Anna Wilson
@annapwilson.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of English @ Harvard. Medieval literature, queer theory, fan fiction & fan studies. She/her. Support trans rights.
http://www.drannawilson.com/
http://www.drannawilson.com/
Pinned
Anna Wilson
@annapwilson.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Hi new followers! I work on medieval literature, fanfiction, the history of reading and rewriting, adaptation, reception, medievalism, and queer theory. I'm currently writing a book about medieval writers who were fannish and their modern fandoms. #medievalsky
Reposted by Anna Wilson
Peak BlueSky: you see a random downthread comment and you think they're talking about a senior academic you probably know, but it turns out they're talking about Henry VIII.
What an ass, all in the pursuit of control. What I understand from the little I've read, he was somewhat brilliant in his younger days, then something went terribly wrong.
November 25, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Peak BlueSky: you see a random downthread comment and you think they're talking about a senior academic you probably know, but it turns out they're talking about Henry VIII.
Reposted by Anna Wilson
I will add the following: our students lack the research skills required to audit an LLM essay for errors. They don’t arrive on campus with these skills; we teach it to them over four long years. So throwing freshmen in the deep end and saying “swim your way to a shore of rectitude” is folly.
November 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I will add the following: our students lack the research skills required to audit an LLM essay for errors. They don’t arrive on campus with these skills; we teach it to them over four long years. So throwing freshmen in the deep end and saying “swim your way to a shore of rectitude” is folly.
Reposted by Anna Wilson
Welcome to ASU @platanoclassics.bsky.social!
“Dan-el Padilla Peralta is in the vanguard of scholars working to ensure that the complexities of the past are not flattened in service to the monochrome myths of our day,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities at ASU.
news.asu.edu/b/20251112-d...
“Dan-el Padilla Peralta is in the vanguard of scholars working to ensure that the complexities of the past are not flattened in service to the monochrome myths of our day,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities at ASU.
news.asu.edu/b/20251112-d...
November 21, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Welcome to ASU @platanoclassics.bsky.social!
“Dan-el Padilla Peralta is in the vanguard of scholars working to ensure that the complexities of the past are not flattened in service to the monochrome myths of our day,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities at ASU.
news.asu.edu/b/20251112-d...
“Dan-el Padilla Peralta is in the vanguard of scholars working to ensure that the complexities of the past are not flattened in service to the monochrome myths of our day,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities at ASU.
news.asu.edu/b/20251112-d...
One day I'm going to write a very serious article about the podcast "The Worst Idea of All Time" in which two NZ comedians watch and review the same bad movie over and over. I truly believe it's one of the most exciting and interesting critical experiments out there.
November 20, 2025 at 9:48 PM
One day I'm going to write a very serious article about the podcast "The Worst Idea of All Time" in which two NZ comedians watch and review the same bad movie over and over. I truly believe it's one of the most exciting and interesting critical experiments out there.
"Out on the worldwide web, signed language is routinely co-opted by non-deaf social media influencers for clout, so much so that fake ASL taught on TikTok has begun to infiltrate real-world communities, emboldening e-learners to approach deaf people only to sign gibberish or curse words."
I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not fight with people on Threads about Makaton. I will not thebaffler.com/outbursts/si...
Signed Away | Sara Nović
The hearing world continues to pillage and caricature the deaf community—most recently with the proprietary, sign-based system Makaton.
thebaffler.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:56 AM
"Out on the worldwide web, signed language is routinely co-opted by non-deaf social media influencers for clout, so much so that fake ASL taught on TikTok has begun to infiltrate real-world communities, emboldening e-learners to approach deaf people only to sign gibberish or curse words."
Reposted by Anna Wilson
I'm so excited that this piece is out!! I've always found fandom roleplaying to be weirdly under-discussed (in media, academia) considering how much crossover there is w/ fic spaces. And @mossheadlives.bsky.social took an initial sort of explainer draft to such a beautiful essay in the end—read it!
Our November piece is live! ✨ @mossheadlives.bsky.social writes about text-based roleplaying in fandom—and about using these existing characters to explore their gender identity.
Read the piece or listen to an audio version (and check out the gorgeous art by @thebeanbaguette.bsky.social):
Read the piece or listen to an audio version (and check out the gorgeous art by @thebeanbaguette.bsky.social):
Alternate Universes — Fansplaining
Through fandom text-based roleplaying, I’ve lived so many other lives—and experienced so many other bodies.
www.fansplaining.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I'm so excited that this piece is out!! I've always found fandom roleplaying to be weirdly under-discussed (in media, academia) considering how much crossover there is w/ fic spaces. And @mossheadlives.bsky.social took an initial sort of explainer draft to such a beautiful essay in the end—read it!
Reposted by Anna Wilson
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I have been WAITING for a journalist to write this story.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
I specialize in manuscripts produced in England between 1300 and 1500. If this had occurred in the midst of writing my dissertation or first book, it would have exploded my career.
It should be absolutely clear to everyone at this point that "DEI" in the language of this administration means "anything that reveals or criticizes the racist structures and histories in which we [the federal government] are invested."
Jaw dropped. Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content
Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content - Oklahoma Watch
The Trump administration removed a congressionally mandated report on missing and murdered Native Americans from the DOJ website, citing compliance with an executive order against DEI. Senators who ch...
oklahomawatch.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
It should be absolutely clear to everyone at this point that "DEI" in the language of this administration means "anything that reveals or criticizes the racist structures and histories in which we [the federal government] are invested."
Reposted by Anna Wilson
How was the hipstere knighte moost grievouslye woundid?
Wore the chainmail bifor it was coole.
Wore the chainmail bifor it was coole.
November 15, 2025 at 4:16 AM
How was the hipstere knighte moost grievouslye woundid?
Wore the chainmail bifor it was coole.
Wore the chainmail bifor it was coole.
Really appreciate this statement from ACLS director Joy Connolly about federal attempts to suppress certain scholarly fields, including gender & sexuality studies. Love to see scholarship funding bodies speak up in explicit and pointed ways about their ideals. www.acls.org/news/speakin....
Speaking Out for All Studies: November 12, 2025 Advocacy Update
Joy Connolly shares how ACLS is standing with scholars and societies defending academic freedom and humanistic inquiry against censorship, defunding, and political interference.
www.acls.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Really appreciate this statement from ACLS director Joy Connolly about federal attempts to suppress certain scholarly fields, including gender & sexuality studies. Love to see scholarship funding bodies speak up in explicit and pointed ways about their ideals. www.acls.org/news/speakin....
Reposted by Anna Wilson
In an ideal world, the next Director General of the BBC would scrap the BBC's dedicated News channel, replace all of BBC News's political correspondents, and commission a load of new scripted drama and comedy along with a set of brand new music-orientated shows.-
November 9, 2025 at 6:39 PM
In an ideal world, the next Director General of the BBC would scrap the BBC's dedicated News channel, replace all of BBC News's political correspondents, and commission a load of new scripted drama and comedy along with a set of brand new music-orientated shows.-
I've been promoted to Associate Professor! (this is not tenure at Harvard, which tenures at full.) Yay!
November 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I've been promoted to Associate Professor! (this is not tenure at Harvard, which tenures at full.) Yay!
Reposted by Anna Wilson
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Conference on "Early Modern Asexualities," in person at Victoria College at the University of Toronto (and streamed online), January 5-7, 2026.
Get previews of chapters in the collection edited by myself, @catherineclifford.bsky.social, and @omaraphd.bsky.social. 💜🤍🌪️🖤
1/
Get previews of chapters in the collection edited by myself, @catherineclifford.bsky.social, and @omaraphd.bsky.social. 💜🤍🌪️🖤
1/
November 5, 2025 at 11:14 PM
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Conference on "Early Modern Asexualities," in person at Victoria College at the University of Toronto (and streamed online), January 5-7, 2026.
Get previews of chapters in the collection edited by myself, @catherineclifford.bsky.social, and @omaraphd.bsky.social. 💜🤍🌪️🖤
1/
Get previews of chapters in the collection edited by myself, @catherineclifford.bsky.social, and @omaraphd.bsky.social. 💜🤍🌪️🖤
1/
Congratulations New York!
November 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Congratulations New York!
This morning I overheard my 5 (nearly 6) year old child reading aloud to himself an I Can Read book about the Green Lantern with such a reverential tone, and it was so magical. Reading is incredible and now he can access all the absurd superhero lore in the world, and I'm so happy for him.
November 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This morning I overheard my 5 (nearly 6) year old child reading aloud to himself an I Can Read book about the Green Lantern with such a reverential tone, and it was so magical. Reading is incredible and now he can access all the absurd superhero lore in the world, and I'm so happy for him.
Reposted by Anna Wilson
My book is now available open access on project muse, with OAPen launch coming soon. Hard copies should start going out this week (if they have not already): you can get yours for 50% off with code SAR50.
November 3, 2025 at 2:56 PM
My book is now available open access on project muse, with OAPen launch coming soon. Hard copies should start going out this week (if they have not already): you can get yours for 50% off with code SAR50.
Reposted by Anna Wilson
Here we go ✊
Workers of the Science News Media Guild will conduct a 24-hour #strike on Wednesday, 11/5. This comes after our members voted to reject the Society’s latest contract proposal. Our members previously voted by 92% to authorize a strike against the @society4science.bsky.social, if necessary.
November 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Here we go ✊
The MFA Boston is doing good work.
www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/29/m...
www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/29/m...
MFA Boston returns works by 19th-century enslaved artist David Drake to his heirs
The terms of the restitution of the two ceramic pots have been cast in the mould of Nazi war-loot agreements
www.theartnewspaper.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:21 PM
The MFA Boston is doing good work.
www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/29/m...
www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/29/m...
Reposted by Anna Wilson
Great story and important history from the National Army Museum in today's @theguardian.com - a newly acquired portrait shines a light on a Black veteran of Waterloo, one of several Black soldiers honoured for their service in the Napoleonic wars. www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
London museum identifies black Waterloo veteran in rare 1821 painting
‘Honourable’ bandsman Thomas James will feature in display at National Army Museum highlighting service of black soldiers in Napoleonic wars
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Great story and important history from the National Army Museum in today's @theguardian.com - a newly acquired portrait shines a light on a Black veteran of Waterloo, one of several Black soldiers honoured for their service in the Napoleonic wars. www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...
Recommending David Townsend's The Ram in the Thicket. A really well written, rich historical novel about Julian of Norwich, in and out of the world, watching a threat to her family loom when Margery Kempe comes to town and lights a fire... it's really good.
October 15, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Recommending David Townsend's The Ram in the Thicket. A really well written, rich historical novel about Julian of Norwich, in and out of the world, watching a threat to her family loom when Margery Kempe comes to town and lights a fire... it's really good.
Reposted by Anna Wilson
Deadline extended! You have until Monday October 20th to put in an abstract! #queerbibliography #transbookhistory
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
Your challenge for this weekend is to put in an abstract for Queer Bibliography 2026. It's what all the cool kids are doing.
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
The theme is Space, Place, Community (widely understood, certainly not limited to the South). CFP: shorturl.at/XAVJ0; Submit: forms.gle/XD7FgrrStp3j...
Athens GA and online
October 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Deadline extended! You have until Monday October 20th to put in an abstract! #queerbibliography #transbookhistory
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
@bibsoc.bsky.social @bibsocamer.bsky.social @obs1922.bsky.social @transbookhistory.bsky.social @thetransfemininereview.com @sharpnews.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org
Reposted by Anna Wilson
It's true: I wrote a book. And what's more, the book is done and soon you'll be able to own a copy. And what's more more, if you want a hard copy you can order one for 50% off now, with the code SAR50. And if you want it digitally, it'll be open access!
www.arc-humanities.org/978180270163...
www.arc-humanities.org/978180270163...
Trans Histories of the Medieval Book - Arc Humanities Press
Archival collections are political spaces: the decisions that govern whose histories are preserved, when, and by whom are not neutral. They reflect the commu...
www.arc-humanities.org
October 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
It's true: I wrote a book. And what's more, the book is done and soon you'll be able to own a copy. And what's more more, if you want a hard copy you can order one for 50% off now, with the code SAR50. And if you want it digitally, it'll be open access!
www.arc-humanities.org/978180270163...
www.arc-humanities.org/978180270163...
Reposted by Anna Wilson
a) an English degree does not prevent you from getting and doing a [scare quote] real job [scare quote]
b) there are things, goals, and values in the world other than money
but also c) last year the publishing industry's estimated worth to the UK economy was ELEVEN BILLION QUID.
b) there are things, goals, and values in the world other than money
but also c) last year the publishing industry's estimated worth to the UK economy was ELEVEN BILLION QUID.
Calling English a 'rip-off degree' is one of the most blatant exhibitions of personal barbarism I've ever seen. You've demonstrated nothing but the poverty of your own mind.
October 8, 2025 at 10:57 AM
a) an English degree does not prevent you from getting and doing a [scare quote] real job [scare quote]
b) there are things, goals, and values in the world other than money
but also c) last year the publishing industry's estimated worth to the UK economy was ELEVEN BILLION QUID.
b) there are things, goals, and values in the world other than money
but also c) last year the publishing industry's estimated worth to the UK economy was ELEVEN BILLION QUID.