Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll) header
Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll) profile picture

Writer and Oxford history MSt student

Oxford, England
Joined March 2020
Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)Photo by Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll)
"Which to be? To risk never leaving Ithaca, or to risk never coming back?" I am delighted that I can share my long article on John Pocock and historiography, his pre-Cambridge writings in 1940s New Zealand (pic age 21) and unpublished memoirs. Open access: press-files.anu.edu.au/downl…
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A challenge for fare evasion bureaucracy? ‘Sorry, I’ve forgotten my ‘I have ADHD’ railcard because of my ADHD’
🚨 NEW: People with ADHD can now get a third off train tickets under Government changes to the disabled railcard to include people with neurodivergence
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
This MP has had to make a humiliating apology in the Commons and undergo extensive ‘sensitivity training’ after: - initiating a hug at an event to thank his his staff member without asking if she wanted a hug - snatching a phone from a hand once - abruptly ending phone calls on two occasions
Vile scenes from the Commons Chamber as the monster that is Tony Vaughan (a labour MP of course) admits the utterly disgusting things he has done. ** Viewer Discretion Advised**
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
Very happy to have been shortlisted in the Specialist Journalism category in this year's British Journalism Awards for my investigation into Cambridge University professor Jason Arday and the extensive plagiarism in his PhD thesis #BJA2026
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
I’ll be giving the autumn Pharos lectures on one of the central puzzles in my new book, First Among Equals: “How did equality become an egalitarian ideal?” The first lecture will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, 26 Oct) at 5pm in New College. Full details and registration below!
The Pharos Autumn Lectures 2026: Professor Teresa Bejan (Oriel College) - 'First Among Equals: How Did Equality Become an Egalitarian Ideal?' Tuesdays 27 October, 10 November and 24 November, 5pm, Noel Salter Room, New College. eventbrite.co.uk/e/teresa-be… @tmbejan
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Why are historians obsessed with pluralisation of concepts? 'Christianities', 'epistemologies', 'early modern truths', 'masculinities', 'histories', even 'political thoughts'!
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I graduated!
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A way to fix the birthrate?
Tyler Cowen's take that Holmes shouldn't go to prison because she's a mother with a newborn is bad on many levels, but especially because she *obviously* had the baby for the purpose of trying to get a lighter sentence. Think about incentives and second order effects people!
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Re-reading en route to Dublin after being conscripted last minute to a fascinating discussion about it on Jack Aldane’s @bookingclubpod at @acadofideas Battle of Ideas this weekend! Thanks for having me:)
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Closing the (nonexistent) intoxication loophole in rape law will all but guarantee life-ruining allegations of rape against people who do no wrong. Urgently must-read essay. unherd.com/2026/10/a-dangero…
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England is forgetting that education policy should be based on evidence and informed by experience - my first Substack piece amvspielman.substack.com/p/g…
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I've written this week's Blighty newsletter on the increasingly absurd ban on Palestine Action It is limiting free speech and undermining the Terrorism Act - the ban must go Subscribers to @TheEconomist can sign up here: economist.com/newsletters/bl…
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
Today is the official release date for my new book, First Among Equals: Visions of Equality before Egalitarianism (Belknap, 2026). It explores how and why “equality” became, rather suddenly, a basis on which ordinary men and women could make political demands in early modern England. hup.harvard.edu/books/978067…
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
Don't know how this amazing woman does it. Straight from organising the #BattleFest with @MaximumCities and @Ella_M_Whelan and a small team, she's out til late demanding transparency of state authority. Impressive.
Post Battle of Ideas festival weariness aside, I was back in the Lords today to discuss the Public Office Accountability Bill (Hillsborough Law) I mentioned the #BattleFest discussion with @MrsEmmaWebber and @MaggieOliverUK in which there was some audience scepticism about Public Inquiries.
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
Totally exhausted. Fantastic weekend. Absolute honour to have played any role whatsoever in convening the festival. Thankfully, the work doesn't stop. Tons of amazing content has been FILMED and will be scheduled to go out over the next year. Let us know what should get priority. The team is off to Helsinki, Berlin & Paris before the year is up. We've also got Battle of Ideas North to get on with for March/April which will be BIGGER than last year's sold out event. Big thank you to those who came and made such use of the stalls - from the @SteveBakerFRSA Fighting For a Free Future MOB to the @SpeechUnion, @Prosperity_Inst, @CAupdates, @GBBC_UK, @GWPF_org and so many more. We'll be thinking about next year as early as tomorrow, so please drop me a line. Like what you saw but weren't involved this year? Drop me a line and let's look to 2027.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Battle of Ideas 2026. We’ll be back in 2027 BIGGER & BETTER!
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Felice Basbøll retweeted
I’m delighted to be launching Renew NI. Our team believe there is a stronger, more confident case to be made for Northern Ireland. We believe this place has enormous potential. Our aim is to contribute ideas, evidence and practical solutions to the challenges we face.
𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐍𝐈 - 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 renewni.co.uk Northern Ireland today is a place transformed. In a generation, we have come from conflict to build a peaceful, democratic society. Across our communities, people live, work and build their lives together, within a settlement that respects difference. There is a shared sense of belonging and a quiet pride in what we call home. Too often, that story is overlooked. The conversation drifts towards division. Confidence has been shaken by instability, pressure on public services and uncertainty about what lies ahead. We focus too much on competing futures, instead of improving the present we already share. But Northern Ireland is changing. More people are looking beyond old divisions. The foundations are already in place. A growing economy. Ambitious and talented young people, with the ability to deliver. This is our moment to move forward with confidence. To realise that opportunity, a stronger case for Northern Ireland must be made. Renew NI exists to lead that work. Bringing together evidence, ideas and practical solutions. Building a clear, positive vision that reflects our strengths and meets our challenges head on. A future where more people feel proud, not just of what we have overcome, but of what we are building together. A Northern Ireland that delivers. Confident in ourselves. Clear in our direction. We can build a Northern Ireland people don’t just live in, but believe in.
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