Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 3h

Looks great Liam!

Reposted by Hannah Elias

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 8h

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Caroline Dodds Pennock @carolinepennock.bsky.social · 9h

God bless The Church Times for their ongoing insistence on responding moderately but forcefully to the Reverend Canon Nigel Biggar’s nonsense. www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/202...

Even given all that Biggar writes about the universality of slavery and the complicity of Africans, three things might be said. First, Britain played a key part and, however others may want to respond to their own history, it is morally responsible to face up to our own heritage. Second, as a Tory, he might have made more of Burke’s view that society is a partnership not just between the living, but between the living, the dead, and those still to be born. Third, guilt is not the only spur to action. There are the obligations that we owe one another irrespective of any personal responsibility for atrocities in the past.

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

John Maiden @johnmaiden.bsky.social · 1d

Our first @ihr.bsky.social Modern Religious History seminar of the year is 15 October at 17.30 UK time. Our speaker is @alephross.bsky.social .

To book:
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

#Skystorians #history @hannahelias.bsky.social @dralanagharris.bsky.social @graceheaton.bsky.social

Sex, Health and the Anglo-Jewish Body

This paper will explore the history of discourses around sexual health in Britain's Jewish community across the 20th century.

www.history.ac.uk

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Only in Birmingham podcast @onlyinbirmingham.bsky.social · 1d

#Handsworth could teach @RobertJenrick how to live in a global society. #BenjaminZephaniah - spirit of #Birmingham - said "Handsworth for me is...where I learnt all my skills, my communication skills, my hustling skills, my poetic skills, everything."

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 2d

Reading more closely - sorry - this is an article about a different kind of pay rise, but this was on my mind as institution I used to work for froze pay and grade promotions multiple times.

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 2d

The conversation about payrises in HE often obscures the fact that you have to be working above your pay grade for at least a year before getting the actual grade rise. So when grade promotions are delayed, that means years of working below value of your labour. Are any other fields like that?

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

David Hendy @davidhendy.bsky.social · 3d

Well, CNN are covering it at least, even if the British media are largely uninterested

UK mosque set ablaze with two people inside, police investigating suspected hate crime | CNN

A UK mosque was set ablaze with two people still inside in a suspected arson attack that police are treating as a hate crime.

www.cnn.com

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Runnymede Trust @runnymedetrust.bsky.social · 6d

We send our deepest condolences and love to Jewish communities across the country in the wake of this morning’s horrifying attack.

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 8d

Kicking off our fantastic line up with a showcase of new research! Get in touch if you are a postgraduate or early career researcher who would like to introduce their work to the field.

📍 Hybrid: N304, IHR, Senate House, WC1E 7HU and Online
📅 Thursday 16th October, 2025
⏰ 17:30
🔗 bit.ly/3INwCfO

Email Olivia.Wyatt@ed.ac.uk or Meleisa.Ono-George@history.ox.ac.uk to present online or in-person

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Art UK @artukdotorg.bsky.social · 7d

It's the start of #BlackHistoryMonth 🎨

This page gives you a useful starting point to begin exploring the work of Black artists on Art UK 👉 artuk.org/discover/art...

🧑‍🎨 Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (b.1977) © Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York and Corvi-Mora, London. 📷the artist.

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 8d

Are you an emerging scholar researching Black British history and looking for opportunities to share your research? Please get in touch with @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social or Meleisa Ono George via contact info below to take part in this ⚡️ talks session @ihr.bsky.social (and please share widely!)

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 8d

Kicking off our fantastic line up with a showcase of new research! Get in touch if you are a postgraduate or early career researcher who would like to introduce their work to the field.

📍 Hybrid: N304, IHR, Senate House, WC1E 7HU and Online
📅 Thursday 16th October, 2025
⏰ 17:30
🔗 bit.ly/3INwCfO

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7d

'Our public libraries are free in three critical senses. Firstly, they cost nothing to join and to use. Secondly, they are open to all in our communities. We must also add a third concept of freedom: the freedom to read – to engage, without restraint, a diversity of knowledge and opinion'.

Libraries are palaces for the people. Their ramparts need...

The spirit of inquiry that led to Britain’s first public library opening its doors 173 years ago needs to be rekindled

observer.co.uk

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 8d

Are you an emerging scholar researching Black British history and looking for opportunities to share your research? Please get in touch with @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social or Meleisa Ono George via contact info below to take part in this ⚡️ talks session @ihr.bsky.social (and please share widely!)

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 8d

Kicking off our fantastic line up with a showcase of new research! Get in touch if you are a postgraduate or early career researcher who would like to introduce their work to the field.

📍 Hybrid: N304, IHR, Senate House, WC1E 7HU and Online
📅 Thursday 16th October, 2025
⏰ 17:30
🔗 bit.ly/3INwCfO

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 8d

It’s less ‘countering Reform’ and more like Reform cosplay.

Reminds me of Cameron opening doors for Euroscepticism in his party’s mainstream and then being surprised when he couldn’t win referendum campaign to stay in Europe. Just bad strategy.

Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 8d

“anyone of color with half a brain knows this is what’s coming our way if these clowns continue with this. They’re opening a door they won’t be able to close again.”

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Mark Watson @watsoncomedian.bsky.social · 11d

You're right, but it's not just exam culture, it's the whole way we talk about education now - as a means to an end, a product. Your chosen degree being measured against other subjects in league tables of earning potential. The incentive to actually explore ideas, grow intellectually, shrinks.

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 13d

The IHR Black British History Seminar is now on Bluesky, thanks to @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social! Give a follow for updates:

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 13d

The IHR Black British History seminar series is now on BlueSky!

Follow us for updates and keep your eyes peeled for information about our upcoming seminars 👀

@ihr.bsky.social #BlackBritishHistory #historians #academia

Photograph of the Black People’s Day of Action, March 1981

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 12d

Ughhh someone please give this man’s comms team a history book and a morality check.

Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 13d

Same here.

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 13d

The IHR Black British History Seminar is now on Bluesky, thanks to @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social! Give a follow for updates:

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 13d

The IHR Black British History seminar series is now on BlueSky!

Follow us for updates and keep your eyes peeled for information about our upcoming seminars 👀

@ihr.bsky.social #BlackBritishHistory #historians #academia

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 14d

Seems like we’ve seen the signals of this coming as well 😓

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 14d

Excited to read this new book on the case for reparations! www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 14d

'Englishness is in crisis. But it's comforting to know that it has been for more than a thousand years.'

Great review of Catherine Clarke's new book. With a sharing link for 3 non-subscribers. on.ft.com/46jMcc9

A History of England in 25 Poems — verses in search of a national character

Catherine Clarke’s ambitious and often surprising collection tells the country’s messy, contested story, from the Venerable Bede to Liz Truss

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Hannah Elias

Dave Andress @davidandress.bsky.social · 16d

Europe's richest turkey demands cancellation of Christmas.

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 16d

Europe’s richest man opposes wealth tax.

Estimated to have wealth of $169bn (£125bn), resents paying extra €1bn (£817m).

Would it make any material difference to his lifestyle?

How does anyone get this rich without squeezing labour, customers?

Wealth opens doors to unaccountable political power.

Wealth tax would be deadly for French economy, says Europe’s richest man

LVMH owner Bernard Arnault, who could take €1bn hit, says proposed 2% levy ‘aims to destroy liberal economy’

www.theguardian.com

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 18d

Catherine Hall.

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