Steph Brown
@stephjayb.bsky.social
Author | Watching Women: Militant Suffragists Write the British Surveillance State (2024)
Assoc Prof of English in Tucson | Surveillance | C20/21 Caribbean and British Lit | GWS
rock scrambler | hawk enthusiast | she/her
Assoc Prof of English in Tucson | Surveillance | C20/21 Caribbean and British Lit | GWS
rock scrambler | hawk enthusiast | she/her
Pinned
New on Print Plus: Stephanie J. Brown writes on the deployment of images that depict and enact surveillant mechanisms in her article, "Suffrage Journalism against State Brutality: Surveillance Art in Votes for Women and The Suffragette, 1910–1914": modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
Wrote about some of the visuals in suffrage newspapers (1910-1914) as surveillance art the aimed at conveying state brutality for Modernism/modernity (@mmodernity.bsky.social). It came out on Print+ over the holiday! 1/
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
Ugh, didn't realize how many of the brands I use are Estée Lauder. Should say "used," I guess.
Feels like time for a boycott of Estée Lauder products - it’s a lot, but we can be less sleek for anti-imperialism.
• Estée Lauder
• Clinique
• La Mer
• Origins
• Dr. Jart+
• DECIEM (including The Ordinary, NIOD). 1/2
• Estée Lauder
• Clinique
• La Mer
• Origins
• Dr. Jart+
• DECIEM (including The Ordinary, NIOD). 1/2
🧵Trump got the idea to annex Greenland from cosmetics billionaire Ron Lauder who has interests there.
"As Trump has ratcheted up his threats to seize Greenland, Lauder has acquired commercial holdings there.Lauder is also part of the consortium whose desire to access Ukrainian minerals ...
"As Trump has ratcheted up his threats to seize Greenland, Lauder has acquired commercial holdings there.Lauder is also part of the consortium whose desire to access Ukrainian minerals ...
January 19, 2026 at 12:41 AM
Ugh, didn't realize how many of the brands I use are Estée Lauder. Should say "used," I guess.
Reposted by Steph Brown
And for more information and context in case you still didn't read the article. (It's ok if you didn't, you're not alone.) bsky.app/profile/moll...
Sure. AI companies have ALWAYS been training their models on Wikipedia content, which under the free and open access model is available to anyone — including AI companies. Agreements like these require AI companies to limit and offset the strain they place on Wikimedia infrastructure.
Hoping that @molly.wiki can help explain.
January 15, 2026 at 9:41 PM
And for more information and context in case you still didn't read the article. (It's ok if you didn't, you're not alone.) bsky.app/profile/moll...
My course on reading started yesterday, and because our classroom is freezing, I reminded them to bring layers and told them they could "build blanket forts under the tables" to read in.
I was mostly joking about forts, the but I'm thrilled to be doing that, rather than whatever the fuck this is.
I was mostly joking about forts, the but I'm thrilled to be doing that, rather than whatever the fuck this is.
Today in LinkedIn: A Play in Three Acts
I. Open LinkedIn.
II. Read a post that says, in short, “Sure, my constant AI-equipped video monitoring of students to determine their attention at scale might be used for surveillance, but what if my version of the system is different?”
III. Close LinkedIn.
I. Open LinkedIn.
II. Read a post that says, in short, “Sure, my constant AI-equipped video monitoring of students to determine their attention at scale might be used for surveillance, but what if my version of the system is different?”
III. Close LinkedIn.
January 15, 2026 at 6:52 PM
My course on reading started yesterday, and because our classroom is freezing, I reminded them to bring layers and told them they could "build blanket forts under the tables" to read in.
I was mostly joking about forts, the but I'm thrilled to be doing that, rather than whatever the fuck this is.
I was mostly joking about forts, the but I'm thrilled to be doing that, rather than whatever the fuck this is.
Reposted by Steph Brown
Reposted by Steph Brown
When we say that surveillance is a threat to the First Amendment because it makes it so easy for police to intimidate or enact retribution on someone based on their politics--this is exactly what we mean. This is state repression done via data collection.
New story from @jcollins.bsky.social on ICE attempts to intimidate ICE Watch observers in Minneapolis, including ICE letting them know they know where they live—by leading them to their homes www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
January 13, 2026 at 6:25 PM
When we say that surveillance is a threat to the First Amendment because it makes it so easy for police to intimidate or enact retribution on someone based on their politics--this is exactly what we mean. This is state repression done via data collection.
Reposted by Steph Brown
We've extended the deadline for #SSN2026 submissions to Jan. 21. If you haven't submitted yet, please do so! We look forward to seeing you in Lille, France, in June! SSN is a diverse and welcoming community of scholars. Join us! @survstudiesnet.bsky.social @surveillancemw.bsky.social #surveillance
Still time to submit your abstracts till 10th of January for #SSN2026! Join us in Lille!
All info: ssn2026.sciencesconf.org
#surveillance #surveillancestudies
All info: ssn2026.sciencesconf.org
#surveillance #surveillancestudies
January 12, 2026 at 6:12 PM
We've extended the deadline for #SSN2026 submissions to Jan. 21. If you haven't submitted yet, please do so! We look forward to seeing you in Lille, France, in June! SSN is a diverse and welcoming community of scholars. Join us! @survstudiesnet.bsky.social @surveillancemw.bsky.social #surveillance
Sigh for UVa: "The search firm was presumably paid hundreds of thousands of dollars. For that investment, UVA [got] a process that failed to conduct due diligence that could have been completed in an afternoon using free tools and widely accessible databases."
augustafreepress.com/news/vanishi...
augustafreepress.com/news/vanishi...
How UVA’s presidential search missed what took us an hour to find
Inside Higher Ed frames the controversy surrounding Scott C. Beardsley's appointment as the University of Virginia's president.
augustafreepress.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:01 AM
Sigh for UVa: "The search firm was presumably paid hundreds of thousands of dollars. For that investment, UVA [got] a process that failed to conduct due diligence that could have been completed in an afternoon using free tools and widely accessible databases."
augustafreepress.com/news/vanishi...
augustafreepress.com/news/vanishi...
Ok, realized I was posting about a strike from fall, but this one stands:
Special mention to Contemporary Lit lead curator Helen Melody, who helped me access uncatalogued materials during the rebuild! But honestly, across the board the @britishlibrary.bsky.social staff are stellar and anyhow, ALL workers deserve a liveable wage!
January 11, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Ok, realized I was posting about a strike from fall, but this one stands:
Reposted by Steph Brown
As we near Martin Luther King’s birthday on January 15, let us introduce some and review for others, his definition and righteous understanding of “outside agitator” from “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in which he discusses the “interrelatedness of all communities and states,” arguing that 1/
January 10, 2026 at 11:58 PM
As we near Martin Luther King’s birthday on January 15, let us introduce some and review for others, his definition and righteous understanding of “outside agitator” from “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in which he discusses the “interrelatedness of all communities and states,” arguing that 1/
Reposted by Steph Brown
Watching videos of these shootings, I'm struck by how they mirror the kind of gunfire that's common in cop shows--with officers firing recklessly at suspects' cars.
Which I think speaks to both ICE's lack of training and the way cop-aganda media can erode our ability to see each others' humanity.
Which I think speaks to both ICE's lack of training and the way cop-aganda media can erode our ability to see each others' humanity.
“.. In the last four months alone, immigration officers have fired on at least nine people in five states and Washington, D.C. All of the individuals targeted in those shootings were, like the woman killed on Wednesday, fired on while in their vehicles.”
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
January 8, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Watching videos of these shootings, I'm struck by how they mirror the kind of gunfire that's common in cop shows--with officers firing recklessly at suspects' cars.
Which I think speaks to both ICE's lack of training and the way cop-aganda media can erode our ability to see each others' humanity.
Which I think speaks to both ICE's lack of training and the way cop-aganda media can erode our ability to see each others' humanity.
Reposted by Steph Brown
Given that we're pretty clearly at the "reject the evidence of your eyes and ears" stage it feels like a bit of hedge for the NYT to be busily analyzing video today.
"An analysis of footage from three camera angles shows that the motorist was driving away from—not toward—a federal officer when he opened fire."
Great video analysis of Minneapolis shooting from NYT. These frames show drawing of gun and exact moment of first shot.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Great video analysis of Minneapolis shooting from NYT. These frames show drawing of gun and exact moment of first shot.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
January 8, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Given that we're pretty clearly at the "reject the evidence of your eyes and ears" stage it feels like a bit of hedge for the NYT to be busily analyzing video today.
Reposted by Steph Brown
<whispers> what if the real "childcare fraud" is that they don't want women to work outside the home? 🤔
January 7, 2026 at 5:03 PM
<whispers> what if the real "childcare fraud" is that they don't want women to work outside the home? 🤔
Reposted by Steph Brown
HEY EVERYBODY STEPH WROTE A NEW ARTICLE
Wrote about some of the visuals in suffrage newspapers (1910-1914) as surveillance art the aimed at conveying state brutality for Modernism/modernity (@mmodernity.bsky.social). It came out on Print+ over the holiday! 1/
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
New on Print Plus: Stephanie J. Brown writes on the deployment of images that depict and enact surveillant mechanisms in her article, "Suffrage Journalism against State Brutality: Surveillance Art in Votes for Women and The Suffragette, 1910–1914": modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
January 6, 2026 at 7:55 PM
HEY EVERYBODY STEPH WROTE A NEW ARTICLE
Should have said in the original 🧵: this piece is indebted to @torinmonahan.bsky.social, in particular his piece in Cultural Studies, “Ways of Being Seen: Surveillance Art and the Interpellation of Viewing Subjects,” from a few years back.
Wrote about some of the visuals in suffrage newspapers (1910-1914) as surveillance art the aimed at conveying state brutality for Modernism/modernity (@mmodernity.bsky.social). It came out on Print+ over the holiday! 1/
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
New on Print Plus: Stephanie J. Brown writes on the deployment of images that depict and enact surveillant mechanisms in her article, "Suffrage Journalism against State Brutality: Surveillance Art in Votes for Women and The Suffragette, 1910–1914": modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
January 6, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Should have said in the original 🧵: this piece is indebted to @torinmonahan.bsky.social, in particular his piece in Cultural Studies, “Ways of Being Seen: Surveillance Art and the Interpellation of Viewing Subjects,” from a few years back.
Wrote about some of the visuals in suffrage newspapers (1910-1914) as surveillance art the aimed at conveying state brutality for Modernism/modernity (@mmodernity.bsky.social). It came out on Print+ over the holiday! 1/
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
New on Print Plus: Stephanie J. Brown writes on the deployment of images that depict and enact surveillant mechanisms in her article, "Suffrage Journalism against State Brutality: Surveillance Art in Votes for Women and The Suffragette, 1910–1914": modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
January 6, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Wrote about some of the visuals in suffrage newspapers (1910-1914) as surveillance art the aimed at conveying state brutality for Modernism/modernity (@mmodernity.bsky.social). It came out on Print+ over the holiday! 1/
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
modernismmodernity.org/articles/bro...
I know the word "Surveillance" isn't in @sselisker.bsky.social's post, but trust when I say that this is going to be a fascinating read for folks in Surveillance Studies who are thinking about literature...
New book going to press: *Character Networks in Contemporary U.S. Fiction.* It’s about social networks as context for—and formal element of—the novel. For contemporary lit, novel/narrative theory, DH, lit and sociology, network analysis crowds. Here’s what it’s about: (1/n)
January 6, 2026 at 5:33 PM
I know the word "Surveillance" isn't in @sselisker.bsky.social's post, but trust when I say that this is going to be a fascinating read for folks in Surveillance Studies who are thinking about literature...
In addition to all the other reasons this is bad, the PI for this study making a grad student be the recipient of a bunch of emails from extremely pissed off academics, rather than providing their own contact info, is trash behavior.
somebody at UChicago is feeding preprints to LLMs without authors' consent, in a research study
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
they have the gall to suggest to authors they've opted-in that they volunteer to evaluate the LLMs' suggestions regarding their own work.
lol, lmao even. here is the invite and my reply
January 6, 2026 at 4:16 PM
In addition to all the other reasons this is bad, the PI for this study making a grad student be the recipient of a bunch of emails from extremely pissed off academics, rather than providing their own contact info, is trash behavior.
Reposted by Steph Brown
On January 1, 1804, revolutionaries established the independent country of Haiti, the first nation to permanently ban slavery. As we begin a year engulfed by the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, it’s worth reading the Haitian Declaration of Independence in full. 🇭🇹
January 1, 2026 at 1:04 PM
On January 1, 1804, revolutionaries established the independent country of Haiti, the first nation to permanently ban slavery. As we begin a year engulfed by the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, it’s worth reading the Haitian Declaration of Independence in full. 🇭🇹
Amid the holidays, my book's publication anniversary was last week! It's been a great year of talking with readers, and people-who-didn't-read-it-but-had-questions-anyway.
utppublishing.com/doi/book/10....
utppublishing.com/doi/book/10....
Watching Women - University of Toronto Press
utppublishing.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Amid the holidays, my book's publication anniversary was last week! It's been a great year of talking with readers, and people-who-didn't-read-it-but-had-questions-anyway.
utppublishing.com/doi/book/10....
utppublishing.com/doi/book/10....
December 31, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Was teaching in a public space at the Victoria&Albert and my students all started intensely looking something up on phones. When I asked what was up they told me that Lady Gaga had just strolled through behind me while I was lecturing. (They were googling “Lady Gaga tattoos” to be sure it was her.)
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 30, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Was teaching in a public space at the Victoria&Albert and my students all started intensely looking something up on phones. When I asked what was up they told me that Lady Gaga had just strolled through behind me while I was lecturing. (They were googling “Lady Gaga tattoos” to be sure it was her.)
Reposted by Steph Brown
Microplastics are here to stay; that's why we need to eat them responsibly in the classroom
August 3, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Microplastics are here to stay; that's why we need to eat them responsibly in the classroom
Reposted by Steph Brown
I've heard so many critiques throughout the years about how Iowa had a hand in squashing working class literature but I have yet to see a strong corrective for this problem
December 28, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I've heard so many critiques throughout the years about how Iowa had a hand in squashing working class literature but I have yet to see a strong corrective for this problem
Reposted by Steph Brown
everyone knows that Starbucks workers are on strike and until there's a contract, don't buy anything there, right?!?!
After 45 days on ULP strike, you've got to get center joy! But don't let our dance moves fool you: we're serious about this strike. You can find us on the line until Starbucks stops union busting and settles a fair union contract.
paydayreport.com/starbucks-un...
paydayreport.com/starbucks-un...
Starbucks Union Keeps it Dancing on the Picket Line
On Saturday, with Pittsburgh bracing for an arctic blast, forty baristas gathered for a picket line in front of the Bloomfield Starbucks to complete the first month of their strike. They stayed warm w...
paydayreport.com
December 28, 2025 at 3:14 PM
everyone knows that Starbucks workers are on strike and until there's a contract, don't buy anything there, right?!?!
Very niche but the one that always gets me is English-speaking scholars who lean on Fanon’s Black Skin White Masks opening with “Look!” when the original (French) doesn’t do that. If you’re reading a translation and want to make word choice a big deal, make sure the word is in the original!
looking up the source of quotes, whether for a book or a video script, is great for figuring out when a quote everyone "knows" and has repeated for ages is actually just weird bullshit someone else made up
December 26, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Very niche but the one that always gets me is English-speaking scholars who lean on Fanon’s Black Skin White Masks opening with “Look!” when the original (French) doesn’t do that. If you’re reading a translation and want to make word choice a big deal, make sure the word is in the original!