Dr Cath Feely
@cathfeely.bsky.social
Cultural historian of modern Britain. Senior Lecturer at the University of Derby and Councillor of the Royal Historical Society. All views my own.
Pinned
The Trenches, the Tram and the Trolley Bus
A twentieth-century story
botheringmiancestors.substack.com
For Remembrance Sunday, a short reflection on the life and death of my great grandfather in the twenty years after his return. botheringmiancestors.substack.com/p/the-trench...
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
The consultancy Nous takes hundreds of thousands of pounds from universities, leaves the exact same path of destruction everywhere, and keeps trying to avoid transparent contracts.
We’re urgently need control over consultancy spent in #UKHE, @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
We’re urgently need control over consultancy spent in #UKHE, @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
‘Nousferatu’: the notorious consultancy advising Edinburgh uni amid 'huge' cuts
Scotland’s largest university has turned to Nous Group at the same time as it is making savings that could lead to nearly 2,000 job losses. Staff say they were misled about the extent of its work.
www.theferret.scot
November 30, 2025 at 10:02 AM
The consultancy Nous takes hundreds of thousands of pounds from universities, leaves the exact same path of destruction everywhere, and keeps trying to avoid transparent contracts.
We’re urgently need control over consultancy spent in #UKHE, @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
We’re urgently need control over consultancy spent in #UKHE, @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
If you're cutting programmes based on 'income' but not taking into account cost, you're going to cut a lot of humanities programmes that have been cross-subsidising STEM programmes that are stupidly expensive to run.
But hey, don't listen to staff, we might be biased. #UKHE
But hey, don't listen to staff, we might be biased. #UKHE
yup. yup. yup. Here Nous did our portfolio review framework has only three benchmarks: market outlook, student experience (NSS), income (NOTE NOT COST). Based on that, programmes are being cut.
Nothing about research, nothing about strategic needs, nothing about long-term planning.
Nothing about research, nothing about strategic needs, nothing about long-term planning.
November 30, 2025 at 11:06 AM
If you're cutting programmes based on 'income' but not taking into account cost, you're going to cut a lot of humanities programmes that have been cross-subsidising STEM programmes that are stupidly expensive to run.
But hey, don't listen to staff, we might be biased. #UKHE
But hey, don't listen to staff, we might be biased. #UKHE
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Reading a gloomy thread about students who won’t or can’t read or learn and then thinking about the conferences I’ve been having with my students who are writing essays on David Copperfield. Anecdotes are not data and these are upper year majors but they seem generally keen and engaged.
November 29, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Reading a gloomy thread about students who won’t or can’t read or learn and then thinking about the conferences I’ve been having with my students who are writing essays on David Copperfield. Anecdotes are not data and these are upper year majors but they seem generally keen and engaged.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
November 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
So much to do and finish this weekend, but the cat and I are starting with the same energy.
November 29, 2025 at 7:36 AM
So much to do and finish this weekend, but the cat and I are starting with the same energy.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Good morning & welcome to #Caturday
You can’t control what happens, but you can choose how you move through it.
Protect your peace, trust your pace, and make the decisions that help you feel grounded and safe
You can’t control what happens, but you can choose how you move through it.
Protect your peace, trust your pace, and make the decisions that help you feel grounded and safe
November 29, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Good morning & welcome to #Caturday
You can’t control what happens, but you can choose how you move through it.
Protect your peace, trust your pace, and make the decisions that help you feel grounded and safe
You can’t control what happens, but you can choose how you move through it.
Protect your peace, trust your pace, and make the decisions that help you feel grounded and safe
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
#academicsky #history I'm trying to remember who did some early folk ballad collecting in Scotland, specifically thinking about all the infanticide ballads. I am frustrated because I can't remember their name and my searching is coming up with American folk collectors.
November 29, 2025 at 6:17 AM
#academicsky #history I'm trying to remember who did some early folk ballad collecting in Scotland, specifically thinking about all the infanticide ballads. I am frustrated because I can't remember their name and my searching is coming up with American folk collectors.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Though one important part of making politics intellectual is that when you host a podcast called "Political Thinking" and somebody comes out with guff like Badenoch did, you really do have to challenge it. Right now there's no reward structure for deeper thinking or self-reflection.
November 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Though one important part of making politics intellectual is that when you host a podcast called "Political Thinking" and somebody comes out with guff like Badenoch did, you really do have to challenge it. Right now there's no reward structure for deeper thinking or self-reflection.
Occasionally I think about how having a different kind of brain means that I am sometimes treated like an idiot by other academics. I'm not an idiot. I'm just Ginger Rogers, trying to match your Fred Astaire moves but backwards and in heels. I'm still a damn good dancer.
November 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Occasionally I think about how having a different kind of brain means that I am sometimes treated like an idiot by other academics. I'm not an idiot. I'm just Ginger Rogers, trying to match your Fred Astaire moves but backwards and in heels. I'm still a damn good dancer.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
November 28, 2025 at 11:22 AM
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
Absolute codswallop. It was a brilliant series.
1/5 It was entirely predictable that The Telegraph would jump on @DavidOlusoga’s Empire series to fight its right wing culture war for control of our public history. Let’s see what they’ve done:
November 28, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Absolute codswallop. It was a brilliant series.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
The removal of individual institutions’ student number caps was a disaster.
'Bols and Maguire trace the current financial problems higher education institutions are facing back to the government’s decision to remove the limit on student numbers in 2015-16 and deregulate student recruitment, while maintaining caps on tuition fees, thus limiting universities’ income.' 2/3
November 28, 2025 at 8:59 AM
The removal of individual institutions’ student number caps was a disaster.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
box of cereal is like a quid more than it was six months ago but at least now disabled people can't put their own money towards a car that's nicer than the government thinks they deserve
November 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
box of cereal is like a quid more than it was six months ago but at least now disabled people can't put their own money towards a car that's nicer than the government thinks they deserve
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
RHS Fellows based in universities come not just from History depts but from across HE bit.ly/48iH0oG
In the past 12 months, we've welcomed historians based in (among others) Accounting, Education, English, Film Studies, Law, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Political Theory & Theology #Skystorians
In the past 12 months, we've welcomed historians based in (among others) Accounting, Education, English, Film Studies, Law, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Political Theory & Theology #Skystorians
November 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM
RHS Fellows based in universities come not just from History depts but from across HE bit.ly/48iH0oG
In the past 12 months, we've welcomed historians based in (among others) Accounting, Education, English, Film Studies, Law, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Political Theory & Theology #Skystorians
In the past 12 months, we've welcomed historians based in (among others) Accounting, Education, English, Film Studies, Law, Media Studies, Modern Languages, Political Theory & Theology #Skystorians
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Are you a PhD student & interested in using museum collections in your teaching or research?
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Are you a PhD student & interested in using museum collections in your teaching or research?
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.
Find out more:
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
We're proud to be a member of the #GeneralStrike100 national partnership
Explore our interactive map & sign up to visit your nearest partner & #GeneralStrike100 history sites at actionnetwork.org/forms/visit-...
Looking forward to sharing our collections through onsite events & digitised sources!
Explore our interactive map & sign up to visit your nearest partner & #GeneralStrike100 history sites at actionnetwork.org/forms/visit-...
Looking forward to sharing our collections through onsite events & digitised sources!
November 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
We're proud to be a member of the #GeneralStrike100 national partnership
Explore our interactive map & sign up to visit your nearest partner & #GeneralStrike100 history sites at actionnetwork.org/forms/visit-...
Looking forward to sharing our collections through onsite events & digitised sources!
Explore our interactive map & sign up to visit your nearest partner & #GeneralStrike100 history sites at actionnetwork.org/forms/visit-...
Looking forward to sharing our collections through onsite events & digitised sources!
I have been working all day in a house without internet and my phone in another room. I highly recommend it.
November 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I have been working all day in a house without internet and my phone in another room. I highly recommend it.
Note to self: don't be stupid and check social media on a Sunday night.
November 23, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Note to self: don't be stupid and check social media on a Sunday night.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
the thing that scares me about Labour HE policy is that because I work in the sector I can see how absolutely insane it is, which makes me wonder just how terrible their policies are in all the other sectors I’m in less of a position to engage with critically out of lack of knowledge.
November 23, 2025 at 11:08 PM
the thing that scares me about Labour HE policy is that because I work in the sector I can see how absolutely insane it is, which makes me wonder just how terrible their policies are in all the other sectors I’m in less of a position to engage with critically out of lack of knowledge.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
We should be encouraging foreign students to come here and spend their money in our university towns and cities, not penalising them for doing it.
November 23, 2025 at 10:57 PM
We should be encouraging foreign students to come here and spend their money in our university towns and cities, not penalising them for doing it.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Why are they so fucking *stupid*
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Why are they so fucking *stupid*
Post a movie where you are from.
November 23, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Post a movie where you are from.
Reposted by Dr Cath Feely
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.
November 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.