Scott Ross, animate candy corn
@skort.bsky.social
lecturer, wustl | africanist anthro | humanitarianism, infrastructure, war, media, sound | gwu phd | hella left | he/him | arizonan in exile | wants to be your friend
Recent Anthropology News special issue in the aftermath of federal funding cuts, program closures, and political attacks on higher ed. What can no longer be researched? What of the anthropology that could have been? www.anthropology-news.org/issue/defund...
Defunded - Anthropology News
www.anthropology-news.org
March 31, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Recent Anthropology News special issue in the aftermath of federal funding cuts, program closures, and political attacks on higher ed. What can no longer be researched? What of the anthropology that could have been? www.anthropology-news.org/issue/defund...
"The most dangerous threat to Black studies right now is not coming from the federal government. It is coming from institutions that have decided, in advance, that accommodation is the same thing as survival." www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
Opinion | The Erasure of Black Studies
A report from the undoing of a field.
www.chronicle.com
March 25, 2026 at 1:52 PM
"The most dangerous threat to Black studies right now is not coming from the federal government. It is coming from institutions that have decided, in advance, that accommodation is the same thing as survival." www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
"Every weapon developed by Elbit Systems is first “tested” on Palestinians, before being sold on to international governments, expanding the empire built off the destruction of Palestine." From activists who burned down an Elbit factory in Czech Republic: earthquakefaction.net/one/
March 20, 2026 at 4:02 PM
"Every weapon developed by Elbit Systems is first “tested” on Palestinians, before being sold on to international governments, expanding the empire built off the destruction of Palestine." From activists who burned down an Elbit factory in Czech Republic: earthquakefaction.net/one/
Multiple county police departments have recently signed 287(g) agreements with ICE, formalizing the cop-to-ICE pipeline in the St. Louis area. Majority of deportations from the area have started via local PDs: www.firstalert4.com/2026/03/18/m...
More local police departments signing ICE cooperation agreements
More local police departments are signing agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with financial incentives and expanded enforcement authority among the reasons cited by department l...
www.firstalert4.com
March 20, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Multiple county police departments have recently signed 287(g) agreements with ICE, formalizing the cop-to-ICE pipeline in the St. Louis area. Majority of deportations from the area have started via local PDs: www.firstalert4.com/2026/03/18/m...
“AI can never be AI without humans. It is not artificial intelligence. It’s African intelligence... Most of these are dirty jobs and most of these jobs have been done here in Africa.” Kenya's data labelers and content moderators are getting organized: www.404media.co/ai-is-africa...
'AI Is African Intelligence': The Workers Who Train AI Are Fighting Back
Kenyan workers are still the underpaid labor behind AI training, moderation, and sex chatbots. The Data Labelers Association is fighting back.
www.404media.co
March 12, 2026 at 3:17 PM
“AI can never be AI without humans. It is not artificial intelligence. It’s African intelligence... Most of these are dirty jobs and most of these jobs have been done here in Africa.” Kenya's data labelers and content moderators are getting organized: www.404media.co/ai-is-africa...
While covert ops and diplomatic sleights to divide enemies & foment sectarianism are still part of Israel's strategy, its approach is that of "a power not acting according to a ‘Western’ rational and humanist approach to politics but a fanatical ideology." newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...
Ilan Pappé, On the Warpath — Sidecar
Israel’s regional stategy.
newleftreview.org
March 10, 2026 at 8:25 PM
While covert ops and diplomatic sleights to divide enemies & foment sectarianism are still part of Israel's strategy, its approach is that of "a power not acting according to a ‘Western’ rational and humanist approach to politics but a fanatical ideology." newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...
New @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social report uses remote sensing data to reveal RSF's intentional, systematic attacks aiming to depopulate area around El-Fasher and raze surrounding farmland to starve the city: medicine.yale.edu/lab/khoshnoo...
Special Report: Rapid Support Forces intentionally targeted agricultural communities to starve people in El-Fasher
A new food security study by HRL corroborates findings that RSF razed at least 41 farming communities in the first months of their siege on El Fasher, North
medicine.yale.edu
March 10, 2026 at 4:48 PM
New @hrl-yalesph.bsky.social report uses remote sensing data to reveal RSF's intentional, systematic attacks aiming to depopulate area around El-Fasher and raze surrounding farmland to starve the city: medicine.yale.edu/lab/khoshnoo...
Great @truthout.org report on faculty, students, and staff still fighting ongoing repression around Palestine—and their wins: truthout.org/articles/the...
The Fight to Defend Pro-Palestine Speech on Campus Isn’t Over
Targeted for pro-Palestine speech, these academics are refusing to back down.
truthout.org
March 10, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Great @truthout.org report on faculty, students, and staff still fighting ongoing repression around Palestine—and their wins: truthout.org/articles/the...
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
Why is collective bargaining important to higher ed workers, you ask?
Thanks Commonwealth Institute for this breakdown!
It sucks to be kicked out of HB 1263 — the collective bargaining bill. There’s so much we could improve thru collective power @aaup.org @aaupmason.bsky.social @aft.org
Thanks Commonwealth Institute for this breakdown!
It sucks to be kicked out of HB 1263 — the collective bargaining bill. There’s so much we could improve thru collective power @aaup.org @aaupmason.bsky.social @aft.org
February 20, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Why is collective bargaining important to higher ed workers, you ask?
Thanks Commonwealth Institute for this breakdown!
It sucks to be kicked out of HB 1263 — the collective bargaining bill. There’s so much we could improve thru collective power @aaup.org @aaupmason.bsky.social @aft.org
Thanks Commonwealth Institute for this breakdown!
It sucks to be kicked out of HB 1263 — the collective bargaining bill. There’s so much we could improve thru collective power @aaup.org @aaupmason.bsky.social @aft.org
"The Pentagon is sending the largest force of American warships and aircraft to the Middle East in decades." apnews.com/article/us-m...
February 20, 2026 at 9:01 PM
"The Pentagon is sending the largest force of American warships and aircraft to the Middle East in decades." apnews.com/article/us-m...
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
My employer, Univ. Colorado will pay OpenAI $2M/year under the banner of “equity”. That’s 54 full scholarships / year. Plus, our IT will be able to read our chatGPT logs, and our chats can be requested under public records law. No thanks. Surveillance is not equity
www.axios.com/local/boulde...
www.axios.com/local/boulde...
CU signs $2M OpenAI deal for ChatGPT access
Students and faculty will gain access to ChatGPT Edu starting in March under a three-year deal.
www.axios.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 PM
My employer, Univ. Colorado will pay OpenAI $2M/year under the banner of “equity”. That’s 54 full scholarships / year. Plus, our IT will be able to read our chatGPT logs, and our chats can be requested under public records law. No thanks. Surveillance is not equity
www.axios.com/local/boulde...
www.axios.com/local/boulde...
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
There's a prison revolt at a concentration camp in Texas in solidarity with Minneapolis:
January 24, 2026 at 11:04 PM
There's a prison revolt at a concentration camp in Texas in solidarity with Minneapolis:
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
HAPPENING NOW: A massive crowd is gathered in freezing temperatures outside ICE headquarters in DC to demand ICE OUT OF ALL COMMUNITIES NOW.
January 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM
HAPPENING NOW: A massive crowd is gathered in freezing temperatures outside ICE headquarters in DC to demand ICE OUT OF ALL COMMUNITIES NOW.
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.
"Please get the truth out about our son."
"Please get the truth out about our son."
January 25, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.
"Please get the truth out about our son."
"Please get the truth out about our son."
It strikes me that at least some of the asylum parolees ICE is targeting to detain in northern cities and shipping to Texas detention centers may themselves have been bussed out of Texas border facilities to DC, NYC, and other cities beginning in 2022. Just a horrific cycle of state trafficking.
January 23, 2026 at 4:09 PM
It strikes me that at least some of the asylum parolees ICE is targeting to detain in northern cities and shipping to Texas detention centers may themselves have been bussed out of Texas border facilities to DC, NYC, and other cities beginning in 2022. Just a horrific cycle of state trafficking.
In solidarity with the statewide shutdown in Minnesota protesting ICE/CBP, I'm sharing some of the most insightful reads about the powerful, beautiful community response there - these pieces should inspire similar collective action everywhere. please link to others.
January 23, 2026 at 3:48 PM
In solidarity with the statewide shutdown in Minnesota protesting ICE/CBP, I'm sharing some of the most insightful reads about the powerful, beautiful community response there - these pieces should inspire similar collective action everywhere. please link to others.
The horrors of ICE/CBP violence are very real - but the scale, organizing, beauty, and bravery of community defense and resistance are too.
Half the street corners around here have people--from every walk of life, including republicans--standing guard to watch for suspicious vehicles, which are reported to a robust and entirely decentralized network that tracks ICE vehicles and mobilizes responders.
January 22, 2026 at 7:37 AM
The horrors of ICE/CBP violence are very real - but the scale, organizing, beauty, and bravery of community defense and resistance are too.
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
If you have read even a single history of fascism, you are already aware that one thing that its rise has in common in every case is an opposition party that refuses to intervene for fear of looking weak or putting the left into power
To quote one source:
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
Jeffries Won’t Whip Vote Against ICE Funding - The American Prospect
While the House Democratic leader announced personal opposition to a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, he won’t pressure his colleagues to do the same.
prospect.org
January 21, 2026 at 8:46 PM
If you have read even a single history of fascism, you are already aware that one thing that its rise has in common in every case is an opposition party that refuses to intervene for fear of looking weak or putting the left into power
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
They didn’t want a university without cancel culture. They didn’t want to be criticized for their retrograde views so they created a pretend school funding by their rich friends. The only people surprised that this failed were credulous enough to believe the fairy tales these folks told.
They Wanted a University Without Cancel Culture. Then Dissenters Were Ousted.
Inside the civil war at the anti-woke university backed by Bari Weiss.
www.politico.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:10 PM
They didn’t want a university without cancel culture. They didn’t want to be criticized for their retrograde views so they created a pretend school funding by their rich friends. The only people surprised that this failed were credulous enough to believe the fairy tales these folks told.
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
St. Louis University will now cover the tuition for incoming freshmen whose families earn no more than $60,000 per year and have assets of $50,000 or less.
St. Louis University offers free tuition to incoming freshmen from low-income households
St. Louis University is offering free tuition for low-income students starting this fall.
www.stlpr.org
January 16, 2026 at 3:10 PM
St. Louis University will now cover the tuition for incoming freshmen whose families earn no more than $60,000 per year and have assets of $50,000 or less.
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
The scale and speed of state censorship of campus really is amazing.
More than half of America's college students attend institutions in states that have passed laws censoring higher education since 2021.
From @penamerica.bsky.social
pen.org/report/ameri...
More than half of America's college students attend institutions in states that have passed laws censoring higher education since 2021.
From @penamerica.bsky.social
pen.org/report/ameri...
January 15, 2026 at 8:31 PM
The scale and speed of state censorship of campus really is amazing.
More than half of America's college students attend institutions in states that have passed laws censoring higher education since 2021.
From @penamerica.bsky.social
pen.org/report/ameri...
More than half of America's college students attend institutions in states that have passed laws censoring higher education since 2021.
From @penamerica.bsky.social
pen.org/report/ameri...
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
cold-blooded murder by the state.
Holy shit.
Renee Good was alive when the bystander physician asked to check her pulse. She was alive when ICE refused to let him help. She was alive when they told him “I don’t care.”
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Renee Good was alive when the bystander physician asked to check her pulse. She was alive when ICE refused to let him help. She was alive when they told him “I don’t care.”
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Live Updates: Newly Released Records Detail Chaos During Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:09 PM
cold-blooded murder by the state.
Reposted by Scott Ross, animate candy corn
Remember when everyone was concerned about DOGE sharing data between government agencies last year?
This app for ICE is built on HHS data.
This app for ICE is built on HHS data.
SCOOP: Internal ICE material and testimony from an official obtained by 404 Media provides the clearest link yet between the technological infrastructure Palantir is building for ICE and the agency’s activities on the ground.
Inside the app called ELITE—what ICE uses to find neighborhoods to raid.
Inside the app called ELITE—what ICE uses to find neighborhoods to raid.
‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid
Internal ICE material and testimony from an official obtained by 404 Media provides the clearest link yet between the technological infrastructure Palantir is building for ICE and the agency’s activit...
www.404media.co
January 15, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Remember when everyone was concerned about DOGE sharing data between government agencies last year?
This app for ICE is built on HHS data.
This app for ICE is built on HHS data.