We are so excited to be going to Melbourne, Australia!

Can’t wait to be back in one of Africa’s brightest cities, Jozi! Looking forward to engaging with the wonderful community at Wits for the Everything Everywhere Wits! July 30th. More details to come.

We are hiring for TT comparative lit in AfAmerican. Looking for good colleagues who do good research, publish and teach well. Starting salary $103 000. Join us @wellesley.edu wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/welles...

In the 2003 state of the union address president Bush made two announcements that would go on to impact the world in radically different ways. 1. The war in Iraq 2. $15 billion to fight AIDS. I am spending my summer collecting data on the impact of the second. I am in awe!

Come and work with us. Our Africana Studies Department Wellesley College is hiring in Comparative English Literature with a focus on African American Literature, to begin in Fall 2027. Starting salary and other details are listed in the job call. Apply wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/welles...

Not one person working in an academic constitution should struggle to make ends meet. Academic parents shouldn’t have to decide between rent and childcare.

Just noticing now that academia hates term limits. How is someone chair of a department for 20+ years or Dean or provost or president? Surely, for people who study political systems this is such odd behavior.

I think there's actually a useful difference we can draw here. Namely: there is incrementalism that comes from pushing wherever possible (and with whatever levels possible) to make progress toward a maximalist demand, versus incrementalism that's positioned as an excuse for setting minor goals

kyle tear down that highway lucas 🏳️‍🌈@itskylelucas.com · last mo.

My not-so-hot take is that what Mamdani is doing *IS* incrementalism, and the bar is so deeply in hell that a politician just doing *anything* good consistently is a total anomaly for people. And I think for now that is good and fine, because it is restoring people’s faith that better is possible.

New Publication Alert via @brookings.edu I am on a mission to get everyone across parties, ideological framing to CARE about corruption. Ordinary Zimbabweans - in opposition and ruling party CARE about corruption. Read more here: www.brookings.edu/articles/wit...

With term limits now off the table, Zimbabwe must fight corruption from within | Brookings

Chipo Dendere unpacks the implications of the potential extension of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term limits.

brookings.edu

Really looking forward to being in conversation with my @wellesley.edu colleague @ismarvolic.bsky.social In preparation for our discussion @wellesleybooks.bsky.social I am re-reading & Ismar has a wonderful way with words. This chapter on ballot design is 💕 wellesleybooks.com/event/dender...

Author Event: Chipo Dendere - "Death, Diversion, and Departure" and Ismar Volić - "Making Democracy Count"

wellesleybooks.com

I will be in conversation on everything African politics & voter exit with Patrick O. Okigbo III @pokigbo this Wednesday at 10am EST/4pm WAT. Please share this flier with your networks. link: bit.ly/DevDisc_WVL  The folks at @The_Nextier outdid themselves with the flier

I really enjoy surprising people about @Wellesley. I took an uber home around midnight after a fun day discussing democracy/autocracy in DC. My uber driver was like oh wellesley :) I doubt there are any conservative students there. I said we have all ideologies & it makes me so proud🫶🏾😜

People are worried about gerrymandering. Rightfully so but it’s not hopeless. The map is Trump friendly but necessarily R friendly so split R is good for D. I am being very optimistic. It’s the only way to survive. Curious to know what others think. centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/...

What is at stake in the midterms? Senate Dems need to hold on to every seat then flip 4. The 4 possible TX, NV, ME, phew House Dems only need to flip 3. How are things looking over in SC, up state NY? Just 3. It’s a numbers and unity game. We can’t be in our feelings.

6,000 people in Nevada seriously said not today. I have to look at their ballot design 😂kidding aside this is another strong showing (numbers) by Dems. It will be a very close race. If the 6k choose one of these people and if dems can get R defectors then chances are strong.

Dems did sooo good in SC. Johnson has almost has many votes as the top 2 R. Republicans are good at uniting after primaries (see TX) but Dems should run with the intention to flip. South Carolina is def in play by the numbers, even if we don’t win senate. Momentum 💜 GO, SC. Cry harder #5😭😭😭😂😂😂

Really good turnout by DEMs in Maine. Democrats will be fine if only if they can keep up the good turnout. Suppressed turnout is not good for challengers. There are about 300k reg democrats in ME. Almost 200k voted in the senate primary with over half of them choosing Platner.

It's not every day your FIRST academic publication lands a @forbes.com FEATURE! Absolutely WILD. 🤯 Thank you to Dr. Gassam Asare for interviewing @emmarackstraw.bsky.social and I about our new study where we show why Black supervisors matter in the workplace and beyond. #blacksky #econsky #news

A New Harvard Study Makes A Powerful Case For Black Supervisors

New research reveals that when a Black supervisor is watching, it can shift workplace bias and change how Black workers are seen at work.

forbes.com

Maine: the lesson is that we all need to invest in a diverse pool of candidates. Actual investments not just words. Most viable people from Maine didn’t want to run for Senate. Good candidates are built and that takes time + collective effort. Until then we vote blue.

Polymarket offered me enough money to pay my rent for ten months for one post in my newsletter and I turned it down because I enjoy being able to sleep at night.

Maya Kaufman@mayakaufman.bsky.social · 2mo ago

INVESTIGATION: 🚨 A Polymarket exec used a personal PayPal account to pay major political influencers like Riley Gaines and Brian Krassenstein, who then hyped how "accurate" Polymarket is at predicting outcomes. We uncovered $350,000+ flowing to influencers this way www.politico.com/news/2026/06...

If we lose Maine I will be so disappointed. Why are people being so crazy? When have Dems been the party of high morals? Why start now when we are about to at least win the seat? So annoyed.

Heya, @wellesley.edu friends, Please join us for a rigorously intellectual and fun evening at the Wellesley Books on June 24th at 7pm. @ismarvolic.bsky.social, @kcarterjackson.bsky.social and I will be in conversation. Reserve your ticket here wellesleybooks.com/event/dender...

For the love of all that is good- the AI posters need to go.

I actually saw my Elders fired from jobs, humiliated, beaten, bombed, murdered, lynched and assassinated for the right to vote. I have a debt to pay. I repay that debt every Election Day when I vote for the candidate of my choice.

Tonight Texas might get its first open Rhodesian candidate for statewide office.

Democrats will need at least 1.5 million votes to flip Texas. Look at the votes for the railroad commissioner race. Railroads not about trains but about oil. Oil is everything in Texas. Bo French ran a culture war to “protect oil from sharia law” what now? Indeed. Good luck to us all.

Some dems are hopeful that we can flip Texas. I am cautious. Can Dems + left turnout a million people? And, at what point will a Dem voter switch to Republican? Ask the same question the other way. In a polarized state switches are really hard and rare. Would you vote MAGA? If no, then there you go.

You could just read scholarship before you cite it and only coauthor pieces with other people who do the same.

A story about KY GOP Senate nominee Andy Barr: In 2019 he got mad at AOC and demanded she come to his district to visit a coal mine. She said yes, which he didn't expect, so he withdrew the invitation. Then it turned out there were no working coal mines in his district. Because he's an idiot. 1/3