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Liam J. Liburd

@liamliburd.bsky.social
2.4K followers 413 following 410 posts

Historian who works on Black British history and the history of whiteness and the white supremacist movement in 20th century Britain. Views those of someone living through interesting times.

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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Inconvenient historical truths worth remembering at present…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
After nursery drop-off and a brisk walk to the station, I’m now off on my way down from Newcastle to Birmingham for the @modbritstud.bsky.social/@mbsbirmingham.bsky.social 2026 conference. I’m on Friday morning, please come check out our panel on letter-writing and the politics of whiteness.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
An absolutely essential point from a BLM UK post on Instagram about the new tragic murder case currently being used by racists to be racist.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
A shot of me in action at the @histassoc.bsky.social conference in Gateshead today captured by a friend in the audience.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Race Today on the NF's intervention in 1974 Imperial Typewriters strike by Asian workers against exploitative practices from their bosses & racism from the white trade union colleagues. Journalist Martin Walker mentions this briefly in his book on the NF published in the late 70s but beyond this...
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
The letter & the HO's investigation into it offer a window into the Immigration Service at a moment when Britain's immigration control system was growing more restrictive & openly racist. The affair also speaks to intersection of institutional racism with "extremist" racism. Please come along!
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Came across this going back over some early 70s issues of the National Front’s magazine while doing research for my book. Nothing new in Reform’s fixation on universities…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
I’m in a newly published collection on political writing in modern Britain published by CUP. I met and got the opportunity to work with some lovely people in the preparation of this collection. I hope it’s as much fun to read as it was to put together.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
On the way back from the giving a paper at Manchester Uni - thanks to the fantastic audience. Also saw some historical sites and got a photo of Strangeways Prison for my upcoming article on prisons and racism.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Settings on the dryer in our Canadian Airbnb imply that it can make your clothes wetter.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
They used to just emblazon something onto the flag that was more direct.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
I’m convinced that if there’d been a more socially acceptable and less ambiguous symbol of white power, the people putting up these flags would have just used it. You can’t put up a swastika or sunwheel these days so they’ve had to use symbols that are racist in a way that’s plausibly deniable.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
The Daily Mail says ‘Hurrah’… for… ‘Peace in Our Time’…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
There’s a good line reminiscent of this in his 1939 novel Coming Up for Air.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Theres a more specific term for this - “white victimhood”.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
"Britain's languages of 'race' and nation have been articulated together. The effect of their combination can be registered even where "race" is not overtly referred to, or where it is discussed outside of crude notions of superiority and inferiority." And he's worth quoting some more...
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
The fruits of a relative’s Facebook profile. So patriotic you can’t remember the design of the flag you’re obsessed with.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Seen some St George’s Fiery Crosses on my morning run. This is not innocent - there’s no historical precedent of displaying the Cross or the Union Flag outside of sporting events, royal stuff, and maybe govt buildings except by fascists. Fascist involvement in founding this campaign no coincidence.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
As I return to my teenage interest in anarchism & as my research turns towards the criminological, worlds collide in an issue of Anarchy I picked up in Skoob Books. Features contributions by Jock Young - later ‘Left Realist’ and one of Gilroy’s adversaries in There Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Reading Joseph Fronczak’s article ‘The Fascist Game’ (2018). Can’t help thinking of Musk in this section on the transnational transmission of the fascist salute…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
The People’s Bookshop in Durham city centre is selling our edited collection ‘British Culture After Empire‘ at a knockdown price. In good company with some other interesting titles… 👀 #Durham
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Sorting through a box of my old school exercise books that my Mum held onto and then offloaded onto me. Came across this 😭
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
County Durham: from racist riots to electing racists.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
And here’s our abstract…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Join us tomorrow at 2pm for our panel at @qmcbs.bsky.social on the history of race and the criminal justice system in modern Britain.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Gilesgate Moor telling Reform to fuck off.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
Keep this for reference…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Not sure how many followers I have in NI, but I'm giving a seminar at @qubhistory.bsky.social on 31 January on some of my recent research on race/racism in British prisons during the 1970s. For now here's the cover of my presentation; when I have a link to the event I'll re-share!
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Here I am being well “woke” in the Christmas instalment of the BBC History Magazine…
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 11/10/2024
COMING SOON: #BlackHistoryMonth talk on Africa, archaeology, and antiquity by doctoral researcher, Rheba Macha. Join us for this lunchtime talk in Durham on Monday 21 October 1-2pm. Tickets free, register here: forms.office.com/e/gVCwP4yJ3Z #BHM2024 #Durham #archaeology
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 30/09/2024
As a bit of a teaser, you'll hear about how an article I found in the newspaper of a British Black Power organisation led me down a rabbit hole into the history of the 'crisis' in British prisons in the latter half of the 20thC
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
Since the @socialhistsoc.bsky.social's conference's final programme is out, I can now engage in some shameless self-promotion. Please come and see/hear my paper 'Incarcerating the Crisis: Prisons, Race, & Fascism in Britain, c. 1970s' at 14:30-16:00 on Monday, 8 July 2024. #SHS2024
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
Returned from conferences & research trips to find my copy of ‘The Truth About Empire’ with essays by several historians (incl. me) challenging modern-day apologia for empire with insights from their research. Pictures of cover + my essay & some of my personal favourite lines.
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 20/06/2024
It took me on a journey that ended (so far anyway) with a Home Office file at the UK National Archives. Particularly hoping there are some historical criminologists/criminological historians in the audience as I’m wading into unfamiliar territory. #BATW2024 @batw.bsky.social (3/3)
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 20/06/2024
The development of this new research began with an article from the Black Liberation Front’s Grassroots newspaper I looked at during a visit to the George Padmore Institute’s archives. The article reported on NF members working as prison officers. #BATW2024 @batw.bsky.social (2/3)
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Liam J. Liburd @liamliburd.bsky.social · 20/06/2024
Just begun journey down to Winchester for #BATW2024. Excited to be on an excellent panel with @samwetherell.bsky.social, Rochelle Rowe & Theo Williams on Friday morning. Excited also to present some brand new research that spun off my other work on British Black Power & antifascism (1/3) 🧵
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