Charles Forsdick

@cforsdick.bsky.social

480 followers 260 following 130 posts

Drapers Professor of French, MMLL, Cambridge; Professorial Fellow, Murray Edwards College; Lead Fellow Languages, @britishacademy.bsky.social; Hon. Professor Centre for the Study of International Slavery (CSIS). Researches travel, empire, Haiti, comics.. .. more

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Philosophy 22%

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Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Apr 9

UK academia’s lack of language skills ‘imperils research integrity’

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

UK academia’s lack of language skills ‘imperils research integrity’ - Research Professional News

British Academy report calls for more recognition of linguistic ability, including in Research Excellence Framework

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 13h

The uncompromising politics of Jimmy Cliff

theconversation.com/the-uncompro...

The uncompromising politics of Jimmy Cliff

The reggae singer used his music to speak out at issues that mattered.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Alison Phipps

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 18h

The procession of university language closures will trip up UK diplomacy www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/proc...

The procession of university language closures will trip up UK diplomacy

The government needs to signal its demand for elite foreign language skills before more universities leave provision to inferior alternatives, says Ian Proud

www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Simon Hix, Dorothy Bishop, Dave O’Brien , and 3 more Simon Hix, Dorothy Bishop, Dave O’Brien, Charles Forsdick, Audrey Osler, Catriona Seth

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 1d

Are you worried about the devastating cuts we are seeing to arts, humanities & social sciences in UK universities? Last call for my lecture in Leicester this Thurs 27th Nov on the value of these subjects and how they support UK security, cohesion and prosperity www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...

Shaping a Brighter Future

The first event in our Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series, delivered by Hetan Shah, Chief Executive, The British Academy

www.eventbrite.co.uk

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 1d

Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81

www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...

Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81

Star of The Harder They Come had hits including You Can Get It If You Really Want and I Can See Clearly Now

www.theguardian.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 6d

University of Nottingham considers axing language and music degrees

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

University of Nottingham considers axing language and music degrees

Total of 48 degrees could disappear from Russell Group institution, with falling revenues and rising costs blamed

www.theguardian.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 6d

Ce que les statues coloniales dans l’espace public racontent de la France

theconversation.com/ce-que-les-s...

Ce que les statues coloniales dans l’espace public racontent de la France

Retour sur l’histoire des statues coloniales, à l’occasion de l’installation à Nancy d’un « contre-monument » face à la statue du sergent Blandan, figure de la colonisation française en Algérie.

theconversation.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 8d

Call for Scottish Government to review foreign language provision

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2559839...

Call for Scottish Government to review foreign language provision

Key Scottish companies and young Scots are losing out due to the spiralling decline in school leavers with language qualifications, a leading…

www.heraldscotland.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 10d

David Bellos, traducteur et grand spécialiste de Georges Perec, est mort

www.lemonde.fr/disparitions...

David Bellos, traducteur et grand spécialiste de Georges Perec, est mort

L’universitaire britannique avait publié en 1994 une biographie décisive de l’écrivain français. Il avait aussi retrouvé deux manuscrits que l’auteur lui-même croyait perdus. Il s’est éteint le 26 oct...

www.lemonde.fr

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 10d

David Bellos, renowned scholar of French fiction and ‘totally brilliant translator,’ dies at age 80

www.princeton.edu/news/2025/11...

David Bellos, renowned scholar of French fiction and ‘totally brilliant translator,’ dies at age 80

His work grappled with the tricky nature of interpreting between languages and embraced the potential of language itself to help us understand the human condition.

www.princeton.edu

Reposted by Charles Forsdick, Catriona Seth

Leeds City of Languages @leedscitylanguages.bsky.social · 11d

A very insightful article on the recent threats to UK modern languages:

www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...

Support the petitions to stop the closures at Leicester and Nottingham, to sign click here:

www.change.org/p/save-moder...

www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...

#languages #mfl

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 11d

The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas

www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...

The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas

Nottingham and Leicester are taking a swing at language departments. But those proposing closures have taken their eye off the ball, say four linguists

www.timeshighereducation.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · 12d

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal pardoned and to be released from prison

Eighty-one year-old, who has prostate cancer, can now be transferred from Algeria to Germany for medical treatment

www.theguardian.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Oct 25

Phillis Wheatley, the first Black nature poet

observer.co.uk/culture/book...

Phillis Wheatley, the first Black nature poet | The Observer

Enslaved as a child, the 18th-century writer became the first published Black woman – and a pioneer of nature poetry whose legacy still inspires

observer.co.uk

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Oct 25

Cracking the code of Papua New Guinea’s undocumented languages

observer.co.uk/news/science...

Cracking the code of Papua New Guinea’s undocumented lang...

Nicholas Evans has spent decades trying to decipher the undocumented tongues of Papua New Guinea and Australia. His work has redefined the way we think a...

observer.co.uk

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Oct 24

Multilingual, Transnational and Translational: Rethinking the Medical Humanities

thepolyphony.org/2025/10/24/m...

Multilingual, Transnational and Translational: Rethinking the Medical Humanities

Charles Forsdick concludes the Reading Bodies takeover and discusses how this project on historical discourses of illness in European literatures and cultures contributes to rethinking the medical …

thepolyphony.org

Reposted by Charles Forsdick

The Polyphony @the-polyphony.bsky.social · Oct 24

@cforsdick.bsky.social concludes the @readingbodies.bsky.social takeover and discusses how this project contributes to rethinking the medical humanities in ways that are simultaneously multilingual, transnational and translational.
thepolyphony.org/2025/10/24/m...

Multilingual, Transnational and Translational: Rethinking the Medical Humanities

thepolyphony.org

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Oct 22

« Climates of Migration: Ecology, Literature and Propaganda » par Dominic Thomas

achac.com/tribune/clim...

Newsletter #615 - 22 octobre 2025 | Groupe de recherche Achac

Tribune : « Climates of Migration: Ecology, Literature and Propaganda » par Dominic Thomas

achac.com

Charles Forsdick @cforsdick.bsky.social · Oct 17

Is it only words?
Neil Mercer argues for more oracy in education

Check out this page: www.bps.org.uk/psychologist...

Is it only words? | BPS

Neil Mercer (University of Cambridge) argues for more oracy in education.

www.bps.org.uk

Reposted by Charles Forsdick

Karen Forbes @karenforbes.bsky.social · Oct 15

Looking forward to contributing to this seminar on 'Professional agency & language policy in the context of the Curriculum and Assessment Review' @camedfac.bsky.social on 30th Oct with Norbert Pachler, @wendya-b.bsky.social @zhu-hua.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social and others. In-person & online ⬇️