Do consider signing the petition in the next post.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Do consider signing the petition in the next post.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
... and Leicester... Languages, History...
It's so easy to destroy, so hard to create. So much talent. So many lives.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It's so easy to destroy, so hard to create. So much talent. So many lives.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
University of Leicester to consult on redundancies
University bosses are also planning to stop a number of courses.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM
... and Leicester... Languages, History...
It's so easy to destroy, so hard to create. So much talent. So many lives.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It's so easy to destroy, so hard to create. So much talent. So many lives.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Nottingham to suspend music and modern foreign language degrees, warning international fee levy will wipe out income from domestic fee rise. Some nursing, theology, education, microbiology and agriculture degrees hit too www.timeshighereducation.com/news/notting... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
Nottingham suspends music, language and nursing courses
University says financial uncertainties continue as government’s proposed student levy will ‘wipe out any benefits’ from rising tuition fees
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Nottingham to suspend music and modern foreign language degrees, warning international fee levy will wipe out income from domestic fee rise. Some nursing, theology, education, microbiology and agriculture degrees hit too www.timeshighereducation.com/news/notting... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
One of our students has created a petition. Please sign and share: www.change.org/p/stop-the-s...
November 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
One of our students has created a petition. Please sign and share: www.change.org/p/stop-the-s...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Heartbroken to share the news that recruitment to Undergraduate Music courses at the University of Nottingham has been suspended.
Please do contact us on [email protected] if you would like to support us.
Please do contact us on [email protected] if you would like to support us.
November 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Heartbroken to share the news that recruitment to Undergraduate Music courses at the University of Nottingham has been suspended.
Please do contact us on [email protected] if you would like to support us.
Please do contact us on [email protected] if you would like to support us.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Yes this is awful. The BBC News has, however, become the live action version of the Daily Mail. Crime stories are guaranteed coverage if the culprit is an asylum seeker. Viewers may not realise attention to these specific offenders is disproportionate.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Crime network behind UK mini-marts is enabling migrants to work illegally
Undercover reporters were told how easy it was to make big profits selling illegal vapes and cigarettes.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Yes this is awful. The BBC News has, however, become the live action version of the Daily Mail. Crime stories are guaranteed coverage if the culprit is an asylum seeker. Viewers may not realise attention to these specific offenders is disproportionate.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
I hope it is now obvious why pillars of democracy like universities, the law, public broadcasting should be funded so that they are beyond the reach of financial coercion by hostile agents.
Pretty extraordinary story here
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show - BBC News
Sheffield Hallam University apologises to Professor Laura Murphy for restricting her academic freedom.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org
November 3, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I hope it is now obvious why pillars of democracy like universities, the law, public broadcasting should be funded so that they are beyond the reach of financial coercion by hostile agents.
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Man with stubble, "Small boats arrivals are 37,000. There are over 4 million kids in child poverty. And 4.5 million who can't get a dentist appointment" #BBCQT
"We spend 90% of the media discourse on the 37,000. How much more could we achieve if we put that effort into the 4.5 million?"
"We spend 90% of the media discourse on the 37,000. How much more could we achieve if we put that effort into the 4.5 million?"
October 30, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Man with stubble, "Small boats arrivals are 37,000. There are over 4 million kids in child poverty. And 4.5 million who can't get a dentist appointment" #BBCQT
"We spend 90% of the media discourse on the 37,000. How much more could we achieve if we put that effort into the 4.5 million?"
"We spend 90% of the media discourse on the 37,000. How much more could we achieve if we put that effort into the 4.5 million?"
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Nobody had even heard of Katie Lam outside of Westminster until about two weeks ago.
Literally all it takes to be considered "brilliant" and a "rising star" on the right of British politics now is just a willingness to say something slightly more racist than all of your competitors
Literally all it takes to be considered "brilliant" and a "rising star" on the right of British politics now is just a willingness to say something slightly more racist than all of your competitors
October 30, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Nobody had even heard of Katie Lam outside of Westminster until about two weeks ago.
Literally all it takes to be considered "brilliant" and a "rising star" on the right of British politics now is just a willingness to say something slightly more racist than all of your competitors
Literally all it takes to be considered "brilliant" and a "rising star" on the right of British politics now is just a willingness to say something slightly more racist than all of your competitors
Reposted by Dr Barbara Eichner
Robinson, Musk and Badenoch are all part of an industry of grievance, a machine designed to spread hate which now operates across the British right – from respectable print outlets to wild-eyed online fascists
inews.co.uk/opinion/dont...
inews.co.uk/opinion/dont...
Don't be fooled, Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk are playing you
The message the hate engine transmits is simple: asylum seekers are not really people in need
inews.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Robinson, Musk and Badenoch are all part of an industry of grievance, a machine designed to spread hate which now operates across the British right – from respectable print outlets to wild-eyed online fascists
inews.co.uk/opinion/dont...
inews.co.uk/opinion/dont...