David Veevers
@davidveevers.bsky.social
Lecturer in Early Modern History | Seventeenth Century, Colonialism, Asia, Caribbean | ‘dazzling’ - BBC History | tired dad | Stephen King aficionado | academia’s longest commute | writing my third book, 'Where the Manchineel Trees Grow' with Icon Books
Pinned
Reposted by David Veevers
"A system built on specialisation, efficiency", that right there is the death knell for the current university system in the UK, if (big if) government pushes it through. They actively don't want HE to grow, they will intervene, apparently, to help it shrink.
per this morning's education committee.
per this morning's education committee.
November 25, 2025 at 10:06 AM
"A system built on specialisation, efficiency", that right there is the death knell for the current university system in the UK, if (big if) government pushes it through. They actively don't want HE to grow, they will intervene, apparently, to help it shrink.
per this morning's education committee.
per this morning's education committee.
Me, as the train passes through Gatwick Airport where people are in shorts and T-shirts with luggage headed off to warmer climes:
a cartoon of squidward from spongebob squarepants standing in front of a window
ALT: a cartoon of squidward from spongebob squarepants standing in front of a window
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Me, as the train passes through Gatwick Airport where people are in shorts and T-shirts with luggage headed off to warmer climes:
Elderly lady on the train full on listening to an audiobook on loud speaker.
The death of polite society.
The death of polite society.
November 25, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Elderly lady on the train full on listening to an audiobook on loud speaker.
The death of polite society.
The death of polite society.
Israel, which has obliterated most of Palestine’s archeological and heritage sites, including ancient churches, mosques, and temples, has suddenly discovered an urge to protect one from Palestinian ‘neglect’. It just so happens to be in the West Bank.
www.timesofisrael.com/israel-begin...
www.timesofisrael.com/israel-begin...
Israel begins seizing 1,800 dunams of West Bank land to develop archaeological site
Civil Administration says development legal, taking place amid 'neglect' of site by Palestinians; Peace Now: 'Government's lust for dispossession and annexation is insatiable'
www.timesofisrael.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Israel, which has obliterated most of Palestine’s archeological and heritage sites, including ancient churches, mosques, and temples, has suddenly discovered an urge to protect one from Palestinian ‘neglect’. It just so happens to be in the West Bank.
www.timesofisrael.com/israel-begin...
www.timesofisrael.com/israel-begin...
Me, as I stare into the mirror after trying on my new work trousers, quoting Honoré de Balzac: ‘I am not deep, but I am very wide.’
November 25, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Me, as I stare into the mirror after trying on my new work trousers, quoting Honoré de Balzac: ‘I am not deep, but I am very wide.’
Reposted by David Veevers
We should have listened when the modems screamed at us.
July 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM
We should have listened when the modems screamed at us.
Reposted by David Veevers
And we are hiring! We have been incredibly lucky to get this funding and are very grateful for the opportunity to work on this. Please circulate to people who would be interested in applying. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPN147/p...
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The University of Edinburgh
Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on jobs.ac.uk!
www.jobs.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 10:48 AM
And we are hiring! We have been incredibly lucky to get this funding and are very grateful for the opportunity to work on this. Please circulate to people who would be interested in applying. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPN147/p...
BBC as impartial as ever on Israel, refusing to use the word ‘breaking’ in relation to the ceasefire it has repeatedly ripped up in bombing Palestine and Lebanon.
November 24, 2025 at 6:23 AM
BBC as impartial as ever on Israel, refusing to use the word ‘breaking’ in relation to the ceasefire it has repeatedly ripped up in bombing Palestine and Lebanon.
Hmm. Kids have started to refer to themselves in the third person. That’s never a good sign.
November 23, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Hmm. Kids have started to refer to themselves in the third person. That’s never a good sign.
Reposted by David Veevers
Ok BlueSky: what are your favorite history books in terms of sheer page-turning, narrative propulsion? Thinking along the line of Killers of the Flower Moon, etc. Nonfiction chronicles that read like novels or movies.
November 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Ok BlueSky: what are your favorite history books in terms of sheer page-turning, narrative propulsion? Thinking along the line of Killers of the Flower Moon, etc. Nonfiction chronicles that read like novels or movies.
At least we’ve kept our sense of humour in these end times
November 22, 2025 at 10:17 PM
At least we’ve kept our sense of humour in these end times
Reposted by David Veevers
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.
November 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.
Reposted by David Veevers
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
Reposted by David Veevers
oh, that's... that's not... you can't call it that
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
oh, that's... that's not... you can't call it that
Reposted by David Veevers
Latest update from @britishlibrary.bsky.social says they are launching a new version of their main catalogue on Monday 8 December and around that time also launch an interim version of their Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Hooray!
www.bl.uk/stories/news...
www.bl.uk/stories/news...
Restoring our services – November 2025 update
In the coming weeks and months we will be restoring a number of key functions.
www.bl.uk
November 22, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Latest update from @britishlibrary.bsky.social says they are launching a new version of their main catalogue on Monday 8 December and around that time also launch an interim version of their Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Hooray!
www.bl.uk/stories/news...
www.bl.uk/stories/news...
The reality of digital life now: WOW THIS FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT IS MASSIVE AND CLEARLY TOO LONG FOR A FUCKING IDIOT LIKE YOU. Would you like help in summarising its contents incorrectly?????
November 22, 2025 at 9:45 AM
The reality of digital life now: WOW THIS FIVE PAGE DOCUMENT IS MASSIVE AND CLEARLY TOO LONG FOR A FUCKING IDIOT LIKE YOU. Would you like help in summarising its contents incorrectly?????
Just asked Henry what he’d like for breakfast. He paused, thought about it, and then said ‘high quality food’.
November 22, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Just asked Henry what he’d like for breakfast. He paused, thought about it, and then said ‘high quality food’.
Insane things happening with the sunrise on the Sussex coast this morning. (Sorry for the blurry picture)
November 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Insane things happening with the sunrise on the Sussex coast this morning. (Sorry for the blurry picture)
Reposted by David Veevers
'The economic impact of international students in the UK surged from £31.3 billion in 2018/19 to £41.9 billion by 2021/22. On average, every parliamentary constituency in Britain benefits by £58 million.' 1/3
Which UK regional economies are most reliant on international students? - HEPI
Join HEPI for a webinar on Thursday 11 December 2025 from 10am to 11am to discuss how universities can strengthen the student voice in governance to mark the launch of our upcoming report, Rethinking ...
www.hepi.ac.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:35 AM
'The economic impact of international students in the UK surged from £31.3 billion in 2018/19 to £41.9 billion by 2021/22. On average, every parliamentary constituency in Britain benefits by £58 million.' 1/3
It has shook me how much my wider circle of acquaintances now say ‘ChatGP says…’ on a regular basis. One dad in the park flipped his phone out and asked it to verify something he was saying MID-SENTENCE. A friend of mine uses it for ALL his communication at work.
I feel like I’m in a zombie film.
I feel like I’m in a zombie film.
This thread freaked me out in part because I recognized it as a real social phenomenon in my own life. A member of our extended circle is writing a book because ChatGPT told him it was a brilliant and novel idea. Friends, it is neither but he is absolutely convinced and nobody knows what to do.
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
November 21, 2025 at 6:34 AM
It has shook me how much my wider circle of acquaintances now say ‘ChatGP says…’ on a regular basis. One dad in the park flipped his phone out and asked it to verify something he was saying MID-SENTENCE. A friend of mine uses it for ALL his communication at work.
I feel like I’m in a zombie film.
I feel like I’m in a zombie film.
Everything that comes out of my MPs mouth makes me so proud that he represents my home town. Thank you @joshbabarinde.bsky.social for speaking up for trans rights and human rights.
President Elect of the @libdems.org.uk the wonderful @joshbabarinde.bsky.social says trans rights in parliament (and gets a non answer from the government spokes)
November 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Everything that comes out of my MPs mouth makes me so proud that he represents my home town. Thank you @joshbabarinde.bsky.social for speaking up for trans rights and human rights.
Reposted by David Veevers
From his Wikipedia entry:
At a Berggruen Institute salon, Harari said that Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel "was kind of an epiphany in my academic career. I realised that I could actually write such books."
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That's a rare self own
At a Berggruen Institute salon, Harari said that Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel "was kind of an epiphany in my academic career. I realised that I could actually write such books."
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That's a rare self own
November 20, 2025 at 3:47 PM
From his Wikipedia entry:
At a Berggruen Institute salon, Harari said that Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel "was kind of an epiphany in my academic career. I realised that I could actually write such books."
---
That's a rare self own
At a Berggruen Institute salon, Harari said that Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel "was kind of an epiphany in my academic career. I realised that I could actually write such books."
---
That's a rare self own