Robert Bickers
@bickers.bsky.social
Writer & historian. European. Professor of History, University of Bristol. Rewriting British and other history is my job. Find out more via my staff profile: http://tinyurl.com/rbickers, & blog: http://robertbickers.net I also run http://hpcbristol.net
Pinned
Robert Bickers
@bickers.bsky.social
· Dec 13
New platform, so here's an introduction. I’m a historian of modern China and of British colonialism working at @uobrishistory.bsky.social . I’ve written six books, edited eight more, and run various projects, on the Chinese Maritime Customs, on Tianjin, on creative & heritage work closer to home.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
The articles for "Who Belongs in the Empire" have now been published together as a special issue in Itinerario alongside the highly relevant special issue "Hidden Economies of Slavery." Check out both open-access collections now!
Introduction: Who Belongs in the Empire? Culture, Race, and Malleable Identities in (semi)Colonial Port Cities, 1840–1960 | Itinerario | Cambridge Core
Introduction: Who Belongs in the Empire? Culture, Race, and Malleable Identities in (semi)Colonial Port Cities, 1840–1960 - Volume 49 Issue 2
www.cambridge.org
November 28, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The articles for "Who Belongs in the Empire" have now been published together as a special issue in Itinerario alongside the highly relevant special issue "Hidden Economies of Slavery." Check out both open-access collections now!
Please share: 2 fully funded 4 year PhD studentships for autumn 2026 entry at the Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social here at @uobartsmatter.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰:
t.co/ueTuU4kwKE
𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰:
t.co/ueTuU4kwKE
November 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Please share: 2 fully funded 4 year PhD studentships for autumn 2026 entry at the Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social here at @uobartsmatter.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social
Reposted by Robert Bickers
1/2 Two new posts, one on visualisingchina.net/blog, on Shanghai's former First World War Memorial (shown below as it never was): visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...
October 29, 2025 at 8:40 AM
1/2 Two new posts, one on visualisingchina.net/blog, on Shanghai's former First World War Memorial (shown below as it never was): visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Objectively the best Medieval Summer School out there 😉 Please consider sharing and, even better, applying! 🙂
We are SO excited to announce that applications are now open for this year's Medieval Studies Summer School! 🎉 Please do pass this information on to anyone you think might be interested!
We'll be sharing some highlights of last year's programme over the next few weeks!
#medievalsky #skystorians
We'll be sharing some highlights of last year's programme over the next few weeks!
#medievalsky #skystorians
October 23, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Objectively the best Medieval Summer School out there 😉 Please consider sharing and, even better, applying! 🙂
Reposted by Robert Bickers
On our blog, a new post Dr Yorgos Moraitis introduces his new book on Robert Hart: visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...
Guest blog: Yorgos Moraitis on Robert Hart and his Loyalties, Neither Chinese Nor British | Visualising China
visualisingchina.net
October 21, 2025 at 2:38 PM
On our blog, a new post Dr Yorgos Moraitis introduces his new book on Robert Hart: visualisingchina.net/blog/2025/10...
I've written about the life and just some of the achievements of my former classmate Andy West aka 魏安, Ando, and BabelStone @babelstone.co.uk
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Andy West obituary
Other lives: Expert in encoding scripts for languages
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:03 AM
I've written about the life and just some of the achievements of my former classmate Andy West aka 魏安, Ando, and BabelStone @babelstone.co.uk
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Dr Sijie Ren, who was supervised by @robertbickers and Adrian Howkins, was awarded the British Association for Chinese Studies 'Best Doctoral Thesis Prize' for their PhD “Science and Politics in Maoist China: The Synthetic Insulin Project and its Legacy."
September 30, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Dr Sijie Ren, who was supervised by @robertbickers and Adrian Howkins, was awarded the British Association for Chinese Studies 'Best Doctoral Thesis Prize' for their PhD “Science and Politics in Maoist China: The Synthetic Insulin Project and its Legacy."
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Out now with @oxunipress.bsky.social @uobartsmatter.bsky.social with thanks to @leverhulme.ac.uk .... Joseph Stalin banned it, but was it too sexy or just too noisy?
September 29, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Out now with @oxunipress.bsky.social @uobartsmatter.bsky.social with thanks to @leverhulme.ac.uk .... Joseph Stalin banned it, but was it too sexy or just too noisy?
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Electric Wind is here! Thank you for the surprise post @manchesterup.bsky.social ! Available for pre-order and in all good bookshops from 14 October 🙂
September 25, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Electric Wind is here! Thank you for the surprise post @manchesterup.bsky.social ! Available for pre-order and in all good bookshops from 14 October 🙂
Reposted by Robert Bickers
🤩 Check out the shiny new website of Bristol's world-class Centre for Medieval Studies (@bristolcms.bsky.social), home to over 35 full-time medievalists and over 160 research students and research associates: medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk 🤩 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social #medievalsky #skystorians
CMS; Bristol; University of Bristol; Medieval Studies; MA degree;
medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk
September 24, 2025 at 7:44 AM
🤩 Check out the shiny new website of Bristol's world-class Centre for Medieval Studies (@bristolcms.bsky.social), home to over 35 full-time medievalists and over 160 research students and research associates: medievalstudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk 🤩 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social #medievalsky #skystorians
Reposted by Robert Bickers
My tribute to Paul Cohen as historian & mentor to many www.asianstudies.org/in-memoriam-... cc @lmansley.bsky.social
In Memoriam: Paul A. Cohen (1934-2025) - Association for Asian Studies
Paul A. Cohen, who died on September 15, 2025 at the age of 91, made significant contributions to both the interdisciplinary field of Chinese studies and the discipline of history. The most obvious wa...
www.asianstudies.org
September 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
My tribute to Paul Cohen as historian & mentor to many www.asianstudies.org/in-memoriam-... cc @lmansley.bsky.social
Our Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social is looking for a Senior Research Associate (postdoc) with oral history skills and a record of research in the history of Hong Kong: tinyurl.com/hkhcpostdoc2...
August 27, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Our Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social is looking for a Senior Research Associate (postdoc) with oral history skills and a record of research in the history of Hong Kong: tinyurl.com/hkhcpostdoc2...
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Wow Sally Rooney. Fair play.
‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.’
‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.’
August 16, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Wow Sally Rooney. Fair play.
‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.’
‘I feel obliged to state once more that… I too support Palestine Action. … If the British state considers this "terrorism", then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith
and the BBC.’
Reposted by Robert Bickers
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we, the family of Andrew West, confirm his peaceful passing on 10th July 2025. The BabelStone legacy will be continued by colleagues and friends.
corp.unicode.org/pipermail/un...
corp.unicode.org/pipermail/un...
Andrew C. West 魏安 1960–2025
corp.unicode.org
July 30, 2025 at 10:09 AM
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we, the family of Andrew West, confirm his peaceful passing on 10th July 2025. The BabelStone legacy will be continued by colleagues and friends.
corp.unicode.org/pipermail/un...
corp.unicode.org/pipermail/un...
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Hello, quite new here, so introducing myself 👋 I’m a historian of #BlackBritishHistory @icws-sas.bsky.social, living in North Wales. My first book was #BlackTudors and my new one #Heiresses, is about nine British women who inherited enslaved people and plantations in the Caribbean.
July 29, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Hello, quite new here, so introducing myself 👋 I’m a historian of #BlackBritishHistory @icws-sas.bsky.social, living in North Wales. My first book was #BlackTudors and my new one #Heiresses, is about nine British women who inherited enslaved people and plantations in the Caribbean.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
The IHR is saddened by the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall, historian of the British Empire, and a long-standing member of King's College London's History department. As a long-time friend, supporter, and Fellow of the IHR, he will be greatly missed and remembered for his kindness and courtesy.
July 28, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The IHR is saddened by the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall, historian of the British Empire, and a long-standing member of King's College London's History department. As a long-time friend, supporter, and Fellow of the IHR, he will be greatly missed and remembered for his kindness and courtesy.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Thanks to @eicathomefinn.bsky.social for notification of the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall (1933-2025), a great historian of India and Empire, and a pioneering President of the Royal Historical Society. His last book is going to press so there is more of his work still to appreciate.
July 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Thanks to @eicathomefinn.bsky.social for notification of the death of Peter (P.J.) Marshall (1933-2025), a great historian of India and Empire, and a pioneering President of the Royal Historical Society. His last book is going to press so there is more of his work still to appreciate.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
I was excited to find out that my book is available for pre-order! One for anyone interested in energy, climate, and the history of Britain. Thanks to MUP for making it pretty and affordable 🫶 manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/
Manchester University Press - Electric wind
Electric wind - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Electric wind by Marianna Dudley
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
July 25, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I was excited to find out that my book is available for pre-order! One for anyone interested in energy, climate, and the history of Britain. Thanks to MUP for making it pretty and affordable 🫶 manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/
Congratulations!
I am thrilled to share that my book, Making Mao’s Steelworks, has been awarded the 2025 Reid Prize (given for “the most significant book contributing to the understanding of Asia”) by the Asian Studies Association of Australia.
asaa.asn.au/news/book-ab...
asaa.asn.au/news/book-ab...
Book about the Mao-era origins of Chinese industrialisation wins Reid Prize for 2025 - Asian Studies Association of Australia
The Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) is delighted to announce that Dr Koji Hirata, a historian from Monash University in Melbourne, has won the 2025 Reid Prize for his recently published ...
asaa.asn.au
July 21, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Congratulations!
Bristol welcomes you to a day of talks and conversations about Hong Kong's history aorganised by @hongkonghistory.bsky.social : 6 September.
𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 (𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲)
𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞: 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥
𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟓 / 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟐
(𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝)
Please secure your spot by purchasing the ticket on:
tinyurl.com/HKhistday202...
Programme:
tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 (𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲)
𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞: 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥
𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟓 / 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 £𝟐
(𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝)
Please secure your spot by purchasing the ticket on:
tinyurl.com/HKhistday202...
Programme:
tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...
July 9, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Bristol welcomes you to a day of talks and conversations about Hong Kong's history aorganised by @hongkonghistory.bsky.social : 6 September.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
Emerging Paths in Hong Kong History: Graduate Conference 2025
25-26 June 2025
21 papers by PhD students and young scholars from Europe, North America, Asia and Britain and a keynote speech by Gina Tam. What a wonderful feast of ideas and research insights!
Full programme:
tinyurl.com/2sbzdkpu
25-26 June 2025
21 papers by PhD students and young scholars from Europe, North America, Asia and Britain and a keynote speech by Gina Tam. What a wonderful feast of ideas and research insights!
Full programme:
tinyurl.com/2sbzdkpu
June 30, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Emerging Paths in Hong Kong History: Graduate Conference 2025
25-26 June 2025
21 papers by PhD students and young scholars from Europe, North America, Asia and Britain and a keynote speech by Gina Tam. What a wonderful feast of ideas and research insights!
Full programme:
tinyurl.com/2sbzdkpu
25-26 June 2025
21 papers by PhD students and young scholars from Europe, North America, Asia and Britain and a keynote speech by Gina Tam. What a wonderful feast of ideas and research insights!
Full programme:
tinyurl.com/2sbzdkpu
Reposted by Robert Bickers
"We wanted to use collective making to open up a space to acknowledge the challenges of migration, but to simultaneously explore a range of other stories."
Erika Hanna (@erikahanna.bsky.social) on the process of creating a new processional art piece for the 2024 St Patrick’s Day parade in Bristol.
Erika Hanna (@erikahanna.bsky.social) on the process of creating a new processional art piece for the 2024 St Patrick’s Day parade in Bristol.
Parading Memories
Discover how parades are used to celebrate the Bristol Irish community through the creation of Mother Ireland.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
July 3, 2025 at 11:48 AM
"We wanted to use collective making to open up a space to acknowledge the challenges of migration, but to simultaneously explore a range of other stories."
Erika Hanna (@erikahanna.bsky.social) on the process of creating a new processional art piece for the 2024 St Patrick’s Day parade in Bristol.
Erika Hanna (@erikahanna.bsky.social) on the process of creating a new processional art piece for the 2024 St Patrick’s Day parade in Bristol.
Reposted by Robert Bickers
'Intimate Subjects includes some irresistible case studies that illustrate the myriad ways in which touch was navigated and examined in the period.'
Dr Simeon Koole's (@uobrishistory.bsky.social) book, Intimate Subjects, is reviewed in this week's @lrb.co.uk
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Dr Simeon Koole's (@uobrishistory.bsky.social) book, Intimate Subjects, is reviewed in this week's @lrb.co.uk
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Hannah Rose Woods · Tactile Dreams
The British aversion to touching wasn’t limited to the Victorian era: comparative studies confirm that we continue to...
www.lrb.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 1:39 PM
'Intimate Subjects includes some irresistible case studies that illustrate the myriad ways in which touch was navigated and examined in the period.'
Dr Simeon Koole's (@uobrishistory.bsky.social) book, Intimate Subjects, is reviewed in this week's @lrb.co.uk
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Dr Simeon Koole's (@uobrishistory.bsky.social) book, Intimate Subjects, is reviewed in this week's @lrb.co.uk
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
It's arrived! 'Statelessness After Arendt: European Refugees in Asia and the Pacific during the Second World War' has been marshalled into print at @manchesterup.bsky.social by Kolleen Guy and Jay Winter
May 21, 2025 at 7:01 AM
It's arrived! 'Statelessness After Arendt: European Refugees in Asia and the Pacific during the Second World War' has been marshalled into print at @manchesterup.bsky.social by Kolleen Guy and Jay Winter
Reposted by Robert Bickers
I think this is a kind of ritual: in the square hole of the coin there's a bell. the public is encouraged to throw coins at the bell, and if they succeed at hitting it they will have a year of good luck.
I have seen a similar thing done at a temple , as part of a wishing well
I have seen a similar thing done at a temple , as part of a wishing well
Large wooden representation of an old Chinese coin suspended from a bridge in Bai yun guan courtyard at New Year's, Beijing, 1933-1946
Morrison, Hedda Collection
Hv24-041
hpcbristol.net/visual/Hv24-...
#chinesehistory #beijing #architecture #marble #北京 #老北京 #建築 #橋 #歷史 #Chineseculture
Morrison, Hedda Collection
Hv24-041
hpcbristol.net/visual/Hv24-...
#chinesehistory #beijing #architecture #marble #北京 #老北京 #建築 #橋 #歷史 #Chineseculture
May 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I think this is a kind of ritual: in the square hole of the coin there's a bell. the public is encouraged to throw coins at the bell, and if they succeed at hitting it they will have a year of good luck.
I have seen a similar thing done at a temple , as part of a wishing well
I have seen a similar thing done at a temple , as part of a wishing well