Laura McAtackney
@lauramca.bsky.social
Irish Academic, archaeologist, heritage, memory, creative at UC Cork. Interest in post/conflict and post/colonial contexts inc fieldwork in Ireland and Caribbean.
History
22%
Political science
20%
At least it is something but the original legacy bill was horrendously misjudged and clearly was created to protect the state and its forces. Imho the legislation should have been scrapped and the process started again.
And that the past will always be open to rewriting as we learn more, allow more files to be opened, reflect
on different angles of experiences. The past is never set and closed to reinterpretation and that can’t be closed by Unionist MPs or the British archives.
on different angles of experiences. The past is never set and closed to reinterpretation and that can’t be closed by Unionist MPs or the British archives.
I can’t help reflecting on some unionist fears of ‘rewriting’ the past when what they can’t see there are multiple versions of the past and ppl should be allowed to say out loud a British / Unionist version of the Troubles wasn’t the one CNR communities experienced.
And while only 106 (!) MPs voted against the immunity bill being removed, we still have to wait and see what the ‘Lords’ does. And an official history project, being led by the NIO, will tick along in the shadows while state archives extend closures on files related to state-perpetrated death.
Reposted by Diane Marie Amann
MPs vote to delete Troubles legislation immunity clause
MPs in London have voted to delete a controversial immunity clause from the current Troubles legacy legislation in Northern Ireland.
www.rte.ie
On the anniversary of Bloody Sunday i can’t help but reflect on how we are beholden to a bicameral parliament based in London, with NI reps a tiny minority, and hoping they’ll take out some of the most egregious clauses as they continue to impose a legacy bill. www.rte.ie/news/ulster/...
Professor of Cultural and Natural Heritage at Durham University
An opportunity for an academic position as a Professor of Cultural and Natural Heritage is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
www.jobs.ac.uk
Fantastic job at Durham - Professor in Cultural and Natural Heritage - I’m sure this will be an amazing role for the right person! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQE313/p...
Educational background key indicator of immigration views in UK, study finds
Research comparing UK and US finds people with fewer qualifications more likely to support rightwing movements
www.theguardian.com
Not surprised: the key indicator for far right support is education level. IME, uni students are extremely receptive to courses exploring politics of the past / misuse of the past by Far Right. It’s the reason for FR ‘culture wars’ targeting arts / humanities. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
I’m glad you had a nice end to it, it’s lovely to have precise points when you can see optimism return!
Thanks, it took me a v long time to realize that it’s a v different culture in many ways. No emotion allowed, just get on with your job.
thanks lovely, it is what it is xx
I am trying to build more of those, i’ve been disengaging with a lot of less helpful sites. One day i’ll get there!
I’m sorry, it’s hard when people have had lovely times that are nice for them to look back on but not so for us. After losses like that i just don’t ever think of any periods of time in that kind of ‘good old days’ kind of way.
Thanks, it’s just how i remember that specific year as his sickness and death kind of toped and tailed it. Working in Danish academic made it so much worse as death and grief is ignored so i was expected to just get on with work.
You’re lucky i’ve seen it everywhere, I’m not sure what prompted it but 2016 seemed to be a year, apparently (also a very specific make up look!). It’s similar to facebook time hop, like everyone wants to see pictures of their past lives when they can be v triggering for some!
All i remember was trying to adjust to a new academic system, having tonnes of teaching because new hires negotiated delayed starts and i was left to carry it, and flying home every month to help with my dad. Virtually no one at uni tried to help, offered sympathy or even acknowledged his death.
Sign of the cyclical nature of academia, but i’m amazed everyone has perfect memories (& photos of 2016)! To buck the trend, for me 2016 was not a great year, consumed by my dad dying slowly from cancer (23 Dec RIP) while i spent my first full year as a lecturer in Denmark. The sacrifices we make.
International Fellowships 2026
The International Fellowships Programme enables researchers to work for two years at a UK institution with the aim of building a globally connected, mobile research and innovation workforce.
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
@britishacademy.bsky.social International Fellowships are now open
Applications are welcome across the #humanities and #socialsciences from early career researchers anywhere in the world to come to 🇬🇧 for 2 years
The deadline is 11 March
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
Applications are welcome across the #humanities and #socialsciences from early career researchers anywhere in the world to come to 🇬🇧 for 2 years
The deadline is 11 March
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
Reposted by Laura McAtackney
Platforming archaeologists who legitimize war crimes
By continuing to ignore the Palestinian Campaign For The Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, archaeological institutions worldwide are enabling Israel’s occupation of & genocide in Palestine
open.substack.com
🚨 NEW: Platforming archaeologists who legitimize war crimes:
By continuing to ignore PACBI, archaeological institutions worldwide are enabling Israel’s occupation of & genocide in Palestine
open.substack.com/pub/sparrows...
By continuing to ignore PACBI, archaeological institutions worldwide are enabling Israel’s occupation of & genocide in Palestine
open.substack.com/pub/sparrows...
Reposted by Laura McAtackney
Save Sebastia and Silwan: Illegal Israeli University Hosts International Scholars at Conference Normalising the Theft of Palestinian Heritage
by Archaeologists Against Apartheid Amid news of Israel’s active theft of the universally important Palestinian archaeological site, Sebastia, the country’s archaeological community is coming toget…
everydayorientalism.wordpress.com
🚨‼️ Save Sebastia and Silwan: Illegal Israeli University Hosts International Scholars at Conference Normalising the Theft of Palestinian Heritage - new EO post by @archagainstaparth.bsky.social everydayorientalism.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/s...
and they’re so proud to tell you about it, like the big eejits they are!
Oh yes there is that, the number of ppl I meet who feel the need to tell you how little they know about the North with anticipation of some form of favorable response?! It’s like a badge of honour for some.
Working on the assumption that 18 year olds from private education have some innate intellectual capacity that those who fought their ways out of less favorable circumstance have not is beyond wrong; it’s just old fashioned classist gatekeeping.
Cambridge college to target elite private schools for student recruitment
Exclusive: Trinity Hall’s new policy described as a ‘slap in the face’ for state-educated students
www.theguardian.com
Moves like this - targeting particular public schools - from Trinity Hall reflect as much the enduring desire to gatekeep by those who think they are elite wanting to replicate in their own image, as their cynical pragmatism to know they can get away with it rn. www.theguardian.com/education/20...
It shouldn’t be it still amazes me what a blindspot the left in GB have to what their successive govts in the North in their own fair state! Should be a lesson in what dehumanization does but never is.
Reposted by Aileen McHarg, Laura McAtackney
People living in UK - especially GB - should not be thinking 'at least we're not as bad as America,' when Northern Ireland exists and civilians were being shot by state forces there for decades, and recent governments have given those forces amnesty. @grantsana.bsky.social leading bsky voice here.
I would not put it passed most of the big publishers: don’t bring our exploitative processes into disrepute unless it’s for our profit!
Interesting experience doing a journal peer review and i had to tick a box to state i hadn’t uploaded the paper to / used GenAI to create the review. (1) Sad that I thought ‘good’ rather than ‘wow, is this a thing?’ (2) now wondering if the publisher is one that sells our work onto GenAI. Sigh.
Postdoctoral Research Associate | King's College London
www.kcl.ac.uk
I'm hiring 2 postdocs on my Wellcome project "How Did Infectious Diseases Become Wild?: Plague, Yellow Fever, and Disease Ecology in the Brazilian Hinterland (1920-1975)"
Department of Global Health and Social Medicine
King's College
3 years 01/10/26- 30/09/29
Deadline: 01/02/26
shorturl.at/KZ6Vh
Department of Global Health and Social Medicine
King's College
3 years 01/10/26- 30/09/29
Deadline: 01/02/26
shorturl.at/KZ6Vh
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.
Very much continuing a grand British tradition of alternating between demonizing / downplaying hunger strikes as a means of political protest. Different party, same script.
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.