Jonathan Chu

Are People Willing to Trade Away Democracy for Desirable Outcomes? Experimental Evidence From Six Countries - Jonathan A. Chu, Scott Williamson, Eddy S. F. Yeung, 2025 To what extent do people prioritize living in a democracy over other indicators of good governance or personal well-being? This question has become contested as...

People value free and fair elections, and prefer living in a country with free and fair elections but with less desirable outcomes (e.g. low levels of wealth) to living in a country without free and fair elections but with better outcomes journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00104140251392539

The ad provides more information about our priorities. I’m on the search committee and happy to answer your remaining questions! I’ll also be at APSA. 3/3

These are research track positions, so a key criteria will be your trajectory to become a leading & independent scholar in your field, publishing in quality journals. But as a policy school, we also value policy relevance and experience 2/3

We are hiring multiple TT Assistant Professors in Int’l Security (broadly defined but we take “international” seriously), Public Administration (broadly), and Public Policy (esp. Technology). See the ad for key information: academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30182 1/3

Federal Judges Are Begging Us to Pay Attention A Data-Driven Analysis of nearly 300 Federal Cases Reveals Judges Quoting Kafka and Warning of Democracy in Peril

NEW: I analyzed nearly 300 federal cases involving the Trump administration. Federal judges—across the political spectrum—are using language I’ve never seen before. One called government actions “unconscionable.” Another quoted Kafka. They’re begging us to pay attention.

This publication is the product of over 10 years of research. I almost killed the project at several points due to how much pushback it received. But I’m so proud to have it finally published. I hope all will enjoy, even if it is as a skeptical critic! 6/6

My application of the social cue theory to the liberal democratic community is especially timely: as this community is under intense pressure, my argument implies that NATO could rapidly lose its social influence. 5/n

I hope the piece will be fun to teach in graduate seminars, where students can weigh in on my debate w/ the literature. The empirical chapters can also teach a range of survey experimental research designs, and how to validate them with non-experimental data 4/n

I worked especially hard to lay out the theory carefully in general terms so that others can apply the idea of social cueing to phenomena beyond humanitarian intervention. The book further theorizes the specific role of institutions in channeling these cues 3/n

My social cues argument contrasts w/ the rational-information theories that have dominated the field for decades. IO cues aren’t just heuristics that fill information gaps. Even informed audiences w/ encyclopedic policy knowledge are affected by social cues 2/n

Here's the 🧵! Int’l relations scholars have long been trying to make sense of an interesting observation: policies endorsed by int’l organizations like NATO or the Security Council receive greater global approval. Some call this "legitimacy." But what does this mean? 1/n

🚨My new research theorizes and demonstrates a novel mechanism to understand how international organizations legitimize foreign policy: by sending social cues. Read more in the Open Access online version here.(will write a thread later...)

Come work with us at the National University of Singapore. Every year, we have a fantastic group of pre-docs working with us! #econ_ra

fass.nus.edu.sg/ecs/pre-doc-...

That cover photo...

Do birds of a feather deter better? Cultural affinity and alliance deterrence Using a new latent measure of cultural affinity in military alliances (1816–2011), this study shows that states are less likely to be targets of militarized disputes or wars if they are members of ...

Interesting finding about how cultural affinity among military allies might increase their ability to deter attacks. Though, seems like a tricky thing to nail down empirically.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

These international relations starter packs...are almost exclusively North American/W. Europe, both in terms of the scholars' apparent identity and the institutions represented. I guess that also reflects most IR journal editorial boards and departments. What does "international" mean?

Pls add 🙏🏼

Thrilled to be part of the awesome research team that won this Carnegie grant! To understand how security is maintained in fragile states and implications for world order. cega.berkeley.edu/article/glob...

I benefited immensely from this program. Please consider applying!

Please add! 💫

Still accepting applications to work with me as a postdoc next year. Remote work possible. Will review files beginning in Jan. Pls apply / share apply.interfolio.com/142214

We're so excited that this is now in publication form. The key analysis reveals the importance of co-religious identity in explaining people's humanitarian foreign policy attitudes.

I'm so sorry, but I'm the way less cool Jon Chu.

New paper on attitudes toward unilateral action with @jonchu.bsky.social, forthcoming @thejop.bsky.social.

We show evidence that citizens of democracies and autocracies are similar in responding negatively to executive policymaking that excludes the legislature.

polisky dictatorsky

Highly recommend based on my experience last year! Please share widely.

@profmusgrave.bsky.social Please add me to polisky, thank you!

Hello, World!

I guess I'm also here now...