Tyson Retz

Two of five days in. We've looked at innovation, time and progress in separate sessions but from tomorrow will embark on exploring their nexus.

I suppose the confusion stems from the fact that the selection of a topic says something about the historian's belief in the significance of a topic. This significance is then removed from its proper historical context and is taken to imply endorsement for present-day purposes.

Separationist!

Doing my civic duty and keeping up with Australian politics, the rewards of which include doozies like 'I apologise, because I was asked to apologise'.

Excellent timing - I was just telling our first years yesterday that historians have become increasingly interested in the historical study of the future. They looked back at me with quizzical incredulity.

The annual AHA (Australia) conference will always have a special place in my heart, even if the July timing makes it difficult to attend these days (Norwegian summer holidays – we are usually off camping somewhere).

With Australia's swimmers and Norway's skiers, this dual citizenship thing is set to enhance my medal count substantially.

I've been asked to contribute to a volume on the ideal-type historian. I'll take it as an opportunity to explore (and criticise) the rampant anti-intellectualism that runs rife in history departments.

Five Faces of Progress: A Conceptual Framework for Historical Ch… About This Episode In this episode of Notions of Progress, we explore the fascinating evolution of progress thinking with Professor Tyson Retz, an intellectual hist…

My discussion with Marshall Madow on the five categories of progress I developed in my 2022 Element with @universitypress.cambridge.org and @woolf-atthedoor.bsky.social (also on Spotify and other podcast providers) www.notionsofprogress.com/five-faces-o...
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Five Faces of Progress: A Conceptual Framework for Historical Ch… About This Episode In this episode of Notions of Progress, we explore the fascinating evolution of progress thinking with Professor Tyson Retz, an intellectual hist…

Drawing from his @universitypress.cambridge.org Element (2022) Progress and the Scale of History, @tysonretz.bsky.social discusses notions of progress here on this podcast: www.notionsofprogress.com/five-faces-o...

Today in my first-year course What is History? Historical writing in Antiquity and the question of authority over one's subject matter: distance or proximity to the events in question?

Today in my MA course Historical Theory and Method, the distinctions between the philosophy of history, historical theory, and the philosophy of historiography.

Since I wasn't awarded Teacher of the Year I should inform class that tomorrow I'll be absolutely hammered.

I didnt know interest had declined. It's a pity. A year in France as an undergraduate changed me more than any other experience.

Knowledge and Narrative Cambridge Core - Global History - Knowledge and Narrative

I'm pleased to announce another new title in @universitypress.cambridge.org 's series Elements in Historical Study and practice is out and downloadable for free till Dec. 5. Chiel van den Akker, Knowledge and Narrative. doi.org/10.1017/9781...

I've been saying this forever: silos keep the rats out! Long live them.

All men [sic] are intellectuals... but not all men have in society the function of intellectuals...Thus there are historically formed specialised categories for the exercise of the intellectual function.
—Antonio Gramsci

Yes historians are researchers but I like to think of them as writers first and foremost. Wish we'd talk more about style and good writing in history.

I like a lot about teaching but maybe most of all the opportunity to stand and walk. Somewhat too sedantry the rest of the job.

Anything on a certain Robert Southey?

Henriikka Hannula "Existential Historicism: The Rise and Fall of a Sense-Making Framework" YouTube video by Centre for Philosophical Studies of History

New video on our Youtube channel! Watch the talk "Existential Historicism: The Rise and Fall of a Sense-Making Framework" that @hhenriikka.bsky.social gave two weeks ago in our joint research seminar here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZP....

Happy watching!

Ultras looked to Rome only because they accepted that the state had been successfully secularised. They are not simple reactionaries but integral agents in the history of European liberalism.

"Performative busyness". What a nice term to sum up what goes on in universities these days.

#fernandbraudel C'est dans moins d'un mois !
Découvrez le programme du colloque international "Les mondes de Fernand Braudel"
📅 Du 27 au 28 Novembre 2025
📌 la Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme
+Infos www.fmsh.fr/agenda/les-m...

“There is no greater educational calamity than the bored teacher” —John Passmore, 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘚𝘦𝘮𝘪-𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯

Stipendiat i museumspedagogikk | FINN.no Om stillingenUniversitetet i Stavanger har ledig stilling som stipendiat i museumspedagogikk ved Fakultet for utdanningsvitenskap og humaniora, Institutt for

Stilling som stipendiat i museumspedagogikk er nå utlyst ved Institutt for kultur- og språkvitenskap, UiS.
www.finn.no/job/ad/43601...

Les meir om det spannande prosjektet FJORDS som stillinga er ein del av her: www.uis.no/nb/forskning...

A lot of universities are suffering from a 'space crisis' but look at mine (15.00 main building)

𝘈𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘮 is usually a sign that your interlocutor is out of ideas. Granted, people did not always practise what they preached. This might matter to the biographer, but not to the historian concerned with the influence of their ideas.

Of course anybody is 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 to speak about the past. But like most things, it takes a certain kind of specialist training to speak 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 about a subject. Historians are no different. Not gatekeeping – simply practising professional standards of historical method.