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Dr Holly Nielsen

@hollynielsen.bsky.social

15K followers 510 following 4.7K posts

Historian of play | AHRC funded PhD on board games & play c.1860-1939 | Game developer | Writer & narrative designer Repped by Will Francis at Janklow & Nesbit she/her

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · Jun 10

Thought I’d do a little reminder on here-

If you’re curious, these are academic pieces based on my research that I have published so far. (Humanities academic publishing is glacially slow)

Chapter: “‘the British Empire would gain new strength from Nursery Floors’, Depictions of Travel and Place in Nineteenth-Century British board games”, in “Historia Ludens: The Playing Historian”, Routledge, edited by Alexander con Lünen, Katherine J. Lewis, Benjamin Litherland and Pat Cullum

Chapter: “‘Men should try playing the woman’s part to see what it feels like. Remember~ it’s only a game…’ The representation of gendered experience in chance-based board games”, in “Material Game Studies, A Philosophy of Analogue Play”, Bloomsbury, edited by Chloé Germaine and Paul Wake

Chapter: “Empire Preference: Interwar British Empire Trade Games” in, “playing place: board games, popular culture, space”, MIT Press, edited by Chad Randl and D. Medina Lasansky

Paper: “Multipurpose Domesticity: Labour, Leisure and Kitchen Tables” November 2023, 93(6), Architectural Design

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 11h

Perfect!

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Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 4d

Reminder that if you’d like to work with a writer and narrative person who puts in fun things like this even in a game with a non-historical setting- then I’m available for work at the beginning of the new year

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 5d

I love writing for games and getting to slip in little bits of historiography. In one storylet I’ve covered ambiguity in material culture, “truth” and “emotional truth”, and the need to research the everyday alongside the exceptional 🫡

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 12h

A lot of people who probably just didn’t like that I was definitely stronger than them…

And yes I’m giving my paper in person! If you have time I’d love to have a proper catch up!!

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 12h

It’s a bit sad remembering that at this point in my life I thought my muscles were unattractive because they weren’t “feminine” and I didn’t like this picture because of it. Wish I could go back and shake young Holly.

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 12h

Ahh! SO cute

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 13h

We’re going to need a master of shading and highlighting, ink trickery

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 15h

Wish I had more photo evidence of it tbh. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 15h

Post you from a different era.

(Mainly an excuse to prove I used to have abs.)

Picture of a younger Holly dancing in a nightclub. I’m wearing a cropped white tshirt

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 16h

My brain: okay not feeling too terrible today.

My body: lol lmao. You fool.

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 20h

If a post gets to around 100 likes I just mute it, as soon as it hits the discover page it’s all over

Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen

Dr Kat Day (she/her) @chronicleflask.katday.com · 21h

They always start with free speech. It sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Free speech? And they can use it to shut down anyone who criticises them, because it’s all “free speech”

After “free speech” it’s “protecting women and girls”

And then it’s whatever they actually wanted.

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 21h

The right-wing campaign group that helped topple Roe v Wade in the US is now working to roll back abortion laws in the UK, with the help of Nigel Farage.

Its first step? Trying to create a debate around "free speech"
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 22h

Getting tickets to see The Cure in Berlin is a good way to start a Monday

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

Oh that is such a good idea!!

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

Last year I went to a videogame themed Halloween party dressed as Wilmot’s Warehouse, but this years Halloween party theme is “Halloween”- so I don’t think I can wear it again.

Selfie in a mirror. I’m wearing a black top that has bright vaguely abstract patterns, and I’m holding a square with a smiling face on it.

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

I need someone to decide what I’m going to dress up as for Halloween

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

Happy birthday!!! 🥳 ❤️ ✨

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

I can’t bring myself to tie it yet though because I just look like some variation of a scout.

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

The wondrous imagination of children

A path with the word “poo” written in chalk on it

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

Big fan of this scarf

Selfie in a mirror. I’m wearing a red scarf, gold necklace and earrings, light blue denim jacket, dark brown top and black corduroy trousers

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 1d

That’s the good stuff 🍂

Picture of trees turning into autumnal colours across a pond that’s reflecting them

A tree with deep orange leaves and a blue sky behind it, there’s a single leaf falling fr the tree

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 2d

I’m glad you had a lovely time but the culture was generally *pretty disgusting*

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 2d

When I see men in games reminisce fondly of the “golden age” of game magazines I just think of shit like this and remember that game magazines actively put me off playing videogames as a kid.

Jacob Geller @jacobgeller.com · 2d

I sometimes read old gaming magazines and stumbled upon this "babe of the year" section from Playstation: The Official Magazine.

If I was the editor I would have gently suggested this writer be put down like a rabid dog

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Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 3d

Mine arrived today and I am thrilled at how big it is

Dr Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social · 3d

🐐

Picture of my hand holding a large mug with a goat on it that says “wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”

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Reposted by Dr Holly Nielsen

Tamoor Hussain @tamoorh.com · 3d

Live now raising money for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social

Tamoor Hussain @tamoorh.com · 6d

This week I’m going to raise money for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social to help Palestinians in need.

On Fri I'll start & finish Metal Gear Solid, MGS2 on Sat, Delta on Sun. It'll be 9 AM PT each day on www.twitch.tv/tamoorh.

Fundraiser is live on my Twitch. Please share if you can!

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