Lesley A Hall
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erinacean.bsky.social
Lesley A Hall
@erinacean.bsky.social
12K followers 460 following 3.5K posts

Archivist, historian, reader, Londoner, feminist
@erinacean
@[email protected]
www.lesleyahall.net
https://lesleyahall.blogspot.com/

Videos
History 49%
Political science 20%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

timothysnyder.bsky.social
Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 3h
The story was always already about an impoverished unmarried couple facing a pitiless bureaucracy, having a baby in a barn, and then having to hide from a tyrant. The baby grew up to say that the poor were blessed and the neighbor is he who shows mercy. You can’t hide from the politics of all that.
cnn.com CNN @cnn.com · 15d
This year, statues of tall men clad in all black with masks drawn up to hide their faces are disrupting the serenity of a Charlotte church's Nativity scene.

The figures are depicted approaching the Holy Family and the Wise Men with handcuffs as if preparing to make an arrest.
As anti-ICE Nativity scenes spark outrage, faith leaders grapple with politics at the pulpit | CNN
As Nativity scenes depicting ICE draw attention and outrage, faith leaders are grappling with politics in religion and urging a closer reading of the Christmas story.
www.cnn.com

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Greg Walker, Judith Jesch

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h
2025 has been a rotten year for most early career postdoctoral researchers, especially in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
Early Career Researcher Network
An inclusive, researcher-led network for UK-based early career researchers working in the humanities and social sciences
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

openspacessociety.bsky.social
Open Spaces Society @openspacessociety.bsky.social · 9h
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. Our work would not be possible without you. Thank you, and happy new year 💚

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

louiestowell.bsky.social
Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 9h
VERY niche book rec request: I'd like to read a non fic about private military contractors in the late 20th/early 21st century. Also one on private government contractors who are rubbish, a la G4S. (Or one on both, rubbish private military contractors also welcome!)

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

profelainechalus.bsky.social
Prof. Elaine Chalus @profelainechalus.bsky.social · 10h
I'm wondering if anyone knows of books/articles on society/society & politics in late 18th century/French Revolutionary Ratisbon/Regensburg (in French or English). I'm not having much luck finding anything. All suggestions welcome. #skystorians #c18th 🗃️

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

seththevoz.bsky.social
Dr Seth Thévoz @seththevoz.bsky.social · 10h
“Well, I’ve come here today to Greenwich, to have a think about what the country used to be,” says man clearly standing in front of a green screen, with an image of Greenwich superimposed behind him.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social
Natalie Bennett @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social · 10h
My letter in the Financial Times today.

Don't insult cockroaches by comparing them to the dodgy companies fueled by private equity

#Biodiversity #FinancialSector
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email licensing@ft.com to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. https://www.ft.com/content/317bd677-394d-4d4a-b2a8-9daf5d5790c7 There are some 5,000 species of cockroach, many filling vital ecological niches, from pollinating the fascinating non-photosynthesising plants Balanophora to being key to the survival of the red-cockaded woodpecker. So I would take issue with Jamie Dimon. The chief executive of JPMorgan Chase is quoted by Brooke Masters in her column (December 30) in the series “2025 A year in a word”, when he compares cockroaches to the parasitic, often fraud-ridden companies that have been fuelled by cheap, careless credit from private equity investors. The real cockroaches are far more productive and useful to the world, and (even the species that dog our footsteps around the world) far less dangerous to our security and wellbeing. Natalie Bennett Green Peer, House of Lords, London SW1, UK

erinacean.bsky.social
Lesley A Hall @erinacean.bsky.social · 11h
'Cultures who do not respect women': 'Former Tory councillor in court accused of drugging and raping ex-wife'
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Former Tory councillor in court accused of drugging and raping ex-wife
Philip Young appears at Swindon magistrates court charged with 56 offences relating to 13-year period
www.theguardian.com

erinacean.bsky.social
Lesley A Hall @erinacean.bsky.social · 11h
For a more nuanced view of C19th psychiatry in general, I have been spending years compiling this bibliography - it wasn't all restraints and stigma - www.lesleyahall.net/victpsyc.htm
Victorian Psychiatry
www.lesleyahall.net

erinacean.bsky.social
Lesley A Hall @erinacean.bsky.social · 11h
While I am yay! for what they were doing there, they were building on a tradition going back to the Retreat at York pretty much a century earlier en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ret...
The Retreat - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

lombardinash.bsky.social
Michael Lombardi-Nash @lombardinash.bsky.social · 11h
Early #GermanGayRightsMovement books by Magnus Hirschfeld offer more than historical accounts; they provide a lens through which readers can reflect on societal change, resilience, and the power of collective action. #MagnusHirschfeld #LGBTQhistory 🏳️‍⚧️🌈
www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1P5Q32T
Annual of Sexual Intermediaries Volume VI Part 2 (1904)
Annual of Sexual Intermediaries Volume VI Part 2 (1904) [Hirschfeld, Magnus, Lombardi-Nash, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Annual of Sexual Intermediaries Volume VI Part 2 (1904)
www.amazon.com

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

goodlawproject.org
Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 12h
Here is the proposal of an incredibly eminent group of UK economists and tax experts for a wealth tax. It can hardly be described as unicorn or fantasy economics.
Wealth Tax Commission
Project to study whether the UK should have a wealth tax
www.ukwealth.tax

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

sshmedicine.bsky.social
Society for the Social History of Medicine (SSHM) @sshmedicine.bsky.social · 12h
As we welcome in the New Year 🎉 and things to look forward to in 2026……
A reminder of the deadline for proposals for #SSHM2026 (University of Leeds, 30 June- 3 July 2026)
Deadline for abstracts: 11 January
SSHM 2026: In/Out
Location: University of Leeds Dates: 30 June to 3 July 2026 Submission Deadline: 5.00pm (GMT) 11th January 2026 Conference Co-Convenors: Dr Alexia Moncrieff & Dr Katherine Rawlin…
sshm.org

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

therightarticle.bsky.social
Michael @therightarticle.bsky.social · 12h
Nearly thirty years ago, a young barrister called Keir Starmer defended a group of activists after they damaged armaments destined for a brutal war in Asia. Why is a Starmer-led government now cracking down on similar protests?
Red Keir and the Right to Protest
Nearly thirty years ago, a young barrister called Keir Starmer defended a group of activists after they damaged armaments destined for a brutal war in Asia. Why is a Starmer-led government now crackin...
tribunemag.co.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

oddthisday.bsky.social
Coates is Odd This Day @oddthisday.bsky.social · 12h
Of course, this was the olden days, so the iguanodon was still rather a chunky beast, and still had a horn on its nose, rather than thumb spikes
The two Crystal Palace iguanodons – large scaly creatures with thick legs, which would move around on all fours, and have small horns on their noses. They stand in a wooded landscape, with one of them higher up on a stone slab, the other, in front, its foreleg on a sculpted branch

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 12h
'The trust wants to buy the Rothbury estate, put up for sale by the Duke of Northumberland’s youngest son, Max Percy. At more than 3,800 hectares (nearly 15 sq miles), the Rothbury estate is the largest piece of land in single ownership to come up for sale in England for more than 30 years.' 1/3
Northumberland nature recovery project takes shape with biggest land sale in 30 years
Wildlife trust is raising funds to buy largest piece of land in single ownership to come up for sale in England for a generation
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Marc Lynch, Steve Peers, Lesley A. Hall , and 3 more

naomiaklein.bsky.social
Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 14h
Calls to strip pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his British citizenship pile torment on top of torture.

New piece by me on a dangerous and manufactured storm:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s tweets were wrong, but he is no ‘anti-white Islamist’. Why does the British right want you to believe he is? | Naomi Klein
I have no interest in defending his social media posts, but calls to strip the newly freed activist of British citizenship pile torment on top of torture, says Naomi Klein, Guardian US columnist and c...
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Lusine Grigoryan

rebeccasear.bsky.social
Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 15h
“Our culture is cosmopolitan because we are a cosmopolitan species. We are citizens of the world, not nations, to paraphrase both Socrates and Thomas Paine. What has allowed us to thrive, physically and culturally, is not our rootedness but our mobility”

aeon.co/essays/there...
There are no pure cultures – we have always been global | Aeon Essays
All of our religions, stories, languages and norms were muddled and mixed through mobility and exchange throughout history
aeon.co

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

thattimwalker.bsky.social
thattimwalker.bsky.social @thattimwalker.bsky.social · 23h
Why no honour for Samir Zitouni?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Train hero Samir Zitouni wakes in hospital and speaks to wife - BBC News
The injured crew member is credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing incident.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

wired.com
WIRED @wired.com · 23h
When her son died in utero, a venture capitalist went to extremes to punish her surrogate.
The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It?
When her son died in utero, a venture capitalist went to extremes to punish her surrogate.
wrd.cm

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

lombardinash.bsky.social
Michael Lombardi-Nash @lombardinash.bsky.social · 1d
The Gay Rights Movement began in Germany: Scientific study of sexuality. First sex reassignment surgeries. Study of Intersexuality. A vibrant LGBT night life in Berlin. Before the backlash -- the oppression and mass murder of the fascist Nazi years. 🌈🏳️‍⚧️Ο
www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW1CCLYZ
Annual of Sexual Intermediaries Volume IV Part 1 (1902)
Amazon.com: Annual of Sexual Intermediaries Volume IV Part 1 (1902) eBook : Hirschfeld, Magnus, Lombardi-Nash, Michael: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d
Arts, literature and history stronger sources of pride than politics and economics, notwithstanding relentless campaigning against them.
anthonypainter.bsky.social Anthony Painter @anthonypainter.bsky.social · 1d
The number of people who are proud of Britain's political influence in the world is plummeting.

A big legitimacy question here. It also questions whether deals with Trump will get domestic credit. Israel is a factor too no doubt.
Pride in Britain changes 2013-2025

Reposted by Will Jennings, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers , and 4 more

jdportes.bsky.social
Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 1d
Think @sundersays.bsky.social is accurate here.

The UK has not suddenly become much more racist.

However the (re)normalisation of open racism by "respectable" right-wing media and politicians has led to both increased visibility for open racists, & radicalisation of some "soft" racists/xenophobes
sundersays.bsky.social Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 1d
Longterm intergenerational shift is a civic widening of inclusion. The short-term shift is hardening views within the minority position
bsky.app/profile/prof...
profjohndrury.bsky.social John Drury @profjohndrury.bsky.social · 1d
Today's opinion poll news in context. The longer term trend has been away from ethno-nationalism.

Source:
Butt S, Clery E, Curtice J, editors (2022). British Social Attitudes: The 39th Report. National Centre for Social Research.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Paul E. Smaldino, Michael H. Whitworth , and 1 more

drlindseyfitz.bsky.social
Dr Lindsey Fitzharris @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social · 1d
OMG - f*ck AI for ruining the em-dash for writers. I use them all the time. Of course, what a shock that AI uses them since they were trained off my voice and other authors' voices.
jenzings.bsky.social Jen Zingsheim Phillips @jenzings.bsky.social · 1d
I'm a writer who has specifically been directed *not* to use em-dashes because "they mean it was written by AI." I can detect AI writing, but it is not simply a matter of the punctuation used.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

joparsons.bsky.social
Joanne Ella Parsons @joparsons.bsky.social · 1d
Do join us for the Inaugural International Women's Writing Association conference in Falmouth www.cfplist.com/CFP/46601

#iwwa @womenswritingassoc.bsky.social
The CFP List
An academic call for papers database.
www.cfplist.com

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Steven French, Lesley A. Hall

niblick-iii.bsky.social
Confidently Paranoid @niblick-iii.bsky.social · 1d
Guys guys guys, I found the archive of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (it's not an achievement, they've not hidden them) - you can watch every single one since they started televising them in the 60s:

www.rigb.org/christmas-le...

I love watching them every year, now I can see them all!
Watch the Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES archive
Watch all the Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES back to 1966, when the lectures were first televised.
www.rigb.org

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

nakedanthropolo.bsky.social
Laura Agustín @nakedanthropolo.bsky.social · 1d
From 1821 English courts began transporting convicted criminals to Australia, for crimes mostly considered trivial today. In Australia having a convict-ancestor is now a source of pride. Two million Brits have convict-ancestors, but how many are proud of it? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-way-to...
The Way to Botany Bay: Sentenced to Transportation
History of Islington youths convicted of theft and condemned to hang who were instead shipped to Australia where they are called founders.
www.eventbrite.co.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Kathleen Kennedy

thehubble101.bsky.social
Nick Hubble @thehubble101.bsky.social · 1d
My post on Cold Comfort Farm as an SF text has attracted some visits over the past few days. It is my all-time most visited post, which I suspect is a consequence of its perennial popularity.
Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm as SF Text
[This follows on from my previous post on Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own as SF Text but this is really thoughts rather than a fully fledged argument! – 2024 Update: there are some more …
prospectiveculture.wordpress.com

Reposted by Becky Francis, Lesley A. Hall, Maria Abreu , and 1 more

scottsantens.com
Scott Santens @scottsantens.com · 1d
Spoiler: They used the money just as wisely as anyone else would, and it's so frustrating that this still isn't a common sense assumption to make.
One man used some of the money to pay off debts and the remainder to furnish a new home, as he moved out of temporary accommodation. A parent bought a car to be able to drop their children off at school and one participant has used the money to fund driving lessons and hopes to buy a car. Another young man also paid off debts and began researching courses to enable him to find work as a plumber. One woman said that the money came just at the right time, as she was struggling with childcare costs. For a young person who wasn’t able to study at university because they couldn’t afford the fees, the money has given them hope to continue pursuing education. Several participants gave money or bought gifts for relatives or friends. Three months after receiving the windfall, some people had not spent all of the money and put left-over cash in a bank account as savings. So far, there have been no adverse outcomes for participants taking part in this trial. Michael Sanders, professor of public policy at King’s College London, which is evaluating the trial, said: “Evidence from Canada suggests that when people experiencing homelessness get a cash sum they invest in themselves and in their future.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall

marieallitt.bsky.social
Dr Marie Allitt @marieallitt.bsky.social · 1d
Does anyone have a citation for the claim that Thomas Browne introduced or coined ‘medical’ for the English language? #EarlyModern #Etymology #Coinage