Pete Chonka
@petechonka.bsky.social
Researching/teaching/learning at KCL Digital Humanities. Tech, politics, language, mobility, Horn of Africa. Union stuff too.
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So glad we're hosting this again. I'll also be speaking about the Get the Vote Out campaign for our branch's local dispute on academic freedom around Palestine, protection of staff, divestment from genocide and essential governance reform at KCL. Join us!
The final leg of the Campus Voices for Palestine tour concludes at KCL this Friday 28 November with a special event on 🌟Confronting Scholasticide🌟 you can sign up via this link ➡️ luma.com/go15utyg?loc...
KCL hosts Campus Voices for Palestine 2025 · Luma
KCL UCU is delighted to host the Campus Voices for Palestine tour again this year. As the final date of the UK tour, the event will coincide with the end of…
luma.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:19 AM
So glad we're hosting this again. I'll also be speaking about the Get the Vote Out campaign for our branch's local dispute on academic freedom around Palestine, protection of staff, divestment from genocide and essential governance reform at KCL. Join us!
Reposted by Pete Chonka
New XCEPT report by Hilina Berhanu Degefa on women’s participation in Ethiopia’s ethnonational armed groups.
Completed through the Women Researchers Fellowship in the X-Border Local Research Network, where RVI is a core partner.
Read here: tinyurl.com/w8dupaah
Completed through the Women Researchers Fellowship in the X-Border Local Research Network, where RVI is a core partner.
Read here: tinyurl.com/w8dupaah
"We fought as fighters, not as women": women's participation in ethnonational armed groups in Ethiopia - XCEPT
Ethnonational mobilisations — characterised by a strong sense of national and political identification, whether organised along ethnic, religious, or regional political identifications — tend to flatt...
tinyurl.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
New XCEPT report by Hilina Berhanu Degefa on women’s participation in Ethiopia’s ethnonational armed groups.
Completed through the Women Researchers Fellowship in the X-Border Local Research Network, where RVI is a core partner.
Read here: tinyurl.com/w8dupaah
Completed through the Women Researchers Fellowship in the X-Border Local Research Network, where RVI is a core partner.
Read here: tinyurl.com/w8dupaah
Reposted by Pete Chonka
🚨🚨 Calling on all KCL UCU members: TODAY is the last ⭐️safe day⭐️ to post your ballots for both national and local disputes! VOTE today, VOTE yes and put them in the POST!! 📦 📦 ➡️ ALSO if your ballot papers arrive later than today please contact us as we can deliver in person on Friday afternoon 💫💫
November 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🚨🚨 Calling on all KCL UCU members: TODAY is the last ⭐️safe day⭐️ to post your ballots for both national and local disputes! VOTE today, VOTE yes and put them in the POST!! 📦 📦 ➡️ ALSO if your ballot papers arrive later than today please contact us as we can deliver in person on Friday afternoon 💫💫
Reposted by Pete Chonka
🗣️🗣️How is the UCU National ballot connected to and distinct from KCL UCU’s local ballot? An explainer from @jamiewoodcock.com KCL UCU’s branch chair ⬇️
November 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
🗣️🗣️How is the UCU National ballot connected to and distinct from KCL UCU’s local ballot? An explainer from @jamiewoodcock.com KCL UCU’s branch chair ⬇️
Reposted by Pete Chonka
November 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Reposted by Pete Chonka
‘Shared values?’ This is meaningless when your university invests in genocide. VOTE in our local ballot for Palestine and against this wilful silence against oppression www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/affi... ➡️ kcl.web.ucu.org.uk
Affirming shared values will help academic freedom weather the storm
The Magna Charta Universitatum matters more than ever as university freedoms become sharply contested, say Shitij Kapur and Liviu Matei
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:30 AM
‘Shared values?’ This is meaningless when your university invests in genocide. VOTE in our local ballot for Palestine and against this wilful silence against oppression www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/affi... ➡️ kcl.web.ucu.org.uk
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Dusk-to-Dawn curfew in place in Tanzania as protests continue following the national election yesterday. Incumbent Samia Suluhu is accused of intimidation and arbitrary arrests of leading opposition figures, including Chadema leader Tundu Lissu who is charged with treason and was not on the ballot.
October 30, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Dusk-to-Dawn curfew in place in Tanzania as protests continue following the national election yesterday. Incumbent Samia Suluhu is accused of intimidation and arbitrary arrests of leading opposition figures, including Chadema leader Tundu Lissu who is charged with treason and was not on the ballot.
Here we go! It's taken a lot of work by the branch to get to this ballot. Palestine IS a workplace issue. ESPECIALLY in our workplace. Local ballot papers drop next week. #WeAreKCL #FreePalestine
🚨ANNOUNCEMENT! We've notified KCL that we are balloting members over LOCAL DISPUTE on protection of staff and academic freedom; divestment from companies profiting from genocide; King’s Council reform; and meaningful workplace consultation! #WeAreTheUniversity #WeAreKCL
October 24, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Here we go! It's taken a lot of work by the branch to get to this ballot. Palestine IS a workplace issue. ESPECIALLY in our workplace. Local ballot papers drop next week. #WeAreKCL #FreePalestine
Reposted by Pete Chonka
“Well-meaning” people are using machine translation to write Wikipedia articles in languages that they don’t speak themselves, accelerating the degeneration in quality of the web corpus for several languages with relatively few native speakers.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/25/1...
www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/25/1...
How AI and Wikipedia have sent vulnerable languages into a doom spiral
Machine translators have made it easier than ever to create error-plagued Wikipedia articles in obscure languages. What happens when AI models get trained on junk pages?
www.technologyreview.com
October 16, 2025 at 3:14 AM
“Well-meaning” people are using machine translation to write Wikipedia articles in languages that they don’t speak themselves, accelerating the degeneration in quality of the web corpus for several languages with relatively few native speakers.
www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/25/1...
www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/25/1...
Our Somali language gen AI event follows the exciting #SomaliWeek 'Tech for Growth: Somali Businesses in Action' session (in the same venue). Join for both! www.kayd.org/all-events/e...
October 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Our Somali language gen AI event follows the exciting #SomaliWeek 'Tech for Growth: Somali Businesses in Action' session (in the same venue). Join for both! www.kayd.org/all-events/e...
Looking forward to our #SomaliWeek event on Saturday, where we'll be talking about our collaboration with AGA on the Somali AI Lexicon, and the implications of gen AI on Afka Soomaaliga www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/generative...
Generative AI and the Somali language by Peter, Said & Mohamed
Generative AI and the Somali language: educational tools, social impacts and digital rights(Peter Chonka, Said Salah & Mohamed Abdimalik )
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Looking forward to our #SomaliWeek event on Saturday, where we'll be talking about our collaboration with AGA on the Somali AI Lexicon, and the implications of gen AI on Afka Soomaaliga www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/generative...
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Two people in my extended circle are on the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to break the siege on Gaza. They are asking us all for increased vigilance as the flotilla enters the high risk zone. You can follow the progress of the flotilla at www.globalsumudflotilla.org/live
October 1, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Two people in my extended circle are on the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to break the siege on Gaza. They are asking us all for increased vigilance as the flotilla enters the high risk zone. You can follow the progress of the flotilla at www.globalsumudflotilla.org/live
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Busy @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social picket lines this morning at Edinburgh University with staff striking to defend jobs and oppose the biggest cuts seen in Scottish higher education #SaveHE #NoCompulsoryRedundancies #StopTheCuts
September 8, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Busy @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social picket lines this morning at Edinburgh University with staff striking to defend jobs and oppose the biggest cuts seen in Scottish higher education #SaveHE #NoCompulsoryRedundancies #StopTheCuts
Reposted by Pete Chonka
this!
Something I didn't get to say yesterday:
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
It has been really interesting to attend UNESCO's Digital Learning Week (though unfortunately I'm not able to stick around). My public lecture from yesterday can be found here:
www.youtube.com/live/l-OWi6V...
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www.youtube.com/live/l-OWi6V...
>>
September 3, 2025 at 11:20 AM
this!
Reposted by Pete Chonka
“I’m not sure I want to give way to the right”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
September 3, 2025 at 10:54 AM
“I’m not sure I want to give way to the right”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
Reposted by Pete Chonka
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, the main association of experts on genocide and mass violence, has just passed a resolution declaring that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
genocidescholars.org/wp-content/u...
genocidescholars.org/wp-content/u...
genocidescholars.org
September 1, 2025 at 11:16 AM
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, the main association of experts on genocide and mass violence, has just passed a resolution declaring that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
genocidescholars.org/wp-content/u...
genocidescholars.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Journalists in London have held a vigil for their Palestinian colleagues murdered by Israel in Gaza. The vigil was organised by the London Freelance Branch of the NUJ
August 28, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Journalists in London have held a vigil for their Palestinian colleagues murdered by Israel in Gaza. The vigil was organised by the London Freelance Branch of the NUJ
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Irish Times front page today. Tried to write instead of just screaming. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
August 27, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Irish Times front page today. Tried to write instead of just screaming. www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Slow clap for the headline
It Took Many Years And Billions Of Dollars, But Microsoft Finally Invented A Calculator That Is Wrong Sometimes | Defector
It’s not AI winter just yet, though there is a distinct chill in the air. Meta is shaking up and downsizing its artificial intelligence division. A new report out of MIT finds that 95 percent of compa...
defector.com
August 21, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Slow clap for the headline
Reposted by Pete Chonka
📢 We’re hiring a Lecturer in Computational Humanities Education (Academic Education Pathway).
📔 Contract: Full-time, indefinite contract
🗓 Apply by: 25 August 2025
Full details here: my.corehr.com/pls/kclrecru...
#DigitalHumanities #AcademicJobs #Hiring
📔 Contract: Full-time, indefinite contract
🗓 Apply by: 25 August 2025
Full details here: my.corehr.com/pls/kclrecru...
#DigitalHumanities #AcademicJobs #Hiring
my.corehr.com
August 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
📢 We’re hiring a Lecturer in Computational Humanities Education (Academic Education Pathway).
📔 Contract: Full-time, indefinite contract
🗓 Apply by: 25 August 2025
Full details here: my.corehr.com/pls/kclrecru...
#DigitalHumanities #AcademicJobs #Hiring
📔 Contract: Full-time, indefinite contract
🗓 Apply by: 25 August 2025
Full details here: my.corehr.com/pls/kclrecru...
#DigitalHumanities #AcademicJobs #Hiring
Reposted by Pete Chonka
We've written to KCL Management urging them to urgently lobby UK Government to enable safe passage for Chevening Scholarship students from Gaza to the UK. Considering the level of institutional complicity that KCL has with the genocide, it's really the LEAST they can do. See our statement below.👇
August 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM
We've written to KCL Management urging them to urgently lobby UK Government to enable safe passage for Chevening Scholarship students from Gaza to the UK. Considering the level of institutional complicity that KCL has with the genocide, it's really the LEAST they can do. See our statement below.👇
Reposted by Pete Chonka
An open letter to KCL management, condemning punitive misconduct disciplinaries against Palestine Encampment students, is currently circulating with 250+ signatories. We copy the text of the letter ⬇️
July 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM
An open letter to KCL management, condemning punitive misconduct disciplinaries against Palestine Encampment students, is currently circulating with 250+ signatories. We copy the text of the letter ⬇️
Reposted by Pete Chonka
ICYMI: our teach-in at parliament - 'When the only journalists are being slaughtered' report
Thanks to our sponsor @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social and speakers @rosesrebellion.bsky.social @bendepear.bsky.social @petechonka.bsky.social @Mariam_Elsayeh, Menna Hijazi.
Sharp insights 👇
Thanks to our sponsor @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social and speakers @rosesrebellion.bsky.social @bendepear.bsky.social @petechonka.bsky.social @Mariam_Elsayeh, Menna Hijazi.
Sharp insights 👇
'When the only journalists are being slaughtered...' | The Freelance
...how to report a genocide? Our meeting in Parliament
buff.ly
July 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM
ICYMI: our teach-in at parliament - 'When the only journalists are being slaughtered' report
Thanks to our sponsor @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social and speakers @rosesrebellion.bsky.social @bendepear.bsky.social @petechonka.bsky.social @Mariam_Elsayeh, Menna Hijazi.
Sharp insights 👇
Thanks to our sponsor @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social and speakers @rosesrebellion.bsky.social @bendepear.bsky.social @petechonka.bsky.social @Mariam_Elsayeh, Menna Hijazi.
Sharp insights 👇
Reposted by Pete Chonka
If you haven't already, do have a look at
@petechonka.bsky.social's recent RVI report, 'Digital Governance and Security in the Horn of Africa', which looks at digital finance & social media in #Somalia, #Ethiopia & #Kenya. In-depth research and highly topical.
@petechonka.bsky.social's recent RVI report, 'Digital Governance and Security in the Horn of Africa', which looks at digital finance & social media in #Somalia, #Ethiopia & #Kenya. In-depth research and highly topical.
NEW REPORT | DIGITAL GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
@petechonka.bsky.social examines how digital finance and social media shape governance and security in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, offering both opportunities and risks in conflict-affected regions.
Read more: bit.ly/42quphf
@petechonka.bsky.social examines how digital finance and social media shape governance and security in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, offering both opportunities and risks in conflict-affected regions.
Read more: bit.ly/42quphf
July 19, 2025 at 12:10 PM
If you haven't already, do have a look at
@petechonka.bsky.social's recent RVI report, 'Digital Governance and Security in the Horn of Africa', which looks at digital finance & social media in #Somalia, #Ethiopia & #Kenya. In-depth research and highly topical.
@petechonka.bsky.social's recent RVI report, 'Digital Governance and Security in the Horn of Africa', which looks at digital finance & social media in #Somalia, #Ethiopia & #Kenya. In-depth research and highly topical.
Reposted by Pete Chonka
Results are now in on our consultative e-ballot on academic freedom and staff safeguarding ➡️ we PASSED the threshold for a valid result with 🌟91% 🌟sharing our concern that management is not doing enough to protect us and our rights kcl.web.ucu.org.uk/2025/06/11/c...
Consultative ballot on academic freedom and staff safeguarding at KCL
VOTE to show management that you’ll take a stand for academic freedom and the safety of colleagues at KCL!
What is this dispute about? What are the demands?
In March, KCL UCU formally notified manage...
kcl.web.ucu.org.uk
July 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Results are now in on our consultative e-ballot on academic freedom and staff safeguarding ➡️ we PASSED the threshold for a valid result with 🌟91% 🌟sharing our concern that management is not doing enough to protect us and our rights kcl.web.ucu.org.uk/2025/06/11/c...