Laura C Forster
@lauracforster.bsky.social
Historian @york.ac.uk | Editorial collective @historywo.bsky.social | 'The Paris Commune in Britain', OUP https://shorturl.at/662e4 | 'Friends in Common', Pluto Press https://shorturl.at/f2nRs
📢Call For Papers📢
Sociability & Political life
Marc Jaffré & I are organising a conference! We're asking: can there be politics without sociability? How have friendship, intimacy, socialising & informal attachments been central to political projects & movements?
Get your abstracts in by Feb 14th!
Sociability & Political life
Marc Jaffré & I are organising a conference! We're asking: can there be politics without sociability? How have friendship, intimacy, socialising & informal attachments been central to political projects & movements?
Get your abstracts in by Feb 14th!
November 21, 2025 at 2:53 PM
📢Call For Papers📢
Sociability & Political life
Marc Jaffré & I are organising a conference! We're asking: can there be politics without sociability? How have friendship, intimacy, socialising & informal attachments been central to political projects & movements?
Get your abstracts in by Feb 14th!
Sociability & Political life
Marc Jaffré & I are organising a conference! We're asking: can there be politics without sociability? How have friendship, intimacy, socialising & informal attachments been central to political projects & movements?
Get your abstracts in by Feb 14th!
Reposted by Laura C Forster
"Palestinians experience the displacement of the 2020s genocide not as a singular event, but as part of a repeated cycle."
Anne Irfan on the importance of writing Gaza's history.
Anne Irfan on the importance of writing Gaza's history.
Writing history in a time of genocide
Anne Irfan asks, what does it mean to write the history of a place as it is being destroyed before our very eyes?
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
November 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
"Palestinians experience the displacement of the 2020s genocide not as a singular event, but as part of a repeated cycle."
Anne Irfan on the importance of writing Gaza's history.
Anne Irfan on the importance of writing Gaza's history.
Reposted by Laura C Forster
It shouldn’t be forgotten that a big piece of Mamdani’s campaign was simply “cities are cool and lots of people enjoy living in them” which in and of itself dismantles alot of rightwing talking points
November 7, 2025 at 12:02 PM
It shouldn’t be forgotten that a big piece of Mamdani’s campaign was simply “cities are cool and lots of people enjoy living in them” which in and of itself dismantles alot of rightwing talking points
Reposted by Laura C Forster
The Curriers' Prize is now open! Submit your best unpublished essay on any aspect of London's history, and you could get a £1,000 award!
Full details: 👇 w ww.history.ac.uk/funding/awards-bursaries-prizes/curriers-prize
Full details: 👇 w ww.history.ac.uk/funding/awards-bursaries-prizes/curriers-prize
The Curriers’ Prize
The Worshipful Company of Curriers, has established an essay prize on the history of London, in association with The London Journal Trust and the IHR.
www.history.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 12:12 PM
The Curriers' Prize is now open! Submit your best unpublished essay on any aspect of London's history, and you could get a £1,000 award!
Full details: 👇 w ww.history.ac.uk/funding/awards-bursaries-prizes/curriers-prize
Full details: 👇 w ww.history.ac.uk/funding/awards-bursaries-prizes/curriers-prize
Thanks Alasdair!
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Thanks Alasdair!
Reposted by Laura C Forster
In the midst of political pessimism, this episode on friendship as transformative power gave me some hope.
What if friendship were understood not just on an individual, personal level, but as something political – a radical practice capable of upending hierarchies and producing revolutionary social change?
Laura C. Forster and Joel White reflect on radical friendship and everyday solidarities.
Laura C. Forster and Joel White reflect on radical friendship and everyday solidarities.
Friends in Common
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 5:46 PM
In the midst of political pessimism, this episode on friendship as transformative power gave me some hope.
Joel & I in conversation with the wonderful @marybethhamilton13.bsky.social - talking about friendship, forms of belonging, & revolutionary histories for @historyworkshop.org.uk
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Friends in Common
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Joel & I in conversation with the wonderful @marybethhamilton13.bsky.social - talking about friendship, forms of belonging, & revolutionary histories for @historyworkshop.org.uk
Reposted by Laura C Forster
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Friends in Common
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:24 AM
How might we reassess friendship as a transformative, even revolutionary, political resource?
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Laura Forster (@lauracforster.bsky.social) and Joel White (@joeljoel.bsky.social) join Marybeth Hamilton (@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social) to discuss the radical potential of friendship 🎙️🗃️
Reposted by Laura C Forster
"You want a movement, I hear. We all do. But the question is never “will somebody do something?” They are. We are. Our job is to notice, and to ensure that none of our flames burn out."
Also our job is to join in, where we can, how we can, with what we have.
open.substack.com/pub/thewhite...
Also our job is to join in, where we can, how we can, with what we have.
open.substack.com/pub/thewhite...
Here is a very specific thing you can do right now that will meet the moment quite nicely
Maybe do it five or six times, actually
open.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"You want a movement, I hear. We all do. But the question is never “will somebody do something?” They are. We are. Our job is to notice, and to ensure that none of our flames burn out."
Also our job is to join in, where we can, how we can, with what we have.
open.substack.com/pub/thewhite...
Also our job is to join in, where we can, how we can, with what we have.
open.substack.com/pub/thewhite...
Congratulations Emily - can't wait to read!
October 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Congratulations Emily - can't wait to read!
Thanks so much for reading, Andrew!
October 16, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Thanks so much for reading, Andrew!
Thanks Will! I'm going to search out Jill Lepore's article now!
October 16, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Thanks Will! I'm going to search out Jill Lepore's article now!
Reposted by Laura C Forster
I can heartily recommend Laura's brilliant new article - innovative, creative and hopeful!
I've got a new article out @historyworkshop.org.uk. It argues for history as a form of intergenerational friendship.
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
October 7, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I can heartily recommend Laura's brilliant new article - innovative, creative and hopeful!
Thanks mate! ✊💕
October 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Thanks mate! ✊💕
Reposted by Laura C Forster
I’ve just added my voice to this consultation saying I don’t want a situation in which staff and fellow swimmers might scrutinise or judge my body, or anyone else’s, when I use the ponds. The current policy of trans inclusion works perfectly well. You can fill out the consultation linked below.
Those tedious and mysteriously funded transphobes want to limit access to the Ponds so I’ve had a pleasant 10 mins filling this out on why seeing a variety of women is magic and judging by what people look like or can do is very slippery territory hampstead-heath-bathing-ponds.commonplace.isn
Future access to the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds
Inviting feedback from pond users, the local community, and stakeholders on how the Kenwood Ladies’, and Highgate Men’s ponds should operate in the future.
hampstead-heath-bathing-ponds.commonplace.is
October 4, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I’ve just added my voice to this consultation saying I don’t want a situation in which staff and fellow swimmers might scrutinise or judge my body, or anyone else’s, when I use the ponds. The current policy of trans inclusion works perfectly well. You can fill out the consultation linked below.
This will be great!!
On Weds we welcome @katrinanavickas.bsky.social to IHR @cont-brit-hist.bsky.social seminar
Katrina will talk abt "Public space + popular protest in 20thC England: enclosure, resistance + commoning"
In-person/hybrid. All welcome, register here!
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
@ihr.bsky.social
Katrina will talk abt "Public space + popular protest in 20thC England: enclosure, resistance + commoning"
In-person/hybrid. All welcome, register here!
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
@ihr.bsky.social
Public space and popular protest in 20th century England: enclosure, resistance and commoning
This session draws from the book, Contested Commons: a History of Protest and Public Space in England
www.history.ac.uk
October 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
This will be great!!
I've got a new article out @historyworkshop.org.uk. It argues for history as a form of intergenerational friendship.
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
October 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I've got a new article out @historyworkshop.org.uk. It argues for history as a form of intergenerational friendship.
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
History, like friendship, can be a politically powerful way of talking and thinking across time, and can connect past, present, and future struggle ✊
academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
Joel & I talking to Chris Browne about friendship, reimagining the world, & fighting the far right
Radicals in Conversation 📻
open.spotify.com/episode/1gNi...
Radicals in Conversation 📻
open.spotify.com/episode/1gNi...
September 25, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Joel & I talking to Chris Browne about friendship, reimagining the world, & fighting the far right
Radicals in Conversation 📻
open.spotify.com/episode/1gNi...
Radicals in Conversation 📻
open.spotify.com/episode/1gNi...
NEXT WEEK! Come and hear @samwetherell.bsky.social and me chat about radical pasts & radical futures💥
Myself and the amazing @lauracforster.bsky.social are doing a joint event to launch our books in York. Come to learn about Liverpool, the aftershocks of the Paris Commune and the new kinds of histories our present crisis demands! www.york.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
When and where was Britain’s radical tradition?
A discussion explores Britain’s radical politics through global, anti-colonial, and transnational networks, launching two books rethinking history’s local myths.
www.york.ac.uk
September 23, 2025 at 9:21 AM
NEXT WEEK! Come and hear @samwetherell.bsky.social and me chat about radical pasts & radical futures💥
💖
Well done to Danai for winning Contributions to Citizenship! Such an important part of working in academia - great work! @edinunineuro.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 2:09 PM
💖
Reposted by Laura C Forster
Myself and the amazing @lauracforster.bsky.social are doing a joint event to launch our books in York. Come to learn about Liverpool, the aftershocks of the Paris Commune and the new kinds of histories our present crisis demands! www.york.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
When and where was Britain’s radical tradition?
A discussion explores Britain’s radical politics through global, anti-colonial, and transnational networks, launching two books rethinking history’s local myths.
www.york.ac.uk
September 2, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Myself and the amazing @lauracforster.bsky.social are doing a joint event to launch our books in York. Come to learn about Liverpool, the aftershocks of the Paris Commune and the new kinds of histories our present crisis demands! www.york.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Laura C Forster
My first piece in the TLS — a review of a fantastic and pioneering new study of the Paris Commune’s afterlives in Britain and Ireland by @lauracforster.bsky.social
www.the-tls.com/history/the-...
www.the-tls.com/history/the-...
The experiences of Communard refugees in Britain and Ireland
In 1886, Paschal Grousset, once a member of the executive committee of the Paris Commune, found himself troubled by Victorian Dublin’s food options.
www.the-tls.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:18 PM
My first piece in the TLS — a review of a fantastic and pioneering new study of the Paris Commune’s afterlives in Britain and Ireland by @lauracforster.bsky.social
www.the-tls.com/history/the-...
www.the-tls.com/history/the-...
Reposted by Laura C Forster
All historians should read this jaw dropping interview as a case study in moral and political decrepitude. Evidence if any more were needed that the accrual of massive amounts of evidence about the past does not automatically engender a critical reflection on the present.
August 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
All historians should read this jaw dropping interview as a case study in moral and political decrepitude. Evidence if any more were needed that the accrual of massive amounts of evidence about the past does not automatically engender a critical reflection on the present.