Sign in

Dr Ivan Simic

@ivansimic.bsky.social
424 followers 314 following 440 posts

Edmontonian, amateur climber, knitter, cat lover, and then some other things. Historian, Charles University, Prague | PhD in History, University College London. SSEES | he/him

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies @uclssees.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Join us for this @seeatucl-ssees.bsky.social seminar with @ivansimic.bsky.social to hear about his new book 'Sickle and Veil'. This book offers a comprehensive transnational history of communist gender policies towards Muslim minorities in Eastern Europe. 🗓️ 14 October at 6pm ➡️ buff.ly/MRttF3K
Event poster for 'Sickle and Veil: Communist Gender and Policies towards Muslim Minorities in Eastern Europe' with an image of the book cover. In person event.
023
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
Tereza Hendl @terezahendl.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Russian occupying forces have destroyed over 10 million Ukrainian books this summer and are now continuing their systemic attacks on Ukrainian research institutions and the people within them. These are the people who carry generations of knowledge about Ukrainian existence, culture, language…
1126
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Canada joining Erasmus+ would be the best possible thing for students and higher education. www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
euronews.com
Canada in talks to join EU's Erasmus+ exchanges programme
Canada is in early talks to join Erasmus+ and possibly Horizon Europe, as Ottawa and Brussels weigh an unprecedented "associate membership" of the EU short of full accession. #EuropeNews
110
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Today I went to the Museum of the Nineties in Belgrade, Serbia. What a positive surprise! Then I saw that some really good people, like Prof Dubravka Stojanović, are behind it, and I was not surprised anymore. Just happy that they made the most important museum in Serbia! museum90.com/en/about-us/
museum90.com
About us – Museum90
010
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I flew with Ryanair, which is considered an ultra-low-cost airline in Europe. They are still miles better than any regular Canadian airline. They were on time and transparent with their pricing and rules, and the flight was fine.
100
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Notes from Greece: Greek food and hospitality are still the best, Greek beer is still the worst. On a positive note, they have started some microbreweries, but they still have a long way to go. Maybe it's the water quality? Also, way more expensive than before COVID, but still worth going there!
A random Greek cat being unhappy with me
021
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The future is going to be glorious! Right? Right? 😬 www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
cbc.ca
Canadians should prepare for a 5 C hotter future, report warns | CBC News
The federal government's new report summarizing the latest science on climate change warns that under current climate policies, the impact on Canadians will likely be "far from benign."
021
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
My southern Italian friend commended me for finally buying beer not at the beach but at the market and bringing it in a large mug. He said one more week and he will make a local out of me, making bombette at home and bringing them to the beach! What a compliment!
120
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
People need to radically de-Google their lives. Luckily, in every sphere, there is a free or similarly priced product that is far superior to Google's.
120
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Particularly when you live in Alberta 😬
100
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
After travelling for 23 hours and sleeping for almost 11, I am ready for anything, including hundreds of Italians shouting something in the bakery. Bring it on!!
010
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The war criminal Ratko Mladić is dead, and that is good. If he had never been born, it would have been even better.
030
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Without international students, Canadian universities are not just financially poorer, they are intellectually poorer and sadder places...
100
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Happy Independence Day to Ukraine! The best time to donate to the Ukrainian army was yesterday. The next best time is today. u24.gov.ua
u24.gov.ua
UNITED24 — The initiative of the President of Ukraine
The official fundraising platform for collecting donations to support Ukraine
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
The US has always been a shithole. It is just that Canada was on its good side for a while. Trump is only a symptom, not the cause. The people who voted for him, supported him, enabled him, and now work for him will remain.
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
If I had to guess, zero Muslim women were consulted in drafting this law...
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Private companies should not be allowed anywhere near the healthcare system. Also, for-profit plasma or blood donation centres are an absolute travesty. globalnews.ca/news/1202107...
globalnews.ca
Private plasma donation clinic says it is pausing all collection in Canada | Globalnews.ca
Grifols said Thursday that the company voluntarily decided to pause collection and has communicated the decision to Health Canada.
1104
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
These tarp festivals are totally unappealing to me. Sorry, Edmonton. Music festivals are supposed to look like Glastonbury and Sziget...
120
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
In Canada, we desperately need an aggressive sugar tax that would target any drink or food item loaded with sugar, and another aggressive tax on ultra-processed food. What we drink and eat is horrible. And I mean everyday items, not just the obvious junk food. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Why are ultra-processed food firms panicking and suing? Because they know time is running out | Felicity Lawrence
As the harm caused by their products becomes more evident, manufacturers are resorting to denial and lawsuits to keep regulation at bay, says former Guardian special correspondent Felicity Lawrence
020
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
All Canadian airlines are equally awful. But that is the fault of extremely weak federal laws that provide virtually no protection for Canadian travellers. Whenever I talk to people who are used to EU standards, they are shocked by how unprotected we are.
050
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Why I love Heritage Fest: Ate food from Mauritius (and googled a bit about it), Azerbaijan, Bosnia, and Iran. Apart from baklava, I have no idea what anything else was, but it was all great!! The only thing missing is beer, which is an important part of my culture!
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Franco Baresi was one of the greatest footballers of all time. Probably second only to his protégé, Paolo Maldini. I started watching him only in the last couple of years of his career, but he was magnificent! I have always appreciated great defenders more than some Messis or Ronaldos
001
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
So, there is a single Scandinavian pavilion, even though those countries spent centuries fighting each other, colonising one another, and they do not even share a common language. Yet I see three separate ex-Yugoslav countries, probably all still trapped in 1995 when they emigrated to Canada 😭😭
320
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
Catherine McKenna @cathmckenna.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Carbon pricing not only lowered emissions it gave more money back to the majority of people, especially to the poorest Canadians. Shame on all the cynical politicians who repeated lies about it. www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/pe...
121484
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Every Wednesday at Muttart, there is an adults night with local musicians performing. Last night, I had a chance to listen to Billie Zizi and then her father, Cam Neufeld.... After talking with him, I learned about the Ederlezi Festival in Edmonton... What a discovery!!!
130
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
As the World Cup ends, let us hope we never see hydration breaks again, and shitholes like the US hosting any major event...
010
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
I wonder whether Americans even realise how cringe this World Cup opening was. I am sure they are used to cringe, but this should be too much even for them 🤯
020
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
There are shitty airlines, there are garbage airlines, and then there is Air Canada. It should not exist, let alone be called an airline...
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Nope, Stampede is utter shite. It always has been shite, and it always will be shite.
020
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Does replacing parking with bike-lanes hurt restaurant business? Of course not, as this new peer-reviewed STUDY of 15 years of Montreal data showed. ACTUALLY, downtown experienced significant restaurant growth after bike lanes were installed. @momentummag.bsky.social momentummag.com/do-bike-lane...
17760276
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Palgrave is offering a nice discount on the hardcover edition of my first book. It is actually affordable at that price, and it still reads well! ❤️ link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
link.springer.com
Soviet Influences on Postwar Yugoslav Gender Policies
This book explores Soviet influences on Yugoslav gender policies, examining how Yugoslav communists interpreted, adapted and used Soviet ideas to change Yugoslav society. The book sheds new light on t...
001
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Just as Leffe is always better than Coors, CDK is always better than Balogun. Not even the cheating by Trump and FIFA helped there. Cheers 🍻
100
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
This is the end of the world cup. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
White House lobbied Fifa to lift Folarin Balogun suspension for World Cup game v Belgium
The US striker was shown red in the team’s last-32 match, but the card and its suspension were thought to not be eligible for appeal.
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
I had beer for breakfast, but it didn't help Canada win. I'm sad, but also proud of the effort! 🇨🇦♥️
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Argentina may have won, but what Cabo Verde did was historic. They forced the best team in the world to suffer and fight for 120 minutes. And honestly, most of the world had never heard of Cabo Verde. Not anymore! I checked, Cabo Verde has amazing beaches and weather, and Mindelo looks beautiful!
010
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Cabo Verde shows why football is amazing, and why you should never bet on football results. 🇨🇻
120
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Watching various politicians obsessed with "pancake" breakfasts when A) they are loaded with sugar,on top of all the other unhealthy shit served alongside them! B) they are not even real pancakes! It is sad if people really eat that at home. We need a total nutritional revolution in North America
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
As you watch this World Cup, open a map and look up Bosnia. There are some really beautiful places to visit there! (Just avoid July and August, unless you want to boil.)
052
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
We are ready! Happy Canada day!! www.ebu.ch/news/2026/07...
ebu.ch
EBU and CBC/Radio-Canada announce Canada’s participation in Eurovision Song Contest 2027
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and its newest Member CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster, are excited to announce that Canada will participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Con...
100
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
This Morocco vs. the Netherlands game is the best I have seen in a while. I can’t believe how well Morocco played. Good for Canada that they played 30 minutes more and have one day less to rest 🙈
010
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Bill No. 15360 is the end of Ukraine’s journey towards the European Union. itd.rada.gov.ua/billinfo/Bil...
itd.rada.gov.ua
Картка законопроєкту - Законотворчість
Проєкт Закону про Український національний пантеон
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
In a full pub, 6 of us at our table watched Canada win today. 3 were born in Edmonton (Polish, German, and Scandinavian heritage), 1 in Red Deer (Polish and Ukrainian heritage), 1 in India, and 1 in Yugoslavia. And all that mattered was that Canada won 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦💪💪💪
060
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
UNITED24 @u24.gov.ua · 27/06/2026
The cutest evacuation you'll see today. 🇺🇦 defenders don't just save human lives, they rescue the 4-legged victims of russia's war, too. This tiny kitten now has a second chance at life thanks to the soldier who evacuated him to safety. Thanks to the defender, Teo's hardest days are now behind him.
1128854
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Ecuador’s president declared a national holiday after Ecuador won a World Cup game last night. If (when) we win on Sunday, we should get two days off, bridge it with Canada Day, and do this properly!
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
British universities are what made Britain great. Gutting Goldsmiths and now the University of Exeter is so stupid that one day those responsible should face criminal charges. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
University of Exeter in talks to cut about 150 members of staff
The university says it is consulting with colleagues over "limited and specific potential changes".
041
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
That Messi fella is older than I am. There is still time!
110
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
By trying to rehabilitate the Nazi UPA, Ukraine is shooting itself in the foot. Poland has essentially issued a warning. As Ukraine moves closer to EU integration, there will be increasing pressure to abandon this stupidity. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Zelensky stripped of Polish honour over WW2 name of army unit
Ukraine has denounced the move, calling it a "strategic mistake" and "disrespectful".
010
Reposted by Dr Ivan Simic
UNITED24 @u24.gov.ua · 19/06/2026
“I thought that was it for me — they had knives, rifles and grenades.” June 19 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Sexual violence is a weapon of war used by russian invaders against Ukrainians. Read the stories of survivors of russia’s war crimes🧵
17127
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Not surprised that Norwegian fans are imitating Viking rowing. Norway has whitewashed its dark and horrendous Viking past, including raiding, killing, and rape. I am also not surprised that other fans are joining in. Hollywood has done much of the work for them www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3571873...
barstoolsports.com
The Tartan Army Joined Forces With Norway Fans To Start Rowing In The Streets Of Boston, Become The Ultimate World Cup Superteam
Read more about The Tartan Army Joined Forces With Norway Fans To Start Rowing In The Streets Of Boston, Become The Ultimate World Cup Superteam on https://www.barstoolsports.com/
000
Dr Ivan Simic @ivansimic.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
We will collect money and rebuild the Lavra and the Art Arsenal. But we cannot bring back to life the 11 civilians who were also killed last night by the terrorist and genocidal political entity called Russia. That makes me truly angry!
031