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Melanie A. Kiechle

@melaniekiechle.bsky.social

2.6K followers 920 following 110 posts

Historian of #C19 United States: health, science, cities, environments, and smells. Lots of smells. Author of Smell Detectives. Now musing alternatively about buried creeks, sensitivity, and an ill woman.

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Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · Jul 23

While I would prefer that my historical research have less relevance, please read and consider what it was like to fall ill and die before germ theory. #histmed 🗃️ nursingclio.org/2025/07/21/d...

Dying Before Germ Theory

As RFK questions germ theory, and measles ravages unvaccinated children, Americans need to know what is at risk. Americans died at higher rates and younger ages before the introduction of germ theo…

nursingclio.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Dolly Jørgensen @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social · 2d

It’s real!!
I just got my first copy of Ghosts Behind Glass and it is beautiful. You all really need to order your copies. You will not regret it. press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...

Double page spread with a photo of diorama

Chapter 3 Cursed treasures on left, lion on right

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Katie McDonough @kmcdono.bsky.social · 5d

Are you interested in the history of rivers? Do you wonder how historians and environmental scientists can work together? Join the EDHS seminar to hear from the ARTEMIS team about their amazing project exploring the histories and ecologies of the Scheldt. #envhist #histsci #skystorians #dh

Katie McDonough @kmcdono.bsky.social · 7d

The Environmental #DH Seminar (EDHS) is back!

Co-organised by Lancaster & Manchester w/support from @n8cir.bsky.social, our first event features the ARTEMIS project.

Join us ONLINE at 12pm (UK) on Oct 15 to hear about this digital historical investigation of the Scheldt River Valley.

RSVP 👇

Artemis Project: A Digital Bridge to Historical Landscapes and Maps

Join us for a discussion with Iason Jongepier (University of Antwerp) & Vincent Ducatteeuw (Ghent University)

www.eventbrite.com

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Dolly Jørgensen @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social · 5d

Apply for this free PhD course on Energy Humanities in Stavanger, Norway!

Please pass the opportunity on to students you know. Students from anywhere are welcome.

#envhum #envhist

Melina Antonia Buns @melinabuns.bsky.social · 22d

I am really excited to announce the call for the PhD Course in Energy Humanities!

Held at the @greenhouseuis.net from 1-5 December.

Applications are welcome until 24 October.

#envhum #envhist #energyhistory

Poster showing a wind turbine from frog perspective. The picture is in light pink and blue nuances and announces a PhD course in energy humanities. More information can be found in this website. https://www.uis.no/en/research/collaboration/the-greenhouse-centre-for-environmental-humanities/humanities/apply-for-phd

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Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 5d

This makes sense and I understand. The editor does have a role and a responsibility in this—and if they didn’t read the report before sending it out (how else would this happen?), this can be an important reminder of their role.

Sidebar—I am shocked at the different response to/use of AI by field.

Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 5d

I would absolutely send that back to the editor with some questions about their peer review process.

Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Germinate @g-ehr.bsky.social · 7d

We are here!!

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Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 6d

A bit of good news! Germinate: Environmental History Review @g-ehr.bsky.social is now live—this is a new digital publication of @aseh.bsky.social Bookmark g-ehr.com for reading and submit your great 🗃️ 📗 #envhist I’m excited to learn from you!

Germinate – Environmental History Review

g-ehr.com

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 6d

Amidst the shutdown and the continued attacks on institutions, individuals, and communities, it's important that we document human toll.

To that end, here's a chance to share anonymously how you and your loved ones are faring in the wake of rapid social and policy change.

tinyurl.com/thehumantoll

The Human Toll

The US is undergoing rapid social, economic, and policy change.

If you've been impacted, we want to hear your story!

To participate, visit: https://tinyurl.com/thehumantoll

Study sponsored under University of Wisconsin-Madison IRB Protocol #2025-1096. PI: Dr. Jessica Calarco

Participants must be at least 18 years of age and reside in the US

[image of a person with their face in their hands]

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Jacob Tom @jacobleetom.bsky.social · 13d

Had the pleasure of writing down my thoughts about historical board games for NiCHE's series Playing Inside. Check out the whole series as it rolls out in the next months!

NiCHE Canada @nichecanada.bsky.social · 13d

Today we have "History on the Tabletop: A Brief Guide for Evaluating Historical Board Games" by @jacobleetom.bsky.social

This is the second article in the Playing Inside: Board Games, Video Games, and the Indoors series edited by @theliftline.bsky.social

niche-canada.org/2025/09/25/h...

#envhum

History on the Tabletop: A Brief Guide for Evaluating Historical Board Games

Historical board game Land Run: 1893 explores settler colonialism, Indigenous dispossession, and environmental degradation, balancing historical accuracy with player agency.

niche-canada.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Society for the Social History of Medicine (SSHM) @sshmedicine.bsky.social · 8d

Deadline approaching! Are you organising a #histmed conference or workshop in 2026? Applications for SSHM Conference funding awards close 1 October.
sshm.org/conference-f...

Conference Funding

The Society for the Social History of Medicine awards financial assistance for conferences and workshops on the history of medicine. Applicants should note that grants are not retrospectively awar…

sshm.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

NiCHE Canada @nichecanada.bsky.social · 8d

We are thrilled to announce our new colloboration with The Metropole - @urbanhistorya.bsky.social - Urban and Environmental Dialogues

Send us your proposals for this new urban #envhist series by 24 October!

niche-canada.org/2025/09/29/c...

#urbanhistory #urbanstudies #urban #envhum

Call for Proposals - Urban and Environmental Dialogues

Urban and Environmental Dialogues will explore how the environment-at-large and the urban built environment have shaped one another throughout history.

niche-canada.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Prof. Elaine Chalus @profelainechalus.bsky.social · 8d

Dept of History, University of Liverpool - Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

Interested candidates should identify a potential mentor in the dept & submit an Expression of Interest by 3 Nov. Come & work with me &/or my colleagues! Details here: www.liverpool.ac.uk/humanities-a... #skystorians 🗃️

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships | Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences | University of Liverpool

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships application support.

www.liverpool.ac.uk

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Lisa Diedrich @lisadiedrich.bsky.social · 8d

"The 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) agenda isn’t just unserious. It’s unsafe."
www.post-gazette.com/opinion/gues...

Donna A. Gaffney and Teri Mills: MAHA is bad for America's health

For months we issued a warning: do not hand the nation’s health to a person who treats evidence like an inconvenience, who lets ideology replace...

www.post-gazette.com

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

OLFAC - Olfactormativity @olfac.bsky.social · Aug 26

there's much to explore about the intervening performativity of smells! Check out our Website: olfac.kunstuni-linz.at
#sensorystudies #OLFAC #Olfactory

OLFAC – Exploring the Intervening Performativity of Smell

olfac.kunstuni-linz.at

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

OLFAC - Olfactormativity @olfac.bsky.social · Aug 21

OLFAC explores how olfactory techniques and technologies are mobilised – in both artistic practice and through mechanisms of governance. By developing a theory of olfactory performativity, OLFAC opens new perspectives on sensory experience.

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

OLFAC - Olfactormativity @olfac.bsky.social · Aug 21

We’re excited to introduce ourselves: OLFAC (Olfactormativity: Exploring The Intervening Performativity Of Smell), is a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant project (2024–2029), hosted at the University of Arts Linz (Austria).
#ERC #OLFAC #UniversityofArtsLinz #research

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Ben Jackson @benltjackson.bsky.social · 9d

We're putting on an exciting range of research events this year at @manchester.ac.uk on 'Queer Bodies' in 18 & 19C Britain. Colleagues in English, Art History (@emmamerkling.bsky.social), & History are exploring queer approaches to bodies and embodiment and their cultures. See poster for more!

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Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 9d

It’s really great! Most of the students are taking this for Gen Ed credit, but they care about their campus so they’re more engaged than typically occurs.

Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 11d

When I was asking friends for similar suggestions, some recommended an article I wrote that traces a place (a buried river) backwards and forwards through time. doi.org/10.1080/1364...

A buried river, an emerging crisis, a cumulative tale

As climate change alters our cities, a better knowledge of past environments is necessary to understand current flooding patterns and anticipate future ones. This cumulative tale is a narrative rif...

doi.org

Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 11d

I’m teaching an environmental history of our campus this term, and really liked this method explainer for how to get started on history of a place: niche-canada.org/2017/09/22/p...

Place: A Methodology for Research

Editor's Note: This was originally posted on Merle Massie's blog here. In June of 2014, I was in my hometown of Paddockwood, Saskatchewan, Canada – population less than two hundred in the village, le...

niche-canada.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

American Society for Environmental History @aseh.bsky.social · 26d

ASEH Applications for Prizes, Fellowships, and Grants are now open! Deadline to submit is November 20, 2025.
Please visit the ASEH website to learn more and apply:
https:/aseh.org/Awards-&-Funding

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

HOWL @howl2025.bsky.social · 27d

@womenslibrary.bsky.social @womenshistnet.bsky.social @womenknowhistory.bsky.social @ihrwomen.bsky.social we would be very grateful if you could share our advert with your networks!

#WomensHistory #FeministHistory

HOWL @howl2025.bsky.social · 27d

📢 HOWL is hiring a new part-time administrator!
⏰ Deadline for applications Tuesday 30 September
📝 Zoom interview Monday 6 October

The full job description is available on our website. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Nathan Ellstrand @nellstra.bsky.social · 26d

***Job Opportunity***

Assistant Professor, Early Modern European History, Brown University

43/

networks.h-net.org/jobs/69085/b...

Brown University - Early Modern European History, Brown University | H-Net

networks.h-net.org

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Reposted by Melanie A. Kiechle

Charles Onyango-Obbo @cobbo3.bsky.social · 27d

Chicago River becomes eco-friendly again, and is about to welcome swimmers back into its course for the FIRST TIME IN OVER 100 YEARS! It took over 40 years to clean.

Chicago River Follows the Seine to Become Biodynamic and Swimmable Once Again

From a low of 5 species of fish, there are now 77 recorded as living in the Chicago River, as well as snapping turtles and freshwater mussels

www.goodnewsnetwork.org

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Melanie A. Kiechle @melaniekiechle.bsky.social · 28d

Congratulations, all!