Michael Albertus

Chicago is Now a Military "Training Ground" National Guard troops are deploying to the city to support ICE agents, creating a combustible situation

A federal judge is currently hearing whether #Trump can turn #Chicago into the latest military "training ground". On the back of last week's ICE raid in South Shore, it's a combustible (and unnecessary) situation. And it hits close to home

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/chicago-is...

The Government Shutdown Raises Risks for American Democracy The Trump administration is poised to use the shutdown as an opportunity to double down on its attacks on political enemies

The Trump administration is using the government shutdown as an opportunity to double down on its attacks on political enemies. That raises risks for American democracy. More here on where this could go 👇

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/dangers-of...

The Rise of the Strongman Presidency My interview with Johns Hopkins Professor William Howell and Stanford Professor Terry Moe on their new book on the transformation of presidential power

My interview with @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social Dean Will Howell and @stanforduniversity.bsky.social Prof. Terry Moe, leading experts on the American presidency, on their important new book The Rise of the Strongman Presidency @princetonupress.bsky.social

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/the-rise-o...

The Rising Tide of Political Violence Charlie Kirk's assassination is part of a disturbing decade-old trend in the US that sets it apart from other advanced democracies

The temperature is rising in American politics. Charlie Kirk's assassination is part of a growing wave of political violence that threatens the stability of our democracy and is very unusual among advanced democracies.

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/the-rising...

@dryan149.bsky.social

Somebody Should Do Something My interview with the authors of a new book on how to enact social change in troubled times

Interview here

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/somebody-s...

My interview with social change experts and philosophy professors @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social, Dan Kelly, and Alex Madva on their fantastic new book Somebody Should Do Something. A must read if you’re thinking about big social problems, how they change, and what you can do @mitpress.bsky.social

The Coming Age of Territorial Expansion Climate change will fuel contests—and maybe wars—for land and resources.

The renaming of the Department of Defense as the Department of War signals a deeper geopolitical shift that departs from the postwar global order

www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

The Drug War Moves to…Venezuela? The Trump administration’s brazen airstrike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat from Venezuela signals an increasing reliance on "tough on crime" political branding

#Trump's airstrike on a boat from #Venezuela signals an increasingly reliance on "tough on crime" political branding and advances in the international arena the same sense of unilateral authority that he has been pursuing domestically 👇

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/the-drug-w...

Indigenous Community Recognition and Identity: Evidence from Peru - Michael Albertus, 2025 Collective recognition of indigenous claims to land and traditional authority has advanced rapidly in recent decades in many countries. How do these processes i...

Just published! 🎉 My paper "Indigenous Community Recognition and Identity: Evidence from Peru" @cpsjournal.bsky.social. It shows how & why indigenous recognition impacts self-identification for those who experience it – and for later generations that don't.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Trump's Attempt To Control the Federal Reserve The politicized firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook threatens the tradition of central bank independence and could destabilize the American economy

Full piece here: michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/trumps-att...

#Trump's politicized firing of Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook threatens its independence and could destabilize the American economy. It also marks a major departure among advanced democracies of central bank independence, which has tamed inflation and unemployment 👇

The Backsliders My interview with University of Chicago Professor Susan Stokes on her new book on democratic erosion around the globe

Democracy is under assault in the US & abroad by elected leaders entrusted to preserve it. My interview with UChicago Professor Susan Stokes, a leading expert on democracy, tells why, based on her new book The Backsliders (@princetonupress.bsky.social)

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/the-backsl...

Q&A With Election Law Expert Nick Stephanopoulos on Texas Republicans' Extreme Partisan Gerrymander Why the rare move threatens local representation and the partisan balance in the US House – and could spark widespread partisan redistricting

My interview with Harvard legal scholar and elections expert @profnickstephan.bsky.social on Texas's redistricting. We cover the legal landscape of gerrymandering, how Texas's move impacts other state plans to redistrict, and what it means for democracy

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/q-and-a-wi...

Trump's Proposal to Redefine "Persons" in the Census Has Big Political Implications The move, which aims to exclude immigrants without legal status, seeks to give a durable political advantage to Republicans

Full post here: michaelalbertus.substack.com/publish/post...

Trump's proposal to redefine "persons" in the #census – by excluding immigrants without legal status – aims at giving Republicans a durable political advantage. A deep dive on it, with a key map that helps understand the dynamics, here 👇

Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies [Albertus, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies

Book here

www.amazon.com/Land-Power-D...

Mike Albertus: Reshuffling land, reconfiguring power Podcast Episode · Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration · 08/08/2025 · 54m

What does it mean to look at power through the lens of land stewardship and ownership? My interview on Green Dreamer with @greendreamerkamea.bsky.social. We talk capitalism, culture, ecology, politics, and more. Based on my new book, Land Power

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Q&A With Election Law Expert Nick Stephanopoulos on Texas Republicans' Extreme Partisan Gerrymander Why the rare move threatens local representation and the partisan balance in the US House – and could spark widespread partisan redistricting

Full post here: michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/q-and-a-wi...

My interview with election law expert
@profnickstephan.bsky.social on #Texas Republicans' extreme partisan #Gerrymandering. Why the rare move threatens representation and the balance in the US House – and could spark widespread partisan redistricting. 👇

Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies [Albertus, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies

www.amazon.com/Land-Power-D...

E221 - Land Power w/ Michael Albertus American Prestige · Episode

Excited to share a podcast on my new book, Land Power, out today @amprestigepod.bsky.social ! On how land power has shaped society across the ages – and continues to be fundamental to inequality, political power, and development today.

open.spotify.com/episode/71ym...

E221 - Land Power w/ @mikealbertus.bsky.social

Michael Albertus from the University of Chicago talks to Danny and Derek about land: historical notions of ownership, race and gender relations around it, and environmental outcomes of its exploitation.

Link in the replies!

Q&A With Senior January 6th Prosecutor Sonia Mittal We discuss the increasingly critical gap between the current practice of law and the reality of democratic erosion – and what can be done about it

With the #DOJ being cleared out over #January6, I interviewed senior J6 prosecutor and co-director of Yale's rule of law clinic Sonia Mittal on her work and on the practice of law now

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/q-and-a-wi...

Q&A With Senior January 6th Prosecutor Sonia Mittal We discuss the increasingly critical gap between the current practice of law and the reality of democratic erosion – and what can be done about it

My interview with a senior January 6th prosecutor on the increasingly critical gap between the current practice of law and the reality of democratic erosion – and what can be done about it. Sonia now co-leads a rule of law clinic at Yale Law School.

michaelalbertus.substack.com/p/q-and-a-wi...