Can’t speak for the literature crowd but it’s definitely the case that historians value plain English. We try very hard to persuade students to write in short sentences and put away their thesauruses.

This is me, but with "Western Civ" (aka the European history survey course, from Homer to the Peace of Westphalia). Fraught contemporary politics aside, I'm grateful for the long-standing tradition in American public universities of offering all students a grounding in history.

Happy New Year! May 2025 be less troubled than 1525, a truly tumultuous year, as this prophecy (surprisingly rightly) foretold: "Item... 1500 after Christ's birth and in the 25th year, shortly thereafter a cruel wind will come. [...] Oh God, what tribulation will it bring..."

Such stark numbers here. "For the fall of 2024, the [University of Iowa] admitted five [history PhD] students, which is nearly a 90% decline from 1991...Ohio State admitted 25 graduate students in history in the year 2000. The past few years, they admitted 4-6 students..."

The collapse of the big tech job market should be a generational lesson: even if you subordinate all your aspirations and goals to the demands of the market, that rug can get pulled out from under you at any moment. Might as well do what you like!

My review of Sophie Quander's excellent study of the infamous Reformatio Sigismundi (1439) is now out in Medium Ævum. A thought-provoking book with fresh insights into this ever-fascinating, rich, and enigmatic late medieval text! #medievaltwitter

Everyone of European ancestry is a descendant of Charlemagne. Do the maths.

My forthcoming sourcebook has a webpage! If you're interested in reading primary sources from a crucial period in the history of the Holy Roman Empire, mark your calendars for the November release! #medievaltwitter #Reformazing manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526165893/

I wrote for the The Spectator about why I don’t like Duolingo🦉👇