Bruce Buchan
@brucealexb.bsky.social
Scholar. Historian of ideas. Mostly Enlightenment & race, quite a bit on empire & colonisation, plus some corruption and a little piracy for good measure.
A second book launch, this time at Uppsala University. Thanks to all who came and listened to @lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I outline our next book - on humanity and the history of scientific instructions. It’s a tale of skull collections and the colonial history of ideas.
November 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
A second book launch, this time at Uppsala University. Thanks to all who came and listened to @lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I outline our next book - on humanity and the history of scientific instructions. It’s a tale of skull collections and the colonial history of ideas.
The old anatomy theatre (dating from 1662-63), in the Gustavianum, Uppsala. An amazing demonstration of visibility in architecture, and of the prestige and power that anatomical science then commanded.
#HistoryOfMedicine
#HistoryOfAnatomy
#HistoryOfArchitecture
#HistoryOfMedicine
#HistoryOfAnatomy
#HistoryOfArchitecture
November 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
The old anatomy theatre (dating from 1662-63), in the Gustavianum, Uppsala. An amazing demonstration of visibility in architecture, and of the prestige and power that anatomical science then commanded.
#HistoryOfMedicine
#HistoryOfAnatomy
#HistoryOfArchitecture
#HistoryOfMedicine
#HistoryOfAnatomy
#HistoryOfArchitecture
Trump always was and always will be the asset of a foreign power. If treason had a corporeal shape, it would look like Trump.
Stunning development: Senators now confirm the Trump admin’s 28-point “peace plan” for Ukraine wasn’t a U.S. plan at all. It was a Russian wish list. Follow along. This is crazy. 1/
November 23, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Trump always was and always will be the asset of a foreign power. If treason had a corporeal shape, it would look like Trump.
For too long we’ve been subjected to a disempowerment discourse that asserts “the humanities are dying”. They’re not dying, but there is an effort by governments and corporations to kill them. And yet, the public’s desire to learn and engage with the humanities persists.
"While other universities report that the humanities are shrinking, at Berkeley, the opposite is true. The music major is the fastest-growing major on campus. We are finding bigger classrooms because film is exploding. English is back to the numbers we saw 15 years ago. We are hiring" bit.ly/4ohKuOe
"The humanities really are a resource — a confidence for living in our times.” Dean Sara Guyer on the modern utility of humanities degrees
This interview originally appeared on the Division of Arts
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
For too long we’ve been subjected to a disempowerment discourse that asserts “the humanities are dying”. They’re not dying, but there is an effort by governments and corporations to kill them. And yet, the public’s desire to learn and engage with the humanities persists.
Reposted by Bruce Buchan
🎵 “Join Ice” - @wellesmusic on Colbert
November 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
🎵 “Join Ice” - @wellesmusic on Colbert
Why were heads hunted in the Enlightenment?
Who hunted heads, and where did they 'acquire' them?
It’s a complicated history.
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I tell some of it in our new book.
We'll tell more of it in our next!
You can read a little about it here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/2025/11/20/h...
Who hunted heads, and where did they 'acquire' them?
It’s a complicated history.
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I tell some of it in our new book.
We'll tell more of it in our next!
You can read a little about it here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/2025/11/20/h...
Headhunting in the Age of Reason: Enlightenment Origins of the Global Trade in Skulls - Yale University Press
Bruce Buchan and Linda Andersson Burnett— Headhunting is not the first association that most people would make with the Age of Enlightenment. Indeed, many might never associate headhunting with the......
yalebooks.yale.edu
November 23, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Why were heads hunted in the Enlightenment?
Who hunted heads, and where did they 'acquire' them?
It’s a complicated history.
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I tell some of it in our new book.
We'll tell more of it in our next!
You can read a little about it here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/2025/11/20/h...
Who hunted heads, and where did they 'acquire' them?
It’s a complicated history.
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I tell some of it in our new book.
We'll tell more of it in our next!
You can read a little about it here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/2025/11/20/h...
“In short, social-democratic parties should stop chasing after far-right voters.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde
This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:49 PM
“In short, social-democratic parties should stop chasing after far-right voters.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
As the old saying goes, ‘Charity begins at home.’
It ends there too, apparently.
It ends there too, apparently.
Elon Musk’s foundation gave away a record $474 million in 2024, with the vast majority again going to entities he controls
Elon Musk Gave Away $474 Million in 2024, Mostly to Entities He Controls
Elon Musk’s foundation gave away a record $474 million in 2024, with the vast majority again going to entities he controls.
bloom.bg
November 19, 2025 at 7:24 AM
As the old saying goes, ‘Charity begins at home.’
It ends there too, apparently.
It ends there too, apparently.
Late autumnal frost, Uppsala.
November 18, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Late autumnal frost, Uppsala.
Not sure it’s the best thing I’ve read on AI in higher ed, but it is worth reading. It confirms my worst suspicions and most depressing experiences. Abomination that it is though, AI is only one of the horsemen of the looming Apocalypse, the others being user pays, student debt, and job readiness.
This may be the best thing ive read yet on AI in higher ed, and its written by a Yale undergrad. Highly recommend.
Inside Yale’s Quiet Reckoning with AI | The New Journal
Amid ChatGPT's rising popularity and a computer science cheating scandal, Yale students, professors, and administrators wrestle privately with the proper role of AI in education. What happens when eve...
thenewjournalatyale.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Not sure it’s the best thing I’ve read on AI in higher ed, but it is worth reading. It confirms my worst suspicions and most depressing experiences. Abomination that it is though, AI is only one of the horsemen of the looming Apocalypse, the others being user pays, student debt, and job readiness.
The far right are no longer knocking on the door to public office, because centrist governments the world over have been busily taking that door off its hinges.
November 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The far right are no longer knocking on the door to public office, because centrist governments the world over have been busily taking that door off its hinges.
The political epitaph for a generation of American evangelicals will read “we professed faith to protect pedophiles in power who made cruelty and corruption our legacy to future generations.” They did the Lord’s work.
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
The political epitaph for a generation of American evangelicals will read “we professed faith to protect pedophiles in power who made cruelty and corruption our legacy to future generations.” They did the Lord’s work.
Europe’s #Enlightenment invented race as it also invited its critique.
In 1780, James Dunbar warned that by dividing humanity into races: "...the oppression or extermination of a meaner race, will no longer be so shocking to humanity.”
- Essays on the History of Mankind, 1780, page. 150.
In 1780, James Dunbar warned that by dividing humanity into races: "...the oppression or extermination of a meaner race, will no longer be so shocking to humanity.”
- Essays on the History of Mankind, 1780, page. 150.
November 13, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Europe’s #Enlightenment invented race as it also invited its critique.
In 1780, James Dunbar warned that by dividing humanity into races: "...the oppression or extermination of a meaner race, will no longer be so shocking to humanity.”
- Essays on the History of Mankind, 1780, page. 150.
In 1780, James Dunbar warned that by dividing humanity into races: "...the oppression or extermination of a meaner race, will no longer be so shocking to humanity.”
- Essays on the History of Mankind, 1780, page. 150.
This is the fascist playbook. It never, ever changes. Fascists only ever persecute the most vulnerable among us. They have no conception of seizing power from oppressors in the name of justice. Their entire raison d’être is to stomp on the oppressed and call it vengeance.
“I think they wanted to make a point,” said Quinn Haberl, who is 4-foot-6 and legally blind. “So they picked the weakest person they could find and made a big show out of it.”
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 AM
This is the fascist playbook. It never, ever changes. Fascists only ever persecute the most vulnerable among us. They have no conception of seizing power from oppressors in the name of justice. Their entire raison d’être is to stomp on the oppressed and call it vengeance.
It was his idiotic policy, introduced without congressional approval, so if anything it should make him personally liable to pay back those sums, with all the coin he has scammed through his very own crypto-corruption.
November 6, 2025 at 7:13 PM
It was his idiotic policy, introduced without congressional approval, so if anything it should make him personally liable to pay back those sums, with all the coin he has scammed through his very own crypto-corruption.
Book launched!
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
#C18th #race #colonization #ScottishEnlightenment
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
#C18th #race #colonization #ScottishEnlightenment
October 29, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Book about to be launched!
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
www.intellectualhistory.net/events-outsi...
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
www.intellectualhistory.net/events-outsi...
Book launch and Reception: Linda Andersson Burnett and Bruce Buchan, Race and the Scottish Enlightenment: A Colonial History 1750 - 1820. — Institute of Intellectual History
University of Edinburgh. 29 October, 4.45 - 6 pm.
www.intellectualhistory.net
October 29, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Book about to be launched!
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
www.intellectualhistory.net/events-outsi...
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social @kathryn-seymour.bsky.social
www.intellectualhistory.net/events-outsi...
The Firth of Forth on a sunny autumn morning. Quite a rarity in Scotland!
October 25, 2025 at 7:41 AM
The Firth of Forth on a sunny autumn morning. Quite a rarity in Scotland!
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
October 25, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
The word “healthy” here is doing quite a lot of deceptive work in this exchange. A more honest word to use than “healthy” would be “compelled”, and the more appropriate term than “health system” would be “compulsion system”.
Dr Oz: "We should make you so healthy that you flourish in life and you engage the workplace. Getting America back to work full speed, getting you to work longer if you desire, that builds trillions of dollars of value to the GDP. That's the goal of the health system."
October 24, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The word “healthy” here is doing quite a lot of deceptive work in this exchange. A more honest word to use than “healthy” would be “compelled”, and the more appropriate term than “health system” would be “compulsion system”.
Imagine a university where academics are free to teach what they are researching, where students are enabled to follow their interests, and where scholars are supported to push the boundaries of knowledge. That university is so far from our lived reality as to constitute a half forgotten dream.
October 24, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Imagine a university where academics are free to teach what they are researching, where students are enabled to follow their interests, and where scholars are supported to push the boundaries of knowledge. That university is so far from our lived reality as to constitute a half forgotten dream.