Prof. Ben Pohl
@benpohl.bsky.social
Professor of Medieval History, University of Bristol | Books with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Boydell & Brewer (×2), Schnell & Steiner, ARC Humanities Press | Manuscript Detective™ 🕵️♂️ 📜 📖
Pinned
Prof. Ben Pohl
@benpohl.bsky.social
· Sep 5
Have had quite a few notifications saying people (no idea who) have been sending me DMs on here. I can’t/won’t read them because of the UK’s age-verification process, so please email me instead. Thanks!
Love medieval manuscripts? Love public libraries? Love Bristol? Don’t miss this FREE exhibition: bristol.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=250...
Medieval Manuscripts at Bristol Central Library
A rare opportunity to view a selection of medieval manuscripts from our collections. Highlights from this unique display include a richly decorated Book of Hours, a Missal made for St Augustine’...
bristol.events.mylibrary.digital
November 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Love medieval manuscripts? Love public libraries? Love Bristol? Don’t miss this FREE exhibition: bristol.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=250...
More concrete proof—if any were needed—that mindlessly shoehorning AI into everything, including Higher Education, causes not progress but decay.
‘We could have asked ChatGPT’: students fight back over course taught by AI
Staffordshire students say signs material was AI-generated included suspicious file names and rogue voiceover accent
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:19 PM
More concrete proof—if any were needed—that mindlessly shoehorning AI into everything, including Higher Education, causes not progress but decay.
The phrase "it could be argued that..." needs to be removed from the academic lexicon as a matter of urgency. Either go ahead and argue it or don't! UGH!
November 18, 2025 at 11:13 AM
The phrase "it could be argued that..." needs to be removed from the academic lexicon as a matter of urgency. Either go ahead and argue it or don't! UGH!
“We’re scapegoating asylum seekers for the failures & political divisions caused by successive governments in the last 15 years—the failures of successive governments to address wealth inequality, funding for education, the cost of living & primary healthcare and infrastructure.” Well said, bishop!
Anglican bishop shaken ‘to the core’ by home secretary’s asylum seeker comments
Bishop of Edmonton says people coming to UK are being ‘scapegoated’ for years of policy failures
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
“We’re scapegoating asylum seekers for the failures & political divisions caused by successive governments in the last 15 years—the failures of successive governments to address wealth inequality, funding for education, the cost of living & primary healthcare and infrastructure.” Well said, bishop!
The UK does not have an asylum problem. What it does have is a far-right problem. The govt is inventing the former to appease and deflect from the latter.
November 17, 2025 at 6:36 AM
The UK does not have an asylum problem. What it does have is a far-right problem. The govt is inventing the former to appease and deflect from the latter.
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
Forscher irrten jahrelang: "Himmelsscheibe" von Nebra ist offenbar ein Pizza-Rezept www.der-postillon.com/2019/11/pizz...
Forscher irrten jahrelang: "Himmelsscheibe" von Nebra ist offenbar ein Pizza-Rezept
Zwei Jahrzehnte lang galt die sogenannte Himmelsscheibe von Nebra als älteste bisher bekannte Himmelsdarstellung. Nun haben Wissenschaftler des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte in Halle festgestellt,…
www.der-postillon.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Forscher irrten jahrelang: "Himmelsscheibe" von Nebra ist offenbar ein Pizza-Rezept www.der-postillon.com/2019/11/pizz...
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
For this week's CMS seminar, we are lucky enough to be joined by Bristol's own Dr Kathleen Thompson for a paper on 'Leperhouses and Lordship: Some Ideas from Medieval Bristol'. We can't wait to find out more! #medievalsky #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 3:31 PM
For this week's CMS seminar, we are lucky enough to be joined by Bristol's own Dr Kathleen Thompson for a paper on 'Leperhouses and Lordship: Some Ideas from Medieval Bristol'. We can't wait to find out more! #medievalsky #skystorians
Very proud of my former PhD student, Dan Booker, whose important study on women and the law of the exchequer has just been published by @ihrlibrary.bsky.social: academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Women and the law of the exchequer in the early thirteenth century*
Abstract. This article explores the status and treatment of women under the law of the exchequer in the early thirteenth century and more specifically duri
academic.oup.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Very proud of my former PhD student, Dan Booker, whose important study on women and the law of the exchequer has just been published by @ihrlibrary.bsky.social: academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
“Reeves said she would not duck the difficult choices ahead, even if they broke her pledge not to put up income tax, VAT or national insurance”—or you could just, I don’t know, oh yeah: 👏 tax 👏 the 👏 bloody 👏 rich! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Rachel Reeves refuses to rule out tax rises as autumn budget looms
Chancellor says she needs to respond to challenges in speech intended to frame tough choices UK faces
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
“Reeves said she would not duck the difficult choices ahead, even if they broke her pledge not to put up income tax, VAT or national insurance”—or you could just, I don’t know, oh yeah: 👏 tax 👏 the 👏 bloody 👏 rich! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
It frustrates me that fields such as history are increasingly becoming something of a free-for-all. Imagine the reverse, in which a bona fide history professor publishes a polemic book claiming to ‘lift the veil on secrets’ of, say, structural engineering. It’d be considered absurd, and rightly so.
November 1, 2025 at 7:48 AM
It frustrates me that fields such as history are increasingly becoming something of a free-for-all. Imagine the reverse, in which a bona fide history professor publishes a polemic book claiming to ‘lift the veil on secrets’ of, say, structural engineering. It’d be considered absurd, and rightly so.
A long but very worthwhile read
New on History for Atheists: my long awaited and rather long critical review of Alice Roberts' new book *Domination*:
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
historyforatheists.com/2025/10/revi...
November 1, 2025 at 6:13 AM
A long but very worthwhile read
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
No neede for expensyve consultinge firmes. Heere ys a planne for excellent higher education:
1) Hire manye facultye
2) Small class syzes
3) Emphasyze engagemente & delighte
4) Sustayne & cultivate a varietye of fieldes and disciplines, even currentlye unfashionable ones -- thys ys ed, not retail
1) Hire manye facultye
2) Small class syzes
3) Emphasyze engagemente & delighte
4) Sustayne & cultivate a varietye of fieldes and disciplines, even currentlye unfashionable ones -- thys ys ed, not retail
October 29, 2025 at 4:25 PM
No neede for expensyve consultinge firmes. Heere ys a planne for excellent higher education:
1) Hire manye facultye
2) Small class syzes
3) Emphasyze engagemente & delighte
4) Sustayne & cultivate a varietye of fieldes and disciplines, even currentlye unfashionable ones -- thys ys ed, not retail
1) Hire manye facultye
2) Small class syzes
3) Emphasyze engagemente & delighte
4) Sustayne & cultivate a varietye of fieldes and disciplines, even currentlye unfashionable ones -- thys ys ed, not retail
Sometimes the grass is in fact greener… apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
Belgian AI scientists resist the use of AI in academia
Several AI scientists have published an open letter calling for a ban on AI use by students.
apache.be
October 25, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Sometimes the grass is in fact greener… apache.be/2025/10/24/b...
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
The German company that makes the mechanical ladder used in the Louvre heist has used the image to advertise, with the text 'When you need to move fast'
10/10 response, no notes
10/10 response, no notes
October 24, 2025 at 8:27 AM
The German company that makes the mechanical ladder used in the Louvre heist has used the image to advertise, with the text 'When you need to move fast'
10/10 response, no notes
10/10 response, no notes
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
“[B]oth Oxford’s Bodleian Library and the UL” is the academic equivalent of “We got country and western”—Oxbridge tunnel vision much? (FWIW, I much prefer the UL to the Bod myself, at the same time as being aware of other libraries’ existence 😉)
a man singing into a microphone with the words we got both kinds of music country and western below him
ALT: a man singing into a microphone with the words we got both kinds of music country and western below him
media.tenor.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
“[B]oth Oxford’s Bodleian Library and the UL” is the academic equivalent of “We got country and western”—Oxbridge tunnel vision much? (FWIW, I much prefer the UL to the Bod myself, at the same time as being aware of other libraries’ existence 😉)
Objectively the best Medieval Summer School out there 😉 Please consider sharing and, even better, applying! 🙂
We are SO excited to announce that applications are now open for this year's Medieval Studies Summer School! 🎉 Please do pass this information on to anyone you think might be interested!
We'll be sharing some highlights of last year's programme over the next few weeks!
#medievalsky #skystorians
We'll be sharing some highlights of last year's programme over the next few weeks!
#medievalsky #skystorians
October 23, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Objectively the best Medieval Summer School out there 😉 Please consider sharing and, even better, applying! 🙂
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
Yesterday, the CMS were lucky enough to see a snapshot 🧑🔬📷 of Dr Alexander Zawacki's (@achillghost.bsky.social) work in his seminar on ‘Analysing Manuscripts with MSI’. Thank you for such a fascinating talk Alexander, and thanks also to @benpohl.bsky.social for chairing! #medievalsky #skystorians
October 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Yesterday, the CMS were lucky enough to see a snapshot 🧑🔬📷 of Dr Alexander Zawacki's (@achillghost.bsky.social) work in his seminar on ‘Analysing Manuscripts with MSI’. Thank you for such a fascinating talk Alexander, and thanks also to @benpohl.bsky.social for chairing! #medievalsky #skystorians
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
Is there anything better than a post-seminar discussion in the Highbury Vaults? Also proof, if it’s needed, that the CMS welcomes medievalists of all ages!
October 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Is there anything better than a post-seminar discussion in the Highbury Vaults? Also proof, if it’s needed, that the CMS welcomes medievalists of all ages!
Way to go, Cardiff! Hopefully other cities will follow suit (looking at you, Brizzle!)…
Cardiff will be the first UK city to introduce a surcharge for oversized SUVs and trucks, "while very large vehicles – those over 3,500kg – will be excluded from residential permits entirely."
Cardiff set to tackle SUV 'carspreading' in UK first
Cardiff Council is set to become the first local authority in the UK to introduce higher parking charges for SUVs and other heavy vehicles, in a move campaigners say will make city streets safer and f...
nation.cymru
October 16, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Way to go, Cardiff! Hopefully other cities will follow suit (looking at you, Brizzle!)…
Join us this Thursday in person or remotely!
This Thursday we have a very special CMS Seminar, which will be a crossover with the GW4 collaborative project 'Medieval Studies: Mobilising Digitial Humanities'. Very excitingly, it will also be online!
Contact [email protected] to register for online attendance!
Contact [email protected] to register for online attendance!
October 14, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Join us this Thursday in person or remotely!
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
A #Bristol Libraries event of #LegalHistory and #History interest tomorrow: bristol.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=235...
Special Collections Sunday : Fugitives in the Archive
During the 18th century, British newspapers published advertisements for runaway enslaved people with rewards for their capture; for the hundreds of Black and Asian people brought to Britain through t...
bristol.events.mylibrary.digital
October 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
A #Bristol Libraries event of #LegalHistory and #History interest tomorrow: bristol.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=235...
This is as funny as it is accurate!
Fascinating: Germans love to complain about their trains never being on time. Deutsche Bahn plays for humor and sympathy by commissioning a YouTube sitcom (an Office on wheels).
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Boah, Bahn! - YouTube
BOAH, BAHN! Wir sitzen alle im selben Zug – eine Serie der Deutschen Bahn mit Anke Engelke.
www.youtube.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:19 PM
This is as funny as it is accurate!
Reposted by Prof. Ben Pohl
‘Arm’s-length bodies such as the Office for Students (OfS) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are particularly “vulnerable to political interference”, a new report has warned.’ www.timeshighereducation.com/news/learn-l... @timeshighered.bsky.social
‘Learn lessons from US’ and stop political interference, UK told
OfS and UKRI seen as particularly vulnerable to meddling from government, with report authors calling for more safeguards to ensure independence
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
‘Arm’s-length bodies such as the Office for Students (OfS) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) are particularly “vulnerable to political interference”, a new report has warned.’ www.timeshighereducation.com/news/learn-l... @timeshighered.bsky.social
Truly excellent move by @manchesterup.bsky.social, as a result of which two of my own articles in BJRL are now Open Access, effective immediately: doi.org/10.7227/BJRL... and doi.org/10.7227/BJRL...
MUP and @thejohnrylands.bsky.social are thrilled to announce that Bulletin of the John Rylands Library is now fully #OpenAccess🔓
Throughout October, the Bulletin's Editorial Board are highlighting journal issues or articles of particular importance on the MUP blog.
Throughout October, the Bulletin's Editorial Board are highlighting journal issues or articles of particular importance on the MUP blog.
October 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Truly excellent move by @manchesterup.bsky.social, as a result of which two of my own articles in BJRL are now Open Access, effective immediately: doi.org/10.7227/BJRL... and doi.org/10.7227/BJRL...
Including one of the latest titles from our Bristol Studies in Medieval Culture series with @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social @bristolcms.bsky.social
We've updated our new books displays on the 1st and 2nd floors. There's a wide range of subjects spanning from the medieval to the 21st century.
If this interests you and you're not a member, membership to the library is open and free to everyone - www.history.ac.uk/library-digi...
If this interests you and you're not a member, membership to the library is open and free to everyone - www.history.ac.uk/library-digi...
October 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Including one of the latest titles from our Bristol Studies in Medieval Culture series with @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social @bristolcms.bsky.social