Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Huw Bennett

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2h

“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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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 1d

A superb sketch pointing out the mindless idiocy of the racist, Robert Jenrick.

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 1d

It's quite wrong to suggest Robert Jenrick is a racist. Racists believe in something. My SKETCH.

Rob whistle | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine

The day had begun with Robert Jenrick accused of racism. This is of course quite unfair. Racists believe in something. Some of us remember Jenrick as a chubby-cheeked fan of David Cameron fighting the…

thecritic.co.uk

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 1d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 6d

Opinion: It would be a hugely welcome development to discover that we have not merely reached social media saturation point, but that the experience has been degraded to such an extent that it has shocked people out of their stupor. on.ft.com/476Dcr8

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Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 6d

In the current issue of Ab Imperio: a defence of scholarly integrity against right wing historical propaganda:
Full text here:

alanlester.co.uk/blog/accusat...

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German Embassy London @uk.diplo.de · 6d

“This morning, Germany is one nation again.”

This is how BBC Breakfast News reported on German reunification, 35 years ago today.

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Timothy Nunan @timothynunan.bsky.social · 9d

This call for applications for a First Book Workshop from @toynbeeprize.bsky.social looks like a terrific opportunity for early-career scholars working on "global, imperial, comparative, world, or transnational history": toynbeeprize.org/posts/call-f.... Deadline is November 2, 2025.

Call For Applications: Toynbee First Book Workshop Competition 2025-26 | Toynbee Prize Foundation

toynbeeprize.org

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 9d

The semester is still young - too soon to give up on our dreams.

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 9d

Lecturing today for the first time in a business school building and oh, what a different world. By the end I was almost offended butlers had failed to enter with trays of canapés for us all.

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 9d

A valuable reflection on migration, British politics and, above all, the need to remember the humanity and contribution of migrants in all our lives.

Tanja Bueltmann @tanjabueltmann.net · 9d

When I was a teenager there was a bus direct from my hometown in Germany to London - we had a British army base, and this direct bus connection was one of the benefits of that. One summer I went on that bus to go volunteer in an old people's home in Southend-on-Sea. I had just turned 18 and was... 🧵

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Mark Urban @markurban.bsky.social · 10d

Newly released secret files show how the government tried to thwart publication of my book Big Boys' Rules (£) www.thetimes.com/uk/history/a...

Mark Urban: How the secret state tried to ban my book on the Troubles

Declassified files show that my exposé of SAS tactics against the IRA frayed nerves in Whitehall. But it was an ally’s betrayal that really surprised me

www.thetimes.com

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Professor Anna Vignoles @annavignoles.bsky.social · 16d

@leverhulme.ac.uk is supporting this fantastic BA podcast for early career researchers.

It's an exciting but stressful transition period for many and sharing experiences is definitely helpful. Enjoy!!

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

Our new podcast by ECRs, for ECRs is here. Tune in as researchers share their academia survival tips.

The first episodes of Confessions of an Early Career Researcher are available now. Subscribe for our final episodes, going live 15 October. https://bit.ly/47PXZQH

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 20d

There’s an argument that the U.K. lacks the supply side capacity to cope with any radical, rapid re-orientation away from the USA. E.g. the recent reports on warship construction being shifted to Spain due to problems at H&W in Belfast.

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 25d

Labour wants to speak for "ordinary working people". It wants to be the party of patriotism & "national renewal". It badly needs a purpose & a moral mission.

Well here it is.

It is way past time to "speak for Britain" against billionaire-backed movements that want to terrorise ordinary Britons.

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 25d

All taxpayer-funded organisations in the U.K. should shut their X accounts immediately. This outlet is inciting violence and endangering the public.

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · 25d

Elon Musk appears to be inciting violence in the United Kingdom. If that is so, the authorities must enforce the law and protect the public.

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Thomas Leahy @thomasdmleahy.bsky.social · Sep 8

Great to feature with Dan Snow on his HistoryHit podcast for two episodes on Irish History up to the present involving N.Ireland - part one below podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

The Origins of The Troubles (Part 1)

Podcast Episode · Dan Snow's History Hit · 07/09/2025 · 1h 19m

podcasts.apple.com

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Annette Dittert @annettedittert.bsky.social · Sep 7

On Chris Mason, the new enthusiastic Farage fanboy.
It’s absolutely irresponsible how the BBC has let him report on that party conference.

And let me repeat : The BBC is an important institution and they are getting a lot right, as well.

But here they haven’t.

Cometh the hour, cometh the conman

This is how democracy dies: not with a bang but a simper

open.substack.com

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David Fitzgerald @davidfitzgerald.bsky.social · Sep 7

Shameless self-promotion and all of that, but it is genuinely unsettling to see how some of the most cartoonish ideas that I came across while writing the book have turned into actual policy.

Amy J. Rutenberg @amyjay401.bsky.social · Sep 7

The seeds that are currently bearing fruit in a Department of War focused on “maximum lethality” rather than “tepid legality” were planted in 1990s. Time for more folks to read David Fitzgerald’s excellent Uncertain Warriors #milhist #civmil www.cambridge.org/core/books/u...

Uncertain Warriors

Cambridge Core - Military History - Uncertain Warriors

www.cambridge.org

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Ryan Estrada @ryanestrada.com · Sep 6

Just a reminder to check for your name in this list of books that OpenAI trained from. If your name is there, they probably owe you several thousand dollars.

OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.

Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI

Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

www.theatlantic.com

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Huw Bennett @bennetthuw.bsky.social · Sep 5

Congratulations Tom, fantastic news!

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Dr. Dan Lomas @sandbaggerone.bsky.social · Sep 2

⁉️ Earlier this year we saw Blaise Metreweli selected as the next "C". But how do you appoint an SIS/MI6 Chief?

In this Diplomacy & Statecraft article, we use archival material to study the process and the role of officials in picking "C".

The article is free to read:

🔗 t.co/PzFDdPcg2i

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Maja Davidović @majadav.bsky.social · Aug 28

I am giving away one *free copy* of my new book "Governing the Past: 'Never Again' and the Transitional Justice Project". Simply repost to enter the draw. I will randomly select the lucky reader on Friday 5 September. The book can be shipped within the UK or internationally!

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King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence (KCSI) @kcsi.uk · Aug 26

🚨Publication alert:

Our KCSI members, Huw Dylan and Elena Grossfeld (@kloosha.bsky.social) have published an #openaccess article.

'Unveiling Russian intelligence failures in the Ukraine conflict: a strategic culture perspective' @warstudieskcl.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1080/0268...

Unveiling Russian intelligence failures in the Ukraine conflict: a strategic culture perspective

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was accompanied by a major intelligence failure. Russia’s intelligence machinery failed strategically and tactically, leaving leaders surprised and for...

doi.org

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Illuminations @illuminations.bsky.social · Aug 18

Calling historians and researchers. The BBC Written Archives Centre has changed its access rules without consultation. This means an end to proper independent research into the BBC's rich history. 178 have already signed the open letter. Please join the campaign:

tinyurl.com/bbcwaccampaign

Open letter BBC Written Archives - August 2025

Join the campaign to protect the future of independent research at the BBC Written Archives Centre The following text is an open letter expressing the concern of historians and researchers about chan...

tinyurl.com

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