Elsbeth
@historecluse.bsky.social
Historian of epidemics, exhibitions, hospital medicine, the state, taxes, civilization and, currently, US economic thought.
Indeed. I just made a tiramisu cake.
From Sally’s Baking cookbook (birthday present from my daughter who helped roll).
sallysbakingaddiction.com/sallys-bakin...
From Sally’s Baking cookbook (birthday present from my daughter who helped roll).
sallysbakingaddiction.com/sallys-bakin...
November 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Indeed. I just made a tiramisu cake.
From Sally’s Baking cookbook (birthday present from my daughter who helped roll).
sallysbakingaddiction.com/sallys-bakin...
From Sally’s Baking cookbook (birthday present from my daughter who helped roll).
sallysbakingaddiction.com/sallys-bakin...
Every tree has its moment.
November 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Every tree has its moment.
Lovely walks on Mount Royal this time of year.
October 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Lovely walks on Mount Royal this time of year.
New paper coming out in a collection of essays on the history of McGill University, published by MQUP. www.mqup.ca/mcgill-in-hi...
The history of economic thought as seen in the stormy meeting at McGill of Jacob Viner and Stephen Leacock, two of the best and worst economists of their day.
The history of economic thought as seen in the stormy meeting at McGill of Jacob Viner and Stephen Leacock, two of the best and worst economists of their day.
September 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
New paper coming out in a collection of essays on the history of McGill University, published by MQUP. www.mqup.ca/mcgill-in-hi...
The history of economic thought as seen in the stormy meeting at McGill of Jacob Viner and Stephen Leacock, two of the best and worst economists of their day.
The history of economic thought as seen in the stormy meeting at McGill of Jacob Viner and Stephen Leacock, two of the best and worst economists of their day.
Paging Douglass North et al., Violence and Social Orders.
September 21, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Paging Douglass North et al., Violence and Social Orders.
Totally obscure but my pinned post.
September 3, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Totally obscure but my pinned post.
Same. Welcome rain after dry spell.
August 17, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Same. Welcome rain after dry spell.
These images are going to set the template for sinister and horror amidst banality all over again.
July 5, 2025 at 12:14 PM
These images are going to set the template for sinister and horror amidst banality all over again.
Anti-Chinese laws and taxes used to have the same effect. Here’s an example from BC in the 1880s: a man beating for grouse is surprised to see field workers running away. They just arrived and cannot pay the tax.
Lots of stories of frightened people fleeing, abandoning the work, in early BC.
Lots of stories of frightened people fleeing, abandoning the work, in early BC.
July 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Anti-Chinese laws and taxes used to have the same effect. Here’s an example from BC in the 1880s: a man beating for grouse is surprised to see field workers running away. They just arrived and cannot pay the tax.
Lots of stories of frightened people fleeing, abandoning the work, in early BC.
Lots of stories of frightened people fleeing, abandoning the work, in early BC.
Delivering a zoomed paper to the History of Economics society. I had originally planned to give it in person. Now I have to hope that the rainstorm doesn’t bring down power here in the Laurentians.
June 28, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Delivering a zoomed paper to the History of Economics society. I had originally planned to give it in person. Now I have to hope that the rainstorm doesn’t bring down power here in the Laurentians.
Marc Bloch, history professor, horrified by the fall of France in 1940:
June 24, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Marc Bloch, history professor, horrified by the fall of France in 1940:
Different times in Washington: Jacob Viner delivering the AEA presidential address in 1939, admiring higher officials there as competent and disinterested.
Lots of reasons why some might call such a claim egregious. But in hindsight, from 2025, perhaps it looks more constructive than egregious.
Lots of reasons why some might call such a claim egregious. But in hindsight, from 2025, perhaps it looks more constructive than egregious.
June 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Different times in Washington: Jacob Viner delivering the AEA presidential address in 1939, admiring higher officials there as competent and disinterested.
Lots of reasons why some might call such a claim egregious. But in hindsight, from 2025, perhaps it looks more constructive than egregious.
Lots of reasons why some might call such a claim egregious. But in hindsight, from 2025, perhaps it looks more constructive than egregious.
Nils Gilman brilliant as ever. I do think resentment of academe isn’t just insulation against consequences of actions. It’s also insulation for consequences of speech. Academics insult popular opinions while insulated from democratic wrath. Jordan Peterson as a kind of test case of speech politics.
May 30, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Nils Gilman brilliant as ever. I do think resentment of academe isn’t just insulation against consequences of actions. It’s also insulation for consequences of speech. Academics insult popular opinions while insulated from democratic wrath. Jordan Peterson as a kind of test case of speech politics.
I so enjoyed this book, terrifically interesting. I was surprised to learn that Ian Hacking’s remarks at the Historical Epistemology workshop of 1993 had not survived. So, what is the opening bid for my notes?!
May 13, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I so enjoyed this book, terrifically interesting. I was surprised to learn that Ian Hacking’s remarks at the Historical Epistemology workshop of 1993 had not survived. So, what is the opening bid for my notes?!
We still have about ten (hard to count!) on and around little Kingsberry pond, Victoria, here feasting on a looper infestation.
May 11, 2025 at 11:53 AM
We still have about ten (hard to count!) on and around little Kingsberry pond, Victoria, here feasting on a looper infestation.
History beats economics yet again. We did try to warn you.
Noah Smith’s mea culpa, along with a little observation of mine in 2022. 🗃️
Noah Smith’s mea culpa, along with a little observation of mine in 2022. 🗃️
April 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM
History beats economics yet again. We did try to warn you.
Noah Smith’s mea culpa, along with a little observation of mine in 2022. 🗃️
Noah Smith’s mea culpa, along with a little observation of mine in 2022. 🗃️
Orwin’s The Humanity of Thucydides is very good on that point, capturing the persisting problem.
I insert a passage I quoted recently.
I insert a passage I quoted recently.
April 19, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Orwin’s The Humanity of Thucydides is very good on that point, capturing the persisting problem.
I insert a passage I quoted recently.
I insert a passage I quoted recently.
Dime store Trump is pretty off-putting.
April 17, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Dime store Trump is pretty off-putting.
He couldn’t just invoke liberty—everyone did that, including conservatives. So he made a Tocquevillian argument from historical fact. It turned the usual tables by making Canadiens more modern because more equal than the British. Original
Canadian constitutionalism was flamboyantly egalitarian.
Canadian constitutionalism was flamboyantly egalitarian.
April 14, 2025 at 8:45 AM
He couldn’t just invoke liberty—everyone did that, including conservatives. So he made a Tocquevillian argument from historical fact. It turned the usual tables by making Canadiens more modern because more equal than the British. Original
Canadian constitutionalism was flamboyantly egalitarian.
Canadian constitutionalism was flamboyantly egalitarian.
Magna Carta is pretty clear. Lawful judgment necessary for state seizure or imprisonment or dispossession.
April 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Magna Carta is pretty clear. Lawful judgment necessary for state seizure or imprisonment or dispossession.