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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

UK HE News @ukhenews.bsky.social · 2d

If academics could put their energy into one place, it should be toward decentralizing university governance.

This won't stop what's about to happen, but it can help make uni restructuring more humane and transparent, and reduce the odds of another HE boom and bust cycle.

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

John Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 4d

I've lived in Birmingham six years. In that time, so far two cyclists have been killed directly along my short commute.

Here's wishing big lawsuits on the people who have the power to prevent these results but prefer car owner convenience instead.

Birmingham by Bike - Change & Continuity along the Commute

YouTube video by John Munro - University of Birmingham

www.youtube.com

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks Saima! There's a strong Bristol angle too so I'm hoping to do an event there some time!

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 4d

Oh, and I think British readers can put your pre-orders in for the book already, too, if you want! www.waterstones.com/book/empire-...

Empire Ablaze by Tom Cutterham | Waterstones

Buy Empire Ablaze by Tom Cutterham from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 4d

If you want to read more about Aitken and his world, about the multiple crises of the age of revolution, and sometimes about the crises of our own time too, I'm starting a free newsletter (ok, it's a blog) and I'd love you to sign up: buttondown.com/cutterham

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 4d

Next year will be the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. There'll be a lot published about the American Revolution. But most of it probably won't centre the perspectives of working people on both sides of the Atlantic, including the British workers who embraced the American cause.

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 4d

In 1776, a Scottish housepainter called James Aitken set out on a secret mission to destroy the British navy and win the War of Independence for the United States. His story is the core of my book, EMPIRE ABLAZE: The American Revolution and the Atlantic Working Class, out next summer with Verso!

The cover of "Empire Ablaze: The American Revolution and the Atlantic Working Class," which features an image of an eighteenth-century building on fire, with small sailing boats visible on a river in the foreground.

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 5d

(By the way, nobody knows more about this than @hannahforsyth.bsky.social and you should subscribe to her blog right now! hannahforsyth.substack.com)

F*cking Capitalism | Hannah Forsyth | Substack

Historian Hannah Forsyth writes about capitalism, work, and higher education...and her personal project to overcome her work ethic addiction and f*ck capitalism one home grown vegetable at a time. Cli...

hannahforsyth.substack.com

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 5d

UCU hasn't focused on university governance, but it should. Like their Australian counterparts, British universities are "profoundly undemocratic." @markpendleton.bsky.social is right we should learn from those in Australia who are taking the fight forward on this! ucucommons.org/2025/10/03/s...

Setting The Agenda for Change in Higher Education: Lessons from Australia

A discussion paper by Mark Pendleton (UK-elected HE) [Featured photo: the Australian national flag flying beside the Aboriginal Flag of Australia] Preface UCU Commons has long argued for more delib…

ucucommons.org

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

Natalia Cecire @ncecire.bsky.social · 6d

Meanwhile people are out here writing books in stolen moments, between meetings about steering and assessment, 200 words at a time

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Natalia Cecire @ncecire.bsky.social · 6d

Terminal manager-brain, I'm afraid. What's seen as important is not research but the apparatus around research. Partnerships! Capacity-building for these partnerships that you just forced these institutions to form! Assessing and steering!

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 7d

Tory conference has "8.45am session on the last day of your discipline's big annual meeting" vibes.

Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 8d

this photo is pretty brutal

www.ft.com/content/5a73...

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

Megan King @drmeganking.bsky.social · 8d

📢Call for papers!

Benjamin Franklin House is hosting a conference, “Remember the ladies”: Women and Revolution, in London in May 2026!

Details are available here: benjaminfranklinhouse.org/event/spring...

If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 7d

Let's make hope normal again.

youtu.be/qxt4HCjd7VA?...

Let's Make Hope Normal Again - Green Party Political Broadcast

YouTube video by Green Party of England & Wales

youtu.be

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Nathan Cardon @ncardon.bsky.social · 7d

Low speeds save lives; asking for higher speeds is a pro-death position, especially for your children and elderly family.

John Munro @johnmunro.bsky.social · 7d

In light of the clear evidence that introducing reasonable speed limits means less people killed and seriously injured, politicians threatening to reverse these improvements should be worried about getting sued for knowingly putting people in harm's way.

Graph indicating an immediate drop in road casualties in Wales after speed limits were lowered.

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 8d

You better get those reviews in mainstream outlets now! 😁

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 8d

Also, enjoying the rather eighteenth century capitalisation going on here. I did not write that copy!

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 8d

Oh shit, the catalogue's out? Now I have to get on and do some actual promotion! 😬

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

Greens Organise @greensorganise.bsky.social · 9d

We are building an eco socialist Green Party and we need your help to do that.

Still think the party isn’t perfect?
Well come help us make it perfect.
@frankadlingtons.bsky.social

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Reposted by Tom Cutterham

Patrick Andelic @pkandelic.bsky.social · 10d

Screenshot of tweets from Patrick Cosmos (@very important lawyer):

'working on a new unified theory of american reality i'm calling "everyone is twelve now.'

'"I'm strong and I want to have like fifty kids and a farm" of course you do. You're twelve. "I don't want to eat vegetables I think steak and French fries is the only meal" hell yeah homie you're twelve. "Maybe if there's crime we should just send the army" bless your heart my twelve year old buddy.'

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 12d

I'd love to know if the managers of my USS pension are among those now whining for a blank cheque to pollute the country's waterways. Anyone know who's actually part of "London and Valley Water"? www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Thames Water creditors ask for up to 15 years’ leniency from river pollution rules

Lenders say a ‘full return to legal, regulatory and environmental compliance’ under new rescue plan would not be completed until at least 2035-2040

www.theguardian.com

Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 12d

Wikipedia: "Corner became Warden of Goldsmiths, University of London in 2019. Through 2024, a focus of her administration was reducing costs by eliminating faculty and staff positions. The cuts were opposed by the Goldsmiths University and College Union (UCU) and students. Through 2021, Corner also charged the College nearly £20,000 for taxi fares, with £9,000 being for personal use."

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glastomichelle.bsky.social @glastomichelle.bsky.social · 15d

St John's church, Glastonbury peering out of the mist. Photograph taken this morning from Glastonbury Tor on Michaelmas day.

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Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 21d

Every time I open an ebook via the university library I (and therefore presumably my students) get a handy "would you like an AI summary of this chapter?" popup.

Will Tattersdill @tattersdill.bsky.social · 21d

When I open a PDF with Adobe Reader, there are THREE separate injunctions to use "AI" on different parts of the screen. A core feature (eg. 'Save as...') has one place where we learn to go as a necessary part of the software. "AI" is not a core feature; it is something else

Tom Cutterham @tomcutterham.bsky.social · 22d

Kinder Institute assistant prof, constitutional and legal history, 1750-1860!

BrANCH @branchuk.bsky.social · 22d

Two tenure-track positions in Nineteenth Century American history (in the US) have come across my radar if anyone is interested!

www.higheredjobs.com/faculty/deta...

www.higheredjobs.com/faculty/deta...

Assistant Professor of History - HigherEdJobs

Jobs in higher education. Faculty and administrative positions at colleges and universities. Updated daily. Free to job seekers.

www.higheredjobs.com

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