Melanie Burkett
@melb2001.bsky.social
Historian of 19th century working-class immigration in the British Empire & settler colonialism. Author of "Opposing Australia's First Assisted Immigrants, 1832-42." PhD from Macquarie Uni, die-hard Duke alum. Mother to a Muppet dog.
Definitely worth a listen & the book is worth the read!
The podcast of David Olusoga and I discussing Empire & the rewriting of history:
howtoacademy.com/podcasts/dav...
howtoacademy.com/podcasts/dav...
HOW TO PODCAST | David Olusoga & Alan Lester - The Truth About the British Empire
David Olusoga and Alan Lester reveal the dark realities of the British Empire, and reflect on the importance of historians amid the resurgence of nationalism and misinformation.
howtoacademy.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Definitely worth a listen & the book is worth the read!
"Students are afraid to fail, and AI presents itself as a savior. But what we learn from history is that progress requires failure. It requires reflection. Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead."
To “my students and to anyone who might listen, I say: Don’t surrender to AI your ability to read, write and think when others once risked their lives and died for the freedom to do so.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
I Set A Trap To Catch My Students Cheating With AI. The Results Were Shocking.
"Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead."
www.huffpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:46 PM
"Students are afraid to fail, and AI presents itself as a savior. But what we learn from history is that progress requires failure. It requires reflection. Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead."
I'm obsessed with this... www.blog.lifebranches.com/p/aging-out-...
Aging Out of Fucks: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore
Your brain's middle finger to people-pleasing
www.blog.lifebranches.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I'm obsessed with this... www.blog.lifebranches.com/p/aging-out-...
"When we’ve been conditioned to see any failure as a parallel representation of our inherent deficiencies, any kind of critique is bound to be taken as a personal attack." Not at all surprised to see the author is a history major!
A very interesting op-ed in Princeton's student newspaper that makes a philosophical case connecting an obsession with grades to burgeoning authoritarianism.
h/t to @thetattooedprof.bsky.social for the heads-up about this piece.
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
h/t to @thetattooedprof.bsky.social for the heads-up about this piece.
www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...
A is for authoritarianism
Academic perfectionism can dull our ability to recognize our own authoritarian tendencies because together they share a flawed reasoning that faultlessness reflects one’s value.
www.dailyprincetonian.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:33 AM
"When we’ve been conditioned to see any failure as a parallel representation of our inherent deficiencies, any kind of critique is bound to be taken as a personal attack." Not at all surprised to see the author is a history major!
I enjoyed Colbert's Kermit resistance song, but this is the absolute best version of that song ever & I share just to bring a little joy to the world
youtu.be/VxsG7k1mgn4?...
youtu.be/VxsG7k1mgn4?...
Snoop Frogg (Kermit sings "Gin & Juice")
YouTube video by There I Ruined It
youtu.be
October 14, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I enjoyed Colbert's Kermit resistance song, but this is the absolute best version of that song ever & I share just to bring a little joy to the world
youtu.be/VxsG7k1mgn4?...
youtu.be/VxsG7k1mgn4?...
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
Important research here from Joel Barnes tracing the origins of philanthropic wealth in Australia. How should institutions reckon with these legacies?
theconversation.com/the-dixson-f...
theconversation.com/the-dixson-f...
The Dixson family were great Australian philanthropists, but their wealth was built on slave labour
The legacy of the Dixson family reveals a complicated history of interconnected global capital and racialised exploitation.
theconversation.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Important research here from Joel Barnes tracing the origins of philanthropic wealth in Australia. How should institutions reckon with these legacies?
theconversation.com/the-dixson-f...
theconversation.com/the-dixson-f...
In Thessalaoniki, Greece, I saw this statue of Alexander the Great. Thanks to @thisguysucked.com, I know that he, in fact, sucked!
September 13, 2025 at 3:35 PM
In Thessalaoniki, Greece, I saw this statue of Alexander the Great. Thanks to @thisguysucked.com, I know that he, in fact, sucked!
I'm reading Gareth Knapman's chapter about Thomas Raffles in The Truth About Empire (edited by @alanlester.bsky.social) and I'm thinking Raffles is a prime candidate for an episode of @thisguysucked.com!
July 10, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I'm reading Gareth Knapman's chapter about Thomas Raffles in The Truth About Empire (edited by @alanlester.bsky.social) and I'm thinking Raffles is a prime candidate for an episode of @thisguysucked.com!
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
“The purpose of education is so you can get a good job”
No it’s not…. Nooooooo it’s not
The purpose of education is so you won’t be a dumb ass
No it’s not…. Nooooooo it’s not
The purpose of education is so you won’t be a dumb ass
May 13, 2025 at 12:39 PM
“The purpose of education is so you can get a good job”
No it’s not…. Nooooooo it’s not
The purpose of education is so you won’t be a dumb ass
No it’s not…. Nooooooo it’s not
The purpose of education is so you won’t be a dumb ass
I'm filling out an alumni survey for Macquarie. They asked: "What other skills would be useful for your career?" I said...
May 10, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I'm filling out an alumni survey for Macquarie. They asked: "What other skills would be useful for your career?" I said...
These assholes need to keep their hands off of Rev Barber!
BREAKING: Police just surrounded Rev. William Barber, prominent activist and pastor, as he and others prayed in the U.S. Capitol Rontunda.
Police then expelled everyone (including press!) from the Rotunda to (presumably) arrest them.
I've covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it.
Police then expelled everyone (including press!) from the Rotunda to (presumably) arrest them.
I've covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it.
April 29, 2025 at 2:18 AM
These assholes need to keep their hands off of Rev Barber!
"Because, if they aren't going to use those resources when their very mission comes under assault, what was the point of gathering them in the first place?"
EXACTLY!
EXACTLY!
The first half of this article is incredibly depressing. The second half is a🔥🔥🔥call to arms, set of ideas and a kick in the pants we academics need.
We HAVE the power. We CAN fight back!
arstechnica.com/culture/2025...
We HAVE the power. We CAN fight back!
arstechnica.com/culture/2025...
Resist, eggheads! Universities are not as weak as they have chosen to be.
Opinion: It’s time for public resistance.
arstechnica.com
April 20, 2025 at 2:23 AM
"Because, if they aren't going to use those resources when their very mission comes under assault, what was the point of gathering them in the first place?"
EXACTLY!
EXACTLY!
THIS.
'Beware employers bearing yoga mats and wellbeing sessions....It’s patronising, and ideologically suspect. It’s not your job to be resilient, it’s your employer’s job to provide you with decent working conditions.' 1/3
Coping with the university funding crisis.
Positive steps in uncertain times, including how to stay serene when wellbeing sessions are offered.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-funding-k...
Positive steps in uncertain times, including how to stay serene when wellbeing sessions are offered.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-funding-k...
April 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
THIS.
Timeline cleanse! Sometimes the YouTube algorithm brings joy 😁 youtu.be/iO0QEhV_s-U?...
Dog involved in car crash runs to doggy day care a mile away for help
YouTube video by WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
youtu.be
April 11, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Timeline cleanse! Sometimes the YouTube algorithm brings joy 😁 youtu.be/iO0QEhV_s-U?...
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
The National Humanities Alliance is collecting information on canceled NEH grants to share with congressional leaders. This is legit fact finding in support of competent lobbying. If you've had your grant canceled, do let them know.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Notify NHA about grant terminations!
We are collecting information about current grants that have been canceled since March 31st, 2025.
If you are looking to share a story about the impact of NEH funding on your work please use this for...
docs.google.com
April 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
The National Humanities Alliance is collecting information on canceled NEH grants to share with congressional leaders. This is legit fact finding in support of competent lobbying. If you've had your grant canceled, do let them know.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
"The climate and ecological implications of this shift are as disastrous as they are deliberate. We need an appropriate name for this new era of fossil and tech bros accelerating attacks on democracy and the planet: cataclysm capitalism."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump and Musk have ushered in a terrible era of cataclysm capitalism. But I have a plan to counter it | Julia Steinberger
The speed with which US democracy is being dismantled is dizzying, but if we organise resistance now we can stop this, says Julia Steinberger of the University of Lausanne
www.theguardian.com
April 3, 2025 at 6:12 AM
"The climate and ecological implications of this shift are as disastrous as they are deliberate. We need an appropriate name for this new era of fossil and tech bros accelerating attacks on democracy and the planet: cataclysm capitalism."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I encourage everyone to follow @hannahforsyth.bsky.social's blog. She always shakes up how I think. Or, manages to explain to me the feeling in my gut...
March 28, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I encourage everyone to follow @hannahforsyth.bsky.social's blog. She always shakes up how I think. Or, manages to explain to me the feeling in my gut...
My book, too! Should I be glad that at least someone (even if only a computer) read it? 😅😭
Hey, so Meta stole my books to train their bullshit AI. They stole my books in English *and* translation. Arseholes. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
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
March 21, 2025 at 12:40 AM
My book, too! Should I be glad that at least someone (even if only a computer) read it? 😅😭
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
Paging @thetattooedprof.bsky.social and @kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Hoping you aren’t the end of the video just yet.
Hoping you aren’t the end of the video just yet.
March 19, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Paging @thetattooedprof.bsky.social and @kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Hoping you aren’t the end of the video just yet.
Hoping you aren’t the end of the video just yet.
"Courage is contagious."
New, from me: you were told that the threats to free speech came from wokeness. Some compared it to Maoist China.
Now we are witnessing government power being used to silence dissent and censor ideas. Now we know what real society-wide chilling effects look like. 🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Now we are witnessing government power being used to silence dissent and censor ideas. Now we know what real society-wide chilling effects look like. 🧵
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Real chilling effects
A extraordinary pattern of government censorship and threats to speech
open.substack.com
March 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
"Courage is contagious."
Agree that HR *should* be doing this... have seen zero examples from my professional life of any of this!
HR should be showing employers the value of human capital, 'metrics on turnover and what it costs the company, information on why employees are quitting', & 'data on employees’ well-being, such as absenteeism rates, use of EAPs, and levels of commitment and engagement' hbr.org/2024/05/hrs-...
HR’s New Role
Though the human resources function was once a strong advocate for employees, in the 1980s things changed. As labor markets became slack, HR shifted its focus to relentless cost cutting. Because it wa...
hbr.org
March 9, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Agree that HR *should* be doing this... have seen zero examples from my professional life of any of this!
Dear HR folks out there who write the automated rejection emails: please stop with the "other applicants are better suited to the position" language. There's no need to insult me while you're rejecting me. "We are proceeding with other applicants" will suffice!
January 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Dear HR folks out there who write the automated rejection emails: please stop with the "other applicants are better suited to the position" language. There's no need to insult me while you're rejecting me. "We are proceeding with other applicants" will suffice!
Reposted by Melanie Burkett
I have a piece in today’s Guardian based on my book in which I argue for an expanded, more inclusive definition of multiculturalism as a way out of the culture wars
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
White British people aren’t under threat from multicultural Britain – they are part of it | Kieran Connell
Reform would have you believe that multiculturalism is an act of exclusion. In fact, the opposite is the case, says historian and writer Kieran Connell
www.theguardian.com
December 27, 2024 at 9:08 AM
I have a piece in today’s Guardian based on my book in which I argue for an expanded, more inclusive definition of multiculturalism as a way out of the culture wars
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I had almost completely cut doom scrolling out of my life & then @theotherkim.bsky.social told me I had to get on here for the history content. Ok, historians, entertain me!
November 29, 2024 at 6:03 AM
I had almost completely cut doom scrolling out of my life & then @theotherkim.bsky.social told me I had to get on here for the history content. Ok, historians, entertain me!