Josephine Quinn
@josephinequinn.bsky.social
Historian at Cambridge. In Search of the Phoenicians (2018) and How the World Made the West (2024). Photos by Sukant Deepak (in Jaipur, 2024) and Carlotta Cardana (at St John's College, Cambridge, 2025).
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
🏺🧪
“Let me get this straight, you want me to sail over the Baltic to Gotland with a full-grown wolf in my boat?”
“Don’t worry, he’s pescatarian.”
“Don’t worry, he’s pescatarian.”
🐺 Wolves in dog's clothing 🐺
Our latest in @pnas.org uncovers a surprise three to five thousand years ago: 2 canids in human contexts on a tiny island in the middle of the Baltic Sea, that ate marine food—but had 100% gray wolf ancestry.
Where they tame wolves, or even an incipient domestication?
Our latest in @pnas.org uncovers a surprise three to five thousand years ago: 2 canids in human contexts on a tiny island in the middle of the Baltic Sea, that ate marine food—but had 100% gray wolf ancestry.
Where they tame wolves, or even an incipient domestication?
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 PM
🏺🧪
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Another example of what we call "hunter- gatherers" being much more: rather landscape and #biodiversity managers
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
Ancient wolves on remote Baltic Sea island reveal link to prehistoric humans
Scientists have found wolf remains, thousands of years old, on a small, isolated island in the Baltic Sea—a place where the animals could only have been brought by humans.
phys.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Another example of what we call "hunter- gatherers" being much more: rather landscape and #biodiversity managers
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
Doggos, delineated
By the beginning of the Holocene, dogs already displayed extensive variation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
Dogs exhibit an exceptional range of morphological diversity as a result of their long-term association with humans. Attempts to identify when dog morphological variation began to expand have been con...
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Doggos, delineated
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
This is great fun.
(Nigel Biggar does not come out of it especially well.)
(Nigel Biggar does not come out of it especially well.)
How do Lenny Henry’s arguments for reparations for trans-Atlantic slavery stand up to Lord Biggar’s arguments against them? Head-to-head review here:
November 12, 2025 at 8:42 AM
This is great fun.
(Nigel Biggar does not come out of it especially well.)
(Nigel Biggar does not come out of it especially well.)
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Listening to @andreloez.bsky.social @josephinequinn.bsky.social [Paroles d'histoire] 408. L'Antiquité au pluriel, avec Josephine Quinn (en anglais) #parolesDhistoire
podcastaddict.com/paroles-d-hi... #history
podcastaddict.com/paroles-d-hi... #history
Paroles d'histoire - 408. L'Antiquité au pluriel, avec Josephine Quinn (en anglais)
Listen to Paroles d'histoire - 408. L'Antiquité au pluriel, avec Josephine Quinn (en anglais) by Paroles d'histoire on Podcast Addict. L’invitée : Josephine Quinn, professeure d’histoire antique...
podcastaddict.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Listening to @andreloez.bsky.social @josephinequinn.bsky.social [Paroles d'histoire] 408. L'Antiquité au pluriel, avec Josephine Quinn (en anglais) #parolesDhistoire
podcastaddict.com/paroles-d-hi... #history
podcastaddict.com/paroles-d-hi... #history
On the train south, looking forward to talking about the World and the West at Southampton and catching up with @cazemiera.bsky.social
We are looking forward to welcoming @josephinequinn.bsky.social to the University of Southampton today. She will speak to us about her book How the World Made the West. History seminar, 1-2pm, lecture theatre C, Avenue Campus. @historyatsoton.bsky.social #AncientBluesky
November 5, 2025 at 10:40 AM
On the train south, looking forward to talking about the World and the West at Southampton and catching up with @cazemiera.bsky.social
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
If we're to have forest towns between Oxford & Cambridge we should also have tapir, who are forest animals.
Official advice on keeping tapir in N. Ireland is here--I don't think there is yet a similar leaflet for England, let alone the Oxford-Cambridge corridor:
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
Official advice on keeping tapir in N. Ireland is here--I don't think there is yet a similar leaflet for England, let alone the Oxford-Cambridge corridor:
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
New set of forest towns to be built between Oxford and Cambridge
Communities in the middle of new national forest to show how housebuilding can be delivered alongside nature
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:32 AM
If we're to have forest towns between Oxford & Cambridge we should also have tapir, who are forest animals.
Official advice on keeping tapir in N. Ireland is here--I don't think there is yet a similar leaflet for England, let alone the Oxford-Cambridge corridor:
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
Official advice on keeping tapir in N. Ireland is here--I don't think there is yet a similar leaflet for England, let alone the Oxford-Cambridge corridor:
www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
People who aren’t writers think writer’s block is at least as big and real a problem as I thought quicksand would be, as a child.
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
People who aren’t writers think writer’s block is at least as big and real a problem as I thought quicksand would be, as a child.
Now available in the US for all your weekend paperback needs...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736806...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736806...
How the World Made the West by Josephine Quinn: 9780593729809 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
An award-winning Oxford history professor “makes a forceful argument and tells a story with great verve” (The Wall Street Journal)—that the West is, and always has been, truly global....
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Now available in the US for all your weekend paperback needs...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736806...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736806...
I am excited about this
October 24, 2025 at 7:41 AM
I am excited about this
The amazing Paul Kosmin will deliver the Corbett Lecture at the Cambridge Classics Faculty on November 13 at 5pm on "The Rain of Kings". Reception to follow: all very welcome!
www.classics.cam.ac.uk/seminars/spe...
www.classics.cam.ac.uk/seminars/spe...
Special lectures | Faculty of Classics
The Corbett Lecture The Corbett Lecture is an annual lecture by a distinguished scholar on a theme connected with ancient Greece. The list of past Corbett Lectures can be found HERE. Did you know that...
www.classics.cam.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The amazing Paul Kosmin will deliver the Corbett Lecture at the Cambridge Classics Faculty on November 13 at 5pm on "The Rain of Kings". Reception to follow: all very welcome!
www.classics.cam.ac.uk/seminars/spe...
www.classics.cam.ac.uk/seminars/spe...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Thanks
@josephinequinn.bsky.social
for the brilliant book that helped inform this: How the World Made the West. If you haven't read it, now's a great time to prepare your arguments against #CivilisationalThinking
Full speech here: hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-1...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social
for the brilliant book that helped inform this: How the World Made the West. If you haven't read it, now's a great time to prepare your arguments against #CivilisationalThinking
Full speech here: hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-1...
We hear more talk of “Western civilization” in the Lords — but this language feeds dangerous ideas of cultural purity and superiority.
History tells a different story: every culture is built from exchange and diversity.
#Cultures #SharedHumanity
History tells a different story: every culture is built from exchange and diversity.
#Cultures #SharedHumanity
October 18, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Thanks
@josephinequinn.bsky.social
for the brilliant book that helped inform this: How the World Made the West. If you haven't read it, now's a great time to prepare your arguments against #CivilisationalThinking
Full speech here: hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-1...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social
for the brilliant book that helped inform this: How the World Made the West. If you haven't read it, now's a great time to prepare your arguments against #CivilisationalThinking
Full speech here: hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-1...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
‘Alongside 44 historical buildings and seven archaeological sites, all three depositories of historical and archaeological material in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Josephine Quinn · At the Institut du monde arabe: ‘Trésors sauvés de Gaza’
This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
‘Alongside 44 historical buildings and seven archaeological sites, all three depositories of historical and archaeological material in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Our 11/6 issue is now online, with Ben Lerner on the heart, Mark Lilla on MAGA nation, Cora Currier on the “war on terror,” @josephinequinn.bsky.social on St. Augustine, Nitin Ahuja on the science of death, Darryl Pinckney on James Baldwin’s loves, and much more.
November 6, 2025 Issue
Table of Contents
buff.ly
October 16, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Our 11/6 issue is now online, with Ben Lerner on the heart, Mark Lilla on MAGA nation, Cora Currier on the “war on terror,” @josephinequinn.bsky.social on St. Augustine, Nitin Ahuja on the science of death, Darryl Pinckney on James Baldwin’s loves, and much more.
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Josephine Quinn · At the Institut du monde arabe: ‘Trésors sauvés de Gaza’
This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 12, 2025 at 11:10 AM
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
How the World Made the West: A 4000-year History is a Kindle Daily Deal today - only! - for £2.99. Mixed feelings obvs, but that's less than 10p a century... www.amazon.co.uk/How-World-Ma...
How the World Made the West eBook : Quinn, Josephine: Amazon.co.uk: Books
How the World Made the West eBook : Quinn, Josephine: Amazon.co.uk: Books
www.amazon.co.uk
October 9, 2025 at 10:26 AM
How the World Made the West: A 4000-year History is a Kindle Daily Deal today - only! - for £2.99. Mixed feelings obvs, but that's less than 10p a century... www.amazon.co.uk/How-World-Ma...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
The administration is aware of black bloc tactics, was vaguely aware of clown bloc tactics, but was completely unprepared for the advent of Animal Crossing bloc tactics.
Streets are still closed off in front of the Portland ICE facility at 8:30pm. Protesters have gathered on a side street. Dance party in progress.
October 8, 2025 at 9:15 PM
The administration is aware of black bloc tactics, was vaguely aware of clown bloc tactics, but was completely unprepared for the advent of Animal Crossing bloc tactics.
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
At the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies we are offering 10 fellowships for scholars at any stage in their careers to stay with us for up to 6 months (PhD candidates and senior academics) or 12 months (postdocs) to complete a research project:
www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/images/pdf-f...
www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/images/pdf-f...
www.dependency.uni-bonn.de
October 4, 2025 at 1:08 PM
At the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies we are offering 10 fellowships for scholars at any stage in their careers to stay with us for up to 6 months (PhD candidates and senior academics) or 12 months (postdocs) to complete a research project:
www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/images/pdf-f...
www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/images/pdf-f...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Habsburgs in space!
How many trillions of dollars have been invested into this technology so far?
October 8, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Habsburgs in space!
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Josephine Quinn · At the Institut du monde arabe: ‘Trésors sauvés de Gaza’
This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities:
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Thanks to @empirepoduk.bsky.social for introducing me to How the World Made the West (2024) by @josephinequinn.bsky.social. It’s the perfect book for this moment.
October 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Thanks to @empirepoduk.bsky.social for introducing me to How the World Made the West (2024) by @josephinequinn.bsky.social. It’s the perfect book for this moment.
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Josephine Quinn · At the Institut du monde arabe: ‘Trésors sauvés de Gaza’
This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 4, 2025 at 8:02 AM
‘The message is clear: 20th-century colonialism created the conditions for a 21st-century tragedy.’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
‘This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much killing?’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Josephine Quinn · At the Institut du monde arabe: ‘Trésors sauvés de Gaza’
This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 2, 2025 at 7:46 AM
‘This show has excited controversy: should we even be talking about damage to antiquities in the context of so much killing?’
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on an exhibition of Gazan antiquities: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Thanks to @jpnudell.bsky.social for this thoughtful and perceptive review @frontiere-s.bsky.social. Just one tiny amendment: I am an Irish historian...
J. P. Nudell propose une recension comparative des livres de Naoíse Mac Sweeney, "The West. A New History in Fourteen Lives", et de Josephine C. Quinn, "How the World Made the West. A 4,000 Year History" dans notre section Comptes-rendus, en accès libre :
doi.org/10.4000/12uv7
@jpnudell.bsky.social
doi.org/10.4000/12uv7
@jpnudell.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Thanks to @jpnudell.bsky.social for this thoughtful and perceptive review @frontiere-s.bsky.social. Just one tiny amendment: I am an Irish historian...
Reposted by Josephine Quinn
Also in this issue:
@jamesmeek.bsky.social on what AI wants
Neal Ascherson on Asa Briggs
@keeanga.bsky.social on Audre Lorde
David Todd on Jean-Luc Mélenchon
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on Gazan antiquities
Stephen Mulhall on Charles Taylor
Yun Sheng on Chinese youth culture...
@jamesmeek.bsky.social on what AI wants
Neal Ascherson on Asa Briggs
@keeanga.bsky.social on Audre Lorde
David Todd on Jean-Luc Mélenchon
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on Gazan antiquities
Stephen Mulhall on Charles Taylor
Yun Sheng on Chinese youth culture...
October 1, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Also in this issue:
@jamesmeek.bsky.social on what AI wants
Neal Ascherson on Asa Briggs
@keeanga.bsky.social on Audre Lorde
David Todd on Jean-Luc Mélenchon
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on Gazan antiquities
Stephen Mulhall on Charles Taylor
Yun Sheng on Chinese youth culture...
@jamesmeek.bsky.social on what AI wants
Neal Ascherson on Asa Briggs
@keeanga.bsky.social on Audre Lorde
David Todd on Jean-Luc Mélenchon
@josephinequinn.bsky.social on Gazan antiquities
Stephen Mulhall on Charles Taylor
Yun Sheng on Chinese youth culture...