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Rory Cormac

@rorycormac

Professor: Subversion & Secret Statecraft | Author: Fakers (coming 2026); Disrupt & Deny; How to Stage a Coup; Crown, Cloak, & Dagger

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22.09.2023
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Latest posts by Rory Cormac @rorycormac

Preview
"Ace of Spies" or Ultimate Grifter? Sidney Reilly and the World of British Intelligence - History's Devils This episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS delves into the life of Sidney Reilly, a dashing, semi-mythical MI6 officer who has often been referred to – without much reason – as the “Ace of Spies”. James Crossla...

historysdevils.buzzsprout.com/2591267/epis...

This week on HISTORY'S DEVILS, @rorycormac.bsky.social and myself look at the life and lies of the conman, bigamist and would-be killer of Vladimir Lenin, the so-called "Ace of Spies", Sidney Reilly
#history #podcast

24.02.2026 08:15 👍 9 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
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📢 Happy to say that my new podcast, HISTORY'S DEVILS, will be starting on 12 Feb with an episode on the origins of British Fascism. For now, here's the season 1 trailer
@philmcraig.bsky.social @ww2tv.bsky.social @mikkibrock.bsky.social @rorycormac.bsky.social
#history #podcast 🗃 🎬
🔽🔽

29.01.2026 07:39 👍 10 🔁 5 💬 0 📌 1

I’ve never been one to watch in a good way before

13.01.2026 14:47 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The Name of the Game is Death by Dan Marlowe
The Chaos Agent Mark Greaney
Elric Vol. 2 Michael Morecock
The Anointed HP Lovecraft
Covert Action by @magslong.bsky.social and @rorycormac.bsky.social
The Present Age by Soren Kierkegaard
Those Who Face Death Mark Grdovic

02.01.2026 23:08 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0

@rorycormac.bsky.social and I had a fantastic time with @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social on @theteamhouse.bsky.social - we talked #CovertAction; how and why states use it; and what we might miss if we apply the US approach too narrowly elsewhere. Watch it on #YouTube or listen on your fave #podcast app

28.12.2025 09:07 👍 11 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0

Thanks for having us ; it was a lot of fun

27.12.2025 19:27 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
How Different Countries Execute Covert Action
How Different Countries Execute Covert Action YouTube video by The Team House

Not going to leave you hanging during the holidays. Tonight we have a @theteamhouse.bsky.social episode with @magslong.bsky.social and @rorycormac.bsky.social about how various Intel agencies approach covert action.

youtu.be/j5cCGxOpR8w?...

27.12.2025 15:35 👍 22 🔁 6 💬 2 📌 1

Well this is very generous and kind. Thanks @drichterova.bsky.social. So on trend it’s not even out yet! Thanks again for the advance read; I’m really looking forward to sharing it with everyone in the spring 😀

23.12.2025 14:03 👍 13 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0

I can see a sequel to the next book already!

12.12.2025 15:11 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Ooooh intriguing. Where’s that from? I’ll look into it

12.12.2025 15:09 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 2 📌 0
Magda Long et. al., "Covert Action: National Approaches to Unacknowledged Intervention (Georgetown UP, 2025) - New Books Network

My @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social podcast with @markstout.bsky.social, @magslong.bsky.social, and @rorycormac.bsky.social is now available. Learn more about covert action here:

newbooksnetwork.com/covert-action

10.12.2025 06:28 👍 5 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0

Barrier committee update:

A representative informs me there is - in fact - no barrier committee, just a group of relevant individuals who meet to discuss barrier related matters.

That settles that then

09.12.2025 16:08 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 3 📌 0
Excerpt from report

Excerpt from report

'Disinformation exploits gaps in Western alliances and domestic politics, often making countermeasures difficult'

Read @rorycormac.bsky.social and Dan Lomas @sandbaggerone.bsky.social's written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on disinformation diplomacy ⬇️

tinyurl.com/eb3za49c

09.12.2025 10:00 👍 5 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0

Ha! The cat was the most insightful!!

03.12.2025 07:59 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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a woman pushing a shopping cart in a grocery store with the words who 's on my list . ALT: a woman pushing a shopping cart in a grocery store with the words who 's on my list .

£48 royalties!

Don’t worry kids, Christmas is saved!

29.11.2025 07:51 👍 11 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Update: you have to have a special “barrier permit” to pass through the barrier.

Staff cards or parking permits do not count.

Tempted to channel my inner PWE and forge a bunch for the black market 🤣

28.11.2025 11:15 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

I was going to do a photo of jumping jumping over it checkpoint Charlie style… but I’m old and would trip!

28.11.2025 11:13 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

First it would have to be “uncover” the rationale! Seriously tempted just for the Monty python-esque fun of it

28.11.2025 11:12 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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a man in a military uniform with a lot of medals on his chest ALT: a man in a military uniform with a lot of medals on his chest
28.11.2025 11:11 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

(This, inevitably, is in addition to the standard main barriers at the entrance of uni. Oh and in a time of financial cuts it’s manned by 2 people because of course it is)

I’m now on a one man mission to find out more about the barrier committee 🤣

28.11.2025 08:53 👍 10 🔁 0 💬 3 📌 0
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a man wearing glasses and a lanyard is looking at the camera . ALT: a man wearing glasses and a lanyard is looking at the camera .

Today I learnt our uni has a “barrier committee” to determine when to open a recently installed (and much hated) barrier which prevents staff from driving from one side of campus to the other. And I just can’t stop laughing

28.11.2025 08:50 👍 14 🔁 0 💬 3 📌 1

Why, when the country is broke, is the DWP writing to advise me I’m entitled to my dead father’s winter fuel allowance??

27.11.2025 18:04 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Few things more depressing than a door locked that is usually open, a staircase roped off which is usually clear, and three security guards standing outside - as, hidden away from staff and students, council votes on whether to close music and languages. Terribly terribly sad day.

25.11.2025 15:22 👍 9 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

So proud! Another Cambridge UP book to add to the multiple “world leading” articles, £1.1m UKRI bid, fantastic community work, an app aimed at school kids etc etc etc.

An absolute superstar!

21.11.2025 20:40 👍 9 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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University of Nottingham considers axing language and music degrees Total of 48 degrees could disappear from Russell Group institution, with falling revenues and rising costs blamed

It was quite something to hear a passionate call to protect music and languages during a Catholic Mass in Clifton estate yesterday.

I worry about the reputational impact in our own great city, let alone beyond

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

18.11.2025 19:48 👍 11 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 1

Thanks Peter. It’s been quite a 6 months

14.11.2025 15:12 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Ahh thanks. I hope you enjoy it

14.11.2025 15:07 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Funny you should say that. My brother’s dog got put down when dad had about 3 months to live.

Dad was jealous of the dog, crying how unfair it was that humans are treated with less dignity

14.11.2025 10:28 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Peers suggest over 900 changes to assisted dying bill Experts say the volume is a record, and backers of the bill fear opponents are using delaying tactics.

Personal experience of this one, sadly.

I watched my dad die of a brain tumour over the past 6 months. The final couple of weeks were cruel, unnecessary, undignified, and neither in his wishes nor interests

He begged me to let him die.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

14.11.2025 08:38 👍 19 🔁 3 💬 2 📌 1
Post image Post image

Heartbroken to share the news that recruitment to Undergraduate Music courses at the University of Nottingham has been suspended.
Please do contact us on protectuonmusic@gmail.com if you would like to support us.

06.11.2025 12:30 👍 53 🔁 46 💬 3 📌 8