Giovanni Capoccia

Authors in the SI: @andresuribe.bsky.social, @daschloz.bsky.social, @valentimvicente.bsky.social as well as...⬇️

bsky.app/profile/gcap...

...David Bateman (Cornell), Lautaro Cella (Chicago), Ipek Cinar (Chicago), Sue Stokes (Chicago), Laura Jakli (Harvard), Jason Wittenberg (Berkeley), Bela Greskovits (CEU), Melis Laebens (CEU), Marcin Slarzynski (Polish Academy of Sciences), Rob Lieberman (Johns Hopkins)
bsky.app/profile/gcap...

Thread/important reads 👇

I think this paper is bound to become a classic reference.

The time paradox is one of the most powerful ideas in explaining why it is so hard to defeat illiberal forces in a democracy. It’s one of those ideas I keep coming back to since I first heard of it (and that I keep telling everyone about).

I also feel extremely thankful to be part of the special issue that this paper introduces. Because of that I got to discuss these topics with some of the scholars I most admire.

I can’t overstate how much I learned from those discussions.

Countering Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies: Information, Legacies, Temporalities - Giovanni Capoccia, 2026 The article lays the foundations of a research agenda on the conditions favoring short-term success against emerging illiberal challenges—necessary for democrat...

New article and special issue!
Just out in Comparative Political Studies: “Countering Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies: Information, Legacies, Temporalities", the intro to a special issue on countering illiberalism in liberal democracies.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Thread 🧵1/7

Must-read on democratic resilience!
How can illiberalism be countered, which strategies are available, what trade-offs do they entail, and under what conditions are they effective?

...David Bateman (Cornell), Lautaro Cella (Chicago), Ipek Cinar (Chicago), Sue Stokes (Chicago), Laura Jakli (Harvard), Jason Wittenberg (Berkeley), Bela Greskovits (CEU), Melis Laebens (CEU), Marcin Slarzynski (Polish Academy of Sciences), Rob Lieberman (Johns Hopkins)
bsky.app/profile/gcap...

Authors in the SI: @andresuribe.bsky.social, @daschloz.bsky.social, @valentimvicente.bsky.social as well as...⬇️

bsky.app/profile/gcap...

The article is the introduction to a forthcoming special issue of Comparative Political Studies titled “Back from the Brink: Countering Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies,” which I co-edited with @isabelamares.bsky.social and which features great contributions. Out soon! 7/7

As explained in the article, *exogenous information* and *favorable institutional legacies* help pro-democratic forces navigate this trade-off more effectively, increasing their chances of successfully defeating illiberals. 6/7

...when the urgency of the threat becomes clearer, coordination and mobilization face fewer obstacles, but illiberal forces are stronger and defeating them is harder. 5/7

In other words: when illiberals are less entrenched and easier to defeat, pro-democratic forces often fail to coordinate and mobilize relevant sectors of the electorate in support of democracy (these vary widely across contexts and shrink with polarization). However... 4/7

The temporal paradox: uncertainty about the extent of a threat to democracy often leads to delayed responses. But waiting for more information on the threat often means confronting illiberals who are stronger, more entrenched, and harder to defeat through democratic means. 3/7

The article develops a theoretical framework to analyze the logic of short-term responses to new illiberal challenges. It essentially argues that this logic is informational, and that a *temporal paradox* lies at its heart. 2/7

Countering Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies: Information, Legacies, Temporalities - Giovanni Capoccia, 2026 The article lays the foundations of a research agenda on the conditions favoring short-term success against emerging illiberal challenges—necessary for democrat...

New article and special issue!
Just out in Comparative Political Studies: “Countering Illiberalism in Liberal Democracies: Information, Legacies, Temporalities", the intro to a special issue on countering illiberalism in liberal democracies.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Thread 🧵1/7

Gallup Will No Longer Track Presidential Approval Ratings

After nearly 90 years, the Gallup Organization will no longer track presidential approval ratings. Gallup’s decision comes as President Trump has escalated his threats against the press, and sued at least one respected pollster, J. Ann Selzer.
(Ruth Igielnik, NYT)
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...

Look forward to speak at CIS ETH Zurich on my current research on Feb 26!

Department of Homeland Security post on X affirming immunity for ICE agents under all circumstances

When the interior ministry declares its militia to be above the law in terms that equate dissent with treason there really isn’t any question of whether or not we are looking at an authoritarian regime.

<going to distract myself from the horror by whinging about my academic field>

🧵 Things that I am tired of re: practicing academic International Relations in 2025, a partial list.

1. I am tired of reading references that don’t say what the article claims, or even say the opposite.

»Um tolerant zu sein, muß man die Grenzen dessen, was nicht tolerierbar ist, festlegen.«

Umberto Eco
geboren am 5. Januar 1932

« Face au RN, une certaine apathie et le spectre de “l’étrange défaite” » CHRONIQUE. Engluées dans leurs divisions internes et leurs obsessions du casting présidentiel, les forces politiques ne parviennent pas à structurer le débat public avec de nouvelles idées, à dessiner...

The main danger in the fight against the RN, is defeatism. And this fight is not just France's: If France falls in the hands of the RN, Ukraine will fall to Russia and any hopes for Europe to become a geopolitical player will die.

www.lemonde.fr/idees/articl...

Just in time for Christmas: a great interview with an absolute legend.

Theda Skocpol and Edwin Amenta on her career, US politics, the erosion of democracy, and most of all, what to do about it.

sociologica.unibo.it/article/view...

Delighted to see applications open for the Morelli Scholarship. As the 2024 Scholar, I've had an incredible experience at DPIR and Corpus Christi: encouraging supervision, an intellectually vibrant community, a welcoming DPhil cohort, and a fantastic College environment. Happy to chat if helpful!

PhD opportunity at the University of Oxford. The Morelli scholarship funds a doctoral student to work with me on on democratic backsliding, strategies of democratic defense and regeneration, or the rise of illiberalism. Deadline Jan 9. More information at users.ox.ac.uk/~ssfc0073/

📣 Very cool PhD opporunity in Oxford to work with the great @gcapoccia.bsky.social on democratic backsliding.

PhD opportunity at the University of Oxford. The Morelli scholarship funds a doctoral student to work with me on on democratic backsliding, strategies of democratic defense and regeneration, or the rise of illiberalism. Deadline Jan 9. More information at users.ox.ac.uk/~ssfc0073/

As platforms oligarchs want unrestricted access to the EU market in the name of “freedom of speech” (in fact, what they want is (1) to maximize profits by promoting extreme content, which increases engagement; (2) effect regime change by promoting some voices and stifling others), in Australia…
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As platforms oligarchs want unrestricted access to the EU market in the name of “freedom of speech” (in fact, what they want is (1) to maximize profits by promoting extreme content, which increases engagement; (2) effect regime change by promoting some voices and stifling others), in Australia…
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And another good 🧵 on the @ec.europa.eu X fine by @profjacob.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/prof...