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Olwen Purdue

@olwenpurdue.bsky.social
2.7K followers 985 following 67 posts

Historian of the urban poor, children & welfare, migration, difficult public histories. Director, Centre for Public History Queen’s University Belfast . Happy in the forest with the pup or in front of the fire with a glass of something red

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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Very proud of this amazing bunch of public historians. Wishing them all the best for whatever lies ahead
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
Fantastic crowd for our @publichistoryqub.bsky.social roundtable on developing non-extractive practice in arts, culture and historical research #publichistory
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Join us on Thursday 6 Nov for this wide-ranging discussion on the ethics of engaged research with communitues www.qub.ac.uk/research-cen...
qub.ac.uk
Beyond Extractivist Practice: the Ethics of Engaged Research with Communities
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Brilliant close to a brilliant conference as UCSC’s Jasmine Alinder reflects on how traumatic and erased historical narratives can be brought to the fore in new and accessible ways in an age of anxiety
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Interested in contested or difficult public history? Fulbright-Queen's University Belfast awards now available for an MA in Public History in Belfast, Northern Ireland @ncph.bsky.social @publichistory.bsky.social @westernupubhist.bsky.social us.fulbrightonline.org/countries/eu...
us.fulbrightonline.org
United Kingdom - Fulbright/Queen's University Belfast Award in in 'Conflict, Security and Contested Pasts'
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Interested in contested public history? Fulbright-Queen’s University Belfast award now available for an MA in Public History at Queen’s University Belfast. Apply now! @ncph.bsky.social @@qubelfastofficial.bsky.social us.fulbrightonline.org/countries/eu...
us.fulbrightonline.org
United Kingdom - Fulbright/Queen's University Belfast Award in in 'Conflict, Security and Contested Pasts'
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Join us on 4 September for the launch of this Special Issue on 'Conflict and Peace: the Cultural Dimension'. @laiabalcells.bsky.social will be discussing our article on the roles of museums in addressing Northern Ireland's violent past
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National Museum of Ireland @nmireland.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
🎤 In Conversation: Exploring Travelling Culture & Craft 🗓️ Aug 7 | 6–7PM 📍 Collins Barracks, Dublin Hear from Traveller artists & curators on heritage, craft & identity. 🎟️ Free – Book via www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museum... #TravellerCulture #IrishCraft #Mincéirí
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Maurice J. Casey @mauricejcasey.com · 12/06/2025
Which is why I am so excited to reveal that Europe Speaks, my project on the ISK, has been awarded an AHRC Catalyst Grant. This grant enables me to conduct this research in @qubhistory.bsky.social, starting later this year. I can't wait to delve into the archives again.
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/happ...
qub.ac.uk
23.06.2025 Call for Papers: Hubris in International Relations | School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics | Queen's University Belfast
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/happ...
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 29/05/2025
“If universities start to fail, it will be disastrous for Labour MPs and their constituents. It would be the modern equivalent of the factory closure, or the end of the pit. “And despite how some Labour MPs seem to imagine their voters, it would be Labour’s core supporters who were most affected.”
theneweuropean.co.uk
If universities sink, then so will Starmer
Some Labour figures believe Britain has too many unis. But if they start failing, local economies – and Starmer’s re-election prospects – will go with them
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Fantastic to celebrate with this year’s @publichistoryqub.bsky.social MA students as they share the great work they’ve been doing during their 30-day internships. And thanks as always to our many amazing partners who provide these wonderful opportunities
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Great initiative by @nmireland.bsky.social to mark the 10 year anniversary of the Marriage Equality referendum! www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/W...
museum.ie
Mark the 10 year anniversary of the Marriage Equality referendum | National Museum of Ireland
Welcome to the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin & Castlebar covering Archaeology, Decorative Arts, Folk & Country Life, & Natural History.FREE Exhibitions
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Join us on 27 May for a talk by Prof Mark McGowan, Uni of Toronto, on Indigenous aid to Ireland during the Great Famine. Cohosted with @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social and @irishheritage.bsky.social . Register here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mark-mcgow...
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Irish Studies at QUB @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
On 27 May Irish Studies will be co-hosting with @publichistoryqub.bsky.social and @irishheritagetrust.bsky.social a talk by Prof Mark McGowan on 'Honouring Indigenous Aid for Famine Ireland from Canada in 1847'. All welcome: register at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mark-mcgow... @olwenpurdue.bsky.social
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History Workshop @historyworkshop.org.uk · 15/04/2025
How is the crisis in higher education impacting history and historians in the UK? Lucy Noakes on the scale of cuts and closures, and how the Royal Historical Society (@royalhistsoc.org) can advocate for our discipline. www.historyworkshop....
historyworkshop.org.uk
Making the Case for History: A View from the Royal Historical Society
Lucy Noakes on how the crisis in UK higher education is impacting history and historians, and how the Royal Historical Society can advocate for our discipline.
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
Fully funded Queen Mary University of London with the Museum of the Home (Soundscapes of Domesticity: Music and Lived Experience in Non-Elite English Homes, 1780-1870). Deadline 17:00pm BST, Friday 23 May 2025. Great topic, great team. Go for it!
qmul.ac.uk
AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Studentship with Museum of the Home - School of GeographyFacebookTwitter XInstagramYouTubeLinkedInTikTok
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Jay Roszman @jayroszman.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
🚨FT Permanent Job 🚨 My department is hiring a lecturer (B/B) in 18th-c. Irish history, with the desire for someone whose research and teaching pertains to the Irish 'long eighteenth century (1690-1830)...and broader international, political and intellectual context of the period.' 🗃️
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Dr Cath Feely @cathfeely.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
University of Derby faces mass job cuts as management plans to make half of senior academics redundant. Please spread the word. www.ucu.org.uk/article/1398...
ucu.org.uk
University of Derby staff face mass job cuts as management plans to axe half of senior academics
University of Derby staff face mass job cuts as management plans to axe half of senior academics
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
Applications now open for our exciting Creative Residency opportunity at Mount Stewart, County Down (Nat Trust), part of our Historic Houses, Global Crossroads project. treatiedspaces.com/creative-res...
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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 08/04/2025
Applications now invited for the Society's 2 new funding programmes supported by the Scouloudi Foundation: > RHS Public History Grants bit.ly/4bF4zJK > RHS Panel Grants bit.ly/4ky23ZP Both programmes will assist historians working collaboratively, in and outside higher education #Skystorians
Graphic showing raised hands and speech bubble with the text: RHS Scouloudi Panel Grants, 2025. New funding programme, closing date Friday 23 May.Graphic of the word 'History' composed of people with the additional text: Applications invited for RHS Scouloudi Public History Grants, 2025. New funding programme, closes 23 May'.
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
What a great paper on Hip-Hop and Rapping (US) Republicans by GW’s Prof Loren Kajikawa! Great to have him here at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social for a week!
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Three days left to submit your abstract. Public History in an Age of Anxiety conference, Belfast, 10-11 Sept 25. *Please repost*
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Interested in an MA in Public History? Where better to study than in Belfast! Want to hear more? Sign up now to join our information webinar this Monday at 5pm BST (noon EST) www.qub.ac.uk/Study/AHSS/w...
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Never more appropriate, and important, than now
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Evan @evansmithhist.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Our new volume, edited by @andrekosvarnava.bsky.social, @yiannicart.bsky.social and myself, has been published by Brill. Please order 'Forced Migration: Exiles and Refugees in the UK and the British Empire, 1815–1949' for your institutional library today! brill.com/display/titl...
brill.com
Forced Migration: Exiles and Refugees in the UK and the British Empire, 1815–1949
"Forced Migration: Exiles and Refugees in the UK and the British Empire, 1815–1949" published on 24 Mar 2025 by Brill.
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Kevin O'Sullivan @kevinkosullivan.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
We're hiring 2 new colleagues @historyatgalway.bsky.social - Lecturer A (.4FTE; 4-year post) in History (Ireland in Global Context) - Lecturer A (1FTE; 6-month post) in History (Irish Economy and Society, 1750-1900) Go here and click 'Academic Vacancies' www.universityofgalway.ie/about-us/jobs/ 🗃️
universityofgalway.ie
Jobs - University of Galway
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Not unexpected, but deeply depressing news nonetheless. It didn’t take long for the Smithsonian to become the next target www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Trump targets 'anti-American ideology' at Smithsonian museums
The order says that
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
‘UNMASKED: Curating a Public History Anti-lynching Exhibition’. Join us this Friday for our 4pm seminar with Prof Alex Lichenstein, Indiana University. www.qub.ac.uk/research-cen...
qub.ac.uk
Unmasked: Curating a Public Anti-lynching Exhibition
Centre for Public History seminar with Alex Lichtenstein, Professor of History, Indiana University
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Irish Committee of Historical Sciences - ICHS @irishhistorians.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Call for papers for the 35th Conference of Irish Historians, 'Inner lives and outer realities' closes 31 March. Open to historians of any geographic area and period. www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/...
maynoothuniversity.ie
Call for Papers: 35th Irish Conference of Historians
CALL FOR PAPERS Irish Conference of Historians Hosted by the Irish Committee for Historical Sciences and Maynooth University Department of History Maynooth University, 12–13 September 2025 --- Inner
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
www.qub.ac.uk/research-cen...
qub.ac.uk
Unmasked: Curating a Public Anti-lynching Exhibition
Centre for Public History seminar with Alex Lichtenstein, Professor of History, Indiana University
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National Museum of Ireland @nmireland.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Learn about the exciting plans across the National Museum of Ireland's locations in Dublin and Mayo for 2025. www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/J...
youtu.be
Join the Conversation at the National Museum of Ireland in 2025
YouTube video by National Museum of Ireland
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Dr Paul Huddie @paulhuddie.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
And now we've got our cover. Check it out! Courtesy of @ssnci.bsky.social and three exceptional (if I do say so) staff from ucddublin.bsky.social and a dozen of their genius peers via @livunipress.bsky.social #ssnci #ireland #conflict
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
This fantastic new Public History grant has just been launched by the @royalhistsoc.org - four awards of £1K to support historians working with & for public audiences royalhistsoc.org/research_fun...
royalhistsoc.org
RHS Scouloudi Public History Grants | RHS
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National Museum of Ireland @nmireland.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
We're seeking applications from suitable candidates to fill the post of Collections Assistant in the Registration Department- Closing Date for Applications- Friday, 28th March 2025- www.museum.ie/en-IE/About/...
Images of the four National Museum of Ireland locations, with the text- Join our Team.
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
After two days of workshopping our ideas on ethical, collaborative and restorative historical practice around traumatic pasts, today we had the privilege of presenting our work in a public forum. What an incredible, thought-provoking and inspiring few days. These conversations must continue
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
What an incredible two days of discussion at the @uvahumanities.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social, USHMM conference about how to tell difficult histories and recover lost voices in ethical and truly collaborative ways
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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 16/03/2025
Religious groups who work with foreign aid have consistently told me the same thing, over and over, since the gutting of USAID: people — real people — are going to die, including children. According to this NYTimes piece, it’s already begun.
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Queen's University Belfast @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Yesterday, we co-hosted a symposium on ‘Different Communities, Difficult Histories’ in Washington DC. This fascinating event highlighted the role NI can play in helping the world develop difficult shared narratives. Find out more here: ow.ly/jALX50Vgxrc
Professor Margaret Topping, Professor Olwen Purdue, Gordon Lyons, Emma Little Pengelly and Anthea M. Hartig.Professor Margaret Topping, Professor Olwen Purdue, Gordon Lyons, Emma Little Pengelly and Secretary Lonnie G Bunch III.Professor Olwen Purdue.Secretary Lonnie G Bunch III and Professor Olwen Purdue.
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
What a fantastic conference with the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. And we’re delighted that Secretary Lonnie G Bunch will be joining QUB’s Centre for Public History as an Honorary Professor of Practice www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews...
qub.ac.uk
‘NI leads the way in developing difficult shared narratives’ says leading US academic in DC
The event held in Washington DC was jointly organised by Queen’s and George Washington University, alongside the Smithsonian and Ulster Museums.
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History & Policy @historyandpolicy.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
An important statement from the heads of the leading organisations serving British historians including @ihr.bsky.social @royalhistsoc.org & @histassoc.bsky.social. www.history-uk.ac.uk/2025/03/08/m...
history-uk.ac.uk
More than ever, history and historians need a collaborative and co-ordinated approach: a statement
The following is a joint statement (issued 26 February) from the Historical Association, History UK, Institute of Historical Research, and the Royal Historical Society following the most recent mee…
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Great start to our Divided Communities: Difficult Histories conference in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History as Secretary Lonnie Bunch reflects on the need for empathy and authenticity in museums
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Tomorrow, 11th, in the National Museum of American History we’re hosting the ‘Divided Communities: Difficult Histories’ conference. Never been more relevant www.qub.ac.uk/research-cen...
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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
"Antisemitism in the Oval Office: A confrontation seen with a historian's eye" snyder.substack.com/p/antisemiti...
snyder.substack.com
Antisemitism in the Oval Office
A confrontation seen with a historian's eye
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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 02/03/2025
Coming up in March, we look forward to hosting this year's 'History and Archives in Practice' day conference, on Weds 5th, with partners @ihr.bsky.social and The National Archives bit.ly/3XlcLbW #HAP25's theme is ‘Working with Memory', with contributions from historians and archivists #Skystorians
Slide for the 2025 'History and Archives in Practice' day conference on 5 March with the theme of 'Working with Memory: History, Storytelling and Practices of Remembrance', hashtag #HAP25
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Thom Scott-Phillips @thomscottphillips.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Stefan Collini in @londonreview.bsky.social, October 2013
Future historians, pondering changes in British society from the 1980s onwards, will struggle to account for the following curious fact. Although British business enterprises have an extremely mixed record (frequently posting gigantic losses, mostly failing to match overseas competitors, scarcely benefiting the weaker groups in society), and although such arm’s length public institutions as museums and galleries, the BBC and the universities have by and large a very good record (universally acknowledged creativity, streets ahead of most of their international peers, positive forces for human development and social cohesion), nonetheless over the past three decades politicians have repeatedly attempted to force the second set of institutions to change so that they more closely resemble the first. Some of those historians may even wonder why at the time there was so little concerted protest at this deeply implausible programme. But they will at least record that, alongside its many other achievements, the coalition government took the decisive steps in helping to turn some first-rate universities into third-rate companies. If you still think the time for criticism is over, perhaps you’d better think again.
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Very much looking forward to these very relevant discussions in National Museum of American History, 11 March. www.qub.ac.uk/research-cen...
qub.ac.uk
Divided Communities: Difficult Histories
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publichistoryqub.bsky.social @publichistoryqub.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Great work by some of our MA in Public History students and an amazing opportunity for them to experience working with local cultural heritage initiatives www.irishnews.com/news/norther...
irishnews.com
Irish language heritage project to tell hidden history of Gaeilgeoirí in the 1970s
Budding archivists from Queen’s University Belfast are delving into unseen documents, photos, and stories
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Olwen Purdue @olwenpurdue.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
www.theguardian.com/research-to-...
theguardian.com
‘Many look to Northern Ireland for hope’: how a Belfast university became a world leader in conflict resolution
Academics draw on lived experience in their global peacebuilding work as they foster dialogue between opposing groups and look to give victims a voice
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