Tessera

Cambridge University Press Political Science & IR@cambup-polsci.cambridge.org · 2mo ago

Abigail Ververda and my paper on coal and collective action in Appalachia is finally out and open access. In the paper, we use a new dataset of 1,525 strikes, protests, petitions, and lawsuits in WV to test several arguments about what tactics "work" in coal-related disputes. #contentiousky

#OpenAccess from @govandopp.bsky.social - Coal and Collective Action in Appalachia: Findings from a New Dataset - https://cup.org/4uF7mu7 - @manfrede.bsky.social & Abigail Ververda #FirstView

Anne Trubek @atrubek.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Really cool to see people start moving into these apartments now. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/o...

Opinion | One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing Crisis

nytimes.com

THRILLED to announce this book by @jaykaydee.bsky.social, coming from @beltpublishing.bsky.social in February. Cover by @downpourdw.bsky.social

Niao Collective @niaocollective.bsky.social · last yr.

My oldster take on #Chinamaxxing and what meaningful progressive engagement with China looks like. foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/10/p...

Progressives Should Show Real Solidarity With China

Don’t let Chinamaxxing come at the expense of meaningful engagement with Chinese workers and activists.

foreignpolicy.com

The classic ‘tank man’ photo is a close up but when you zoom out, the image - and what it represents- is even more poignant.

Kerim Friedman 傅可恩@kerim.one · last yr.

On this June 4th, wishing for a world with more people willing to stand in front of the tanks, and less who are willing to drive them.

This wide-angle aerial photograph shows a broad avenue with a column of military tanks positioned down the center of the street. The tanks appear to be Type 59 or similar models, arranged in a single-file line stretching into the distance. In the foreground, a solitary figure can be seen standing directly in front of the lead tank, though from this elevated perspective the person appears quite small. The avenue is flanked by rows of trees on both sides, with large open plaza areas visible. In the background, there are multi-story buildings and what appears to be a large public square or gathering area. The photograph has the characteristic color tone and grain of film photography from the late 1980s.

This is the famous wide-shot perspective of the "Tank Man" incident at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, taken on June 4, 1989, capturing the moment when an unknown protester stood in front of a column of tanks following the government crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.

(ALT Text by Claude AI)

Sign this petition to save Kelowna's rail trail. c.org/xq76YwKttX

Sign the Petition

Save the Rail Trail Greenspace

c.org

Manfred Elfstrom @manfrede.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Absolutely horrible news. China has improved its mine safety a lot over the last couple decades. Still, this mine reportedly had been cited already for problems. www.cbc.ca/news/world/g...

Death toll from gas explosion at coal mine in China jumps to 90 | CBC News

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for authorities to "spare no effort" in treating the injured and conducting search-and-rescue ‌operations.

cbc.ca

The biologist under fire seems like an exceptionally principled person. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

US biology lab locked down for more than a week amid smuggling inquiry

The Trump administration has spent months investigating the lab after a Chinese postdoc was charged with smuggling biological material into the country.

nature.com

Manfred Elfstrom @manfrede.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Encouraging development. Of course, it remains to be seen whether other courts in China follow suit and what creative workarounds companies invent. The attitudes of local governments will also be important. www.caixinglobal.com/2026-04-30/c...

Chinese Courts Rule Companies Cannot Fire Workers Simply to Replace Them With AI

Judges classify AI adoption as a controllable business strategy rather than an unavoidable disruption, shielding employees from automation-driven layoffs

caixinglobal.com

Mark Jacob@markjacob.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Exactly. This echoes the dynamic that Victor Shih describes in the context of Chinese politics: autocrats have good reasons to surround themselves with incompetent underlings. www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...

Coalitions of the Weak

Cambridge Core - Comparative Politics - Coalitions of the Weak

cambridge.org

it would be wrong to think Trump picked Kash Patel as FBI director despite his reckless behavior. Trump picked Patel *because of* his reckless behavior.

Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 4mo ago

An absolutely masterful take-down of a couple clumsy apologists for China’s repression in Xinjiang. This is how you do it! tempestmag.org/2026/04/dism...

Dismissing China’s repression in Xinjiang

Vijay Prashad and Tings Chak recently defended China’s policy toward ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang. David Brophy exposes the weakness of their case.

tempestmag.org

Hungarians are singing ‘We Are The Champions’ in celebration of the landslide victory of Peter Magyar

Greg Pak @gregpak.net · 4mo ago

@joshtpm.bsky.social's trenchant take on DoD budget: "It is a huge reorientation of the entire federal government from being a modern government, focused primarily on supporting and protecting its citizens, to one focused on, and built for, force and violence." talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-n...

The New Defense Budget

We need to talk about the president’s 2027 proposed defense budget. It’s...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Please call your US rep and senators. Yes, I know it can feel like screaming into a black hole. Still. Call them NOW. reps.fyi 202-224-3121

Typewritten text on blue lined paper:

"A whole civilization will die, never to be brought back again." Trump just threatened genocide against Iran. Call your US rep and senators and tell them to do everything they can to stop this. I don't care if they're in the minority. Tell them to chain themselves to the White House gates, something, ANYTHING. Find your reps at reps.fyi. Call NOW, friends. God help us all.

Greg Pak@gregpak.net · 4mo ago

Jesus wept. I just called my US rep and senators and told them they have to do everything they can to stop this genocide. I told them I don't care if they're in the minority. They have options. I told them to chain themselves to the White House fence. Please call your reps, too. reps.fyi

We are already at the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Tiananmen incident, a protest that was suppressed, then legitimated by the Party.

Protesters gather flowers in memory of Zhou Enlai during the 1976 Tiananmen Incident.

I think this is the best outcome? Definitely better to have someone who sparks excitement as a leader than someone you just imagine others will be OK with. I hope Lewis recognizes the urgency of repairing ties to western party activists, though. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Federal NDP elect filmmaker Avi Lewis as new leader

Lewis, who was considered the front-runner in the contest, takes over leadership in a period of turbulence for the party

theglobeandmail.com

Just saw Josh Ritter play a solo set in my little corner of Canada. Still remember him as the fourth-year folk singer heartthrob when I was a freshman in college.

Check out our AAS panel: "Class and Contentious Politics in China" cdmcd.co/mR5ZGn #AAS2026

2026 AAS Annual Conference

cdmcd.co

Our third annual labour lecture co-hosted with the North Okanagan Labour Council is tomorrow (Thursday). Dr. Anelyse Weiler will be discussing farm workers' struggles. events.ok.ubc.ca/event/annual.... Join us if you are in Kelowna!

Annual Labour Lecture: Dr. Anelyse Weiler - UBC Okanagan Events Calendar

Find out how labour movements have advanced stronger workplace safety laws at this year's annual labour lecture.

events.ok.ubc.ca

Discussion is starting on the bill this week. www.cjpme.org/no_more_loop...

Support MP Kwan’s bill to close the US Loophole!

Canada is quietly arming Israel — and fueling genocide. Email your MP and demand they support MP Kwan’s private members’ bill to shut down the U.S. loophole that lets Canadian weapons end up in Israel...

cjpme.org