Andrew Thacker

@andrewthacker.bsky.social

1.4K followers 540 following 24 posts

Professor of Twentieth Century Literature, Nottingham Trent University. Modernism, periodicals, cricket.

Videos

Art 31%

History 26%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Moya Lloyd @moyalloyd.bsky.social · 1d

At the RBO to see Woolf Works. Fabulous!

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Scottish Universities Press @scotunipress.bsky.social · 8d

Looking for a new challenge in 2026?

Join SUP and support not-for-profit academic publishing.
We have three vacancies for editorial board members.

Submit your application by Monday 2 February 2026
https://www.sup.ac.uk/news/editorial-board-vacancies

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Madeleine Rose @madeleinerose.bsky.social · 11d

Delighted to see that my article, '"Many Little Wildernesses": Harriet Monroe, Poetry, and the Reader as Tourist' is out in the latest issue of the Journal of Modern Periodical Studies! doi.org/10.5325/jmodeperistud.16.2.0107

“Many Little Wildernesses”: Harriet Monroe, Poetry, and the Reader as Tourist

ABSTRACT. This article seeks to understand readerly experiences of the little magazine Poetry in the context of Harriet Monroe’s commitment to the American wilderness, combining insights from both per...

doi.org

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Ben Doyle @bendoyle.bsky.social · 11d

c.org/Zn2c8tjnVg

Sign the Petition

Hold a Parliamentary Debate on Palantir’s Role in UK Defence, Security & Public Services

c.org

Andrew Thacker @andrewthacker.bsky.social · 12d

A magical musical moment amidst the madness.

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 12d

brass solidarity band performing “stand by me” in the streets of whittier next to alex pretti’s memorial. the crowd started chanting “the people united will never be defeated” so they incorporated it into the song. i love minneapolis

taylr @taylordahlin.com · 12d

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Jan W. Mueller, Elizabeth Saunders , and 32 more Anna O. Law, Jan W. Mueller, Elizabeth Saunders, Rebecca Solnit, Stephan Lewandowsky, Axel Bruns, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers, Caroline Krafft, Lesley A. Hall, Richard Waite, Gernot Wagner, Trevon D. Logan, Smith, Robert C. Richards, David R. Miller, Aaron Sojourner, Martha Albertson Fineman, Adrian Daub, James Goodwin, Erol Akçay, Timothy Graham, Nancy Langston, Mark Rice, Andrew Thacker, Susan Strasser, Klaus Oschema, Nicole Guenther Discenza, Farah Mendlesohn, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Aidan O’Sullivan, David Darmofal, Shan Kothari

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14d

You have to read this. Firsthand affidavit from one of the women who was there and recording the video. She talks about how Alex Pretti was directing traffic when she arrived. She watched him be killed in front of her. She's afraid to go home, worried she'll be arrested.

1. I am a resident of the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am over 18 years of age. I am a children's entertainer who specializes in face painting.
2. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, at about 8:50 am, I was getting ready to go to work when I heard whistles outside. I knew the whistles meant that ICE agents were in the area, so I decided to check it out on my way to work. I've been involved in observing in my community because it is so important to document what ICE is doing to my neighbors. Connecting to your local community and knowing who your neighbors are is something I profoundly value.
3. I drove to Nicollet Ave. and 26th where I could hear the whistles coming from. I turned south onto Nicollet. There were already several ICE agents there and they'd set up a sort of vehicle convoy on Nicollet and 28th. There were also about 15 observers there, recording and observing ICE.
4. I saw ICE agents surrounding cars and punching car windows. I also saw them stopping vehicles further down Nicollet, so I backed up because I didn't feel safe continuing on.
5. I noticed a man sort of acting to help traffic move more smoothly. He helped me find a place to park. I got out with my whistle and my camera. I went over to him and said something like, "I'm going to film and use my whistle."
6. It seemed like most ICE activity was happening a little farther down the street from us, near 27th. Someone was being thrown to the ground.

7. I started recording. There was an agent by a car across the street. Two observers were a few feet away from the agent, blowing their whistles. One was wearing a backpack.
8. I and the man who was observing and helping direct traffic were standing in the street. There was a phone in the man's hand recording a video.
9. An agent approached and asked us to back up, so I moved slowly back onto the sidewalk.
10. The man stayed in the street, filming as the other observers I mentioned earlier were being forced backward by another ICE agent threatening them with pepper spray. The man went closer to support them as they got threatened, just with his camera out. I didn't see him reach for or hold a gun.
11. Then the ICE agent shoved one of the other observers to the ground. Then he started pepper spraying all three of them directly in the face and all over. The man with the phone put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him.
12. Then the man tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground. The ICE agents just kept spraying. More agents came over and grabbed the man who was still trying to help the woman get up. All three of the observers looked to have been badly affected by the pepper spray. I could feel the pepper spray in my eyes.

13. The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn't see him touch any of them-he wasn't even turned toward them. It didn't look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn't see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times.
14.1 don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.
15. The video I recorded of what happened accurately depicts the events leading up to the agents shooting him and several minutes afterwards. The video is attached as Exhibit 1.
16. I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong. The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground.
17. I feel afraid. Only hours have passed since they shot a man right in front me and I don't feel like I can go home because I heard agents were looking for me. I don't know what the agents will do when they find me. I do know that they're not telling the truth about what happened. I've heard that other witnesses might have been arrested and taken to the Whipple Building.
18. I am disgusted and gutted at how they are treating my neighbors and my state. I keep alternating between crying and feeling determined it is important to remember the value of documenting injustice. We show up for the people who need us to bear

witness, because it can't just be one group of people bearing the brunt of their tyranny. This is a struggle to protect our freedom and democracy, those things are on the line. He lost his life for those values.
I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.

Dated and signed on Jan 24, 2026 in Hennepin County, State of Minnesota.

Reposted by Lyn Robinson, Alice Reid, Andrew Thacker

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 20d

The UK university sector has gone beyond the red line and is now in a stage of rapid decomposition. Only a fundamental reset could save whole chunks of it. Probably too late for large parts.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Why are UK universities failing? - Impact of Social Sciences

The HE sector in the UK faces the prospect of a university going into administration. How have universities fallen so low and is change possible?

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

British Association for American Studies @officialbaas.bsky.social · 26d

The BAAS website has been updated with news of a whole host of new books in American Studies 📚

Digest Submission Archive - British Association for American Studies

Promoting, supporting and encouraging the study of the United States since 1955

buff.ly

Andrew Thacker @andrewthacker.bsky.social · 29d

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

No, private schools aren’t victims of ‘reverse discrimination’ – and Cambridge should know better | Lee Elliot Major

Trinity Hall’s plan to target elite schools sends the message that privilege equals talent, when the reality is that poorer students are already on the back foot, says professor of social mobility at ...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Andrew Thacker

British Association for Modernist Studies (BAMS) @modernistudies.bsky.social · 29d

This is also a good time to mention that nominations are open for *5* positions on the BAMS committee & *3* postgraduate representative roles. To apply see here bams.ac.uk & for an idea of what being a PGR Rep involves, see a blog from our reps here: modernistreviewcouk.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/b...

BAMS Elections: A Representative Dialogue

20 December 2025 At the end of another year and the start of the holiday season, it is once again time for the BAMS elections. As current Postgraduate Representatives, we would like to take this ti…

modernistreviewcouk.wordpress.com

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · Jan 3

Not the main thing ofc, but indicting a foreign head of state for conspiring to possess a machine gun is low key hilarious.

Reposted by Brigitte Nerlich, Gavin A. Schmidt, Jonathan A. Foley , and 5 more Brigitte Nerlich, Gavin A. Schmidt, Jonathan A. Foley, Leigh Sparks, James Goodwin, Andrew Thacker, Philipp Sarasin, Pauline Stafford

Durrell @durrell.bsky.social · Dec 20

Pantone just updated their Color Of The Year

Reposted by Dolly Jørgensen, Andrew Thacker, Dan Hicks

The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · Dec 17

Very welcome news today that the UK will join the Erasmus+ programme in 2027. This will enable greater opportunities for study abroad and contributions in UK universities, and is something we called for in our most recent Manifesto.

Reposted by Susan J. Smith, Bill Bowring, Andrew Thacker

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Dec 16

British Academy's pioneering 'cold spots' work now replicated by HESA.

'University "cold spots" are developing in some parts of the country, new data analysis suggests, with courses in some subjects no longer available to students in certain regions.' 1/2

University students facing course 'cold spots' as enrolments fall

New data analysis suggests courses like artificial intelligence are surging in popularity as languages fall.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Wonkhe @wonkhe.bsky.social · Dec 8

NEW on Wonkhe: The abolition of the binary divide in HE made visible the wealth of research excellence in what became known as the post-92 part of the sector. Katie Normington worries that forcing specialisation risks eroding longstanding research ecosystems buff.ly/a2Lusby

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Thea Pitman @theapitman.bsky.social · Nov 9

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

University of Nottingham students fight 'insane' cull of courses

Traitors composer Sam Watts is among those against plans to cut University of Nottingham courses.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Margot C. Finn, Andrew Thacker

Danielle Terrazas Williams @drdanielletw.bsky.social · Nov 5

Postdoc Opportunity!

University of Rochester - Postdoctoral Fellowship in Digital Humanities

networks.h-net.org/jobs/69418/u...

University of Rochester - Postdoctoral Fellowship in Digital Humanities | H-Net

networks.h-net.org

Reposted by Greg Walker, Margot C. Finn, Andrew Thacker

Ronald Hartz @ronaldhartz.bsky.social · Nov 5

“Four years ago, we suffered an earlier redundancy programme that we were told would secure the future of the university. That clearly was not true."

#UKHE

www.leicester.news/university-o...

University of Leicester moves forward with plans to cut 150 jobs

A 'large number of staff' across several schools could be impacted

www.leicester.news

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

John Raimo @johnraimo.bsky.social · Oct 31

Open-access and in print - Muireann Maguire (@muireanndinosaur.bsky.social), Invading the American Canon: Translators of Russian Literary Fiction, 1863-1984 (@bloomsburyhist.bsky.social, @bloomsburylit.bsky.social, 2025; h/t @jrdwrrn.bsky.social, #skystorians) www.bloomsbury.com/us/invading-...

Invading the American Canon

Through case studies of émigré literary translators and editors, this open access book traces how Russian literature kindled the American imagination in the 20t…

www.bloomsbury.com

Reposted by Tim M. Blackburn, Ben C. Sheldon, Marco Festa‐Bianchet , and 3 more Tim M. Blackburn, Ben C. Sheldon, Marco Festa‐Bianchet, Martin Paul Eve, Margot C. Finn, Andrew Thacker

Dave Vetter @davidrvetter.bsky.social · Oct 29

Private Eye nailing it.

A story in Private Eye, headlined "Minority representation on TV causes outrage". The article reads: "There has been widespread support for prominent Reform MP Sarah Pochin after she complained about the over-representation of minorities on television.

Said one angry viewer, "She's right. Every time you turn on the telly there's another Reform MP being interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg."

She added, "I respect their way of life and their strange customs, but Reform MPs comprise only 0.7 percent of the House of Commons. Yet Nigel Farage is on Question Time more than Fiona Bruce."

"I'm not prejudiced. Some of my best friends are swivel-eyed loons, but enough is enough. There are too many people with angry red faces on television."

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · Oct 23

Southampton Solent University accused of “unprecedented” attempt to move staff on to “inferior” pension schemes, with those not complying facing losing their jobs www.timeshighereducation.com/news/southam... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social

Southampton Solent pensions row ‘sets concerning precedent’

Union claims that professional service staff have been told to move on to subsidiary firm with less generous pension scheme, or face losing their job

www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Oct 22

'And some academics are angry that universities are allowing or even encouraging the use of AI tools — many of which are controlled by companies, have unknown cognitive impacts and are dogged by ethical and environmental concerns.'

Universities are embracing AI: will students get smarter or stop thinking?

Millions of students arriving at campuses are now using artificial intelligence. Worries abound.

www.nature.com

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Andrew Thacker

Andrew Hobbs @drewhobbs.bsky.social · Oct 22

New open-access article on a peculiar type of periodical, the county magazine:
Rural Modernity in an Interwar English County Magazine: Cheshire Life, 1934–39
doi.org/10.1080/1478...
In Cultural and Social History

Rural Modernity in an Interwar English County Magazine: Cheshire Life, 1934–39

There are some eighty-five county magazines across England, read by millions. This case study of 1930s Cheshire Life explains their appeal and demonstrates their value for twentieth-century social ...

doi.org

Reposted by Stuart Elden, Andrew Thacker

Foucault News @foucault-news.bsky.social · Oct 22

Relectures féministes de Michel Foucault. Colloque International (2025)

Feminist Re-readings of Michel Foucault, Hybrid, 7–8 Nov 2025, Sciences Po, Paris Registration link for anyone who might wish to attend online Friday, November 7, 2025 (room K011) 9:15–10:00 – Introduction Judith Revel…

Relectures féministes de Michel Foucault. Colloque International (2025)

Feminist Re-readings of Michel Foucault, Hybrid, 7–8 Nov 2025, Sciences Po, Paris Registration link for anyone who might wish to attend online Friday, November 7, 2025 (room K011) 9:15–10:00 – Introduction Judith Revel (Université Paris Nanterre) & Frédéric Gros (Sciences Po) 10:00–10:30 – Coffee break (for speakers and audience) 10:30–12:00 – Panel 1: Building Feminist Agency Beyond Foucault’s Elusions…

michel-foucault.com

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

Keats-Shelley Assoc. @ksaacomm.bsky.social · Oct 21

Are you a grad student, untenured faculty member, or an independent scholar doing research in Romantic-era literature and culture? There's still time to apply for a Pforzheimer Award!

Apply by Nov. 1 to be considered.

Find more information here: www.k-saa.org/pforzheimera...

Carl H. Pforzheimer, Jr, Award — K-SAA

www.k-saa.org

Reposted by Paul Fisher, Andrew Thacker

Jeremy Zoss @jzossmpls.bsky.social · Oct 18

The most Minnesotan protest sign. #NoKings

Reposted by Andrew Thacker

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · Oct 2

Tony Harrison’s poem ‘V.’ is to be performed in the Leeds cemetery that inspired it.

The day of site-specific readings will now also serve as a tribute to the poet, who died last week.

Read the article: www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/s...

Book tickets here: www.slunglow.org/v-a-homecomi...

Tony Harrison’s poem V to be performed in the Leeds cemetery that inspired it

The site-specific performance of the once controversial poem was planned for its 40th anniversary in October, but will now double as a tribute to the writer who died last week

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Steve Peers, Martin Paul Eve, Andrew Thacker , and 1 more Steve Peers, Martin Paul Eve, Andrew Thacker, Jeroen Van Bouwel

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · Oct 2

ICYMI on Tuesday, here's my *new* and *free* short-form summary of what's gone wrong in our universities. This is something of a last word really, because unless the Budget and White Paper do something really radical, the fate of much HE is already sealed.
politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/where-n...

Where now for Britain’s Universities?

UK higher education now faces a very bleak future, retreating in the face of little public sympathy and limited political interest.

politicalquarterly.org.uk

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