Margot Finn
@eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Historian of Britain and colonialism, material culture, the EIC. Also works on equalities, museums, open access & research policy. Download the EIC @ Home open access volume here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/88277 (or individual chapters via JSTOR)
Reposted by Margot Finn
🗃️ Tyler Austin Harper’s insane Andrew Mellon Foundation hit piece, which of course @theatlantic.com was happy to print, has rightfully pissed off everyone in the Humanities.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has become the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research, Tyler Austin Harper writes. Is it saving American arts and letters—or killing them?
What Is the Mellon Foundation Doing to Higher Education?
Its role as the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research has granted the foundation—and its president—enormous influence over American arts and letters.
bit.ly
February 13, 2026 at 7:24 PM
🗃️ Tyler Austin Harper’s insane Andrew Mellon Foundation hit piece, which of course @theatlantic.com was happy to print, has rightfully pissed off everyone in the Humanities.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
Reposted by Margot Finn
Journeys with Mai at the Box Plymouth launched this evening - absolutely stunning - the detail in the chart by Tupaia is just amazing - seeing Reynolds portrait of Mai is also great
February 13, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Journeys with Mai at the Box Plymouth launched this evening - absolutely stunning - the detail in the chart by Tupaia is just amazing - seeing Reynolds portrait of Mai is also great
Reposted by Margot Finn
So-called AI - not up in "the cloud", but very much down to earth and causing massive damage to #PublicHealth and environmental damage
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘A different set of rules’: thermal drone footage shows Musk’s AI power plant flouting clean air regulations
Images confirm xAI is continuing to defy EPA regulations in Mississippi to power its flagship datacenters
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 7:09 PM
So-called AI - not up in "the cloud", but very much down to earth and causing massive damage to #PublicHealth and environmental damage
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Margot Finn
This is King Ferdinand VI of Spain
Besides ruling one of the largest empires on Earth or attempting a full genocide on Spanish gipsy people, he hunted. A lot. And recorded the killings
OA PAPER Building historical biodiversity databases from royal hunts
Thread below
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Besides ruling one of the largest empires on Earth or attempting a full genocide on Spanish gipsy people, he hunted. A lot. And recorded the killings
OA PAPER Building historical biodiversity databases from royal hunts
Thread below
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
February 13, 2026 at 11:33 AM
This is King Ferdinand VI of Spain
Besides ruling one of the largest empires on Earth or attempting a full genocide on Spanish gipsy people, he hunted. A lot. And recorded the killings
OA PAPER Building historical biodiversity databases from royal hunts
Thread below
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Besides ruling one of the largest empires on Earth or attempting a full genocide on Spanish gipsy people, he hunted. A lot. And recorded the killings
OA PAPER Building historical biodiversity databases from royal hunts
Thread below
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Margot Finn
Happy 200th birthday UCL. Nice piece by Georgina Brewis placing the 'Godless Students' into the history of London. www.historytoday.com/archive/feat...
The Godless Students of London University
www.historytoday.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Happy 200th birthday UCL. Nice piece by Georgina Brewis placing the 'Godless Students' into the history of London. www.historytoday.com/archive/feat...
Reposted by Margot Finn
New in Transactions: 'Show Me the Data: New Practices for Historical Sources', by @ruthahnert.bsky.social, Katherine McDonough & @danielwilson.bsky.social: bit.ly/460nrkM
As the ecosystem of historical research data expands, how do we keep control of source materials, esp digital? #Skystorians 1/2
As the ecosystem of historical research data expands, how do we keep control of source materials, esp digital? #Skystorians 1/2
February 13, 2026 at 1:51 PM
New in Transactions: 'Show Me the Data: New Practices for Historical Sources', by @ruthahnert.bsky.social, Katherine McDonough & @danielwilson.bsky.social: bit.ly/460nrkM
As the ecosystem of historical research data expands, how do we keep control of source materials, esp digital? #Skystorians 1/2
As the ecosystem of historical research data expands, how do we keep control of source materials, esp digital? #Skystorians 1/2
Reposted by Margot Finn
Video and audio recordings are now available of the Society's latest lecture (6 February):
‘Alike in Appearance but not in Scope’: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe' with Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) bit.ly/46j42f5
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians
‘Alike in Appearance but not in Scope’: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe' with Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) bit.ly/46j42f5
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians
Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe: lecture recordings now available - RHS
On Friday 6 February the Society hosted the first lecture in its 2026 programme. Our great thanks to Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) who spoke on: ‘"Alike in Appearance but not in Sco...
bit.ly
February 10, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Video and audio recordings are now available of the Society's latest lecture (6 February):
‘Alike in Appearance but not in Scope’: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe' with Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) bit.ly/46j42f5
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians
‘Alike in Appearance but not in Scope’: Queens and the Making of Medieval Europe' with Professor Charles West (University of Edinburgh) bit.ly/46j42f5
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social #Skystorians
'The move to cancel gender studies is explicitly justified as a way to comply with Donald Trump’s executive order of last year titled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.'
Gender studies courses are shutting down across the US. The Epstein files reveal why | Joan Wallach Scott
Texas A&M University is the latest school to end women’s and gender studies programs and teaching race. We know why
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:10 PM
'The move to cancel gender studies is explicitly justified as a way to comply with Donald Trump’s executive order of last year titled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.'
'“Writing a paper has never been easier. Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier,” wrote Wimmer, a researcher in human–computer action at the University of Regensburg in Germany, on Bluesky.' 3/3
February 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM
'“Writing a paper has never been easier. Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier,” wrote Wimmer, a researcher in human–computer action at the University of Regensburg in Germany, on Bluesky.' 3/3
'Fifty-four seconds. That’s how long it took Raphael Wimmer to write up an experiment that he did not actually perform, using a new artificial-intelligence tool called Prism, released by OpenAI last month.' 2/2
February 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM
'Fifty-four seconds. That’s how long it took Raphael Wimmer to write up an experiment that he did not actually perform, using a new artificial-intelligence tool called Prism, released by OpenAI last month.' 2/2
We need to talk about the basic structures of science (in the European sense) and scientific communication.
Seriously, systematically, and fast. 1/3
Seriously, systematically, and fast. 1/3
How AI slop is causing a crisis in computer science
Preprint repositories and conference organizers are having to counter a tide of ‘AI slop’ submissions.
www.nature.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM
We need to talk about the basic structures of science (in the European sense) and scientific communication.
Seriously, systematically, and fast. 1/3
Seriously, systematically, and fast. 1/3
Reposted by Margot Finn
Qualia essays go where curiosity leads. This week, follow @philipcball.bsky.social down the rabbit hole into the subatomic realm, where he examines entanglement's role as the bridge between the quantum and classical worlds. www.quantamagazine.org/are-the-myst...
Are the Mysteries of Quantum Mechanics Beginning To Dissolve? | Quanta Magazine
Columnist Philip Ball thinks the phenomenon of decoherence might finally bridge the quantum-classical divide.
www.quantamagazine.org
February 13, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Qualia essays go where curiosity leads. This week, follow @philipcball.bsky.social down the rabbit hole into the subatomic realm, where he examines entanglement's role as the bridge between the quantum and classical worlds. www.quantamagazine.org/are-the-myst...
Reposted by Margot Finn
this is comically evil. brazenly anti-social. just absolute black-pilled nihilism. we will not have a republic, we will not be free, until we regulate these companies to the point where — at a bare minimum — they're too afraid to put stuff like this down on paper.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
February 13, 2026 at 2:54 PM
this is comically evil. brazenly anti-social. just absolute black-pilled nihilism. we will not have a republic, we will not be free, until we regulate these companies to the point where — at a bare minimum — they're too afraid to put stuff like this down on paper.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
'Caspar van den Berg, chair of the Universities of the Netherlands...“Without an inviting talent strategy, we are undermining our science, (societal) innovation and economy. It is therefore good that the parties forming the new government have included a talent strategy in the coalition agreement.”'
February 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM
'Caspar van den Berg, chair of the Universities of the Netherlands...“Without an inviting talent strategy, we are undermining our science, (societal) innovation and economy. It is therefore good that the parties forming the new government have included a talent strategy in the coalition agreement.”'
'Domestic student numbers fell by 3.3 per cent in 2025-26 compared with the previous year, and international student numbers fell by 3.6 per cent, according to data from the Education Executive Agency, which is part of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.' 1/2
Netherlands news: Dutch universities call for action as student numbers fall
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
February 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM
'Domestic student numbers fell by 3.3 per cent in 2025-26 compared with the previous year, and international student numbers fell by 3.6 per cent, according to data from the Education Executive Agency, which is part of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.' 1/2
History shows that wars can be lost before they are even declared if defenders surrender strategic terrain without a struggle. For universities, that terrain is the ultimate high ground: human intelligence itself.' 3/3
February 13, 2026 at 12:21 PM
History shows that wars can be lost before they are even declared if defenders surrender strategic terrain without a struggle. For universities, that terrain is the ultimate high ground: human intelligence itself.' 3/3
'Hoping to win recognition as leaders in A.I. or fearful of being left behind, more and more colleges and universities are eagerly partnering with A.I. companies, despite decades of evidence demonstrating the need to test education technology'. 2/3
February 13, 2026 at 12:21 PM
'Hoping to win recognition as leaders in A.I. or fearful of being left behind, more and more colleges and universities are eagerly partnering with A.I. companies, despite decades of evidence demonstrating the need to test education technology'. 2/3
'Young people are quickly becoming so dependent on A.I. that they are losing the ability to think for themselves. And rather than rallying resistance, academic administrators are aiding and abetting a hostile takeover of higher education.'
Cheery news from Columbia University's Dean of AI. 1/3
Cheery news from Columbia University's Dean of AI. 1/3
Opinion | A.I. Companies Are Eating Higher Education
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:21 PM
'Young people are quickly becoming so dependent on A.I. that they are losing the ability to think for themselves. And rather than rallying resistance, academic administrators are aiding and abetting a hostile takeover of higher education.'
Cheery news from Columbia University's Dean of AI. 1/3
Cheery news from Columbia University's Dean of AI. 1/3
'Taken together, government policies lead to a worsening of universities’ aggregate financial position in every year to 2028-29.'
In a word, 'Yikes'. In 3 words, 'Yet more yikes'.
In a word, 'Yikes'. In 3 words, 'Yet more yikes'.
The financial impact of government policy decisions on universities
Our analysis shows that government policy decisions lead to an estimated £3.7 billion reduction in funding to higher education providers in England from 2024-25 to 2029-30.
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
February 13, 2026 at 12:08 PM
'Taken together, government policies lead to a worsening of universities’ aggregate financial position in every year to 2028-29.'
In a word, 'Yikes'. In 3 words, 'Yet more yikes'.
In a word, 'Yikes'. In 3 words, 'Yet more yikes'.
CFP for 5-minute lightening talk proposals (due 13 March) for the IHR's British History in the Long 18th Century seminar is now live. Come introduce your PhD project to an enthusiastic group of fellow historians. Contact Brendan Tam ([email protected] ) for more details. #Skystorians
18TH CENTURY BRITISH HISTORY PHD LIGHTNING TALKS CFP
Are you at the start of your PhD? Want to tell an eager and engaged audience about it in 5 mins? We want to hear the best PGR research about 18th Britain at our #LightningTalks event 29 April 2026.
Please see the poster for further information!
Are you at the start of your PhD? Want to tell an eager and engaged audience about it in 5 mins? We want to hear the best PGR research about 18th Britain at our #LightningTalks event 29 April 2026.
Please see the poster for further information!
February 13, 2026 at 10:14 AM
CFP for 5-minute lightening talk proposals (due 13 March) for the IHR's British History in the Long 18th Century seminar is now live. Come introduce your PhD project to an enthusiastic group of fellow historians. Contact Brendan Tam ([email protected] ) for more details. #Skystorians
Reposted by Margot Finn
*Violent Waters: Environmental Politics in Early Modern England*
An important new book from @ellydezateux.bsky.social shows 'how environments were politically constructed and contested, and how environmental concerns inflected politics'. 🗃️
Cambridge UP: www.cambridge.org/core/books/v...
An important new book from @ellydezateux.bsky.social shows 'how environments were politically constructed and contested, and how environmental concerns inflected politics'. 🗃️
Cambridge UP: www.cambridge.org/core/books/v...
February 11, 2026 at 9:17 AM
*Violent Waters: Environmental Politics in Early Modern England*
An important new book from @ellydezateux.bsky.social shows 'how environments were politically constructed and contested, and how environmental concerns inflected politics'. 🗃️
Cambridge UP: www.cambridge.org/core/books/v...
An important new book from @ellydezateux.bsky.social shows 'how environments were politically constructed and contested, and how environmental concerns inflected politics'. 🗃️
Cambridge UP: www.cambridge.org/core/books/v...
Reposted by Margot Finn
“Without coordinated action, [open research] frameworks shaped largely around STEM research could further marginalise AHSS disciplines and leave researchers without the support needed to put openness into practice.”
New report urges broader definition of “open research" to include arts, humanities and social science practices
As Open Research gains traction across the research landscape, a new report challenges funders and institutions to expand their understanding of openness to better reflect arts, humanities and social ...
www.lib.cam.ac.uk
February 12, 2026 at 6:37 PM
“Without coordinated action, [open research] frameworks shaped largely around STEM research could further marginalise AHSS disciplines and leave researchers without the support needed to put openness into practice.”
Reposted by Margot Finn
While there was an uptick in early 2025, with visa applications over a 12-month period showing a steady rise, that recovery has now reversed. The total number of student visa applications in the year to January 2026 was 417,400, compared with 485,400 in January 2023.
February 12, 2026 at 3:24 PM
While there was an uptick in early 2025, with visa applications over a 12-month period showing a steady rise, that recovery has now reversed. The total number of student visa applications in the year to January 2026 was 417,400, compared with 485,400 in January 2023.
'The Labour government has announced plans to cut graduate visas from two years to 18 months and proposed a new levy of 6 per cent on international tuition fees since coming into power – moves that many fear will further damage the UK’s ability to attract students.' 2/2
February 13, 2026 at 8:34 AM
'The Labour government has announced plans to cut graduate visas from two years to 18 months and proposed a new levy of 6 per cent on international tuition fees since coming into power – moves that many fear will further damage the UK’s ability to attract students.' 2/2
'UK universities have experienced their worst January for international student recruitment in at least four years, new visa figures indicate.' Figure is 31% down from a tear ago. 1/2
Falling study visas a ‘sharp warning’ to UK government
January visa applications hit lowest level in four years, prompting further concern about university finances
www.timeshighereducation.com
February 13, 2026 at 8:34 AM
'UK universities have experienced their worst January for international student recruitment in at least four years, new visa figures indicate.' Figure is 31% down from a tear ago. 1/2