Joshua L. Freeman
@jlfreeman.bsky.social
140 followers 61 following 14 posts
Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature at Brown. Author, The Poetry of Power: Uyghur National Culture in Twentieth-Century China (forthcoming, Columbia UP). Translator, Waiting to Be Arrested at Night (Tahir Hamut Izgil, Penguin Press).
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Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
wwborders.bsky.social
This week, we’re debuting a new issue of multilingual writing from the US. This poem by Uyghur writer Tahir Hamut Izgil (tr. @jlfreeman.bsky.social ) takes a close look at the intersection of environmental extraction and human exploitation. Read it here: wordswithoutborders.org/read/article...
A pile of felled trees with the quote “But now/ they were excited:/ the trees had no idea they would be cut/none of the birds knew either” and the text “Fifty States, Many Languages: Writing from the US: ‘Lumberjacks’ By Tahir Hamut Izgil, translated from Uyghur by Joshua L. Freeman”
jlfreeman.bsky.social
"While the firms that rejected a deal and fought back have now notched a string of decisive wins in court, others that sought to appease Mr. Trump have seen high-profile resignations and internal discord."
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/u...
Trump Loses Another Battle in His War Against Elite Law Firms
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
chowleen.bsky.social
A generation before me, my parents also came to the U.S. for higher ed (they went back to Taiwan after getting their doctorates). We are among legions who came and continue to come to the U.S. for its stellar higher education. Excruciating as a new American watching this country self-destruct.
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
brucespringsteen.net
Tonight, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band opened their Land of Hope & Dreams Tour. Bruce launched this run of shows with three statements about the situation in the United States, with comments preceding his songs Land of Hope and Dreams, House of a Thousand Guitars and My City of Ruins.
Land of Hope and Dreams
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
jfallows.bsky.social
Admiration to @anntelnaes.bsky.social

Beyond her artistic and intellectual talent, she has moral and civic courage. One of the very first to Stand Up.

(Resigning from WaPo after ed-page editor, himself later fired by Bezos, censored one of her cartoons. anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui... )
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
wwborders.bsky.social
For most of our existence, WWB has received funding from the NEA. Now, like many others, we must chart a path forward without it. But our readers still deserve access to dazzling global writing. Please donate or share our work to support our mission of bringing the world close through literature.
The following text, above a green circle reading "swipe" connected to the WWB logo through a line: 

"Literature is how we create the world we want to live in. But that world is threatened by the administration's cuts to the NEA and the rich arts landscape it once supported. And the work we do to uplift bold, innovative global writing is newly at risk." The following text, above a green circle reading "swipe" connected to the WWB logo through a line: 

"Like many other arts organizations across the country, we learned on Friday night that our 2025 NEA grant has been terminated because our work “no longer aligns” with the administration’s priorities.

Moving forward, we cannot rely on funding that has sustained our magazine and our programs for well over a decade. Yet despite these challenges, we stand firm in our mission to amplify global literary voices and invite readers to explore a wider world through literature." The following text, above a green circle reading "swipe" connected to the WWB logo through a line: 

"If you, like us, believe in the power of global stories, here’s what you can do in this destabilizing moment to support WWB and our vision of literature that embraces global interconnectedness:" A set of green text boxes organized above the social media logos for Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, as well as a black button with white text reading "wordswithoutborders.org" and "wwb-campus.org". Two images, one of a teacher instructing students in a classroom and one of a selfie of smiling folks at a WWB event, are interspersed with the text boxes. The boxes contain calls-to-action to support WWB, including to donate, to subscribe to newsletters, to joine WWB Campus for free, to meet us at our free public events, and to follow us on social media and share our posts.
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
emilyzfeng.bsky.social
Only one member of the broadcaster’s vaunted Uyghur language service remains.
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
ericschluessel.bsky.social
This summer, June 7-August 7, I'll be running an online course in "Introduction to Chaghatay!" 12 meetings. $280 for the whole thing. Open access textbook + videos to walk you through grammar and readings. Fees will support GW's Uyghur Studies Initiative. Apply here!

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Introduction to Chaghatay, Summer 2025
This is an application form for the not-for-credit summer course in introductory Chaghatay language to be held through the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at the George Washington University in Summer ...
docs.google.com
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
rorytruex.bsky.social
In Xu Zhiyong's writing, there is a notion that citizenship is a two way street. It entails the rights of democracy and the responsibility to protect it. I did some thinking this week on being a citizen in this moment. Please share if you find useful.

rorytruex.substack.com/p/what-do-i-...
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
adamdalva.bsky.social
I am very moved that the board of the National Book Critics Circle has chosen me to serve as our next President. It’s an incredible group at @bookcritics.bsky.social and I can't wait to get to work with them.
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
jlfreeman.bsky.social
After Trump and Vance's disgraceful performance today, I think we could use a reminder of what true leadership looks like. Zelensky's defiant, eloquent speech on the eve of the war remains a remarkable example.
www.theguardian.com/world/video/...
'We will defend ourselves' from Russia, says Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in speech– video
'When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs', says Ukrainian leader to Russia leadership
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
htheaker.bsky.social
Utterly appalled by this. Non-refoulement is at the heart of international refugee standards. My heart goes out to those deported, their families, and the Uyghur diaspora. Such a blatant transgression of a core humanitarian principle is a chilling precedent for refugee communities worldwide.
davidstroup.bsky.social
Confirmation of the return to Xinjiang. Just to be clear the United Nations OHCHR considers this kind of refoulment as a human rights abuse and against the spirit of international human rights law:

www.ohchr.org/sites/defaul...
jlfreeman.bsky.social
If Bezos is so worried @washingtonpost.com coverage will cause Trump to harm his interests, why not donate WaPo to a trust? WaPo's financial value is a tiny fraction of Bezos's $$$ but its value to our society is huge & this would salvage a bit of Bezos's dignity.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Jeff Bezos is muzzling the Washington Post’s opinion section. That’s a death knell | Margaret Sullivan
‘I couldn’t be more sad and disgusted,’ says former top editor Martin Baron
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
xinwen.bsky.social
Thrilled to learn that my book The King's Road had been awarded this year's Levenson Prize (pre-1900 category)! I am very happy and extremely humbled by this recognition.
asianstudies.org
We are pleased to announce the honorees whose work will be recognized at the #AAS2025 Awards Ceremony on March 14. Congratulations to all!

https://buff.ly/3EMeKiV
A social-media graphic features a black-and-gold sparkly background. Text: Congratulations to our AAS 2025 award winners - bit.ly/AAS2025prizes
Reposted by Joshua L. Freeman
theradr.bsky.social
Proud to be one of the 350 rabbis signing this statement — an ad in the NYT today and a declaration of our values.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

For more—and to sign— go to

saynotoethniccleansing.org
Jewish people say NO to ethnic cleansing