Philip Nel

@philnel.bsky.social

770 followers 590 following 700 posts

👨🏼‍🏫 Prof. he/him.
📚 Books on children's books & comics: https://philnel.com/writing/books/
📷 IG: thephilnel
🐘 Mastodon: @[email protected]
🎵 Spotify: thephilnel
🐦 Twitter (deleted acct in 2022): @philnel

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Philip W. Nel is an American scholar of children's literature and University Distinguished Professor of English at Kansas State University. He is best known for his work on Dr. Seuss and Harry Potter, which has led to him being a guest on such media programs as CBS Sunday Morning, NPR's Morning Edition, Talk of the Nation, and CNN's Don Lemon Tonight. .. more

Art 33%

Communication & Media Studies 22%

Posts Replies Media Videos

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Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · Jul 26

1/2 ⬇️ This is an excellent idea & I am co-signing & invite my fellow academics to join me. Academia depends on a lot of unpaid labor. Withhold your labor from Columbia. ⬇️

James Grimmelmann @jtlg.bsky.social · Jul 25

In light of Columbia's capitulation to the Trump regime's illegal and extortionate demands, I have resolved not to write for Columbia publications, speak at Columbia events, or perform other free labor for a university that has repudated its values.

3d.laboratorium.net/2025-07-25-c...

Columbia’s Capitulation

Universities exist to promote the discovery, preservation, and transmission of knowledge. While they can help make to make a society virtuous, prosperous, and free, they do so by pursing their mission...

3d.laboratorium.net

Reposted by Philip Nel

biscate @biscatti.bsky.social · 20h

John, I bet you already read this, but I really like this (regarding "LLM house styles"): marcusolang.substack.com/p/im-kenyan-...
It trully brings a perspective a lot of people don't consider when discussing this -- colonialism.

I'm Kenyan. I Don't Write Like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Writes Like Me.

I'm calm. I'm calm. I promise.

marcusolang.substack.com

Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · 1d

I believe this used to be called a self-own. And perhaps it still is. I’m not sure, but then I don’t know what a Gigachad is either — unless it’s one billion Chads? Seems excessive.

Reposted by Philip Nel

rudetuesday @rudetuesday.bsky.social · 1d

Library music is a recurring interest of mine. "Heavy Action" is among the most memorable.

Reposted by Philip Nel

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 1d

I agree with this.

Trumpago delenda est.

www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-rena...

Why every vestige of Trump must be torn down

He's trying to create a physical legacy. The moment he's out of power, it has to be smashed to bits.

www.publicnotice.co

Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · 2d

2/2 "....The fear of some comfort disappearing collides with a different fear—a fear that any society whose functioning demands one ignore carnage of this scale is by definition sociopathic”
— Omar El Akkad, One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · 2d

1/2 “A chasm has developed….On one side is a portion of society that fears nothing more than the discontinuation of normalcy...answering emails and meeting deadlines and maintaining productivity. On the other is that portion which, having witnessed the horror, is simply unable to continue as before"

Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · 2d

"Why write love poetry in a burning world?
To train myself, in the midst of a burning world
to offer poems of love to a burning world."
— Katie Farris
granta.com/katie-farris...

Four Poems

‘Ungraceful, the heart boinks: / drugged, suspended, spiderwebbed – ’ Four poems by Katie Farris.

granta.com

Reposted by Philip Nel

Kashana @kashana.blacksky.app · 2d

I’m only 3/4ths through this book, but I’m wrecked. Lots of people have correctly noted that it feels important, but (a) he’s a damn good storyteller, and (b) it’s hard to read this and not constantly see how the attempt to prop up the violence of western hegemony wrecks all our lives

AARD
么
WNNEP
ONE DAY, EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS
Omar El Akkad
Author of American War

Reposted by Philip Nel

Betsy Bird @fuse8.bsky.social · 4d

Day #27: 31 Days, 31 Lists: Blueberry Award Contenders (Celebrating the Environment). Today's list contains an appreciation of nature, a rallying cry for climate action, and titles that promote climate stewardship. #31Days31Lists #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2025/12/27/3...

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2025 Blueberry Award Contenders (Celebrating the Environment)

Today's list contains an appreciation of nature, a rallying cry for climate action, and titles that promote climate stewardship.

afuse8production.slj.com

Reposted by Philip Nel

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 4d

ICE agents spent Christmas Eve arresting a man in a Walmart parking lot—even taking his groceries for themselves.

A bystander asked ICE if she could take down the phone number of his wife to let her know her husband had been detained. The ICE agents refused.
trib.al/kF8CDpe

Reposted by Philip Nel

kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 4d

Here are the latest trends in comics censorship from 2025. As you might expect, more comics are being targeted and in particular, manga is feeling the heat. So, too, are adaptations, women's non fic, and more.

Big thanks to @anuncivilphd.bsky.social for her insights.

bookriot.com/trends-in-co...

The Latest Trends in Comics Censorship: Book Censorship News, December 26, 2025

What are the trends in comics censorship over the last year? A look at the data and titles being targeted, with help from a comics scholar.

bookriot.com

Reposted by Philip Nel

A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 4d

Fact | You can't write something predicated in the utterly ludicrous assumption that white men are being excluded from publishing unless you are racist.

Opinion | You can’t be diverse if you exclude white men
Those year-end book lists that claim to be all about diversity often seem to miss this one major demographic.

By Annie Holmquist

Reposted by Elena Litchman, Philip Nel

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 5d

The combination of federal funding cuts and rising prices is making it difficult for many food pantries to meet rising needs. Please consider supporting your local food pantry during this busy holiday season.

Find Your Local Food Bank and Holiday Food Boxes | Feeding America

Find the Feeding America member food bank nearest you. Over 200 member food banks can connect you with free food, food pantries, soup kitchens, and holiday food boxes in your community.

www.feedingamerica.org

Reposted by Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Philip Nel , and 4 more Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Philip Nel, Alan Richardson, Bessma Momani, Nathan P. Kalmoe, David Darmofal

The Analyst @militaryanalyst.bsky.social · 6d

JD VANCE THINKS BRITAIN & FRANCE ARE AMERICAS LIKELY ENEMIES.
The world is getting bizarrely screwed with this kind of bull being spewed out.

Reposted by Tom Clark, Philip Nel, Juan Cole , and 5 more Tom Clark, Philip Nel, Juan Cole, Alan Richardson, Peter Jacobsen, Richard M. Carpiano, Eric J. Segall, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 7d

That’s not how GDP works. But it is how propaganda works.

Reposted by Philip Nel

Sam Cohen @samcohen.bsky.social · 7d

It's a Chanukah miracle

Reposted by Philip Nel

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 7d

Do we charge for this? Or is it a free service we provide to friendly dictators?

Philadelphia Inquirer @inquirer.com · 8d

The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts as it moves to reshape the U.S. diplomatic posture abroad.

Trump removes nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial positions

www.inquirer.com

Reposted by Philip Nel

Mark Anthony Neal (@NewBlackMan on X) @markanthonyneal.bsky.social · 7d

Before she was America’s oldest park ranger, Betty Reid Soskin was a Black woman navigating wartime labor exclusion, and the paperwork of inequality
www.kolumnmagazine.com/2025/12/23/w...

Reposted by Philip Nel

Raw Story @rawstory.com · 7d

President Donald Trump's first-term Department of Justice declined to prosecute 10 of Jeffrey Epstein's "co-conspirators," according to files released this week.

Trump's DOJ declined to prosecute '10 co-conspirators': Epstein documents

President Donald Trump's first-term Department of Justice declined to prosecute 10 of Jeffrey Epstein's "co-conspirators," according to files released this week.On Tuesday, attorney Aaron Parnas pointed out that the revelation was from "by far the most important document released overnight.""There w...

bit.ly

Reposted by Philip Nel

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 7d

This is a fair and important question. Trump is a criminal, running a criminal syndicate from the Oval Office.

Reposted by Philip Nel

Jay Kuo @nycjayjay.bsky.social · 7d

I’m sorry, but blue states need to start finding ways to protest this politicized punishment. Perhaps they could refuse to pay federal employer taxes on state employees, for starters.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Steven S. Smith, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 4 more Steve Peers, Steven S. Smith, Rosemary A. Joyce, Philip Nel, Daniel W. Drezner, Ernesto Castañeda, David Darmofal

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 8d

Now that Bari Weiss pulled a segment telling the truth about Trump's deportations to let Stephen Miller have his say (i.e. spread propaganda), it's a good time to check out our deep dive into Miller's real worldview and agenda, which doesn't pull any punches:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...

Inside Stephen Miller’s Dark Plot to Build a MAGA Terror State

He is descended from Russian Jews—you know, the kind of people who were once denounced as alien and unassimilable. Today, his project is to unleash government persecution of those he deems alien and u...

newrepublic.com

Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Joanna Bryson, Steven Van de Walle , and 6 more Timothy Snyder, Joanna Bryson, Steven Van de Walle, Philip Nel, Gernot Wagner, Laurent Pech, David R. Miller, Aviel Roshwald, François Guesnet

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 8d

The CBS investigation portrays a modern concentration camp, similar to the Soviet GULAG (like CECOT, an acronym): sadistic guards, 24 hour lighting, isolation cells.
Americans once opposed this inhumane system.
The Trump administration sent innocent people there to suffer.

Timothy Burke @bubbaprog.xyz · 8d

The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Joanna Bryson, Naomi Klein , and 46 more Anne Applebaum, Joanna Bryson, Naomi Klein, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Nandita Sharma, Kimberly A. Prather, A. E. Dessler, Peter Thorne, Gordon Pennycook, Brendan Nyhan, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Steve Peers, John McLaren, Rosemary A. Joyce, Amir Attaran, Efrén O. Pérez, Guy Grossman, Philip Nel, Anders Nilsson, Juan Cole, Daniel W. Drezner, Clyde W. Barrow, David R. Miller, Robert Wolfe, Johann N. Neem, Michael Zimmer, Andrew L. Whitehead, Gerald Friedman, Jacob T. Levy, Robert B. Reich, Els Torreele, Jen Schneider, Paul Fisher, Ann Bartow, Leah Stokes, Greg Linden, Greg O’Brien, Gerardo Martí, Richard M. Carpiano, Joanna L. Grossman, Tim Stephens, Daxton R. Stewart, Nicole Guenther Discenza, Aviel Roshwald, John Christman, Dan Immergluck, Timothy D. McBride, Jesse R. Lasky, Pieter Vantieghem

Timothy Burke @bubbaprog.xyz · 8d

The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5

Reposted by Philip Nel

Susan Rinkunas @susanrinkunas.com · 11d

The devil works hard but Jonathan Mitchell works harder:

“A Waco justice of the peace who refused to marry same-sex couples filed a federal lawsuit Friday that asks the courts to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges…Hensley is represented by Jonathan Mitchell.”

Waco judge asks federal courts to overturn same-sex marriage

Judge Dianne Hensley, who has been fighting the state judicial oversight body since 2019, is hoping to tee up a new challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.

www.texastribune.org

Reposted by Philip Nel, Catherine Lutz

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 11d

There’s nothing stopping the people in Washington DC from naming their own things after the president

The Donald J. Trump Dumpster

The Donald J. Trump Port-a-Potty

The Donald J. Trump Municipal Waste Disposal Facility

Philip Nel @philnel.bsky.social · 11d

🤮 Also, congratulations to the Kennedy Center’s new management in their ongoing efforts to drive people away. (Ticket sales have plummeted by 50% since T**mp’s lackeys took it over.)

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 11d

Trump’s name is being added to the Kennedy Center today. 📸 Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Reposted by Philip Nel

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 11d

Trump’s name is being added to the Kennedy Center today. 📸 Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Reposted by Philip Nel

Celeste Pewter @celestepewter.bsky.social · 11d

😐

Here's my challenge for anyone with a Republican elected - demand they respond to this.

"How do you feel about the White House being in violation with a law the President signed?"

Make them answer.

DOJ won’t meet Friday deadline to release all the Epstein files

The delay means the White House is in apparent conflict with a law President Donald Trump signed in November.

www.politico.com

Reposted by Philip Nel, Sanford F. Schram, Alan Richardson , and 2 more Philip Nel, Sanford F. Schram, Alan Richardson, Adrian Daub, Dan Immergluck

More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 11d

Mitt Romney is in the New York Times saying we should tax the rich.

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