Love this so much. Should out to my colleagues at @wm.edu AidData. #Data transparency is good.

Michael Clemens@mclem.org · 2d ago

Incredible. When E—n M—k & his crew obliterated USAID in a weekend, they deleted a vast trove of publicly-funded knowledge: the Development Experience Clearinghouse. A Canadian high school student (!) happened to have downloaded the entire thing for a project. AidData has now posted it for all.

Some thoughts on the U.S.-Iran war's implications for U.S. deterrence elsewhere. I draw on views of former U.S. foreign policy officials and U.S.-based IR faculty. Thanks to the indefatigable TRIP team for including the question, @miketierneyir.bsky.social; @rmpowers.bsky.social

Duck of Minerva@duckofminerva.bsky.social · 2mo ago

How the Iran War harms U.S. deterrence President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran may weaken the U.S. ability to deter great power rivals. But not because the recent U.S.-Iranian memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the conflict makes the United States look weak. The damage had already…

President Tim Sullivan was present at the creation of @global-wm.bsky.social. Taylor Reveley was the President at @wm.edu when we moved from the basement of Blow Hall to 427 Scotland Street. Love hearing them reminisce. www.youtube.com/watch?v=94pS...

An OTOD Message from Presidents Reveley and Sullivan

YouTube video by Global Research Institute

youtube.com

¡¡VOLUME 24, ISSUE 1 IS NOW OUT!! doi.org/10.1017/S153... www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Incl. work by @elliotaposner.bsky.social, @excubs.bsky.social, @roselynhsueh.bsky.social, @andresuribe.bsky.social, @phillegitimate.bsky.social, @natanski.bsky.social, @stephanieternullo.bsky.social...

William & Mary is reshaping how research grows. A new four-phased incubator model at the Global Research Institute will support interdisciplinary teams of students & faculty as they turn early ideas into high-impact projects.

William & Mary launches dynamic research incubator following R1 university designation

GRI’s next chapter transforms applied research development to accelerate faculty collaboration and student training.

news.wm.edu

William & Mary is once again named the #1 public university in the U.S. for study-abroad participation, according to the Open Doors 2025 Report. As an integral part of the Vision 2026 strategic plan, W&M continues to invest in global experiences that drive academic excellence and career readiness.

William & Mary remains No. 1 public university for study abroad

William & Mary is once again the top-ranked public university in the nation for study-abroad participation, a ranking it has attained 12 times over the last 17 years.

news.wm.edu

With contributions from more than 100 students, AidData has mapped China’s overseas port financing like never before. The new report and open dataset reveal a global network of ports, equipment, and nearby resources—shedding light on Beijing’s long-term strategy for supply chain security.

China’s $24B in port financing encircles the globe, reaching 90 countries

New AidData report and dataset provide the clearest picture yet of Beijing’s race for maritime dominance.

news.wm.edu

The countdown to William & Mary Weekend in D.C. begins! 🕒 Join the W&M community May 28–31 for a unique weekend of connection & exploration in the capital. Registration is now open.

William & Mary Weekend

weekend.wm.edu

Rare to read anything these days on U.S.-China relations that causes you to look at the issue in a new light. Alex Yu-Ting Lin and @robertralston.bsky.social‬ shed new light on whether and to what extent there is a "consensus" on the China threat. Great use of survey data to illuminate a key issue.

Robert Ralston@robertralston.bsky.social · 5mo ago

How do US elites and the public think about competition w/ China? And who finds what Chinese diplomatic signals reassuring/ threatening, and by how much? Alex Yu-Ting Lin and I have a new article in @twqgw.bsky.social that answers these questions. Open access www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

"We're eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked." www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/w...

U.S. to Allow Russian Oil Tanker to Reach Cuba, Breaking Blockade

nytimes.com

W&M's Global Research Institute is making a joint hire with the Dept of Government in International Security/US Foreign Policy at the Associate or Full Professor level. We are looking for someone to build and grow an externally-funded lab/center. williammary.wd12.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WM/det...

Assuming you are not a city mouse, this is an amazing opportunity. @wm.edu is a fantastic school in a lovely setting. Among non-PhD IR departments I put it at the top of the list. Great colleagues, great environment. @miketierneyir.bsky.social and the team have something very special.

It really is the MadLib War. Which is not meant to be funny, but rather highlights how profoundly absurd the administration’s shifting aims and justifications are. We attacked Iran because ______, and had to go now because _____.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo ago

Marco Rubio: "We went proactively in a defensive way"

Love learning from my former students. This from Nitya Labh, who is now a research fellow at Chatham House...

Chatham House@chathamhouse.org · 6mo ago

Diego Garcia is a critical, high-volume launchpad for US air operations. In 2024 and 2025, the US used the base to launch operations against the Houthis in Yemen. https://bit.ly/4rvMogC

Our current understanding of sovereignty assumes that sovereign nations have defined, fixed geographical boundaries. As the climate crisis worsens, argues Nitya Labh, that’s not the case. We illustrated why 👇 Read more here: buff.ly/tHQSTwn

I’m seeing posts from people (outside of MN) about how US citizens should carry their passports. And let me say that *inside* MN, we are calmly responding to requests with: “No, I don’t have to show you any documentation.” Because that’s how you protect everyone, regardless of immigration status.

David Lake and Jeff Frieden have a new paper analyzing the Trump Administration’s trade policies. They put them in historical perspective and summarize their expected impact. Well worth a read. Link: blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/jaf81/files/...

The first question in this press conference should be addressed to the others standing with Trump: "Raise your hand if you knew the US would be running Venezuela for the foreseeable future?"

We had a good run

weeder@weeder.bsky.social · 8mo ago

2026 could be great. We simply don't know.

I feel like I haven’t even been properly lied to about the purposes of this war

Gates Forum #4 last week @wm.edu. We hosted members of Congress, policymakers, journalists, and scholars to develop recommendations on how the government and private sector employ security assistance to achieve various goals. Research Report forthcoming. @global-wm.bsky.social

Kudos to @jeffkopstein.bsky.social and Steve Hanson for getting their book on my annual Christmas list! Assault on the State is one of @foreignaffairs.com' top books of 2025! Honored to help them launch this book at @global-wm.bsky.social. It is not a fun book, but it is prescient.

Jeffrey Kopstein@jeffkopstein.bsky.social · 9mo ago

In time for Hanukah/Christmas, Foreign Affairs includes "The Assault on the State," a book I wrote with Steve Hanson, on its list of best books of 2025. www.foreignaffairs.com/lists/best-b...

Interesting conversation on China's lending and investments in the US, UK, and EU. With AidData's Brad Parks, David Culver, and Sailor Miao (all @wm.edu alums). Foreign aid nerds, see Brad's comments on U.S. now emulating China: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ZL...

Tracking China's Global Influence: A Conversation with CNN and W&M's AidData

YouTube video by William & Mary

youtube.com

New research from my colleagues @wm.edu's AidData on Chinese development finance and investments in both developing countries and also the US, UK, EU, and Japan. New report and dataset released tomorrow. Here is a preview from the BBC: www.bbc.com/news/article...

China's investment spree in UK gave it access to military-grade technology, BBC told

Tens of billions of pounds has been spent by the Chinese in the UK since 2000, Panorama has learned.

bbc.com

Let’s spell this out. Trump fired a qualified U.S. attorney who refused to do his bidding and installed his own personal lawyer to punish a perceived opponent. Justice needs to follow the law, not politics. This is an attack on the rule of law. Full stop.

Former FBI Director James Comey indicted days after Trump demanded his DOJ move 'now' to prosecute enemies

Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted just days after President Trump issued a public demand for the DOJ to act "now" to prosecute him, sources say.

abcnews.go.com

Has been a long time since a @wm.edu Alum has been a U.S. president, but it's nice to see we are dominating the NFL coaching scene. Now, if the Dolphins would replace their underperforming Yale alum and hire Joe Brady, we'd have 3 W&M alums in the NFL. Go Tribe! www.facebook.com/wmsportsblog...

2.9K views · 95 reactions | BIG TIME WILLIAM & MARY SHOUT OUT ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TONIGHT! Let’s go TRIBE and let’s go BILLS! 🔰🦬💪 | William and Mary Sports Blog

BIG TIME WILLIAM & MARY SHOUT OUT ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TONIGHT! Let’s go TRIBE and let’s go BILLS! 🔰🦬💪.

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SEPTEMBER 24: @cullenhendrix.bsky.social joins PIIE Insider LIVE to discuss how climate change is shaping human health & security & how government responses on critical minerals, tech, & more will shape the planet's future. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts. Live event:

Climate change, security, and the race for critical minerals

Cullen Hendrix, PIIE senior fellow, joins Anjali V. Bhatt, PIIE communications manager and research fellow, for a live, virtual conversation about how climate change is shaping human health and securi...

piie.com

New Article. #Thread. Have you ever read a news story about #climatechange, where the journalist quotes one expert who represents the #Scientific consensus (human activity causes global warming) and one expert who disagrees with the consensus? Why do we see this "balance" in news coverage?

US Administration said it was going to have a "180 day review" of involvement in international organizations. 223 days later there's still no review, but US has simply stopped paying membership dues to the considerable majority of organizations.

Charles Kenny@charlesjkenny.bsky.social · 11mo ago

ICYM: International bodies for which the US Administration has apparently stopped paying assessed dues include (thread):

Great to host @jonesjay.bsky.social at Casa Tierney. Jay spoke clearly about the stakes in the race for Attorney General. Jay will defend public universities in VA, if he is elected. Thanks to the @virginiabeerco.bsky.social for fueling this event. See the first comment to support Jay's campaign.