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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Justin Parmenter @justinparmenter.bsky.social · 9h

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

www.propublica.org/article/educ...

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 1d

Very proud of Kirby’s work in this open-access article. It marks a novel intervention in the prison religion literature and a unique angle on the “Buddhism in America” lit.

Penn Religious Studies @upennrels.bsky.social · 1d

PhD candidate Kirby Sokolow's latest article, "Buddhist Exceptionalism Behind Bars," has just been published in the journal Pacific World as part of a special section on American Buddhism, Race, and Power.

Congratulations, Kirby!

pwj.shin-ibs.edu/2025/7191

Buddhist Exceptionalism behind Bars

Part of a special section on American Buddhism, Race, and Power. Many Buddhist programs in US prisons focus on reforming incarcerated people. Often the leaders of these programs celebrate their inc…

pwj.shin-ibs.edu

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 3d

This is great. “And so all universities have to do now is do nothing—no accepting the compact, no counter-offers, nothing—and the government will be left with no more power to coerce and control the First Amendment-protected activities of major American universities than it has today.”

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 3d

I thought I'd put the administration's proposed "compact" with universities in context, so I wrote the blog post below.

It's especially for journalists covering this story!

Many details about how the compact itself works and why the administration has retreated to this strategy.

Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 3d

I wrote about why the regrettable conclusions of Ezra Klein pissed me off so badly in the last couple weeks.

On moral cowardice in an era that calls for clarity, and a popular political instinct to try to solve divisions of abuse by ignoring causes. www.the-reframe.com/eventually-y...

Eventually You're Going to Have to Stand for Something

On accepting the fascist offer and being better than Ezra.

www.the-reframe.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 3d

Yes. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...?

Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?

Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and ...

www.theguardian.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 6d

If you are thinking of applying to our program, DEFINITELY attend this session. It will help you determine if the PhD is right for you and will also include tips on how to craft a competitive application.

Penn Religious Studies @upennrels.bsky.social · 6d

Interested in applying for the PHD program in Religious Studies at Penn? Join graduate chair Donovan Schaefer and graduate coordinator Katelyn Stoler for this online information session and Q&A on Oct. 13!

No registration required. Details at this link!

rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2025/...

RELS Information Session for Prospective Doctoral Students | Department of Religious Studies

rels.sas.upenn.edu

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 7d

An excellent piece on the complex historical underpinnings and transnational ramifications of our present moment.

Chanhee Heo 허찬희 @chanheeheo.bsky.social · 7d

We’re living in a world that defies any single adjective as it has been beyond comprehension. Reflecting on what has been and what is going on, I wrote this piece.

Thank you @mpgphd.bsky.social @religiondispatches.org for this opportunity!

religiondispatches.org/charlie-kirk...

Charlie Kirk Memorial in Seoul Shows Power of Christian Nationalism for Young Korean Activists

On September 13, 2025, echoes of “We are Charlie Kirk” could be heard across Seoul. From Jamsil to Gangnam, thousands of young Koreans commemorated American political activist Charlie Kirk's death by ...

religiondispatches.org

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 7d

Always read @tressiemcphd.bsky.social , but definitely read this.

John Raimo @johnraimo.bsky.social · 7d

Gift link: essential and sadly brave writing for dark times from Tressie McMillan Cottom (@tressiemcphd.bsky.social). www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...

Opinion | Mourn, or Else

www.nytimes.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 11d

The Case for Fiscal Insurgency moneyontheleft.org/2025/09/18/t...

The Case for Fiscal Insurgency

by Will Beaman A common refrain keeps surfacing among prominent journalists- and commentators-in-digital-exile on BlueSky. Commenting on the emergence of yet another shadowy centrist think tank, Ne…

moneyontheleft.org

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 12d

Very grateful to folks at @ctrrelpol-washu.bsky.social for engaging conversation and constructive feedback on a WIP today. I learned so much!

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · 13d

More content like this.

Rebecca R Helm @rebeccarhelm.bsky.social · 13d

I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA

10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Tyler King @tyleraking.com · Sep 5

AUTHORS: AG has prepared a detailed explainer on the Anthropic settlement and how it affects us. Full details:

What Authors Need to Know About the $1.5 Billion Anthropic Settlement - The Authors Guild

Today, Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle claims that it downloaded pirated books to train its AI systems—the largest U.S. copyright settlement in history. The parties in Bartz v Anthropic...

authorsguild.org

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Reuters Japan @japan.reuters.com · Aug 26

日本郵便は２５日、米国向け郵便物の一部について２７日から引き受けを一時停止すると発表した。米関税措置に関連して運送事業者や郵便事業者が実施すべき手続きが不明確で運用が極めて困難な状況だという。 bit.ly/4mrbdaS

日本郵便、米国向け郵便物を一部引き受け停止　関税対応巡り

日本郵便は２５日、米国向け郵便物の一部について２７日から引き受けを一時停止すると発表した。米関税措置に関連して運送事業者や郵便事業者が実施すべき手続きが不明確で運用が極めて困難な状況だという。

bit.ly

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Aug 22

newrepublic.com/article/1992...

Liberals: Alas, the Time Has Come to Throw John Rawls Under the Bus

The greatest liberal philosopher of the twentieth century guided his creed toward neutrality. In the age of Trump, we can no longer afford that.

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Ruth EJ Booth (she/they) @ruthejbooth.bsky.social · Aug 14

"If your books were uploaded to LibGen/fed into the LLMs, add your name to the potential class action lawsuit by tomorrow." Details:

LibDem database: www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

Attorney form: www.lieffcabraser.com/anthropic-au...

(This information comes via a reliable Discord source.)

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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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Aug 14

This piece by @laurenginsberg.bsky.social is excellent.

Lauren Ginsberg @laurenginsberg.bsky.social · Aug 14

Here’s a better written essay form about the two myths that tend to prop up cutting the humanities. And the damage we do to students when we believe them or let others believe them.

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Aug 13

Following this with interest as I'm teaching my own version of a course like this, "The 'Field' of Religious Studies" in Spring 2026. My approach is to treat the history of religious studies as the history of area studies and vice versa. Piggybacking here for recs of things folks find fun!

Daniel Vaca @danielvaca.bsky.social · Aug 13

Religious Studies folks: I'm teaching theory/method for grad students this fall, and I'd love to hear/share ideas about what we should read together. This is Pt. 1 of a 2-part sequence; it's also supposed to develop a sense of the history of RS as a field. Any thoughts? 1/

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Jul 31

Postdoc at Penn for 2026–2027 academic year, with focus on the keyword "Practice." Might be good for some scholars of religion. wolfhumanities.upenn.edu/fellowships/...

Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities

The Wolf Humanities Center awards five (5) one-year Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships each academic year to scholars in the humanities who are no more than five years out of their doctorate. P...

wolfhumanities.upenn.edu

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Lauren Ginsberg @laurenginsberg.bsky.social · Jul 24

This is very bad. Although entirely predictable. Once more the humanities are being cut back to prop up STEM and, increasingly, AI investment (including at the expense of bench science). In the past, cuts to humanities were promoted on two separate logic streams that do not hold true: /1

Holly Brewer @earlymodjustice.bsky.social · Jul 23

Dean at U of Chicago: “She also expressed concerns that the administration might be asking the Arts & Humanities Division to cut back to compensate for other divisions’ financial challenges, asking whether ‘our entire unit [is] being used to float other units facing cuts.”

UChicago Arts & Humanities Division to Restructure Amid “Historic Funding Pressures”

“The status quo is not an option,” Deborah Nelson, dean of the Division of the Arts & Humanities, wrote to division faculty on June 18.

chicagomaroon.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Jul 22

I don’t quite agree with the title if this editorial, but I applaud these intrepid student journalists for reminding the university that actions should match stated values and principles. www.thedp.com/article/2025...

Editorial | Penn descends into fascism

The Daily Pennsylvanian Summer Editorial Board argues that Penn’s concessions to the Trump administration set a dangerous precedent for academic freedom.

www.thedp.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · Jul 20

The Asahi Shinbun reports that Young Magazine will be published in print form in the US starting August 21. Lots of fascinating details in the article about everything from cover design to serialization strategy. 米国版「ヤンマガ」刊行、1冊1千ページ無料配布　ジャンプは9言語
digital.asahi.com/articles/AST...

米国版「ヤンマガ」刊行、1冊1千ページ無料配布　ジャンプは9言語：朝日新聞

講談社が8月、青年誌「ヤングマガジン」の米国版を初めて刊行する。今月16日に表紙などキービジュアルをウェブサイトで公開。増刊号の位置づけで発刊は１回のみ、計3万部を米国内で無料配布する計画だ。日本発…

digital.asahi.com

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

Tade Thompson @tadethompson.bsky.social · Jul 10

Next Floor (a short film by Denis Villeneuve)

YouTube video by PHI

youtu.be

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Reposted by Jolyon Thomas

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · Jun 25

"Learn to code" was always bad advice, unless you actually like to code. College students have the best chance of professional success if they major in topics that interest them. Today in @startribune.com. Please tell high school students and parents.

www.startribune.com/what-should-...

Opinion: College students, go ahead and major in what you love

"The lesson here is simple: Major in what you love, not what you think will get you a job," David M. Perry writes.

www.startribune.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · May 22

Huge news in the St. Isidore case. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US supreme court blocks religious charter school in split ruling

Case’s 4-4 ruling leaves intact lower court’s decision that blocked establishment of Oklahoma school

www.theguardian.com

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Jolyon Thomas @jolyonbt.bsky.social · May 22

Another disturbing attack on higher education, this time via restrictive immigration policy.

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · May 21

They're terminating OPT.

Today the nominee to head USCIS stated directly: he will end Optional Practical Training, the single largest channel for high-skill immigrants to work in the US.

6 weeks ago I warned about this & summarized the research on impacts of this drastic action—> @piie.com

Skilled immigration on the chopping block? Effects of eliminating "Optional Practical Training" in the US

The White House has taken numerous steps to sharply reduce the number of immigrant workers, with or without legal status, in the US economy. These policies, so far, typically target immigrants with le...

www.piie.com

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