Sharon Erickson Nepstad

Normativity is not a replacement for theory - Theory and Society Social science research has dramatically increased its embrace of normativity in substance and style. This paper explores the consequences of this normativity creep on the creation, application, and e...

I know folks will have different views on questions about theory, the rules governing and purpose of social science research, and how to combat the credibility crisis we're facing. But I'd like to have the conversation. I hope this piece is generative!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

I just read this. I hope it provokes a good deal of discussion about this important topic!

📣 New Working Paper 'When Autocratization Is Reversed' 📣

We define 'democratic turnarounds', identify a total of 98 cases since 1900, and show that 40-48% (!) of all autocratization episodes are followed by democratization episodes!

Read at v-dem.net/media/public...

polisky dictatorsky

HOW SOCIAL MOVEMENTS INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE: ATTITUDE SHIFTS IN THE WAKE OF THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS* We examine whether the George Floyd protests influenced public opinion on political violence. Drawing upon the 2016 and 2020 American National Election Studies, we find that most U.S. citizens do not support political violence, and those overall rates remained relatively unchanged. However, we found seismic demographic shifts in attitudes between the two samples. Using logistic regression, we find that strength of support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, liberal ideology, youth, and protest participation were positively correlated with the belief that political violence is justifiable. There was a decrease in support for political violence among older people who oppose the BLM movement, are college educated, ideologically conservative, and trust mainstream news. We argue that cultural views on the acceptability of political violence are pliable, and we offer a theoretical model that explains how salient movement events can shift public attitudes toward controversial protest methods.

Social movements can influence perspectives on contentious forms of protest.

meridian.allenpress....

My book published by @UChicagoPress is AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER in Amazon!

#SocAF #AcademicTwitter #SocTwitter #AcademicChatter #Diaspora #SocialMovements #FilipinoScholar

www.amazon.com/Insurgent-Co...

How Disinformation Fueled the Tunisian Revolution A rumor about the army’s refusal to repress protesters emboldened the resistance and sowed confusion within the regime

In Tunisia's revolution, Gen. Rachid Ammar refused Ben Ali's orders to fire on protesters. Right?

Turns out, this was just a rumor. But because it was widely believed, the rumor itself had real-world consequences that fueled the success of the uprising.

My latest: newlinesmag.com/essays/how-d...

Check out @kailmarkvart.bsky.social ‘s 🧵and our (open access) article on democracy measurement and global democratic backsliding.

It’s published online today alongside several others in a larger symposium in @pspolisci.bsky.social

flyer with event details: Fri, Oct. 27th, 1-2:30pm CST

Pls share! The U of Minnesota Sociology dept is running a "how to apply" zoom workshop for potential Ph.D. applicants next Friday. We're especially interested in helping 1st gen + other under-rep students navigate the process. Email us (drasi001 AT umn.edu) to get connected!

All, the newest issue of Contexts is live and living in color!!! It is free to download for 30 days, so get your rad, rigorous, readable, relevant sociology now, now now!!!!

journals.sagepub.com/toc/ctxa/22/4

Our new book Conflict Mediation in the Arab Conflict, is now out:
press.syr.edu/supressbooks...

Upper administration at UNM went all out this Halloween, with lots of Barbie themed decorations with a little New Mexico flavor.

Public Understanding of Sociology Award | American Sociological Association The Public Understanding of Sociology Award is given annually to an ASA member or group of members who have made exemplary contributions to advance the public

Hello ... are we ... SociSky? SocSky? Anyway, I'm on the ASA Public Understanding of Sociology award committee again this year, and last year most applications were self-nominations. Nominate yourself, a friend, a stranger you respect - due Jan 1 (why Jan 1 tho?).
www.asanet.org/about/awards...

There's a call for submissions for a special issue of Politics, Groups, and Identities on "How to Conduct Civically Engaged Research in A Time of Contentious Politics" polisky contentiousky think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...

You should be in New Mexico! A beautiful, unobstructed view of the eclipse.

“Señora fiscal, usted que se considera católica, renuncie” <p>El cardenal guatemalteco cuestiona el grado de participación de los capitalinos en un paro general que en su décimo día sigue siendo eminentemente indígena y rural, y acusa a Alejandro Giammatt...

Big news from Guatemala, where Cardinal Ramzzini comes down firmly on the side of democracy, calling for the AG to resign and criticizing Pres. Giammattei’s failures to stand stronger against corrupt judicial meddling with the election results elfaro.net/es/202310/ce...

New Mobilization issue online! meridian.allenpress.com/mobilization...

The Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) has joined Bluesky. Follow @ucdp.bsky.social for updates from the world’s main provider of data on organized violence in the world.

Polisky
Conflictsky

Text image says, "Pew Research Center’s Religion department seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs. We are looking for five recent grads or current students to join us for a 14-week long paid internship from November 14, 2023 to March 1, 2024 (opportunities may exist to extend to March 8, 2024). Due to the nature of the work, you will need to commit to 37.5 hours per week for the entire period, during regular business hours. Interns will be paid $17/hour. You will work as a Coder and research information on government restrictions on religion as well as religious hostilities and violence and assist Pew Research Center in updating a dataset measuring these phenomena around the world. Coders will comb through major international reports such as the U.S. State Department’s annual International Religious Freedom reports and conflict databases. "

Please spread the word widely -- we're hiring five religion & world affairs interns at Pew Research Center.

Interns can work in our DC office or remotely from a few states. Details here:
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Center... 🌐

Many Pew Research careers began with this internship.

@salahbhpolisci.bsky.social: please add me! Thank you.

As a Fulbright Specialist, I had a great exchange with social science faculty and graduate students at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil. Such an interesting place!