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David Anderson

@dranderson15.bsky.social
6.6K followers 1.3K following 617 posts

I teach @UofLEnglish. I love to post on African American and American literature, music, sea writing, and history.

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Reposted by David Anderson
Parkscope Joe @parkscopejoe.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is insane.
Christopher Hale w @ChristopherHale
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NEW: According to a bombshell report in the New York Times, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah threatened to walk out of Pope Leo XIV's Al encyclical launch in May because the pope rejected the idea that machines can be conscious.
Olah's team then privately lobbied the pope's advisers "to take the possibility of model consciousness seriously." Pope Leo XIV held firm.
For months, Anthropic has wined and dined theologians and religious scholars under nondisclosure agreements, hoping they would bless the idea that Claude has moral standing.
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Matt Seybold @mattseybold.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Walter was a joy to talk to. Appears in the 1st, 3rd & 4th episodes of “A Tale Of Today.”
open.substack.com
The Age of Insecurity (A Tale of Today, Episode #1)
with Astra Taylor, Asheesh Kapur Siddique, Walter Johnson, and DownRiver Collective
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Adam Cook @motorcityadam.com · 02/10/2026
Brief, but excellent article on the industrial history of #Detroit, #Milwaukee and #Chicago. Just interesting Friday evening reading I guess. (I am from the South Side of Chicago. South Shore.)
wbez.org
Why losing industrial jobs hit differently in Detroit, Milwaukee and Chicago
Deindustrialization hit major Midwestern cities, but not everyone recovered. The Curious Midwest series explores the differences.
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Blue Note Records @bluenoterecords.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
An incredible cast of musicians anchors Meshell Ndegeocello “Synonym” -> Abe Rounds & Deantoni Parks (drums); Chris Bruce (guitar); Jake Sherman, Jebin Bruni & Larry Goldings (keys); Josh Johnson & Levon Henry (sax); Elena Pinderhughes (flute), Bela Fleck (banjo) meshellndegeocello.lnk.to/Synonym
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gamera obscura october edition @ohrobin.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I am so tired of Jonestown being a stock reference for “haha, you’re in a cult.” 918 people died, most against their will, and still it has become shorthand for how stupid you think someone is. It's the McDonald's hot coffee incident of mass death — universally referenced, entirely misremembered.
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Shannon Mattern @shannonmattern.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is John Cage’s handmade paper, composed of milkweed, cattail, pigweed, honeysuckle, saffron, and more — at the NYPL
Very fibrous handmade paper with different colored globs and flecks from various plants
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Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture @mjcbac.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Funding opportunity: 2027–2028 Postdoctoral Fellowships, Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University. Applications due November 2, 2026 maryjahariscenter.org/blog/2027202...
maryjahariscenter.org
2027–2028 Postdoctoral Fellowships, Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University | Mary Jaharis Center
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Nathan K. Hensley @nathankhensley.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
no fan of the bezos engine but have just seen that kindle edition of the book is basically free there if anybody uses kindles and is interested
Screenshot of Amazon page for action without Hope: Victorian literature after climate collapse, showing 91% off, price 299
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Anxious Rage @anxiousrage.blacksky.app · 01/10/2026
Great so now I can have even more stress about my new passport getting stolen when it's on the way to me
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Jacquelyn Ardam @jaxwendy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Resharing this job ad for the Thursday crowd!!
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Dan Sinykin @dan-sinnamon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"What, after all, will we do when A.I. frees us from doing our jobs and thinking our thoughts and, ultimately, leading our lives? Use more A.I. so that we can use our newfound free time to—use more A.I.?" www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
newyorker.com
The Humanism Driving the Anti-A.I. Movement
At the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington, D.C., attendees talked less about jobs and policy, and more about their philosophy of life.
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Jacquelyn Ardam @jaxwendy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Earlier today I shared a job ad for a new Assistant Director of my center! Some advice on applying to admin/staff jobs at unis for PhDs: 1. Your cover letter should be about the job that is posted. You cannot use the same letter for an admin job that you would use for a teaching or tenure-track job
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Jacquelyn Ardam @jaxwendy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
My center is hiring an Assistant Director! We are looking for a humanities or social sciences PhD w/ admin experience to run undergrad research programs at UCLA. We are moving fast, so apply early! $87k salary, Dec start date, hybrid work sched, pretty okay boss (me) recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF11365
recruit.apo.ucla.edu
Undergraduate Research Center (HASS) - Assistant Director
University of California, Los Angeles is hiring. Apply now!
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Anthrodiva @anthrodiva.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
www.axios.com/2026/09/26/f...
axios.com
When to see peak fall colors in 2026
Peak foliage is expected to sweep south over the next several weeks. These maps show the predicted timing.
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GreGORY Maupin @gjmaupin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Tickets can be had here:
rannygazooproductions.com
Rannygazoo - Store
Store for Rannygazoo
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Shaily Patel @vox-magica.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
very few religious studies scholars here (which is different from religious scholars). i’m really fucking tired today so i got nothing except wishing folks understood the value of religious studies as a field.
nytimes.com
Is Claude Conscious? Inside Anthropic’s Quest to Instill Morality Into Its A.I. Models (Gift Article)
In a series of private meetings, the company consulted religious scholars to help instill morality into its A.I. models — and make the case that Claude could be conscious.
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My Father’s Daughter @aninsggirb.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Trees can reduce air temps by 4C…while a single mature tree can intercept 15,000 litres of water a year, reducing flood & water run-off risks during storms. They can also halve noise pollution and absorb air pollution, & provide habitats for wildlife in towns & cities.
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Scoop — I've ID'd the two men sitting behind Sen. Eric Schmitt during his botched attack on Jack Smith this morning. Ethan Harper (left) is Chief Counsel to Schmitt, and Andrew Ceonzo (right) is Counsel to Schmitt and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Michael @mjfromla.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
2026 MacArthur ‘genius grant’ recipient Immanuel Wilkins... #JazzSky #JazzMusic
youtube.com
Immanuel Wilkins - Live from Jazz St. Louis
YouTube video by Jazz St. Louis
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Johanna Winant @johannawinant.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
it's not the main thing we need, but we do need a David Lodge style Changing Places exchange program so that professors realize the way their institution does things is not standard nor inevitable
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Sarabande Books @sarabandebooks.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
🚨 ACQUISITIONS ANNOUNCEMENT: We're excited to announce two of our recent acquisitions! FAMOUS CHILDREN by John McManus (available Sept. 2027) and ENTER SANDWOMAN by Maria Kuznetsova (available May 2028) It's never to late to treat yourself! 🔗 Preorder here: www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/n...
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Karen K. Ho @karenho.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It's easier to hyperfixate on this one detail about Gen Z workers instead of on how corporations are using performance improvement plans to force out employees without severance; how return to office policies hurt parents, caregivers, and disabled workers; and how hard it is to find a job right now.
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Pookleblinky @pookleblinky.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Reminder that in Canada upon becoming an engineer you get an iron ring made of a collapsed bridge, purposely designed to be uncomfortable, to remind you that your ethics demand you give a fuck even about the boring grudgework of such as double-checking your math. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Ring
en.wikipedia.org
Iron Ring - Wikipedia
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T. Greg Doucette @gregdoucette.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Few things say "billionaires are so cloistered they are incapable of behaving like normal humans" quite like "I couldn't pump my own gas because I don't know my own ZIP code"
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Conrail Twitty @grenadine.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
As someone descended from an old radical who def had an fbi file it is UNREAL to me that they’re like “yeah it’s a bug you carry around with you that is always recording and pretends to be your friend and think for you ! This is a product you should want”
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Ben Railton @americanstudier.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Damn right.
saturdayeveningpost.com
Considering History: The New Deal and the Crucial Contributions of Federal Workers | The Saturday Evening Post
At its heart, the New Deal was a series of programs through which federal workers reshaped America for the better.
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Erin Kane @dianamonkey.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Fundraising for mutual aid to support the New Bedford communities currently being hit hard by ICE activity
givebutter.com
Humanity At Work - New Bedford Immigrant Justice Coalition
Donate to support individuals and families harmed by ICE activities in greater New Bedford.
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Dr Ian McCormick @wokestudies.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Nearly 4m records of enslaved people in 20 former British colonies now searchable online “the most systematic set of archival documents we have on enslavement in the British Caribbean and British colonial world” www.theguardian.com/news/2026/se... #research #history #slavery #higherEd #edchat
theguardian.com
Nearly 4m records of enslaved people in 20 former British colonies now searchable online
Exclusive: Collection’s 300,000 pages record lives of enslaved people in countries including the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mauritius, South Africa and Trinidad
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Kristina Killgrove @killgrove.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The newly discovered cuneiform tablet fragment contains text from a section of the Treaty of Kadesh related to the treatment of Hittite and Egyptian refugees in the Bronze Age (circa 1269 BC). 🧪🏺
livescience.com
'We have found traces of peace, thousands of years old': Fragment of world's oldest known peace treaty found in Turkey
Archaeologists excavating in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusha have uncovered a fragment of the world's oldest peace treaty, signed around 1269 B.C.
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Mark Ennis @markennis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Every person at ICE is going to hell when they die.
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Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Check out this new podcast— WORKING HISTORY—bringing labor history to you and connecting it to the present. A collaboration between Southern Labor Studies Assoc, LAWCHA, LABOR, and ILWCH. Dropping tomorrow! On apple and spotify. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...
podcasts.apple.com
Working History
History Podcast · Working History is a podcast brought to you by labor history organizations and journals, where we discuss labor issues past and present.
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W.E.D.em Boyz @leftistwonk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The "why I left the left" grift in late 2026 when Trump is at 29% approval and Dems are about to have a historic midterm
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skip intro @upfromsumdirt.blacksky.app · 22/09/2026
"rumpelstiltskin is here for your child" - talk about flipping a phrase on its head! 😂
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jentrification ♎ @jentrification.com · 22/09/2026
ICE detained-HBCU basketball player reportedly needs treatment
share.google
ICE detained-HBCU basketball player reportedly needs treatment
Learn about the challenges faced by Aminata Seck, an HBCU basketball player detained by ICE while seeking treatment for her injury.
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Crystal Fleming is on sabbatical @alwaystheself.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Pro tip: If you're traveling in the EU and your flight is delayed/cancelled for mechanical issues (not weather), you may be eligible for compensation. Our Delta flight from Paris was delayed, cancelled then rebooked 7 hours later. I knew this meant we were owed €600 *each*. Airline never announced +
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Dr. Todd Arrington @btarrington.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Now that the first phase of @hcrichardson.bsky.social's wonderful "250 to 250" project has wrapped, I'll share all the videos (one per day) for which I wrote scripts. Some were recorded nearly word for word; others underwent much-needed editing for clarity & brevity. Here’s the Morrill Act.
youtu.be
Morrill Act, Narrated by Josh Cowen
YouTube video by Heather Cox Richardson
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Full story: www.courier-journal.com/story/news/l...
courier-journal.com
KSU women's basketball player detained by ICE at Louisville airport | Exclusive
Aminata Seck, 26, was detained while traveling as part of Kentucky State University's women's basketball team.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
ICE abducted a WBB player while she was traveling with her Kentucky State team in early August at Louisville airport. She has been imprisoned for 1.5 months and denied care for a serious ACL injury. It is the responsibility of universities and the NCAA to protect their players. They have failed.
Aminata Seck, 26, a student-athlete at Kentucky State University, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport while traveling with her school's basketball team Aug. 7, said Sadiqa Reynolds, a lawyer helping coordinate Seck's case.

Seck's team was headed to New York for a tournament, and she was taken into custody after going through airport security, said Reynolds, former president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League.
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skip intro @upfromsumdirt.blacksky.app · 20/09/2026
amit majmudar VOCATIVE
VOCATIVE

English is my native anguish. 
I was born here, read here, teased and torn here, 

Vocative, ablative,
locative, alive: English was a dislocation navigating oceans, Wherever it arrived,
it broke and brokered words.

 its little bits of Britain pilfered, bartered, written, looted, hoarded, heard.

Papa swapped a world for shiny colored beads, for dandelion seeds. We are subject verbs.

The root word of my name hooks a foreign land, long-since-shifted sand books cannot reclaim.

Graft of tongue, gift of dust, mother and stranger, sing the kedgeree, the everything at once you've made of us.

AMIT MAJMUDAR
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LAL @lindli.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Yep yep yep  Glad this is getting traction over here now
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Dare Obasanjo @carnage4life.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Data science teams at DraftKings built models to identify likely losers and target them with promotions, while efforts to build predictive models for problem gambling were shelved. The counterpoint on self regulation is companies can be more incentivized to avoid identifying harm than addressing it
nytimes.com
At DraftKings, AI Targets the Gamblers Likeliest to Lose (Gift Article)
Data science helps determine who receives betting incentives, but the company has resisted using similar technology to protect gamblers at risk of addiction.
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Ted McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
There’s more to be said about the relationship between Pinker-style stardom and the state of academia. Not because academia is Woke, but because star systems loosen rigor at the top while solid scholarship becomes a dead end lower down. Shoddy celebrities and broke PhDs proceed from the same machine
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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It’s nice to see more people get to see what a lying liar and unpleasant little weasel Markwayne is
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Sarah Fackrell @design-law.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
So, in the copyright literature, some people argue that maps don't/can't require originality (in the Feist v. Rural sense) because the goal of a map is to be "accurate." But cartography has always required intellectual work. And choices. And yes, even creativity.
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Brendan Harley @profharley.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
No. Why would I do that when I could just READ THE PAPER? Scientific literacy is literally a major part of being a scientist. It is not hard.
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Joseph Rezek @rezekjoe.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
We must defend learning and teaching our institutions and not surrender our minds to the bots. It’s so simple. Nothing could be simpler
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Putting in a plug for a colleague's book in OUP's Very Short Introduction series global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Cover of Robert J. Patterson, Black Narratives of Slavery
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jalylah @jalylah.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
My department is hiring -> Open Rank Professor in African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University. Deadline is November 1. lmu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers/job/...
lmu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Open Rank Professor in African American Studies
Who We Are The Department of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), a Carnegie-classified R2 institution in the mainstream of American Catholic higher education, seeks outstand...
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Paul Cohen @paulecohen.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
🚨the Department of History at the University of Toronto (St George campus) is hiring an Assistant Professor in the history of early modern or modern South Asia jobs.utoronto.ca/job/Toronto-...
jobs.utoronto.ca
Assistant Professor - South Asian History
Assistant Professor - South Asian History
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