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Mark Williams

@mrfw17thc.bsky.social

4.3K followers 2.2K following 1.5K posts

Reader in Early Modern History at Cardiff University. Currently writing a cultural history of the English East India Company. He/Him. Immigrant. Academic. Father. All opinions my own.

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · May 7

New article!

'Seeing Women in the Early English and Dutch East India Companies' is now available as an Advance Article with Historical Research.

It's been years of work, but I'm proud of this one. I hope #earlymodern #skystorians enjoy it!

Some context below:

academic.oup.com/histres/adva...

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academic.oup.com

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 1d

There’s a reason academics universally rejected the initial push to canonize Charlie Kirk as a saint devoted to free speech.

We know all too well that’s the exact opposite of reality.

Matt Gabriele @profgabriele.com · 1d

I know this case is all over - & it should be - but Turning Point USA has waged a harassment campaign against faculty for more than a decade. I know of at least a half dozen other faculty, personally, who have received death threats and several of those who felt so unsafe they too left their homes

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 1d

Are we great yet?

Mark Bray, a Rutgers University professor and expert on anti-fascist groups, is fleeing to Spain with his family due to death threats that stem from a campaign by Turning Point USA and other conservative groups to get him fired, falsely labeling him as an antifa member.

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 19h

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 19h

Resonates here, too. Finding the wrong solution to the right problem.

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 20h

It's getting to the point now that these policies are becoming wilfully, aggressively stupid.

Dutch News @dutchnewsnl.bsky.social · 21h

“Cutting foreign student numbers will hit Dutch economy hard” www.dutchnews.nl?p=258389

“Cutting foreign student numbers will hit Dutch economy hard”

www.dutchnews.nl

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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 20h

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado on.ft.com/4nTWp5l

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado

Win for Venezuela’s main opposition leader dashes the hopes of US President Donald Trump

on.ft.com

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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 21h

Councillor to be investigated over 'evil' remark

Cambridgeshire councillor to be investigated over 'evil' remark - BBC News

Reform UK councillor Andy Osborn is heard describing some children in care as "downright evil".

www.bbc.com

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 22h

'What's the matter sweetheart? Aren't you enjoying Halloween as a Second World War evacuee child?'

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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 1d

“You can’t blame austerity on one hand, but then say it’s the immigrants. The immigrants haven’t caused austerity.”

Zack Polanski takes on Reform’s Zia Yusuf over spreading of misinformation on #BBCQT

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all hallows eve-run enjoyer @rickywlmsbong.bsky.social · 1d

NIXON: this, uh, “frog guy”…

EHRLICHMAN: yes

NIXON: it’s all the networks! gyrating like that - in front of kids! despicable, (inaudible) kissinger’s people

HALDEMAN: we’re looking into it, sir

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Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 2d

Who would have guessed

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...

Nigel Farage earns over £1m from 12 'second jobs' - check how much your MP earns

The Reform UK leader's most lucrative second jobs include hosting on GB News, serving as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion and recording videos for Cameo

www.mirror.co.uk

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Shaquille Sunflower🦇🎃 @mumzzzthewurd.blacksky.app · 1d

Fall weather is finally here 🍂🎃

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Ted McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · 1d

A striking thing about articles I’ve read claiming to “study the effects” of generative AI on student writing skills and consumption of information is that (1) they nearly always find the effects are negative and (2) most “conclusions” are still written assuming that we must use AI, for some reason.

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Moby Dick @mobydickatsea.bsky.social · 1d

God keep me from ever completing anything.

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 1d

Love this.

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Michael Pearce @michaelpearce.bsky.social · 1d

A Chinese Shunzhi period dish (1644-1661) with inscription 'a leaf predicts the arrival of autumn, (but) the new spring will be full of fragrance and colour' (picture Feng-Chung Ma ceramics), and a contemporary Persian fritware copy

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent news - another great voice on the council!

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 1d

Have come across all this by tracking the Company's jurebasso in Tonkin - named Phuc Ngai - and it is basically wall-to-wall frustration and futility that runs through it. Unsurprising that Gyfford ends up elsewhere not long after this ...

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 1d

Ha! Yes indeed.

Though it'd be easy to overstate how successful things were in Tonkin/Cochinchina/etc. for the EIC. It really never does take off for them there.

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 1d

Not drawing any parallels here *ahem*, but in March 1672 William Gyfford was so ill that the Dutch chirurgeon (the English one lacked 'the wherewithall') could do nothing for him 'because his distemper proceeds from trouble ... in regard his industry for the Company'. #earlymodern #skystorians

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 2d

Some things never change.
Asked by their hosts at Tonkin (Trinh) in 1672 'which was ye Greatest Kingdome England, France, or Holland', the East India Company factors there responded 'the fame of Great Brittiagne was great all over Europe', but added they shouldn't praise themselves. #earlymodern

A manuscript in a tidy hand reading ' ... hasked us alsoe which was ye Greatest Kingdome England France or Holland'.

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d

“We want our international students to continue to feel welcomed for the positive social and cultural and economic contributions they make in Wales, and we're very keen to ensure that that continues so there will not be a levy in Wales.” (Welsh education secretary Lynne Neagle)

Wales rules out levy on international student fees

Education secretary confirms devolved nation will not follow UK government in taking a cut of overseas tuition fee income

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 2d

William Gyfford!

Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 2d

I've got a section of Ye Booke on the Dutch burning Charles II in effigy in Bandar Abbas when they learn about the Medway ...

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 2d

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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 2d

Some would say it was foolhardy - maybe even deeply insensitive and cruel - to conduct a survey about a given university's 'Values' while a large section of its staff is in scope for redundancy.

'Still Employed' or 'Not Working Under Threat' are values, of course. Especially with Free Text options

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