Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele

@drdragases.bsky.social

Scholar of Fortune @History Department - Ghent University. Everything you wanted to know about The Fall of Rome but were afraid to ask. Gallivanter extraordinaire. Italophile. Homeric Laughter.

4.3K followers807 following3.1K posts

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Patch Zircher
@patrickzircher.bsky.social

Ahmed Zewali won the Nobel Prize. Elias James Corey (Lebanese) won the Nobel Prize. Peter Medawar won the Nobel Prize. Michael Atiyah won the Fields prize. Omar Yaghi won the Wolf Prize. Numerous Arabs have won the Pritzker, Caughey, Shannon, Shaw, & Asturias awards. RFKJr is a clown.

en.wikipedia.orgList of modern Arab scientists and engineers - Wikipedia
The Bulwark@thebulwark.com

RFK: "There's five hundred million Arabs in the world. And yet they don't produce science. They don't win the Nobel Prize. They don't win the Fields Prize. They don't win the Wolf Prize. They don't produce literature."

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Rafa Sales Ross
@rafiews.com

I’m not a political journalist, so was gladly surprised at the community I found here last night. To Americans anxious about the upcoming elections, a key thing we learned in Brazil that might help you: DO NOT engage with the far-right online. Don’t share rage bait. Amplify your people. Ignore them.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Christos G. Makrypoulias
@christos-mak.bsky.social

In memory of Chris Wickham, former Editor of the journal and Chair of the Past and Present Editorial Board, P&P have collected his contributions to the journal and made them free to read in this Virtual Issue. academic.oup.com/past/pages/c...

academic.oup.comVirtual Issue: Chris WickhamIn memory of our dear friend and colleague Chris Wickham, former Editor of the journal and Chair of the Past and Present Editorial Board, P&P have collected

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Anne Applebaum
@anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu

In one day, two politicians - Bolsonaro in Brazil and Vucic in Serbia - with ties to Trump have lost surprise elections thanks to high turnout. The rise of the international far-right is not inevitable.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Rafa Sales Ross
@rafiews.com

I haven’t slept a full night in three weeks ahead of the polls opening in Brazil today. I might be shouting into a void here, but if you can spare a few seconds to send good energy towards our elections today and for the largest country in South America to beat fascism, please do so. 🇧🇷

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

derek guy
@dieworkwear.bsky.social

Replying to @dieworkwear.bsky.social

I grew up in a lower income immigrant family and we ate at Red Lobster for "special days." But we also understood the White House should not look like the inside of Red Lobster. It's condescending to assuming working ppl are culturally illiterate bc their experience is shaped by their limited means.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Mark Chadbourn
@chadbourn.bsky.social

French police protecting fascist militants.

David Hutin Photo@davidhutinphoto.bsky.social

Les militants fascistes ont attaqués des manifestants rue de la Loge sous les yeux de la police, quand les manifestants ont répliqués, la police a chargé pour les protéger et les miliciens ont frappés les gens à terre ! #Montpellier #24octobre #ViolencesPolicieres @info.gouv.fr

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Pren🔥🔞
@pren.bsky.social

BEGGING my fellow streamers to PLEASE stop using Tangia! I don't care if it makes for funny clips. Most voices on Tangia come from people who've very publicly said they don't want their voice taken from them this way. AI voices hurt ALL voice actors. You're better than this. Use other TTS.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele
@drdragases.bsky.social

Given the only thing I remembered about the movie was the Iron Maiden joke, I had no particular expectations. And still I was pleased. Not triumphantly, but fair enough. My favourite bit was when they showed this shot and me going: "I had the same map as a kid!".

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Leicester Gazette
@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele
@drdragases.bsky.social

Henceforth I'm gonna weekly chronicle where we're at writing 'Rome's Disintegration. War, Violence and the End of Empire in the West' 408 CE: "In the long list of reasons ever given for the volatile cocktail formerly known as the ‘Fall of Rome’, one factor rarely considered is staggering stupidity"

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele
@drdragases.bsky.social

Vegetarianism (even veganism!) are much more common and accepted than when I was growing up as a kid in the nineties. Mind you, I'm writing this as a flexitarian. But I do believe massively reducing our meat and fish consumption is both healthy _and_ a necessity for our eco-system.

Michael Druker 🇨🇦@mdruker.app

Social media loves talking about how everything is getting worse. But what’s something that you’ve seen get _better_ in your lifetime?

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele
@drdragases.bsky.social

'She adds that she resonated with Stellen Skarsgård’s 2026 Golden Globes speech, where he sung cinema’s praises: “In a cinema, where the lights go down and eventually you share the pulse with some other people, that’s magic".'

dazeddigital.comGen Z’s latest wellness hack? Going to the cinemaThe rise of at-home entertainment, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the normalisation of social insularity have created a perfect storm for the extinction of cinema. But against all odds, young ...

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

The Roman Society
@theromansoc.bsky.social

We've been asked to share this job opportunity at the British Museum for a one-year, part-time role helping to deliver the BM International Travelling Exhibitions (ITE) show, Byzantium: Splendour of East Rome. Please share widely. DEADLINE 1 November. 🏺 bmrecruit.ciphr-irecruit.com/Applicants/v...

bmrecruit.ciphr-irecruit.comInternational Touring Exhibitions CuratorPlease note that this role may involve occasional international travel.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Anna P. Judson
@annapjudson.bsky.social

I've been compiling a list for @womeninclassicsuk.bsky.social of small-grant sources - orgs with funds for UK-based students/researchers/teachers in #Classics & related fields to use for e.g. research trips, conferences, other professional development activities #ClassicsBluesky 🏺1/4

docs.google.comSources of small grant funding in classics & related fieldsSources of small grant funding in classics & related fields The WCC UK’s Small Grants Scheme provides grants of up to £150 to support members’ academic activities relating to the study of classics (...

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Daniel Bellingradt
@dbellingradt.bsky.social

Hi, I am one of the editors of the Jahrbuch für Kommunikationsgeschichte (Yearbook for Communication History). We publish around 80 reviews annually, open access. #skystorians, feel encouraged to highlight your new and upcoming publications from around the topic to me daniel.bellingradt@uni-a.de

steiner-verlag.deJahrbuch für KommunikationsgeschichteDas Jahrbuch für Kommunikationsgeschichte bietet ein interdisziplinäres Forum für die Geschichts-, Kultur-, Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften. Den Kern des Jahrbuchs bilden quellennahe, kommuni...
Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele
@drdragases.bsky.social

Good reminder as always to read Umberto Ecco's 'Ur Fascism'. Thirty years ago, he already pointed out the ideological eclecticism of the various strands of Fascism when it first arose. But enough commonalities can be identified that have been passed on over time.

ia800601.us.archive.orgia800601.us.archive.org
Nathan Goldwag@goldwagnathan.bsky.social

Likewise, people will assert definitions of fascism that would encompass basically any modern Western state. Fine! That's reasonable. But you're using the term in a totally different analytical sense now, you can't keep assuming it has all the same connotations.

Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele reposted

Josh Shepperd
@joshshepperd.bsky.social

This is effectively the beginning of the end of the best public media production culture in the world. Brexit destroyed the entire country.

Michael Savage@michaelsavage.bsky.social

NEW: BBC confirms BBC Three, BBC Scotland, Radio 4 Extra channels to go, but there is an even more worrying development. After all the cuts so far, the BBC is not even HALF WAY to its £500m savings target. Some big calls to come... www.theguardian.com/media/2026/o...

theguardian.comBBC Three and BBC Scotland TV channels to be shut down next yearCorporation announces broadcast closures and job losses in effort to find savings of £500m