Karl Ittmann
@kittmann.bsky.social
Historian of Britain and the British Empire.
Author of Fuelling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex 1896-1945 published by Oxford University Press June 2025.
Author of Fuelling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex 1896-1945 published by Oxford University Press June 2025.
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
A leading historian of decolonization, Fred Cooper, on the uses and pitfalls of the inflationary invocation of decolonization.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
February 10, 2026 at 4:12 PM
A leading historian of decolonization, Fred Cooper, on the uses and pitfalls of the inflationary invocation of decolonization.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
The Invasion of America - Houston Museum of Natural Science @hmns http://dlvr.it/TQr4Lk
February 8, 2026 at 5:17 PM
The Invasion of America - Houston Museum of Natural Science @hmns http://dlvr.it/TQr4Lk
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Over the next few weeks, the NACBS blog will feature a series of pieces on artificial intelligence. Check out the opening essay by @amywb.bsky.social and stay tuned for more!
www.nacbs.org/post/the-ai-...
www.nacbs.org/post/the-ai-...
The AI Takeover Is Not Inevitable: Now Is the Time to Resist
"Studying history, we know that nothing is inevitable."
www.nacbs.org
February 6, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Over the next few weeks, the NACBS blog will feature a series of pieces on artificial intelligence. Check out the opening essay by @amywb.bsky.social and stay tuned for more!
www.nacbs.org/post/the-ai-...
www.nacbs.org/post/the-ai-...
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
'On 5 February, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced that staff had “overwhelmingly” voted to approve the branch’s acceptance of the latest pay offer from the British Library.' 1/2
British Library staff accept pay offer, ending industrial dispute.
We have followed this story from the very beginning, right through to what appears to be its conclusion.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
We have followed this story from the very beginning, right through to what appears to be its conclusion.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
British Library staff accept pay offer, ending industrial dispute - Research Professional News
Union members vote for 4 per cent pay increase following waves of strike action
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:10 PM
'On 5 February, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced that staff had “overwhelmingly” voted to approve the branch’s acceptance of the latest pay offer from the British Library.' 1/2
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Emma Sandon (Birkbeck), 'Spaces of Empire: Histories and Afterlives of Film Collections in British Colonial Archives', 10 February 5:30 pm GMT, at the IHR, London and on Zoom. Free, friendly and open to the public. Please register by the link below. #Skystorians.
Spaces of empire: histories and afterlives of film collections in British colonial archives
www.history.ac.uk
February 5, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Emma Sandon (Birkbeck), 'Spaces of Empire: Histories and Afterlives of Film Collections in British Colonial Archives', 10 February 5:30 pm GMT, at the IHR, London and on Zoom. Free, friendly and open to the public. Please register by the link below. #Skystorians.
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
The NYT editorial board called for Joseph Massad to be fired from Columbia U for teaching Palestine in 2006
How Universities and States Are Increasing Surveillance of Professors www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...
How Universities and States Are Increasing Surveillance of Professors
Scrutiny of university classrooms is being formalized, with new laws requiring professors to post syllabuses and tip lines for students to complain.
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:17 PM
The NYT editorial board called for Joseph Massad to be fired from Columbia U for teaching Palestine in 2006
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
teaching a course with time and space for discussion makes most classroom technology unnecessary
February 4, 2026 at 4:54 PM
teaching a course with time and space for discussion makes most classroom technology unnecessary
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
📢Upcoming Book Event!
📕Fueling Empire with @kittmann.bsky.social
⏰February 19 at noon ET
Join us to celebrate the publication of Karl Ittmann’s recent book Fueling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex, 1886-1945.
This event is free & open to the public. RSVP: www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
📕Fueling Empire with @kittmann.bsky.social
⏰February 19 at noon ET
Join us to celebrate the publication of Karl Ittmann’s recent book Fueling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex, 1886-1945.
This event is free & open to the public. RSVP: www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
February 4, 2026 at 6:36 PM
📢Upcoming Book Event!
📕Fueling Empire with @kittmann.bsky.social
⏰February 19 at noon ET
Join us to celebrate the publication of Karl Ittmann’s recent book Fueling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex, 1886-1945.
This event is free & open to the public. RSVP: www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
📕Fueling Empire with @kittmann.bsky.social
⏰February 19 at noon ET
Join us to celebrate the publication of Karl Ittmann’s recent book Fueling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex, 1886-1945.
This event is free & open to the public. RSVP: www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Apply for our PhD placement scheme to get involved in extraordinary research at the Library. There are eight available placements exploring a variety of themes including war poetry, 21st-century digital tools, illustrated newspapers and decarbonisation.
Find out more: link.bl.uk/PhDPlacements
Find out more: link.bl.uk/PhDPlacements
February 4, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Apply for our PhD placement scheme to get involved in extraordinary research at the Library. There are eight available placements exploring a variety of themes including war poetry, 21st-century digital tools, illustrated newspapers and decarbonisation.
Find out more: link.bl.uk/PhDPlacements
Find out more: link.bl.uk/PhDPlacements
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
🚨History Job: Assistant Professor in Early Modern British History (Permanent) 🗃️
Come work with us at Warwick! You will join a group of excellent early-modernists and one of the nicest bunches of historians around!
👇👇👇
@uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
warwick-careers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...
Come work with us at Warwick! You will join a group of excellent early-modernists and one of the nicest bunches of historians around!
👇👇👇
@uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
warwick-careers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...
Assistant Professor in Early Modern British History (111286-0126) - University of Warwick
Title: Assistant Professor in Early Modern British History (111286-0126). Application Deadline: . Position Type: Permanent
warwick-careers.tal.net
February 4, 2026 at 11:13 AM
🚨History Job: Assistant Professor in Early Modern British History (Permanent) 🗃️
Come work with us at Warwick! You will join a group of excellent early-modernists and one of the nicest bunches of historians around!
👇👇👇
@uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
warwick-careers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...
Come work with us at Warwick! You will join a group of excellent early-modernists and one of the nicest bunches of historians around!
👇👇👇
@uni-of-warwick.bsky.social
warwick-careers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...
www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
NACBS is hosting an online discussion of my book Fueling Empire on February 19th. RSVP to join
NACBS is hosting an online discussion of my book Fueling Empire on February 19th. RSVP to join
Fueling Empire with Karl Ittmann | NACBS
Join NACBS to celebrate the publication of Karl Ittmann’s recent book Fueling Empire: The British Imperial Oil Complex, 1886-1945. Bill Storey will join Karl in discussion.
www.nacbs.org
February 3, 2026 at 7:59 PM
www.nacbs.org/event-detail...
NACBS is hosting an online discussion of my book Fueling Empire on February 19th. RSVP to join
NACBS is hosting an online discussion of my book Fueling Empire on February 19th. RSVP to join
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Another new archive account on Bluesky! 🎉
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has some fantastic archive / library collections - looking to finding out more through @lshtm-laors.bsky.social ...
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has some fantastic archive / library collections - looking to finding out more through @lshtm-laors.bsky.social ...
We're thrilled to have joined Bluesky 🎉
Follow us for updates on library resources, research support, open access, including LSHTM Press and highlights from our archives.
We're looking forward to connecting and sharing with you here soon! 🙌
Follow us for updates on library resources, research support, open access, including LSHTM Press and highlights from our archives.
We're looking forward to connecting and sharing with you here soon! 🙌
February 2, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Another new archive account on Bluesky! 🎉
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has some fantastic archive / library collections - looking to finding out more through @lshtm-laors.bsky.social ...
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has some fantastic archive / library collections - looking to finding out more through @lshtm-laors.bsky.social ...
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
18 month postdoc at the lovely IHR in London, $41,740. Deadline 7 March. 'The Fellow will play a key role within the IHR team responsible for hosting the 2027 North American Conference in British Studies (NACBS)' in London 2027.
Repost to spread the word. #Skystorians
Repost to spread the word. #Skystorians
Jacob Price Fellowship in British Studies (18 month FTC):London Senate House - Hybrid
The University of London is both the UK’s largest provider of international distance and online learning and the convenor of a federation of 17 renowned higher education institutions.
www.jobs.london.ac.uk
February 3, 2026 at 9:07 AM
18 month postdoc at the lovely IHR in London, $41,740. Deadline 7 March. 'The Fellow will play a key role within the IHR team responsible for hosting the 2027 North American Conference in British Studies (NACBS)' in London 2027.
Repost to spread the word. #Skystorians
Repost to spread the word. #Skystorians
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
A little bit of light.
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
February 1, 2026 at 4:49 PM
A little bit of light.
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Presumably Angela, Baroness Burdett-Coutts, famed Victorian philanthropist and friend of Charles Dickens, is somewhere up in her family tree (g-g-g-aunt or so?), and turning in her grave en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_...
January 31, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Presumably Angela, Baroness Burdett-Coutts, famed Victorian philanthropist and friend of Charles Dickens, is somewhere up in her family tree (g-g-g-aunt or so?), and turning in her grave en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_...
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
🖥️ We have added another batch of files to our Access Portal! You can now explore further diaries of Alexander Cadogan and Maurice Hankey. 📓📝📒 The pictures below show the variety of formats which make studying diaries fascinating
buff.ly/0vIiTvh
buff.ly/0vIiTvh
January 31, 2026 at 12:27 PM
🖥️ We have added another batch of files to our Access Portal! You can now explore further diaries of Alexander Cadogan and Maurice Hankey. 📓📝📒 The pictures below show the variety of formats which make studying diaries fascinating
buff.ly/0vIiTvh
buff.ly/0vIiTvh
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
Son, it’s time. Here’s your quarter trillion dollar sovereign wealth fund
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Abu Dhabi folds assets worth $263bn into new wealth fund controlled by crown prince
Combining ADQ with L’imad marks generational shift of investment influence to heir apparent
giftarticle.ft.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:34 PM
Son, it’s time. Here’s your quarter trillion dollar sovereign wealth fund
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
The depth and heart of our civil society is heartening
January 31, 2026 at 1:05 AM
The depth and heart of our civil society is heartening
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
'The Crown’s Silence, a book published this week, details how monarchs from Queen Elizabeth I to George IV used the trade in enslaved people to boost crown revenues and defend the British empire.'
Calls for King Charles to formally apologise for slavery after research shows crown’s role
Book The Crown’s Silence details how crown profited from and protected trade in enslaved African people for centuries
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:47 AM
'The Crown’s Silence, a book published this week, details how monarchs from Queen Elizabeth I to George IV used the trade in enslaved people to boost crown revenues and defend the British empire.'
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
4 pages left to ink on the new Rachel Rising story. I’m so happy to be making a story again instead of posting random art online. I learn more in one comic than 100 sketches. And the truth is no one remembers the sketches; every reader will remember this story. #rachelrising #fearofdeath
January 30, 2026 at 3:10 PM
4 pages left to ink on the new Rachel Rising story. I’m so happy to be making a story again instead of posting random art online. I learn more in one comic than 100 sketches. And the truth is no one remembers the sketches; every reader will remember this story. #rachelrising #fearofdeath
So Holman is a taller, better dressed version of Bovino
January 29, 2026 at 5:50 PM
So Holman is a taller, better dressed version of Bovino
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
'A metadata-only version of the British Library’s sorely missed PhD thesis repository will be a pale imitation of the service that disappeared more than two years ago after a cyberattack, experts have warned.' 1/2
‘Give PhD archive attention it deserves,’ British Library urged
Scholars criticise lack of progress on restoring repository of 600,000 PhD theses more than two years after it was felled by cyberattack
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:15 AM
'A metadata-only version of the British Library’s sorely missed PhD thesis repository will be a pale imitation of the service that disappeared more than two years ago after a cyberattack, experts have warned.' 1/2
Reposted by Karl Ittmann
"We wanted to produce really good, thoughtful history which would illuminate the world - and help us to comprehend what it was we were living and what the future was.”
Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks reflect on their early experiences of editing History Workshop Journal.
Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks reflect on their early experiences of editing History Workshop Journal.
Working Collectively Then and Now
How did History Workshop Journal's editorial collective sustain its commitment to radical history over fifty tumultuous years? Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks discuss.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 12:27 PM
"We wanted to produce really good, thoughtful history which would illuminate the world - and help us to comprehend what it was we were living and what the future was.”
Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks reflect on their early experiences of editing History Workshop Journal.
Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks reflect on their early experiences of editing History Workshop Journal.