My new Expert Voices column @science.org discusses how the pursuit of innovation without appropriate governance creates "sacrifice subjects": marginalized communities who experience systematic harm from tech. And I look to France for a regulatory approach that takes disparate impacts seriously.

“Sacrifice subjects” and a proposal for people-first technology regulation

In March 2026, juries in California and New Mexico found Meta and YouTube liable for user injuries, including addiction, anxiety, depression, and thoughts of self-harm. After years of dashed hopes for...

science.org

Just announced: University of Michigan Faculty Senate resoundingly votes to support Big Ten academic mutual defense compact. 92.8% of over 3,000 votes.

For those who were at the second teach in and heard @meganastewart.bsky.social talk about this issue, more food for thought.

Bridging The Gap@bridgingthegap.bsky.social · last yr.

Congratulations to @debak.bsky.social on his latest publication in Foreign Policy, co-authored with Rachel A. Epstein! Their article explores the future of global nuclear proliferation. foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/14/t...

I'll be moderating a panel on Birth Right Citizenship at @umfordschool.bsky.social (and try to bring a comparative perspective). The panel includes legal scholars and historians (see below), join us on FRIDAY March 28th! fordschool.umich.edu/event/2025/c...

Current and Historical Challenges to Birthright Citizenship

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow restrictions on birthright citizenship to partly take effect, even as the initial executive order is blocked nationwide by three federal a...

fordschool.umich.edu

March 12th @mikealbertus.bsky.social in conversation with @meganastewart.bsky.social at @literatibookstore.bsky.social : page1m.co/3D7S0K1 @haimson.bsky.social ‘s book launch in conversation with Kishonna Gray at University of Michigan: page1m.co/3Xq7rnO 🧵 (8/22) #literati #annarbor

Why are we not seeing massive sustained opposition to democratic backsliding in the US? Do opposition leaders have too high opportunity costs (many are quite rich), coordination problems (no central leading figure), lack of a unifying ideology,..

IR is such a US-coded discipline that you have loads of analysts and journalists with IR backgrounds still churning out wordcount about what Trump will do with US hegemony even as the geopolitical reality looks more and more like this:

A couple of things to keep in mind re: Hamas/Israel deal: 1) It's focused on a ceasefire (incl. Gazan return to homes/humanitarian aid), Israeli hostage return, & Palestinian prisoner release. All positives. 2) It's not a "peace" deal 3) Annexation efforts accelerating in E. Jerusalem/West Bank

ICYMI: @meganastewart.bsky.social identifies a mechanism through which revolutionaries change societies: "the the enforcement of programs to forge new social organizations that align with revolutionary values." The working paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... #PoliSky #UMichResearch

New working paper, just five short years in the making! The idea for it emerged from reading about the French Revolution during COVID lockdowns, which warped my sense of time, and got me interested into measures thereof. Abstract and title below, and full ms here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Junior scholars, consider applying if you’re interested! Happy to answer questions you might have!

Dotan Haim@dotanhaim.bsky.social · 2y ago

🚨 Call for Proposals! 🚨 Seeking junior scholars of conflict & violence for the Multi-Method Conflict Consortium (M2C2) Mini-Conference: ✨ March 21-22 @ FSU ✨ $1,250 honorarium ✨ Eligible: <3 yrs tenure track ✨ Mentorship & panels 📄 Full CfP: bit.ly/M2C2-CfP 📅 Apply by Jan 10: bit.ly/M2C2-Submit

It was wonderful to work with @dartmouthdickey.bsky.social post doc fellowship alumnus @mpoznansky.bsky.social on this piece . . .

Interesting article on how rebels use narcotics (both directly and as finance), but the Taliban's approach was not uncommon. The Chinese Communist Party destroyed many opium crops but kept some to manufacture anesthetics (at minimum), and in work with @lianaeustacia.bsky.social and Justin Conrad ...

The New York Times@nytimes.com · 2y ago

To fund a war with the U.S., the Taliban reaped millions from boom towns trading opium, heroin and meth. Once victorious, the group crushed the trade, leaving ghost towns in its wake.

My esteemed colleague @brendannyhan.bsky.social posted this.So, I'm just repostin'. But am thrilled finally to see this 'tween covers . . .

Brendan Nyhan@brendannyhan.bsky.social · 2y ago

New from my colleague Bill Wohlforth - A Measure Short of War: A Brief History of Great Power Subversion www.amazon.com/Measure-Shor...

Check out this new book award opportunity

Charlotte Cavaille@ccavaille.bsky.social · 2y ago

New book award for folks working on Human Rights, even better if you work on Asia broadly defined (but not required for consideration) royalasiaticsociety.org/news/james-j...

We're delighted to announce that Justine Davis and Martha Wilfahrt won the APCG Best Article Award for their paper titled “Enumerator Experiences in Violent Research Environment.” Read the full citation here: www.afpol.org/blog/justine...

Justine Davis and Martha Wilfahrt win the APCG Best Article Award

Justine Davis and Martha Wilfahrt win the APCG Best Article Award for their article titled “Enumerator Experiences in Violent Research Environment”

afpol.org

On the way to victory, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) integrated governance as part of its broader strategy and used its governance to signal ideas about its post-war commitments to the international community, which is very common among rebel groups: edition.cnn.com/2024/12/06/w...

Syrian rebel leader speaks to CNN in exclusive interview | CNN

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the militant leader of the main group driving Syria’s armed opposition, speaks exclusively to CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh about the goal of Syria’s rebel coalition, Hayat Tahrir Al-...

edition.cnn.com

I am excited to share some new work with Claire Brunel, perfect for reading while Overleaf is down. The paper explores how the distribution of power between social groups shapes inventing--the bedrock of innovation. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Full paper now available here! doi.org/10.1086/729947

Coercive Legacies: From Rebel Governance to Authoritarian Control | The Journal of Politics: Vol 86, No 4

Ex-rebels govern almost a quarter of sub-Saharan Africa today. How does war affect these countries’ long-run political development, and what explains their rebel regimes’ longevity? The article explor...

journals.uchicago.edu

Political Violence New Publications and Working Papers@polviolencepapers.bsky.social · 2y ago

New article in the Journal of Politics by @shelleyliu.bsky.social examines how wartime coercive rebel governance shapes political development post-conflict, using Zimbabwe as a case to analyze the persistence of coercive control.

"Relax. This resurgence of the Empire will likely be a temporary blip in the course of the galaxy, much like the last time the Empire was in control. "

Here’s Why a Second Death Star Won’t Be That Bad

“Mr. Trump’s first term was better than expected… the authoritarian rule that Democrats and the press predicted never appeared. Mr. Trump was too u...

buff.ly

This is the second time in ~two weeks that Neo-Nazis have gathered around Michigan cities and it’s not surprising that they also gathered in Columbus, Ohio this weekend. Their presence in liberal, college cities and towns suggests they’re emboldened and … www.mlive.com/news/ann-arb...

Group holds ‘White Lives Matter’ signs in demonstration outside Michigan Stadium

The demonstration appeared to involve less than a dozen people and unfolded Saturday afternoon near the closed gates of the Big House in Ann Arbor.

mlive.com

Absolutely love this: "Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday." www.npr.org/2024/11/12/g...

Harriet Tubman posthumously named a general in Veterans Day ceremony

Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday.

npr.org

Hey new followers 👋, an introduction: I’m an associate professor at the Ford School, University of Michigan. I research how political violence and radical social restructuring are tied, especially revolutions & civil wars. When I’m not researching, I am typically found outside or baking/cooking.

Kicking off Peace Science over dinner with @lianaeustacia.bsky.social and Mich Gov Big Gretch, what?!?!

Homemade brownies, bread, butter and peanut butter buttercream: the all-purpose election night kit for easing anxiety, enhancing celebration, or numbing soul-crushing sadness.

Two of the largest, most prestigious papers in the country have let fear of retribution from an aspiring autocrat dissuade them from endorsing his opponent. Historical, inexplicable, unforgivable cowardice. And incredibly dangerous. www.npr.org/2024/10/25/n...

'Washingon Post' won't endorse in White House race for first time since 1980s

The Washington Post declined to make an endorsement in this year's presidential race. Its editorial board has written that GOP nominee Donald Trump is unfit for office.

npr.org

Two weeks ahead of #Election2024, we are in an elevated threat environment. 🧵 As Ned Parker and Peter Eisler report in Reuters, we are witnessing "the biggest and most sustained increase in US political violence since the 1970s." (1/7) www.reuters.com/world/us/new...

New cases of political violence roil U.S. ahead of contentious election

With two weeks to go before the US presidential election, cases of political violence have shown the biggest and most sustained increase since the 1970s.

reuters.com

New Article Alert! I argue that the last 50 years of controversy over #genetics and #biotechnology (esp in the US) has limited both the scope, and the knowledge and expertise, deemed legitimate in science and #tech #policy making. It's #openaccess! www.annualreviews.org/content/jour... #sts #histsci