Joshua L. Freeman
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jlfreeman.bsky.social
Joshua L. Freeman
@jlfreeman.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature at Brown. Author, The Poetry of Power: Uyghur National Culture in Twentieth-Century China (forthcoming, Columbia UP). Translator, Waiting to Be Arrested at Night (Tahir Hamut Izgil, Penguin Press).
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Little tiny me in that grid down there, also very excited to find @jlfreeman.bsky.social!
August 13, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
This week, we’re debuting a new issue of multilingual writing from the US. This poem by Uyghur writer Tahir Hamut Izgil (tr. @jlfreeman.bsky.social ) takes a close look at the intersection of environmental extraction and human exploitation. Read it here: wordswithoutborders.org/read/article...
July 21, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"While the firms that rejected a deal and fought back have now notched a string of decisive wins in court, others that sought to appease Mr. Trump have seen high-profile resignations and internal discord."
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/u...
Trump Loses Another Battle in His War Against Elite Law Firms
www.nytimes.com
May 28, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
A generation before me, my parents also came to the U.S. for higher ed (they went back to Taiwan after getting their doctorates). We are among legions who came and continue to come to the U.S. for its stellar higher education. Excruciating as a new American watching this country self-destruct.
May 23, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Proud of the stand @harvard.edu is making.

Proud of the way @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social has been reporting it.

Alum of both, giving money to both. These famously privileged institutions are leading the fight for all of us.

Respect.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Admin From Revoking Harvard’s Ability To Enroll International Students | News | The Harvard Crimson
A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order to Harvard in its suit to block the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke its authorization to enroll international students.
www.thecrimson.com
May 24, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Tonight, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band opened their Land of Hope & Dreams Tour. Bruce launched this run of shows with three statements about the situation in the United States, with comments preceding his songs Land of Hope and Dreams, House of a Thousand Guitars and My City of Ruins.
Land of Hope and Dreams
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
May 14, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Admiration to @anntelnaes.bsky.social

Beyond her artistic and intellectual talent, she has moral and civic courage. One of the very first to Stand Up.

(Resigning from WaPo after ed-page editor, himself later fired by Bezos, censored one of her cartoons. anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui... )
May 5, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
For most of our existence, WWB has received funding from the NEA. Now, like many others, we must chart a path forward without it. But our readers still deserve access to dazzling global writing. Please donate or share our work to support our mission of bringing the world close through literature.
May 5, 2025 at 8:33 PM
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May 4, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Only one member of the broadcaster’s vaunted Uyghur language service remains.
May 2, 2025 at 10:31 PM
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PhD Timeline xkcd.com/3081
April 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
This summer, June 7-August 7, I'll be running an online course in "Introduction to Chaghatay!" 12 meetings. $280 for the whole thing. Open access textbook + videos to walk you through grammar and readings. Fees will support GW's Uyghur Studies Initiative. Apply here!

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Introduction to Chaghatay, Summer 2025
This is an application form for the not-for-credit summer course in introductory Chaghatay language to be held through the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at the George Washington University in Summer ...
docs.google.com
April 22, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
In Xu Zhiyong's writing, there is a notion that citizenship is a two way street. It entails the rights of democracy and the responsibility to protect it. I did some thinking this week on being a citizen in this moment. Please share if you find useful.

rorytruex.substack.com/p/what-do-i-...
April 11, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
I am very moved that the board of the National Book Critics Circle has chosen me to serve as our next President. It’s an incredible group at @bookcritics.bsky.social and I can't wait to get to work with them.
April 7, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
One of the best jobs in the world is up for grabs: @npr.org is hiring for a China correspondent

job-boards.greenhouse.io/nationalpubl...
China Correspondent
International - Remote
job-boards.greenhouse.io
April 8, 2025 at 2:37 AM
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April 6, 2025 at 10:51 PM
After Trump and Vance's disgraceful performance today, I think we could use a reminder of what true leadership looks like. Zelensky's defiant, eloquent speech on the eve of the war remains a remarkable example.
www.theguardian.com/world/video/...
'We will defend ourselves' from Russia, says Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in speech– video
'When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs', says Ukrainian leader to Russia leadership
www.theguardian.com
March 1, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Utterly appalled by this. Non-refoulement is at the heart of international refugee standards. My heart goes out to those deported, their families, and the Uyghur diaspora. Such a blatant transgression of a core humanitarian principle is a chilling precedent for refugee communities worldwide.
Confirmation of the return to Xinjiang. Just to be clear the United Nations OHCHR considers this kind of refoulment as a human rights abuse and against the spirit of international human rights law:

www.ohchr.org/sites/defaul...
February 27, 2025 at 12:34 PM
If Bezos is so worried @washingtonpost.com coverage will cause Trump to harm his interests, why not donate WaPo to a trust? WaPo's financial value is a tiny fraction of Bezos's $$$ but its value to our society is huge & this would salvage a bit of Bezos's dignity.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Jeff Bezos is muzzling the Washington Post’s opinion section. That’s a death knell | Margaret Sullivan
‘I couldn’t be more sad and disgusted,’ says former top editor Martin Baron
www.theguardian.com
February 27, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Government does important work — but not if DOGE can prevent it paulkrugman.substack.com/p/our-govern...
Our Government Is Experiencing a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly
Musk is moving fast and breaking important things
paulkrugman.substack.com
February 17, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Thrilled to learn that my book The King's Road had been awarded this year's Levenson Prize (pre-1900 category)! I am very happy and extremely humbled by this recognition.
We are pleased to announce the honorees whose work will be recognized at the #AAS2025 Awards Ceremony on March 14. Congratulations to all!

https://buff.ly/3EMeKiV
February 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Proud to be one of the 350 rabbis signing this statement — an ad in the NYT today and a declaration of our values.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

For more—and to sign— go to

saynotoethniccleansing.org
February 13, 2025 at 2:12 PM