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Michael H Whitworth

@profmhwhitworth.bsky.social

3.2K followers 1.2K following 620 posts

Oxford, U.K. Prof of Modern Literature and Culture. Literature & Science, Modernism, Book History, Virginia Woolf, 1920s & 30s poetry. Also found on IG under the same name. All posts in a personal capacity.

Videos

Art 29%

Philosophy 21%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 4h

Once they understand that it is an unelected bureaucrat carrying out a coup, who knows.

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 23h

His slip of the tongue reveals who’s really in charge. trib.al/AoXcgAq

“Illinois governor says we’re provoking actions that are unlawful,” Miller said on CNN. “If I put federal law enforcement and National Guard into a nice sleepy Southern town, is anyone gonna riot?”

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 4h

‘An investigation by Index on Censorship showed that it’s mainly LGBT-themed books that get challenged; another study indicated that American pro-censorship groups are beginning to influence the situation in the UK.’

Anna Aslanyan on book bans, from the blog
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...

Anna Aslanyan | The Censor’s Scissors

John Heartfield was forced to leave Germany in 1933. Even before the Nazis put him on their hit list, his art had caused...

www.lrb.co.uk

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Martin Willis

British Association for Romantic Studies @bars.bsky.social · 8h

Call for Papers: British Society for Literature and Science (@thebsls.bsky.social) 21st Annual Conference, University of Strathclyde, 9th-11th April 2026. 200-word abstracts due by 12th December 2025.
www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6183

CfP: British Society for Literature and Science Annual Conference – BARS Blog

www.bars.ac.uk

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Reposted by Sanford F. Schram, Michael H. Whitworth, Henry Jones

Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 9h

Help me out here. When did Biden take office? Who was the FBI director on January 6th? Who appointed that FBI director?

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Greg Jenner @gregjenner.bsky.social · 13h

Hello, people of North Wales!

I’m coming to Bangor on Friday to do a lovely event called Ask A Historian, where you can ask me anything about history — tickets still available. All part of Bangor’s 1500th anniversary!

And @katewilliamsme.bsky.social is there too

www.pontio.co.uk/en/events/g%...

Bangor History Festival - Pontio

https://www.pontio.co.uk/en/events/gŵyl-hanes-bangor

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Reposted by Tom Shakespeare, Martin Paul Eve, Margot C. Finn , and 3 more Tom Shakespeare, Martin Paul Eve, Margot C. Finn, Michael H. Whitworth, Pauline Stafford, Vaughan S. Roberts

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Michael H. Whitworth

Chris Dale @chrisdaleoxford.bsky.social · 15h

Heron surveys the world and is unimpressed

The head and body of a heron looking cross. Its body is grey, with white lower breast and throat. The beak is yellow underneath and black and grey above. Its eye has a yellow ring round a black centre.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Faber Books @faberbooks.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you for following along today as we celebrated The Poems of Seamus Heaney, edited by Rosie Lavan and Bernard O’Donoghue, with Matthew Hollis. We’ll sign off with a photo of Seamus Heaney reading from North.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 1d

Timeline cleanse
came across tiny postman's gardens in old London where there is a wall of plaques, set up in 1900, for ordinary people who sacrificed themselves to save others...

Beautiful small garden and beautiful tributes

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Patrick Präg

The Record Deck 🛥🎵🎶 @therecorddeckuk.bsky.social · 1d

The floating record shop is open in Jericho, Oxford
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
11am to 5pm.
Pop down for a rummage
#vinylforsale
#canaltraders

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Reposted by Simon Hix, Michael H. Whitworth

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

What with all this the UK should emulate Dubai stuff, following hot on the heels of Singapore model, are there any other niche authoritarian city states we could go for? Brunei? Machiavelli’s Florence? Ancient Sparta?

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Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Ian Hall, Michael H. Whitworth

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 1d

'It is no secret that student attendance has plummeted in recent years, with near-empty lecture halls a staple of the post-pandemic world.'

Really? I lecture to all our 1st years. Lecture hall is full, not near-empty. Student engagement picked up last year and (early days) seems stronger again. 1/2

Fiction ‘brings lectures to life’ as academics face empty classes

University ‘whodunnit’ inspired by attempts to tackle poor attendance as scholars look for novel ways to engage mainstream audiences

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 1d

"Surge"? Oh sort yourself out BBC.
A frankly tiny number of people, in the grand scheme of things, with every right to do so coming to UK is hardly a "surge", but such language automatically frames them as a negative and is guaranteed to be used to stoke more division.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Surge in Chagos arrivals prompts row over housing costs

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Christina Pagel

Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · 1d

Academics and university staff being put on leave because of coordinated campaigns by right wing groups accusing them of criticising Charlie Kirk. I must admit I find the hypocrisy under the current US administration re free speech utterly outrageous.

US professors facing threats, firings and harassment over Charlie Kirk posts

As many as 40 academics have been dismissed in aftermath of shooting, allegedly without due process

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Richard M. Carpiano

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 1d

Trump got his COVID19 vaccine today.

He will always have access to everything he needs to maintain his health while denying others the same.

White House memo that says MEMORANDUM
October 10, 2025
TO: KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
PHYSICIAN TO THE PRESIDENT CAPTAIN, U.S. NAVY
SUBJECT: President Donald J. Trump Completes Comprehensive Follow-Up Evaluation at
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
President Donald J. Trump successfully completed a scheduled follow-up evaluation today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The visit was part of his ongoing health maintenance plan and included advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventive health assessments conducted by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. These evaluations were performed in coordination with leading academic and medical consultants to ensure optimal cardiovascular health and continued wellness.
Comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters.
In preparation for upcoming international travel, President Trump also received preventive health screenings and immunizations, including annual influenza and updated COVID-19 booster vaccinations.
President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health. His cardiac age-a validated measure of cardiovascular vitality via ECG-was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age. He continues to maintain a demanding daily schedule without restriction.
SUMMARY: President Donald J. Trump remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Kent Johnson, Henry Jones , and 1 more Michael H. Whitworth, Kent Johnson, Henry Jones, Dan Immergluck

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 2d

This is not a border crossing.
There’s no law that any of us have to show our papers on the interior.

This is a blatant civil rights violation. How is anyone supposed to know whether this man is a real ICE agent or just pretending to be one?!

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 2d

Authors, writers and translators are expected to be protected from a crackdown on UK working visas after being identified as occupations suffering from “critical” skills shortages 👇

Authors, writers and translators 'exempt' from crackdown on working visas

ebx.sh

Reposted by Robert C. Richards, Jacob T. Levy, Michael H. Whitworth , and 4 more Robert C. Richards, Jacob T. Levy, Michael H. Whitworth, Judith Beyer, Ann Bartow, Klaus Oschema, Nicolai von Ondarza

Lauren MacIvor Thompson @lmacthompson1.bsky.social · 2d

I am writing this because it has swiftly become crystal clear to me that many people have no idea what is happening or how this works. Here is a thread for non-academics to put into context what just happened to Dr. Mark Bray, a fellow historian.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Sophie Bacchus-Waterman @sophiebwaterman.bsky.social · 2d

Today was my last day as Special Collections Photographer at @stjohnsox.bsky.social. I am proud to say that I am responsible for most of the 100+ individual items now available on Digital Bodleian from SJC's special collections. You can view them all here: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/partners/st-...

Photograph of the Canterbury Quad in St John's College

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

RedScharlach @redscharlach.bsky.social · 2d

Today I’ve been visiting Reims (pronounced Rrrrass), a city in the Champagne region, about 45 mins from Paris on the train. Because it was hit hard by World War I, a lot of Reims was rebuilt in the Art Deco era, which means pleasing buildings galore. So here’s a thread 🧵

Cast iron window grating in the Art Deco style, from the Carnegie Library in Reims

Frontage of a random Art Deco building called the Hôtel de la Mutualité in Reims, built in 1927

Stained glass from the Villa Demoiselle, Reims

Stained glass from the porch of the former Cinéma Opéra in Reims

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Greg Linden, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 2d

JB Pritzker also talks about his inability to get any top Trump officials on the phone, probably because they *want* this to be experienced as an invasion. He explains why this could make law enforcement officials on both sides *less* safe. Total dereliction. 3/

newrepublic.com/article/2016...

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The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 2d

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 3d

Realizing that part of the reason universities’ uncritical pushing AI into everything bothers me is that it is partly related to how little our institutions care about the humanities. Tech that might work in (some) fields does not need to be force fed to all of us. But who listens to us?

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Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Michael H. Whitworth, Seán Hanley , and 1 more Lesley A. Hall, Michael H. Whitworth, Seán Hanley, Tim Leunig

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 3d

The advice I give young people on choice of degree programme. Choose something you love. You’ve got the rest of your life to be frustrated and miserable.

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Michael H Whitworth @profmhwhitworth.bsky.social · 3d

I’m sorry for your loss

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Lisa W. Fazio, Tom Clark , and 8 more Anna O. Law, Lisa W. Fazio, Tom Clark, Juan Cole, Daniel W. Drezner, Aaron Sojourner, Michael H. Whitworth, David Rosnick, Henry Jones, Magda Teter, Dunlap

CollinCountyDems @collincountydems.bsky.social · 3d

This is terrifying!

ICE breaks into this woman’s car in the pick-up line at West Loop Elementary school in Chicago and detains her before she can pick her kids up from school. (They were eventually let go after showing their documents)

This is Trump’s America.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Simon Kövesi @kovesi.bsky.social · 3d

The Nobel Prize being awarded to László Krasznahorkai is by far the best bit of news I've heard for an age. The opposite of cosy genre writing. A real thinker. An experimentalist. Every sentence on the edge of something new & unsaid. Original, discomforting, brilliant.

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Reposted by Alison Phipps, Michael H. Whitworth, Dolly Jørgensen

Sadiah Qureshi @sadiahqureshi.bsky.social · 3d

This collaborative PhD project with the LSE and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, on Planting Decolonization: Plantation Science and Empire in the Twentieth Century, sounds amazing.

I’m sure many of you might be interested.

#STS #HPS #HistSci

www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse...

LSE Collaborative Studentship with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

www.lse.ac.uk

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Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Alan Richardson, Margot C. Finn , and 1 more Lesley A. Hall, Alan Richardson, Margot C. Finn, Michael H. Whitworth

Rebecca Charbonneau @rebeccacharbon.bsky.social · 3d

🚀 We’re hiring a 3-year Postdoctoral Fellow in history of science/STS to join my team at the American Institute of Physics! If you're looking for a fellowship opportunity in the history of the physical sciences post-1850, please see our ad for more details: workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/defau...

Recruitment

workforcenow.adp.com

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth

Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · 3d

"Minister rules out international student levy in Wales - BBC News"

Minister rules out international student levy in Wales - BBC News

There are plans for such a tax in England to fund maintenance grants for some students.

bbc.in

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