Tomás Olivier

Introducing LAPPRI (Latin America Policy Process Research Initiative) LAPPRI aims to advance established and emerging policy process theories in order to enhance scholarly understanding of policymaking in Latin America. Our goal is to become a forum for the discussion of policy process dynamics in the region. The color scheme is orange, dark grey, and navy blue. There is a LAPPRI logo and the Center for Policy Design & Governance logo.

We are so excited to announce the launch of our new initiative: the Latin America Policy Process Research Initiative (LAPPRI)! LAPPRI will serve as a hub for scholars dedicated to advancing policy process research in Latin America.

@tomasolivier.bsky.social #policyprocess #research #LatinAmerica

Addressing critiques refines global estimates of reforestation potential for climate change mitigation - Nature Communications Reforestation is a key climate change mitigation strategy, but global maps of its potential are widely criticized. This study shows that addressing those critiques substantially refines estimates of t...

A couple years ago, I was approached by some scientists at The Nature Conservancy with a proposal: Would I help them create a better global restoration opportunity map? The resulting paper is now out, and I will explain my view of it in this thread. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Be warned: Trump will likely use his war with Iran as a pretext to further suppress dissent at home.

We must resist his efforts to stifle freedom of speech, make warrantless searches and arrests of Americans, and put more military onto our streets.

Thanks to everyone who participated! This was such a great workshop, with lots of engaging conversations and the developing of a promising research agenda. I look forward to working on better understanding and theorizing about the policy process in Latin America!

Research at risk: Life-saving heart pumps for babies | Cornell Chronicle After receiving a stop-work order from the federal government, the future of a device to help children with heart defects is uncertain.

One of grants frozen at Cornell: $6.7M (4 yrs) to develop heart pumps for babies born w/ heart defects.

It took decades of work to get to point of prepping device for in-human clinical trials. No private company could do this.

The cruelty of the Trump administration is heartbreaking. So to speak.

Screenshot of ProPublica DOGE tracker with agency filter dropdown menu.

Our DOGE tracker is updated with a whole slew of new names, and now you can filter by agency to see which of the DOGErs have been where. Great work by @williamturton.bsky.social, @chrisbing.bsky.social, @kirstenberg.bsky.social and others!

projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-do...

Thread on attacks on democracy and the ways to counter it - collective action by civil society, mass mobilization and political leaders taking risks. Everyone plays a part.

"All we say to America is, 'Be true to what you said on paper.'"

These words — spoken by MLK Jr. shortly before he was killed on this day in 1968 — ring just as true now.

Let's honor his legacy by continuing the fight for social and economic justice.

This feels like the defining image from this year’s Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting.

The National Science Foundatipn paid for a booth in the exhibit hall. But the booth sits empty, because NSF has been DOGE’d, and there is no one left to send.

Take that, penguins of Heard and McDonald islands!

It's here.
Pit in stomach feeling.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Trump fires TVA board chair, stripping power from governing body of largest US public utility After the Trump administration fired another TVA leader without a stated reason, the board was left without a quorum to conduct business.

🚨 Trump has now broken the Tennessee Valley Authority 🚨

Having now fired 2 board members & after starting with only 6 of 9 seats filled, Trump has decimated TVA's independent board of directors. They no longer have quorum needed to decide anything. 1/ www.knoxnews.com/story/news/p...

beige poster with blue type in a baseball shirt style Orange type Don't wanna go far for stuff 15 minute cities no big conspiracy just lazy

rebranding the 15 min city.

Join us in our first ever Policy Design Summer studio! An opportunity to spend a weekend learning about policy design.

Elon Musk is gutting vital services, lining his pockets with more government contracts, and strong-arming the state of Delaware to reinstate his $56 billion Tesla pay package despite nearly every Cybertruck being recalled this week. It’s taking "robber baron" to a new level.

Why have Musk-backed PACs spent $10M on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race?

It's not just to uphold WI's abortion ban and gerrymandered maps. 

Tesla is suing WI over a state law that hurts its bottom line — a case that could be decided by its Supreme Court.

Follow the money.

Hi Seth!! 😊 Handling it as best I can. Waiting for the weekly punctuation to happen!

Education Department cutting nearly half of workforce | CNN Politics The US Education Department said it is cutting nearly 50% of its workforce, according to senior agency officials, as President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the agency altogether.

This isn’t about fixing bureaucracy in Washington. This is about defunding your local public school.

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/03/...

Make no mistake—this is a direct result of President Trump’s tariffs and will make life more expensive for Minnesotans. Higher electricity costs today and more rising costs to follow if these reckless policies continue.

Image is captioned: "IGRI Research Seminar Series: 'The Narrative Policy Framework and Institutions,' Rachel McGovern, University of Tennessee." The event takes place on March 4, 2025, from 12-1pm EST on Zoom. There is a QR code linking to the RSVP form.

REMINDER: Join us for our next IGRI Research Seminar on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, from 12-1pm EST! Rachel McGovern will present on her recent publication, "The narrative policy framework and institutions," co-authored with Michael Jones.

RSVP here, or at the QR code: t.co/dzZv9mHvut

This is the final reminder that we are accepting nominations for the APSA STEP Emerging Scholar Award. The deadline is Saturday, March 1. Looking forward to your nominations!

NTEU National Treasury Employees Union CHAPTER 282 Good evening NTEU Members, You may have recently received an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requesting that you submit a bullet-point summary of your work from last week. NTEU strongly advises you NOT to respond to this OPM request at this time. Here's why: • We work for HHS/FDA, not OPM: OPM directives that have not been formally adopted or communicated by our employer, the FDA, do not create an obligation for you to respond. • Lack of Concurrence: This request appears to have been issued without the necessary coordination and agreement from the FDA. • Protecting Your Rights: We are concerned about the implications of this request and are actively working to protect your rights and interests.

• Protecting Your Rights: We are concerned about the implications of this request and are actively working to protect your rights and interests. • NTEU Action: NTEU National and our Office of General Counsel are aware of this situation and are taking immediate action. We are gathering information and will provide you with comprehensive guidance before the arbitrary deadline stated in the OPM email. What you should do: • Do not respond to the OPM email. • Retain the OPM email for your records. • Monitor your email for further updates from NTEU.

NEW — The National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 282 just emailed its ~8,000 employee members strongly advising them NOT to reply to the “What did you do last week?” email from OPM/Musk.

One week left! Nominate your best (and/or favorite) recent publication.

Caption reads "2025 IGRI Doctoral Student Workshop, February 9-12, 2025, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ". A photograph depicts workshop participants and instructors smiling at the camera. The IGRI logo is featured. The background is light blue, with a black and blue frame.

This week, the IGRI held its annual Doctoral Student Workshop at @arizonastateuni.bsky.social in Tempe, AZ. The event provided an in-depth learning experience guided by the IGRI Directorate: Saba Siddiki, @utebrady.bsky.social, and Christopher Frantz. Thank you to all who participated!

Photo of FBI hq

Assuming we make it through the next couple of decades, this will be an incredible image for future historians/students of the Trump era

Explore the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework collection on PSJ’s website!

This research unpacks how rules, norms, and strategies shape collective decision-making across various policy domains.

Read here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1...

#PSJ #PolicyStudiesJournal

Had an email from a former thesis student asking me to be a reference for a new job interview and laying out how each of her experiences at SU helped with this potential job. Super helpful reference when I get a call. Highly recommend if you reach out to people for a reference.

Thanks for sharing this, @psjeditor.bsky.social!

@sechindra.bsky.social

This looks like a great paper--also consistent with related recent research that finds people who experience climate shocks are more likely to support climate action (no matter their political ideology). So, personal 👏experience 👏matters (and affects attitudes)

Political scientists, we need to up our game. Also, what might we throw? Stuffed Plato?