Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Sarah Comyn

Éireann @eireannmor.bsky.social · 10d

ahem there is finally going to be a zoom launch on US time and it's next Sunday, 5 October, at 2 p.m. Central (3 Eastern, 1 Mountain, noon Pacific, 8 p.m. UK/Ireland, 9 p.m. CET, please extrapolate elsewhere from there)

usd.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

you'd be very welcome
bring a short poem you love

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Launch Pattern-book in the US!. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Join us for readings, discussion, and effervescence as Nina MacLaughlin (Wake, Siren; Summer Solstice; Winter Solstice) launches Éireann Lorsung's newest collection, Pattern-book (Carcanet, 2025). Ab...

usd.zoom.us

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Eli Valley @elivalley.bsky.social · 6d

CBS News will now be a megaphone for the country's most vicious crusader against free speech, and the most relentless propagandist of far-right disinformation.

Cancel Paramount Plus, call every CBS advertiser until their only remaining ads are for MyPillow and Daily Stormer.

Media

exclusive
Bari Weiss to lead CBS News as part of major Paramount Skydance shakeup: sources
By Alexandra Steigrad
Published Oct. 2, 2025, 3:24 p.m. ET

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Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account) @thetattooedprof.bsky.social · 12d

Their place in history is "settled," just not how Hegseth wants it to be. Wounded Knee was not a "battle." It was a massacre, enthusiastically conducted by US Army soldiers and officers. This is the equivalent of honoring those responsible for the war crimes at My Lai.

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 12d

Only an administration intent on committing war crimes in the present and future would stoop to calling Wounded Knee a "battle" rather than what it truly was: a massacre of over 250 Lakotas, mainly women, children, and the elderly. 1/

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · 15d

If anyone asks how much research leave is going

Tunnel book using old mining records, paper cut-outs and photos of miners

Cut-up mining record with paper cut-outs of gel-printed botanicals on top

Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · 15d

It was so much fun to co-lead this community workshop! Everyone was engaged and picked up the printing so quickly. The workshop was made possible by the Sustainability Spark Scheme from @ucdsustainability.bsky.social You can read more about Bloomin' here: www.crumlincommunitycleanup.ie/projects-2/

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · 19d

Thanks, Seán!

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · 19d

New office door signage making this rainy Friday morning very happy all of a sudden

Image of my office door with Associate Professor title on sign

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Katja Bruisch @kbruisch.bsky.social · 21d

Exciting list of speakers presenting in our Environmental History Research Seminar this term. If you happen to be in Dublin, come along. We'll meet on Mondays at 1 PM in the Trinity Long Room Hub #envhist

Thanks to @tlrhub.bsky.social for hosting us!
@historytcd.bsky.social
👇

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 26d

At a time when leaders arguably aren't showing much evidence of leadership on the academic research front, it's important to recognise the staff and organisations that are championing, supporting and delivering innovative, high-quality research. Kudos to @uolpress.bsky.social .

University of London Press @uolpress.bsky.social · 28d

A reminder about our new Digital Cultural Heritage series. We're working on the design for this exciting new short-form #OpenAccess series.

See the details incl the full editorial advisory board:

uolpress.co.uk/book-series/...

#DigitalHumanities #Publishing #OpenResearch #DigitalCulturalHeritage

Digital Cultural Heritage Archives - University of London Press

uolpress.co.uk

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Emily Mark-FitzGerald @emilymfg.bsky.social · 26d

This is a jaw-dropping statement from anyone in a uni leadership role — but also — what exactly is ‘low-quality’ and ‘hobbyist’ research? Nearly every academic I know is burning the candle at both ends and STILL producing important work in their fields. This feels like an anti-humanities dog whistle

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 27d

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ - Research Professional News

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Sep 8

In this episode, Megan and I speak to the Irish artist Luke Casserly about his performance piece 'Distillation', growing up in the Irish midlands, and how to start important conversations about the climate crisis. It was an absolute joy to learn from Luke. Enjoy! soundcloud.com/ucd-humaniti...

Extracts - Episode 1. Luke Casserly

Luke Casserly is a multidisciplinary performance maker from Longford, Ireland. His work weaves together ecological research, autobiography, sound art, and site as a way of carving out space for new p

soundcloud.com

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Sep 8

As part of the Extractivist Landscapes project, Megan Kuster and I interviewed artists from around the world to learn how they are working to reimagine the potential futures of mined, excavated, and extractivist landscapes. And today is launch day of our first episode!

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UCD Sustainability @ucdsustainability.bsky.social · Sep 2

UCD SDG Week 2025 takes place September 22 - 26 with 40 events across campus highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals. Eco-artmaking, a 2050 role-playing game, workshops on everything from greenwashing to upcycling your jeans - and more!

Read and register: www.ucd.ie/sustainabili...

#SDGsIRL

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Sep 1

😂

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Minerals @imperialminerals.bsky.social · Aug 28

Final days to get your abstracts in for this very timely conference exploring the ethical, political, and environmental stakes of minerals. See more details here: imperialminerals.ie/events/criti...

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RTÉ News @news.rte.ie · Aug 28

Fifty-two young Palestinians from Gaza are due to arrive in Ireland today and in the coming days to begin a new life as students in Irish universities.

52 Gazans to arrive in Ireland to study in universities

Fifty-two young Palestinians from Gaza are due to arrive in Ireland today and in the coming days to begin a new life as students in Irish universities.

www.rte.ie

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Aug 26

Turning my office into a science experiment as the seeded paper I'm making for a conference workshop starts sprouting.

If you're in Dublin next week, check out the annual IHA conference on 'Feeding the Soul' where said workshop will take place: www.irishhumanities.ie/news-events/...

White seeded paper on book shelf with little seedlings beginning to sprout

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hannah @hannahkateboast.bsky.social · Aug 21

The UK government will evacuate nine of the 40+ students in Gaza with scholarship at UK universities. My PhD student Shaimaa isn't included. We must now make sure they help the other students - email your MP today. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

UK to evacuate nine Gaza students with university scholarships

Move follows months of pressure from MPs, academics and campaigners, with dozens of other students still stranded

www.theguardian.com

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dead manu walking @profchander.bsky.social · Aug 17

very much saddened to learn that bucknell university press will be closing. they took a chance on my first book when other presses said it was too short or too narrowly focused on minor authors.

www.chronicle.com/blogs/letter...

Letter | Bucknell University Press to Close

This should alarm university presses nationwide, writes Aníbal González-Pérez.

www.chronicle.com

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Claude Willan @claudewillan.bsky.social · Aug 18

This is really, really sad. A superb press with a great list run by a fantastic editor. With the loss of this lively, reliable, rigorous avenue, our field gets smaller and quieter.

dead manu walking @profchander.bsky.social · Aug 17

very much saddened to learn that bucknell university press will be closing. they took a chance on my first book when other presses said it was too short or too narrowly focused on minor authors.

www.chronicle.com/blogs/letter...

Letter | Bucknell University Press to Close

This should alarm university presses nationwide, writes Aníbal González-Pérez.

www.chronicle.com

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Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Aug 18

Really interesting account of a petition by a Chinese miner on the Victorian goldfields here 👇

Minerals @imperialminerals.bsky.social · Aug 18

Read this fascinating new blog post by @gigitang.bsky.social examining a petition written by the Chinese digger, Jong Ah Siug, from the asylum in colonial Melbourne. The petition takes the form of a palm-sized bound book and includes hand-drawn maps.

imperialminerals.ie/2025/08/18/a...

hand-drawn map of Anderson’s Hill, where the Chinese camp and Jong's shaft were. From Jong's petition book

Sarah Comyn @sarahcomyn.bsky.social · Aug 18

See this CFP for a very timely conference on Critical Minerals being organised by the Minerals team:
imperialminerals.ie/events/criti...

Deadline for abstracts: 31 August

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Anna Kornbluh @annakornbluh.bsky.social · Aug 15

teachers!

excited to share a new website at this late date of Aug 15 to try to help us collectively prepare for back to school in the interpretative humanities classroom assaulted by the AI grift, so we don't have to go it alone.

take a look, share, + most importantly: CONTRIBUTE
against-a-i.com

AGAINST AI

against-a-i.com

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Daniella M. @farsouthhistory.bsky.social · Aug 17

I am not sure how many people realize the huge array of field affected by these cut to science agencies. For example, the NSF quietly stopped hosting the public available USAP photo library last month, a resource of thousands of historic United States Antarctic photos dating to the 1940s. #histsci

Gregory A. Hargreaves @bordergroves.bsky.social · Aug 16

This is profoundly bad. The data generated by NASA feeds research in many, MANY disciplines. I, for instance, am a historian, and my dissertation (now book project) uses satellite imagery as a major source for exploring the historical relationship between people and the environment.

Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · Aug 15

NASA’s acting chief calls for the end of Earth science at the space agency arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...

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Alison Laurence @dinostalgia.bsky.social · Aug 14

In the spirit of syllabus season, here’s a link to an extinction studies course of the #envhist #envhum variety. From the dodo to dire wolves...Please borrow, adapt, share!

drive.google.com/file/d/1SzKp...

cc: @dollyjorgensen.bsky.social!

A screenshot of the ANTI-EXTINCTION syllabus cover page with a dodo representing extinct beings. The text reads: "Though extinction is a natural phenomenon, human activity has hastened species loss in recent centuries. What factors led to the loss of the dodo, the passenger pigeon, and thylacine? What brought the American bison and California condor back from the brink of extinction? What are the promises and perils of de-extinction projects that aim to recreate dire wolves and woolly mammoths? These case studies (among others!) offer critical context for understanding ongoing biodiversity and social justice crises. Organized around questions of multispecies justice, with an emphasis on the significance of stories, this course invites students to consider what kind of existence they want for themselves and for other beings amidst the Sixth Mass Extinction."

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