Just received my ballot for the APSA 2026 Council election. Since it's an uncontested slate, it's less about choosing candidates and more about reaching the 10% quorum requirement. Fellow political scientists, do you usually vote 'yes' on the full slate, or do you review individual bios first?

Camus argued that life is absurd but still worth living. Today, AI seems to suggest that memorizing knowledge might be absurd, yet it remains vital. The real issue is monetization—it looks like knowledge is no longer relevant to capital in the same way.

Hey, is it actually possible to meet people on this app at some point? I wonder if it happens.

For my research seminar, where everyone already has an advanced draft of their protocol, I asked students to prompt an AI to generate a "mirror protocol" on their topic. They will share their prompts, and we’ll discuss the findings. #AcademicSky #AIinEducation

Saw a post about a teacher preparing students to get research projects paper-ready. I teach an online Research Seminar (Mexico) and want to know: Who else teaches a similar class here? Would love to connect and share syllabus ideas/methodologies! #AcademicSky

Mexico might have lost the match, but our joy and hospitality remain undefeated.

Nirvana’s "Here we are now, entertain us" went from a cynical Gen X demand to a literal algorithmic command. It’s no longer iconic; it’s prophetic. And honestly? I’m exhausted, now people demand to be entertained every single second. It’s draining to live around a permanent audience.

How much scrolling is left of our lives...

Scrolling through social media, everything feels urgent, almost everything feels tragic. Trying to process our "posthumous condition" (as Marina Garcés puts it). Shoutout to the optimists out there, because honestly, reality makes it hard sometimes.

A researcher told me an AI review recommended removing a citation to one of my papers. He kept it. Because it mattered. The citation remained. The paper was published. The conversation continued. AI may advise. Researchers decide. #AcademicIntegrity #IndependentResearch

​I had this little idea about how generative AI, as an external agent, distorts the shared space we build together. It mimics us, but it creates something new? Our common ground has always been part of our humanity.

Sadly, not surprised.

Does political science exist under authoritarianism? Yes, but with a massive asterisk. It’s often reduced to regime-sanctioned policy analysis, state propaganda, or 'safer' areas like public administration, while systemic critique is somehow banned.

What’s up with Bluesky accounts asking about immigration status and then abruptly deleting or canceling their profiles?

"To know someone, look at what they do in their free time." True for most, but in teaching, that line completely blurs. Curiosity doesn't have an off-switch.

Warm vibes.

Hunter Walker@hunterw.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Just saw a report on Telemundo about how the Iranian team has been greeted with "hospitality" in Tijuana including chants of "Welcome brothers, you're already Mexican!"

Publication day! My contribution to Volume 26 of the Annual Review of Political Science, "Participatory Democracy and Its Limits" is now officially available and is OPEN ACCESS (meaning freely available to all): www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

Participatory Democracy and Its Limits

This review surveys the limits of participatory democracy and reconsiders its merits, with particular emphasis on the limited attention of citizens. I trace the development of participatory democracy ...

annualreviews.org

Kevin Elliott@kjephd.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Forthcoming from me in the Annual Review of Political Science: "Participatory Democracy and Its Limits." Download a complete preprint here: kevinjelliott.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...

I love AI—it’s incredibly useful for diving into weird or complex topics without judgment. But talking to new people, especially in a different country and language, exchanging real ideas (not just dropping likes)... that’s challenging and stressful. But that’s the experience of being alive.

We live in an attention economy driven by political scandal and daily outrage. But as political scientists, how do we break through the noise without becoming part of the media circus? Deep analysis needs time, but the feed demands speed. #PolSci #AcademicSky

For a class assignment on finding counter-arguments and alternative perspectives for their research, I had my students watch the Seinfeld episode "The Opposite." It was fun! ​Does anyone have good examples of unconventional materials or pop culture that work well for teaching Political Science?

Just watched "The Backrooms" and couldn't stop thinking about the digital public sphere. It feels exactly like that: a self-constructing space where AI now auto-reproduces content—endlessly trying to mimic human work, but leaving this eerie, hollow void instead. #TheBackrooms #AI

Just applied to join the Coalition for Independent Technology Research! Glad to have recently discovered this amazing organization. #TechPolicy #IndependentResearch #DigitalDemocracy

In my Research Seminar, I use a simple introductory activity: I ask students to connect their research project with a work of art—be it a painting, a song, or a poem. ​It usually pushes them right out of their comfort zone, but the results are truly interesting and colorful. #AcademicSky #BeyondAI

Byung-Chul Han warned that we’d soon pay for "professional listeners" because authentic 1-on-1 attention is depleted. source.washu.edu/2026/03/near...

Nearly half of young adults report loneliness in eight-country study

A multinational survey led by WashU public health researchers reveals strong links between social isolation and depression and anxiety, underscoring growing global mental health concerns.

source.washu.edu

A researcher recently told me that an AI review recommended removing a citation to one of my papers as a "gray reference." That wasn't the point. He kept it because he judged it relevant. Academic judgment should not be outsourced. #AcademicIntegrity #IndependentResearch #OpenScience

Thinking about diving into a postdoc. I'm weighing the pros and cons before making the leap.

When discussing polarization, we often look to Habermasian deliberation for answers. But reasoning isn't enough. These divides are epistemic resistances; when driven by popular movements, they can directly threaten human rights. Check out my new article on: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Whenever I start discussing AI in class, attention levels spike. Most of my students are older, so I guess some things are just mind-blowing for them(us).

Good afternoon! Let's keep sharing; that's how we build our common world. Have a wonderful rest of your day!

How do digital tools reshape traditional political control? My paper (SSRN preprint) "New Tools, Old Tactics" analyzes AMLO’s communication strategy (2018–2024) and its impact on democratic backsliding in Mexico. share.google/U90CPnvX3FlM... Any feedback or critique is welcome! #PolSci