I have just completed my 31st peer review of 2026. Meanwhile, I have several papers that have been under review for more than six months, including one at ten months. Atlas is giving serious thought to shrugging.

Is polarization rational? Many ask this question, but they only address belief polarization, never affective polarization. Paul Wheatley and I ask: is it rational to be affectively polarized? Our answer: no. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

The Rationality of Affective Polarization | Philosophy | Cambridge Core

The Rationality of Affective Polarization

cambridge.org

Philosophers often infer what untried institutions would look like from similar existing ones: lottocrats cite mini-publics, anarcho-capitalists medieval Iceland, workplace democrats Mondragon. Other examples? I’m writing a paper on this form of inference.

Here is an academic reform we should all be able to agree on: works cited should not count against word limits for journal articles. I say this as I work on a paper with a 2k works cited page, which will price me out of many phil journals.

Minor life update: I'll be spending next academic year as a visiting fellow at the Murphy Institute at Tulane University, working on my next book. Grateful to Purdue's leadership for the leave. If you find yourself in NOLA, reach out!

My review of Hélène Landemore's newest book, Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule. www.independent.org/tir/2026-spr...

Book Review: Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule, Hélène Landemore

During the ratification battle over the United States Constitution, the Federalists and Anti-Federalists were divided on many issues. One major axis of

independent.org

Anyone interested in doing a panel on populism at the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics annual meeting in London this summer?

Should we scrap elections and pick legislators at random? Some philosophers say yes. In my latest paper, I argue there are strong reasons to doubt that ordinary citizens are smart enough for the job. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Sortition and cognitive ability - Brian Kogelmann, 2026

There is a growing sense that representative democracy is in crisis, leading to renewed interest in alternative institutional designs. One popular proposal—what...

journals.sagepub.com

Did we kidnap Maduro for economic policy advice? www.cnbc.com/2026/01/12/f...

Fed Chair Powell says he's under criminal investigation, won't bow to Trump intimidation

President Donald Trump has criticized Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates as much and as quickly as the president wants.

cnbc.com

Had a great time presenting my paper, “Paying Off Populists,” at the first annual PPEL in the Global South conference in Bangalore, India. Already excited for next year!

I just published a Cambridge Elements that offers a critical overview of recent work in epistocracy, Confucian meritocracy, and democratic theories of meritocracy. Free to download for the next two weeks. URL: t.co/Z5BOYrCRGF.