Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · 14d

I'm proud to say that, after many months of hard work, the London Stage DB team has just launched new features! Event pages surface improved lists of related dramatic works, as well as links to printed play texts from the Text Creation Partnership. #digitalhumanities #academicsky

Screenshot of Related Works info for The Country Wife by William Wycherly and its Print Witness, a transcript of the 1675 edition.

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

The London Stage Database @londonstagedb.bsky.social · Sep 2

The LSDB will experience a brief outage around 4pm pacific time today (Tuesday) while we update the database to reflect some recent record housekeeping. It should only last 10-15 minutes. Thanks for your understanding!

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Aug 2

I can't recommend highly enough Karen Hao's new book Empire of AI, which concludes with specific heuristics and calls to action for those who want to see these technologies used to support social good.

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Jul 28

I don't yet know what the court's order means for my team or the future of the project, but I am so grateful that my testimony helped to illustrate the value of publicly funded humanities scholarship as a shared good.

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Jul 28

In ordering a preliminary injunction on DOGE's #NEH grant terminations, the Hon. Judge McMahon specifically cited my declaration and London Stage Database as evidence that #humanities research serves the public interest. See page 72 of the decision:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

"Each of these scholars had the potential to contribute something great to his or her respective field and to our shared knowledge of America and the world...The balance of equities and public interest tilt in favor of granting plaintiffs a preliminary injunction – to preserve the possibility that we may yet get the opportunity to see what these scholars have to teach us." - Judge Colleen McMahon, Southern District of NY

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The London Stage Database @londonstagedb.bsky.social · Jul 18

New on the blog: check out this this interactive timeline created by Research Assistant Emma Kaisner, which traces the history of backstage drama from Shakespeare to The Studio: blogs.uoregon.edu/londonstage/...
#dh #digitalhumanities #c18 #18thc #academicsky #humanities #theaterhistory

Behind the Scenes: The Fascinating History of Rehearsal Plays – Extending the London Stage Database

blogs.uoregon.edu

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

The London Stage Database @londonstagedb.bsky.social · Jul 2

Delighted to share this feature story from @uocas.bsky.social about the London Stage Database project -- what our team has accomplished, how we are moving forward now that our #NEH grant has been cut, and why we believe this work remains important: cas.uoregon.edu/news/the-show-must-go

The Show Must Go On: A groundbreaking digital humanities project brings theater history to the public, despite federal funding cuts

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Jason Rhody @jasonrhody.bsky.social · Jun 23

What do we do when a key indicator of research assessment -- federal funding -- is undermined and under threat? The @humetricshss.bsky.social team tackles the question in a recent @lseimpactblog.bsky.social essay.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Is federal funding still a viable research assessment indicator in the age of Trump? - Impact of Social Sciences

Federal funding has long played an important role in research assessment in the United States. The HuMetricsHSS Initiative argues this must now be reassessed in light of the Trump administration’s int...

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Ben Schmidt @bschmidt.bsky.social · Jun 13

#ThanksBrett for your central role in building up the most exciting and generous academic field of the last 25 years! The office of digital humanities was been a tremendously positive force. @brettbobley.bsky.social

Jennifer Serventi @jenserventi.bsky.social · Jun 13

*sigh* It's too soon, but on the day of his retirement from public service, I think that it's important to recognize the contributions of Brett Bobley to the work of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the field. #ThanksBrett for your leadership, your good cheer & your home-baked goods.

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Lisa Marie Rhody @lmrhody.bsky.social · Jun 13

Digital humanities, as a field, wouldn't exist without your creativity, stewardship, perseverance, and patience, @brettbobley.bsky.social thank you for staying with the trouble & for making my work and the work of so many others possible. #thanksbrett

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NEH Union - AFGE L3403 @nehafge3403.bsky.social · Jun 11

Woke up this morning unemployed from our federal government positions.

Might we make a small request? Please spend a few minutes today browsing the names & bios of #NEH staff, most of whom are now without jobs, before the agency erases us from its memory. #humanities

www.neh.gov/about/staff

Staff

www.neh.gov

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The London Stage Database @londonstagedb.bsky.social · May 20

The London Stage Database team may be defunded, but we're determined to release as much as we can of the data we've been curating this year. Something exciting is coming soon...
#digitalhumanities #dh #c18 #18thc #academicsky #theaterhistory #neh #humanities

spreadsheet showing links between London Stage Database and Text Creation Partnership play titles, authors, and publication dates

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · May 18

Such a treat this weekend to celebrate three new books by my three brilliant colleagues, Faith Barter (@faithbee.bsky.social), Stacy Alaimo and Ashley Cordes! #humanities #summerreading

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · May 1

As an MLA member and a past ACLS fellow, I'm heartened that my professional organizations are taking legal action to defend the #humanities. The termination of #neh funding for my project, @londonstagedb.bsky.social, is discussed on p.25 of the complaint: nhalliance.org/nha-statemen...

NHA Statement on NEH Lawsuit – National Humanities Alliance

nhalliance.org

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The London Stage Database @londonstagedb.bsky.social · Apr 15

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that #NEH grant funding for "Extending the London Stage Database" was terminated abruptly earlier this month. You can help us advocate for the importance of this project and the #humanities more broadly. Read more:

Defunded but undeterred – Extending the London Stage Database

blogs.uoregon.edu

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Apr 15

Fellow #neh grantees, I am looking for models and examples of termination appeals. Please help!
#humanities #digitalhumanities #highered

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Lauren Tilton @nolauren.bsky.social · Apr 10

Appreciated the opportunity to speak with @npr.org about the devastating cuts to the incredible @neh-odh.bsky.social. Why is our govt canceling grants to start an AI Center that supports our national priorities? Cutting the arts and culture programs that are fundamental to a flourishing democracy?

Where did U.S. humanities grants go? To projects from a baseball film to AI research

From AI research to historical preservation, programs funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities reach every corner of the U.S. Now the government has terminated those grants.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Katina Rogers @katinalynn.bsky.social · Apr 10

My Slate piece on the widespread NEH grant cancellations is live. So much gratitude to everyone who took the time to talk with me these past few days while fighting fires on every side.

#humanities #highered #neh

slate.com/news-and-pol...

Say Goodbye to Small-Town Libraries and Museums, Thanks to Trump’s Latest Cuts

The NEH budget is tiny. The loss is huge.

slate.com

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

ACH @ach.bsky.social · Apr 10

ACH has updated our Impact Database with info about canceled NEH grants as of 4/8/25. We understand around 40 grants remain active, with a small number reinstated. The $ amounts reflect awarded funds. The total amount is a fraction (~.000037%)of the 2024 US budget. Learn more: impact.ach.org

NEH Grants 2025

impact.ach.org

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Jessica Otis @jmotis.bsky.social · Apr 8

Want to see the scope of what the NEH grant terminations is? The ACH ( @ach.bsky.social ) has compiled a database: impact.ach.org

NEH Grants 2025

impact.ach.org

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Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Apr 9

This is an atrocity. I stand in solidarity with my international colleagues, students, and neighbors @uoregon.bsky.social.

Three additional UO international students face deportation - Daily Emerald

At least three additional international University of Oregon students have had their student visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security, according to University of Oregon spokesperson Eric H...

dailyemerald.com

Mattie Burkert @mattieburkert.bsky.social · Apr 9

"Eliminating federal funding for the humanities saves next to no money, but it will cost the American people something precious: one of the few federal institutions whose whole purpose is to foster community and thoughtful discussion across the polarities that increasingly divide and depress us."

Opinion | Why DOGE Slashed the National Endowment for the Humanities

Eliminating federal funding for the humanities saves next to no money, but it will cost the American people something precious.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Alt National Endowment for the Humanities @altnehgov.altgov.info · Apr 8

What we know so far: over 1,200 grants have been canceled and/or terminated without prior staff knowledge. 70-75% of the staff remain on admin leave for an "undetermined" length of time. There has been ZERO outreach from the chairman's office to the staff. This happened in less than a week.

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Asheesh Kapur Siddique @asheeshksi.bsky.social · Apr 8

Trump's NEH has, it seems, just cancelled a bunch of fellowship programs with deadlines in the next couple of weeks. A brief thread:
1/ Awards for Faculty at Tribal Colleges and Universities has been cancelled for FY 2026 www.neh.gov/grants/resea...

Awards for Faculty at Tribal Colleges and Universities

Supports individual faculty or staff members at Tribal Colleges and Universities pursuing research of value to humanities scholars, students, or general audiences.

www.neh.gov

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Reposted by Mattie Burkert

Susan Ferrari @srferrar.bsky.social · Apr 8

New set of NEH grant program cancellations:
DHAG
Fellowships Open Book Program
Dangers and Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities
Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research
Institutes for Advanced Topics in the Digital Humanities

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