#Historical Dissertation

[blueheartbookclub]

A Review of "The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" by Thomas Taylor

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is an illuminating journey into the heart of ancient Greek religious practices, meticulously explored and vividly presented by the renowned philosopher and translator, Thomas Taylor. This dissertation, complemented by the evocative illustrations of A. L. Rawson, takes readers on a profound exploration of the mystical rituals that shaped the spiritual landscape of ancient Greece.

Thomas Taylor's scholarly expertise in Neoplatonism and his unwavering dedication to preserving the wisdom of the past shine brilliantly in this work. Through his meticulous translation and commentary, Taylor unveils the enigmatic rites and ceremonies of the Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries, providing readers with a window into the spiritual world of ancient Greece.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Taylor's work is his ability to convey the deep spiritual significance of these ancient rituals. He delves into the symbolism, mythology, and metaphysical underpinnings of the Mysteries, revealing how they were designed to facilitate personal transformation and spiritual enlightenment. Taylor's profound insights into the mysteries' inner workings give readers a profound understanding of their purpose and significance.

The accompanying illustrations by A. L. Rawson add another layer of richness to this dissertation. Rawson's artistry brings to life the mystical and mythological elements of the rituals, making the ancient world tangible and captivating. These illustrations serve as a visual guide, enhancing the reader's comprehension and engagement with the material.

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is not merely a historical account but a spiritual odyssey. It invites readers to contemplate the enduring relevance of these ancient practices in the modern world. Taylor's work inspires us to reflect on the importance of initiation, transformation, and the quest for spiritual truth.

In conclusion, "The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is a masterpiece of scholarship and spiritual insight. Thomas Taylor's dedication to preserving the wisdom of antiquity and his ability to convey its profound significance make this dissertation an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the spiritual and mystical traditions of ancient Greece. A. L. Rawson's illustrations add a visually captivating dimension to this already enlightening work. It is a must-read for seekers of wisdom, scholars, and those fascinated by the mysteries of the past.

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" by Thomas Taylor is available in Amazon in paperback 13.99$ and hardcover 19.99$ editions.

Length of the Book: 184 pages

Language: English

Rating 8/10

Link of the book!

Review by King's Cat

[blueheartbooks]

A Review of "The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" by Thomas Taylor

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is an illuminating journey into the heart of ancient Greek religious practices, meticulously explored and vividly presented by the renowned philosopher and translator, Thomas Taylor. This dissertation, complemented by the evocative illustrations of A. L. Rawson, takes readers on a profound exploration of the mystical rituals that shaped the spiritual landscape of ancient Greece.

Thomas Taylor's scholarly expertise in Neoplatonism and his unwavering dedication to preserving the wisdom of the past shine brilliantly in this work. Through his meticulous translation and commentary, Taylor unveils the enigmatic rites and ceremonies of the Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries, providing readers with a window into the spiritual world of ancient Greece.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Taylor's work is his ability to convey the deep spiritual significance of these ancient rituals. He delves into the symbolism, mythology, and metaphysical underpinnings of the Mysteries, revealing how they were designed to facilitate personal transformation and spiritual enlightenment. Taylor's profound insights into the mysteries' inner workings give readers a profound understanding of their purpose and significance.

The accompanying illustrations by A. L. Rawson add another layer of richness to this dissertation. Rawson's artistry brings to life the mystical and mythological elements of the rituals, making the ancient world tangible and captivating. These illustrations serve as a visual guide, enhancing the reader's comprehension and engagement with the material.

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is not merely a historical account but a spiritual odyssey. It invites readers to contemplate the enduring relevance of these ancient practices in the modern world. Taylor's work inspires us to reflect on the importance of initiation, transformation, and the quest for spiritual truth.

In conclusion, "The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" is a masterpiece of scholarship and spiritual insight. Thomas Taylor's dedication to preserving the wisdom of antiquity and his ability to convey its profound significance make this dissertation an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the spiritual and mystical traditions of ancient Greece. A. L. Rawson's illustrations add a visually captivating dimension to this already enlightening work. It is a must-read for seekers of wisdom, scholars, and those fascinated by the mysteries of the past.

"The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries" by Thomas Taylor is available in Amazon in paperback 13.99$ and hardcover 19.99$ editions.

Length of the Book: 184 pages

Language: English

Rating 8/10

Link of the book!

Review by King's Cat

[official-linguistics-post]

on reconstruction and historical linguistics

to follow up on today's reblog, i want to comment briefly on the apparent misapprehension that linguistic reconstruction is just guesswork with a fancy name, because that's not accurate!

reconstruction is based on specific, well-attested constraints of linguistic development. we know from centuries of investigation that languages tend to change in predictable ways. we also have a decent understanding of the complexities introduced by phenomena like language contact, which can result in borrowing on multiple structural levels. our methods are well established and borne out by evidence.

comparative reconstruction involves applying these known constraints ("rules") in reverse on a collected body of words in related descendant languages. when possible, we also incorporate historical written evidence, which often provides midpoint references for changes in progress. it is always recognized by historical linguists that reconstruction can be imperfect; we cannot know what information has been lost.

the results of reconstruction can be mixed, but i'll let campbell (2013:144) explain:

How Realistic are Reconstructed Proto-languages? The success of any given reconstruction depends on the material at hand to work with and the ability of the comparative linguist to figure out what happened in the history of the languages being compared. In cases where the daughter languages preserve clear evidence of what the parent language had, a reconstruction can be very successful, matching closely the actual spoken ancestral language from which the compared daughters descend. However, there are many cases in which all the daughters lose or merge formerly contrasting sounds or eliminate earlier alternations through analogy, or lose morphological categories due to changes of various sorts. We cannot recover things about the proto-language via the comparative method if the daughters simply do not preserve evidence of them. In cases where the evidence is severely limited or unclear, we often make mistakes. We make the best inferences we can based on the evidence available and on everything we know about the nature of human languages and linguistic change. We do the best we can with what we have to work with. Often the results are very good; sometimes they are less complete. In general, the longer in the past the proto-language split up, the more linguistic changes will have accumulated and the more difficult it becomes to reconstruct with full success. (emphasis mine)

or, to quote labov's (1982:20) pithier if less optimistic approach:

Historical linguistics may be characterized as the art of making the best use of bad data, in the sense that the fragments of the literary record that remain are the results of historical accidents beyond the control of the investigator.

in sum, historical linguists are very realistic about what we can achieve, but the confidence we do have is genuinely well earned, because linguistics is a scientific field and we treat our investigations with rigor.

---

Campbell, Lyle. 2013. Historical Linguistics: An Introduction. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Labov, William. 1982. "Building on Empirical Foundations." In Perspectives on Historical Linguistics. Winifred P. Lehmann and Yakov Malkiel, eds. Pp. 17-92. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

[saintcirce]

Please do a whole post about phd applications, funding applications, fellowships, TAships etc. Would love your take on it. Thanks

I'm chronically horrible at responding to asks, so this is coming later than you probably expected!

For context, I'm now a second year PhD art history student about to take her doctoral (comprehensive) exams in April. I applied for PhD programs during the last semester of my master's program, which was a terminal degree through a different university than the one I currently attend.

I applied to two PhD programs in the United States and two in the United Kingdom: the processes are different, particularly when it comes to funding. The former will automatically consider you for funding and it's expected, at least in the humanities, that they will grant you tuition remission and a stipend for at least four years (potentially more, depending on your particular program). It's also possible to win additional fellowships, either through your university or a third party. For example, I have departmental funding (ie. a stipend that I receive for being a Graduate Assistant) and an outside fellowship from my university's Graduate School. My department applied for that fellowship on my behalf before I even enrolled. The other American university to which I applied also offered me tuition remission and a stipend, but it was less than the university I currently attend.

Two general notes about funding in the United States: (1) it often changes to account for rising cost of living but that does not necessarily mean you will be making a living wage, and (2) it often changes depending on whether your school has a Union. Graduate workers at my university are currently working to unionize, which would not only guarantee a living wage for union members but also offer protections for international students and student parents. There are a lot of benefits but the TLDR for funding is that unionizing often means the difference between $28,000 and $45,000 yearly stipend (see this article from the Boston Herald about BU's graduate student union). Graduate Assistants are often not allowed to hold a second job outside of the university and it's also difficult to do so when you are (a) working, (b) completing coursework, and (c) independently researching. My museum fellowship, which I'm due to begin in a couple days, jeopardized my funding status and I had to fight my university for them not to take away my fellowship. It ultimately worked out because I had my department chair's support but not all students are similarly supported—and not all departments are willing to advocate for their students.

Pivoting to UK schools: the TLDR is that they offer very little funding for international students and the funding that is available, either through the institutions themselves or outside organizations, is often not enough to cover the cost of living. Tuition is largely cheaper than in America but the difference was not significant enough for it to factor into my decision. If you're interested in more detail, I'd recommend reaching out to @therepublicofletters who actually attends a UK institution. She can also tell you more about how their programs are structured. Unlike American PhD programs—which involve at least two years of coursework, doctoral exams, and graduate assistantships before defending your prospectus and beginning dissertation research—UK programs ask you to apply with a prospectus that you will use as the basis for dissertation research that you begin immediately upon entry. The difference is that American programs typically take 5-7 years to complete whereas UK ones are only 3-4 years. While this may seem convenient in the short term, I was advised that American institutions (museums, universities, etc) often prefer PhDs from American institutions because of the extra work completed.

Setting aside this technical information, I chose the four programs to which I applied based on vibes. I had a master list of schools and advisors and I contacted each one to see if we fit in terms of academic interests and personalities. I did not want to work with an advisor I didn't like and who didn't like me—or who had so many students that they had no time for me. Aside from speaking with them personally, I also reached out to their current advisees: students will often give you a more honest perspective on faculty and the department as a whole. I would almost lend more weight to what the students say than any of the professors because they are and/or will be your peers. They are also the people who will give you the most honest information about how professors and the department view students of color, women, queer students, etc. Art history and the humanities are fairly white, straight, and male dominated, so it's important to get a read on how non-normative (for lack of a better collective term) individuals are treated. I used this information to narrow down my master list to four schools, each of which I would be happy to attend. Whether I was admitted to one or to all four, I would have a place to go where I would be content and able to find community.

This is a personal note but something to consider when it comes to advisors is gender. That should not be a determining factor but I realized after committing to my current school that this is the first time I've worked with a male advisor. I love him dearly and he is one of the most encouraging scholars I have met but there have been occasions where there is a disconnect based on life experience. That said, I know many people who have had no issues at all!

Throughout this whole process, the name value of the schools was functionally irrelevant. In my experience—and that of the numerous individuals who advised me during the application process—your advisor is far more important than your school. While this will necessarily vary by discipline, you want to work with someone who has connections and/or knows how to network. For example, an older scholar will likely know everyone and their mother whereas a younger scholar will know fewer people but likely be more present at conferences, etc.

In the end, what matters most is your happiness and stability. Will you like working with your chosen advisor? Will you like taking classes in other disciplines within your department? Will you be able to make friends and/or have civil relationships with other graduate students (ie. will people steal books you need because they know you need them, like at Columbia)? Can you afford to live in whatever city in which you school is located? Are they paying you a living wage and/or offering you alternate opportunities to apply for funding?

I chose my school based on the graduate community, my advisors (I now have two), and the funding package. There have been incidental issues that I could not have anticipated, but on the whole, I do not regret my decision because I prioritized my happiness when I was applying and did not make decisions based on what I thought other people would want. This is a huge commitment and you need to be self-motivated, to rely on your love of the subject, to make it through the hard times.

My last bit of advice, which I received from my undergraduate advisor: don't go into debt for art history! If a program isn't paying you and/or isn't paying you enough, then they're not worth your time. Know your worth and ask for what you deserve, never be afraid to negotiate funding.

Let me know if y'all have any other questions! This was a long one but I hope it was helpful.

[elephantlovemedleys]

[non-un-topo]

The trick to writing about stuff you don't 100% know (which is everything) is to do it anyway, and leave plenty of things to the reader's imagination

[hadleysmis]

'POV timeline' of AU of Les Misérables, set during the beginning of the Japanese Empire

1899 -> Thénardiers' perspective

Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act is enforced. The Thénardier couple begin to starve. They bought land to farm, but due to it being infertile, they have it repossessed.

Protection Act and the forced starvation and assimilation -> Thénardiers' perspective

1908 -> Jean Valjean's perspective

Jean Valjean has escaped coal mining prison and has taken refuge in a kotan somewhere in Kushiro. He had first planned to rob ironware from the place before being caught by an Ainu elder who had mistaken him for a Wajin (Japanese).

She takes in him, and she was about to abandon the house in the first place in order to live in the mountains because she had nothing left to lose. So she wasn't so fussed that she was getting robbed, as long as it wasn't the Wajins doing it.

He catches up with her on the expansion of the Japanese Empire (as he was imprisoned in 1889) with an elder who's sheltering him. She also tells him the state of Ainu Mosir (Hokkaidou).

The expansion of the Japanese Empire -> Jean Vajlean's POV

He also talks about how he was put into prison. This is not focused on. -> Jean Valjean's POV

1908-191? -> Jean Valjean, Javert, and Cosette's perspective

Couple of months later, Jean Valjean migrates to Korea.

He takes a baby under his wing and financially supports her. He barely knew Fantine apart from how her corpse looked like when he had found her.

Javert, a patrolling police there, pins the murder of Fantine on Jean Valjean.

(Despite the official annexation not having taken place yet, Japanese military police existed in Korea after the Japan-Korea treaty of 1905.)

This forces Jean Valjean to be wary and on the run and jittery for the next handful of years.

Javert is later assigned to watch over education in Korea, to make sure the assimilation process is progressing as intended.

In duration of this, we get to see how this Ryuukyuuan police officer saw of himself degradingly, and how he saw the Koreans and Ryuukyuuans as the extension of the Japanese Empire. -> Javert's POV

Meanwhile, Cosette grows up quite content with her caretaker, aided by Jean Valjean's finance. She thinks of him as Uncle than a Father at this moment in time, because he sometimes visits but doesn't stay long.

191?-1919 -> Grantaire' perspective

We get to see the underground resistance movement through the lens of one group: Les Amis.

We see through the eyes of the pessimistic Grantaire as he tracked down and found out what his arranged-to-be-wife (Enjolras) was doing.

Pro-Korean sentiments are explored here. -> Grantaire's POV

1919 -> Cosette, Grantaire, and Jean Valjean's perspective

Cosette watches her caretaker (this AU's Toussaint most likely) die as punishment for the whole village doing the manse, along with one man.

She watches through the leaves, hugging a steady branch, while on her garden tree. She had been the one to wave the flag, given Toussaint's permission.

When the patrolling soldiers noticed, Toussaint demanded the flag so Cosette wouldn't get captured.

Grantaire watches one the most brutal crackdowns on the Manse protest, and sees three major things before his implied execution:

Japanese police arrive on horseback with ropes

People on the passing train opening the windows to do the manse (entirely fictional, I came up with this in a fever dream apparently)

Japanese authorities burn down a church with Koreans barricaded inside

Jean Valjean witnesses the violence of the protest as well. Instead of a carriage he lifts, it's piles of bodies, in order to relieve the suffocating victims pinned down by the weight.

Unlike Grantaire, Jean Valjean is passive to the violence and once he saves the people he could, he rushes off to take care of Cosette and get the fuck out of Korea.

Thus: March 1st Movement -> Cosette, Grantaire, and Jean Valjean's POV

1919-1922 -> Cosette and the Thénardiers' (and Éponine's) perspective

Jean Valjean and Cosette meet a variety of people, which counteracts the growing propaganda in Japan.

Cosette falls victim to the propaganda education, and becomes pro-Japanese. Due to trauma, she forgets most of her Korean past.

Japanese war and assimilation propaganda -> Cosette and the Thénardiers' POV

In between, they meet yakuzas, including those of ethnic minorities such as Taiwanese and Chinese, and they also meet some of the burakumin.

In 1922, they meet Zenkoku Suiheisha in its founding year, which called for equality for all humans.

Cosette realises how she's fallen for the propaganda and lashes out at Jean Valjean for not fighting against it (as he thought it would protect her).

Cosette tries to abandon her past philosophies, but finds it difficult to realise which sections of her logic, memory, and knowledge was a part of the propaganda, and which were real.

She still has no memory of the March 1st Movement due to trauma.

Meanwhile, the Thénardiers try to pursue education for their children in order to get out of survival. They migrate with Gavroche strapped to the mother's back to Hakodate: the hub of colonisers and development. This takes place in 1920.

The Thénardiers, despite being noticeably Ainu, try to abandon all their culture outside of the house, and try to stay out of any trouble. This causes psychological harm on the upbringing of their children.

But the parents are too traumatised about their past and the harsher environments they faced that they ignore their children's protests.

They keep their financial prospect afloat by trading with a yakuza group from the mainland. It was better than what they did back up in Asahikawa, before they migrated. The father had to spend his nights grave robbing for the Wajin anthropologists.

Éponine and Azelma, and the parents begin to form their own opinions about the assimilation process and what they need to survive. They unanimously agree on the migration, but they have different opinions on the Wajin (Japanese).

This is explored through Éponine's conversations with her parents, and with her sister individually. -> Éponine

1923 -> Javert's and Montparnasse's POV

It's the year of the Great Kantou Earthquake and the subsequent massacre.

The devastating blow of the earthquake is described by Javert's location (who is in the Kantou region, most likely Toukyou), as he experiences the panic and the rumour/lie of Koreans being at fault being broadcasted.

(I remember reading about specifically which police stations exacerbated the lie about Koreans being the fault of many of the destructions, but I forgot, so Javert's location may change in accordance to the information.)

Javert takes in to shelter ethnic Koreans and Chinese who were crying out for shelter, but soon found that they had been released by his superior officers, which most likely resulted in deaths.

Javert becomes disillusioned, tries to save people outside of the police name as he contemplates on his identity and purpose.

He finds Jean Valjean and Cosette who were on the run, and they duel. Javert believes that Jean Valjean should be one of the few Koreans who deserved to die on this mass lynching, as he was guilty of the 'rape and murder' of Fantine.

Javert has a sword, but Jean Valjean picks up sturdy pieces of wood and they fight.

Seeing almost Jean Valjean face death with a blow from the sword, Cosette saves him by stopping the swing. From this violence and stress, she remembers March 1st Movement and stuns Javert enough with Jean Valjean's heroics from the protest versus the evil he had thought Jean Valjean was (due to the case of Fantine).

Cosette and Jean Valjean flee presumably up north of Japan. Javert, knowing that Jean Valjean had spent decades of his life in Hokkaidou, guesses where's he's heading to.

He officially leaves the police and any help of the Japanese Empire by faking his own death (which didn't require much labour since everybody was dying left and right).

Meanwhile Montparnasse, a yakuza who had, for business, travelled to the gunnma/oosaka/toukyou (I haven't chosen yet), witnesses the massacres. He tries to help one or two communists, and ends up witnessing a group of cadets execute socialists and communists on a train.

Montparnasse flees back to Aomori, and returns to his group (which are the ones who are trading with the Thénardiers among other Ainus).

(This part is also largely unfounded in history. I just added it because I wanted to add the Patron Minette into the story.)

1926 -> Marius and Éponine's POV

Here we finally get introduced to the Pontmercy family: Marius and his governor grandfather.

His grandfather participates in the ongoing lawmaking to 'help' the Ainus, but in reality just continues the brutal assimilation but with lighter punishments and strains.

Éponine uses Marius as the ideal settler, and how they could coexist. Marius does the same but with Éponine being the ideal, passive indigenous figure.

They use each other to tell themselves that there is a legit reason behind the colonisation, and why it needs to take place. -> Marius and Éponine's POV.

Gavroche is the only one in the family who believes in independence and that they should move out of Hakodate, back to Asahikawa: no matter how harsh the environment was in comparison to Hakodate.

Marius and Cosette fall in love, and they see the world through the rose tinted glass. Éponine grows increasingly heartbroken.

Meanwhile, the trade between the Yakuza grows to be difficult for the Thénardiers, and the guilt tripping tactic doesn't work. The Thénardier parents increasing grow worried in how they will sustain themselves in Hakodate.

1927 -> Éponine, Gavroche, and Cosette's POV

While helping Cosette and Marius' romance keep secretive, Éponine ends up being picked, then lynched.

In her last breaths, she believes the Wajin will come and destroy them all and there would no longer be any Ainu left. She loses hope in everything in her last moments.

Gavroche, alone, finds the body and grieves. His rosy cheeks and hot tears are separate from his traditional wear that he proudly wore in protest only on this day. At that moment, he's nothing but a little boy who lost his sister.

Marius and Cosette grieve but do not process the event for months. When Jean Valjean hears of this, they begin to migrate once more, upwards. He reveals that he had always been meaning to go to Kushiro, but he liked how comfortable and happy Cosette was in Hakodate.

Seeing how Marius cut off his grandfather, Jean Valjean lets him in with the migration.

As they travel, Cosette discovers the feeling of 'han' (the meaning of Korean identity), and she finds her way of dealing with the trauma. She believes that Marius would never understand the pain of people like her, but wishes for him to never forget the actions of the Japanese Empire. Once he acknowledges the full terror, then she feels no barriers in continuing to love him.

Since he wishes to be by her side, he promises to dedicate his life to keeping her and other minorities safe.

1928 -> Jean Valjean and Javert's POV

Javert catches up to Jean Valjean in the area of Bokoi. Javert tells the info of what he had heard from other police officers and radio from military personnels that Japan was entering another war with China and it will be merciless.

Javert admits that the Japanese Empire is unforgiving and cruel and may take over Asia.

Jean Valjean invites him to join the migration to Kushiro.

Javert hesitantly agrees, but he'll join in the next day.

In the morning, Javert faces the cliffs with the waves clashing below, and takes his own life. He didn't want to admit to himself how his entire life has been a lie, and how he supported the lie himself.

As Jean Valjean did not meet him again, he assumes he had changed his mind, and worries the conversation was not a trap.

They hurry their pace up north.

1929-1937 -> ? POV

Patrolling police officers/soldiers (don't know which yet) try to kill the three of them. They are officially on the hunt.

Only Cosette survives unscathed, and Marius and Jean Valjean ends up being severely injured from separate firings.

It is up to Cosette to handle both of them and to make the last journey to Kushiro, pulling and pushing them through the snow.

Since Jean Valjean was shot first, his case is more severe, with him soon experiencing hyperthermia.

Cosette finally gets help, travelling alone out of desperation to a nearby kotan. She isn't given sympathy. Rather, she receives fear.

She couldn't just announce she was Korean, as a Wajin may hear.

But in desperation, she explains their journey to Kushiro, and that her father, Jean Valjean, had always aimed to come here.

She describes him, but from the name alone, the kotan changes their attitude. They remember him as the man who helped maintain a cise (house) with a beloved elder from years ago, who had unfortunately become suicidal.

Him helping her and forming a bond made her stay in the kotan a little longer before she eventually departed into the mountains, and was never heard of again.

The village members help to retrieve Jean Valjean and Marius.

Marius survives his wounds due to the aid, but unfortunately Jean Valjean never gains consciousness and passes away in a cise.

When Marius awakes, he faces Cosette incredibly upset and sniffling. It had been days since Jean Valjean had passed away and she hadn't stopped crying.

Cosette and Marius pay back the village by helping maintenance, etc., like Jean Valjean had once done when he escaped prison.

They hear about the little things he had done for the elder, and they come to know him as a kinder man than they had once thought.

Cosette grieves as she buries him in an unmarked grave (as to avoid graverobbing).

As they continued to live in Kushiro, and the tension between Japan and China becomes too difficult to dismiss, Cosette and Marius brace themselves for what they feel would be the beginning to the end of Asia.

Things I need to research:

The character of Toussaint in the book, because I feel as though my AU's Toussaint is too different to her book counterpart.

Ryuukyuuans during this period of time. It feels a bit... To only have Javert be the eyes from this perspective. I was thinking his parents be the other side of the coin; however, they will not be POVs.

The ? dates! If I knew of the time period better, I would be able to guess who does what more accurately.

Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act and its effect on the Ainu population.

The encouraged immigration of Wajins to Hokkaidou.

War propaganda in education in Japan.

Zenkoku Suiheisha (which, fun fact, the leader was a fan of Victor Hugo and his Les Misérables novel)

Yakuza during this time in relation with the Ainus (if there's a relation).

Hakodate during this period of time.

How the police work?????

Taiwan and the Taiwanese in Japan!

I'm guessing there's much more to research, but I'm making the list from the top of my head.

[chicago-geniza]

Manager asked if I knew any other languages and I wordlessly turned my monitor toward him where the screen was split between a page in Polish and a page in Russian lmao

[crasswench]

sometimes i'm not sure if my dissertation lecturer is trying to prompt more information and arguments out of me and I'm just being reactive but sometimes i find myself arguing on completely redundant points like the reliability of the BBC in covering issues in northern ireland rather than anything. um. helpful or relevant.

[ignorethispotatoplease]

potes do you have any book recommendations? I have a feeling we’d like the same sort of stuff!

my favourite book series is the six of crows duology so that's my no.1 recommendation ever (its a fantasy heist book thats essentially a thesis against chosen ones loll). favourite standalone book is This is How You Lose the Time War it's kinda a short story but it made me go batshit insane. uhhh other fave books/series are the darker shade of magic books (fantasy abt one of the last ppl who can travel between worlds), the hunger games & the ballad of songbirds and snakes, and this isn't a novel but small fry by lisa brennan-jobs its a rlly amazing memoir, written so so so well, by steve jobs' daughter abt her childhood n parents one of my fave books ever!!

[ayasenisan1713]

Guys, I have an idea for you if you’re bored.

So, who wants to reread orv and list all the philosophical things appearing in the novel for us here~?

(Like the ship of thesus or something, etc…)

[pinktinselmonstrosity]

writing about historical events in my dissertation but not being allowed to talk about them in depth because i do a social science now and it's ''"not relevant""

[luncheon-aspic]

I think I need to accept that we're never going to be friends again the way we were ten years ago. We've switched worlds too thoroughly -- and you can't intellectually/ethically/morally inhabit both. Even if you could, it'd be too much of a reputational liability.

Maybe we'll talk occasionally about cats or new restaurants or stuff like that, but that's it. Learn to accept it or seethe forever.

[akitauma]

SAME

"back on my bullshit" in reference to recurring hyperinterests dating back to middle school and beyond

[kaiserin-erzsebet]

Do you have any tips on doing accurate research for people without access to formal education

Sure! This can't be one size fits all for every field, but I can give some starting points for history.

If you're reading a book, here's what to consider:

1. Are there footnotes or endnotes? In academia this is our way of being transparent with each other about where you got information. If a book doesn't have them, they're more interested in telling a good story than being accountable to their peers. That's a red flag.

2. Don't trust claims that seem very specific but don't have a source. Broad claims can be the author's analysis. But specific things "so and so said this" "there was a rumor that (x)" should be coming from somewhere and it is the author's job to tell you where.

3. Look out for choppy quoting. Even if someone has a source, they may not be using it well. If someone is paraphrasing a lot and only uses bits and pieces of the text while also using a lot of ellipses, you will want to try to find the whole text to make sure it's being quoted fairly.

4. Look at the publication date. Knowledge changes with time and old books tend to be outdated. You don't have to stick to the academic rule of thumb of "25 years is the threshold for new scholarship" but do be aware that if something is over 50 years old, many many people have likely revisited and revised what it's saying. Not that new books can't also be bad and incorrect, but they tend to be working with better tools generally.

5. Look up the author. I cannot stress this one enough. The author's background and political convictions can matter a lot to how they interpret things. For example, one of the biographies people tend to pick up about my dissertation topic is from the late 1920s by a man who later applied to join the NSDAP. That fact really can't be separated from his interpretations no matter how hard people try.

6. Stop reading if someone is making a lot of moral or personal judgements on a historical figure. I'm talking about the "Elizabeth I was a frigid hag and men found her ugly"-esque takes, not things like calling historical atrocities morally bad. Does it feel like bitchy gossip? That sort of thing is unprofessional, uninformative, and means someone has an axe to grind. Spite can be motivation for research, but axe grinding shouldn't show up clearly in published work.

These are things to keep in mind to make sure you're getting better information. Others are free to add on for their field or if there's something I forgot.

One very important thing to add: professors and academics like people emailing them about their research. You can do that! You can ask for copies of pay walled articles. You just have to go through the mortifying ordeal of expressing interest in an email.

[crimson-femme]

𝚋𝚞𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚏𝚎𝚖𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝 ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

table of contents: books; anthologies, history, novels, erotica, photography. films; movies, documentaries, shorts. miscellaneous; dissertations, articles, etc. note: everything (minus a few) has a link to access the media! if i am able to find the missing links i will attach them along with adding new content. there are a couple things that are not specifically butchfemme, but i kept them because i feel that they fit. enjoy!

𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜 + 𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜

୨୧ A Restricted Country by Joan Nestle

୨୧ Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity by Chloë Brushwood Rose, Anna Camilleri 

୨୧ Butch/Femme: Inside Lesbian Gender by Sally R. Munt, Cherry Smyth

୨୧ Butch is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman

୨୧ Femme/Butch: New Considerations of the Way We Want to Go by Michelle Gibson, Deborah Meem

୨୧ Femme: Feminists, Lesbians, and Bad Girls by Laura Harris, Elizabeth Crocker 

୨୧ Lesbian Culture: The Lives, Work, Ideas, Art and Visions of Lesbians Past and Present by Julia Penelope, Susan Wolfe

୨୧ On Butch and Femme: A Compiled Readings by I.M. Epstein

୨୧ Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme by Ivan Coyote, Zena Sharman

୨୧ Render Me, Gender Me: Lesbians Talk Sex, Class, Color, Nation, Studmuffins... by Kath Weston

୨୧ S/he by Minnie Bruce Pratt

୨୧ The Femme Mystique by Leslea Newman

୨୧ The Femme's Guide To The Universe by Shar Rednour

୨୧ The Lesbian Erotic Dance: Butch, Femme, Androgyny, and Other Rhythms by JoAnn Loulan

୨୧ The Little Butch Book by Leslea Newman

୨୧ The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader by Joan Nestle

୨୧ Tomboys!: Tales of Dyke Derring-Do by Lynne Y. Fletcher, Karen Barber

୨୧ Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote

𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢

NOTE ⋆ there is more history content in the film section as well as historical fiction in the novel section!!!

୨୧ Appearances Can Be Deceiving: Butch-Femme Fashion and Queer Legibility in New York City, 1945–1969 by Alix Gitner

୨୧ Baby, You Are My Religion: Women, Gay Bars, And Theology Before Stonewall by Marie Cartier

୨୧ Becoming Visible: An Illustrated History Of Lesbian And Gay Life In Twentieth-Century America by Molly McGary, Fred Wasserman

୨୧ Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community by Andrea Weiss

୨୧ Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy, Madaline D. Davis

୨୧ GLBT Historical Society: Museum & Archives ⋆ general LGBT archives, but a very important and great source

୨୧ Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights: 1945-1990: An Oral History by Eric Marcus

୨୧ Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life In Twentieth-Century America by Lillian Faderman

୨୧ Uninvited: Classical Hollywood Cinema and Lesbian Representability by Patricia White

୨୧ Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst

𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚜

୨୧ A Crystal Diary: A Novel by Frankie Hucklenbroich ⋆ The razor-edged, compelling, often wryly humorous story hustles us from the blood-and-beer-drenched corners of her St. Louis meat-packing district '50s youth, through the sex-soaked Hollywood alleys of her '60s baby butch years, into the druggy metropolis of '70s San Francisco.

୨୧ Beebo Brinker by Ann Bannon ⋆ Beeboo, a butch 17-year-old farm girl newly arrived in New York after she is driven from her Wisconsin home town for wearing drag to the State Fair. Befriended by the gay Jack Mann, a father-figure with a weakness for runaways, Beebo sets out to find love.

୨୧ Departure from the Script by Jae ⋆ An aspiring actress meeting photographer, femme meeting butch in this light-hearted lesbian romance set in Hollywood.

୨୧ Doc and Fluff: The Dystopian Tale of a Girl and Her Biker by Pat Califia ⋆ Set in the bleak and not-too-distant future of a culture in its death throes, Doc and Fluff careens through the lives of a pair of outlaw women struggling to survive on the road.

୨୧ Feast While You Can by Mikaella Clements, Onjuli Datta ⋆ A fresh, queer spin on possession horror with a sharp focus on deeply complex small-town dynamics. A young queer woman who's lived her whole life in the dead-end mountain village of Cadenze finds herself violently possessed by an ancient, malevolent, memory-eating entity that inhabits the caves bordering her home.

୨୧ Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo ⋆ America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

୨୧ Lucy and Mickey by Red Jordan Arobateau ⋆ Lesbian life in the late 1950s, early '60s; and a powerful romance & sexual drama between two females, Lucy & Mickey.

୨୧ Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller ⋆ In an early puritanical New England town, a butch and femme fall in love and discover they can run a farm and live together away from the world that sought to limit them and their love.

୨୧ Satan's Best by Red Jordan Arobateau ⋆ volume #1 in the ten book lesbian biker series THE OUTLAW CHRONICLES. In this action-packed novel we are introduced to the gang of raunchy and glamorous biker women, including the 5 Warlords who run the Outlaws. Enter beautiful blond butch Angel–lone rider on the storm.

୨୧ Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg ⋆ The life of Jess Goldberg, a working-class Jewish butch lesbian in New York from the 1940s through the 1970s.

୨୧ The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall ⋆ The timeless struggle of a butch and femme couple to be accepted by "polite" society. This now classic was banned outright upon publication in 1928.

𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊 𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜

୨୧ Back To Basics: A Butch-Femme Anthology by Theresa Szymanski

୨୧ Breathless: Erotica by Kitty Tsui

୨୧ Hard Road, Easy Riding: Lesbian Biker Erotica by Sacchi Green, Rakelle Valencia

୨୧ Rode Hard, Put Away Wet: Lesbian Cowboy Erotica by Sacchi Green, Rakelle Valencia

୨୧ Set in Stone: Butch-on-Butch Erotica by Angela Brown

୨୧ Sometimes She Lets Me: Best Butch Femme Erotica by Tristan Taormino

୨୧ The Harder She Comes: Butch/Femme Erotica by D.L. King

𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚢 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍

୨୧ Butch/Femme edited by M.G. Soares

୨୧ Butch: Not Like The Other Girls by SD Holman

୨୧ Dagger On Butch Women by Lily Burana, Roxxie Linnea Due

୨୧ Love Bites by Del LaGrace Volcano

୨୧ Making Out: The Book Of Lesbian Sex And Sexuality by Zoe Schramm-Evans, Laurence Jaugey Paget

୨୧ Nothing But The Girl: The Blatant Lesbian Image by Susie Bright, Jill Posener

୨୧ The Butch/Femme Photo Project by Wendi Kali

୨୧ The Drag King Book by Del LaGrace Volcano, Judith "Jack" Halberstam

୨୧ The Femme's Guide to the Universe by Shar Rednour

𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚖𝚜

୨୧ A Complicated Queerness: Living Femme in a Dyke Community dir. Johanna Buchignani, Emily Hillman ⋆ short film: This film investigates the ways in which gender, power and sexism are lived and experienced within the San Francisco Mission dyke community. The documentary aims to promote awareness of and discussion about the prejudice and invisibility of queer femininity, in order to build alliances and healthier communities.

୨୧ Before Stonewall (1984) dir. Greta Schiller, Robert Rosenberg ⋆ documentary: The history of the Gay and Lesbian community before the Stonewall riots began the major gay rights movement.

୨୧ Bound (1996) dir. The Wachowskis ⋆ thriller/crime: Corky, a tough female ex-convict working on an apartment renovation in a Chicago building meets a couple living next door, Caesar, a paranoid mobster, and Violet.

୨୧ By Hook or By Crook (2001) dir. Harry Dodge, Silas Howard ⋆ crime/romance: A buddy film that chronicles two butches, Shy and Valentine, who collide by chance in the San Francisco streets. Shy is immersed in daydreams about the loving father they lost and Valentine is searching for the mother they never met. Like-hearted mischievous souls, the pair stumbles into a series of shambolic shenanigans — along with Valentine’s girlfriend, Billie.

୨୧ Dream Girls (1994) dir. Kim Longinotto, Jano Williams ⋆ documentary: Women join Japan's all-female Takarazuka Revue musical theater troupe, portraying men's roles. The film explores gender dynamics, desires, and complexities of female identity in Japanese society through these performers' experiences.

୨୧ Gay Tape: Butch and Femme (1985) by Cecilia Dougherty ⋆ short: The Gay Tape brings “a little fine-tuning” to the question of representation, honing in on the subjective particularities of the butch-femme dynamic as experienced by members of Dougherty’s local Bay Area dating pool. 

୨୧ Gender Troubles: The Butches (2016) dir. Lisa Plourde ⋆ documentary: What portrayals of lesbianism are acceptable and who gets erased? Butch lesbians from a wide range of backgrounds and ages provide a compelling exploration of society's assumptions and challenge ideas about what it means to be female. They show the rewards that come with self acceptance. Tender, funny, and thought-provoking. NOTE: after clicking the link, scroll down to the middle to watch where it is available with english audio and french, spanish, dutch, or portuguese subtitles.

୨୧ If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000) dir. Jane Anderson, Anne Heche, Martha Coolidge ⋆ romance/drama: This anthology of short films tells the stories of three lesbian couples - who live in the same house at different periods of time - who are at a crossroads in their lives. The second story includes a motorcycle riding, leather jacket and tie wearing butch, Amy.

୨୧ Last Call at Maud's (1993) dir. Paris Poirier ⋆ documentary: Some genuinely wild women – and some more demure but no less lively types – take center stage in Paris Poirier’s vivacious documentary about the life and times of Maud’s, the longest running lesbian bar ever.

୨୧ Salmonberries (1991) dir. Percy Adlon ⋆ drama/indie: A woman (played by k.d. lang) who grew up in a small town in Alaska goes to the public library to try and find out who her parents were. She eventually befriends the librarian, an East German immigrant who lost her husband while escaping from behind the Iron Curtain. They help each other try to find closure to the events in their past.

୨୧ Shinjuku Boys (1995) dir. Jano Williams, Kim Longinotto ⋆ documentary: This documentary offers rich insight into gender and sexuality in Japan via a candid portrait of Kazuki, Tatsu, and Gaish, three trans masculine hosts working at the New Marilyn Club in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district. As the film follows them at home and on the job, all three talk frankly about their lives, revealing their views on love, sex, and identity.

୨୧ Stormé: The Lady of the Jewel Box (1987) dir. Michelle Parkerson ⋆ documentary/short film: Through archival clips, Stormé DeLarverie, bodygaurd of a women's club and former drag king looks back on the grandeur of the Jewel Box Revue and its celebration of pure entertainment in the face of homophobia and segregation.

୨୧ Stud Life (2012) dir. Campbell X ⋆ romance/drama: JJ, a lesbian, works as a wedding photographer with Seb, a gay man who is her best friend. After JJ falls in love with a gorgeous diva, her friendship with Seb becomes strained, and she may be forced to choose between Seb and her lover.

୨୧ The Aggressives (2005) dir. Daniel Peddle ⋆ documentary: The Aggressives is an exposé on the subculture of masculine presenting people of color and their femme counterparts. Filmed over five years in New York City, the featured subjects share their dreams, secrets, and deepest fears.

୨୧ The Watermelon Woman (1996) dir. Cheryl Dunye ⋆ romance/comedy: An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1930s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman.

𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗��𝚘𝚞𝚜

୨୧ A Butch Road Map by Ivan Coyote ⋆ spoken word

୨୧ A Dyke's Bike Repair Handbook by Jill Taylor ⋆ motorcycle care/repair handbook, this one is so random i just love it lol

୨୧ Are Butch and Fem Working-Class and Anti-Feminist? by Sara L. Crawley ⋆ article

୨୧ Butch Between the Wars: A Pre-History of Butch Style in Twentieth-Century Literature, Music, and Film by Karen Allison Hammer ⋆ dissertation

୨୧ Female Masculinity by Judith Halberstam

୨୧ Feminizing Theory: Making Space for Femme Theory by Rhea Ashley Hoskin ⋆ thesis

୨୧ Femme: Feminists, Lesbians, and Bad Girls by Laura Harris, Elizabeth Crocker

୨୧ Lesbian Identity and the Politics of Butch-Femme by Amy Goodloe ⋆ paper/review

୨୧ Lineage To My Femme Foremothers by A.N. ⋆ zine

୨୧ Lipstick & Dipstick's Essential Guide to Lesbian Relationships by Gina Daggett, Kathy Belge

୨୧ Narrating and Negotiating Butch and Femme: Storying Lesbian Selves in a Heteronormative World by Sara L. Crawley ⋆ dissertation

୨୧ On the Appropriation of Femme from Lesbians Over Everything, a discussion between four femmes ⋆ article

୨୧ The Misunderstood Gender: A Model of Modern Femme Identity by Heidi Levitt, Elisabeth Gerrish, Katherine Hiestand ⋆ study

୨୧ The Mythic Mannish Lesbian: Radclyffe Hall and the New Woman by Esther Newton

୨୧ To All the Beautiful, Kick-Ass, and Fierce, Full-Bodied Femmes by Ivan Coyote ⋆ spoken word

i was meaning to post this for when i hit 1k followers, but i somehow have already surpassed that. it is weird to think that i started this blog on january 27. thank you all so much for following and interacting. i hope you enjoy this list and my blog in general!!

much love 💋