Debbie Schildkraut

Thank you to everyone who has engaged with this post — the questions and concerns raised are exactly the right ones to ask, and I want to address them directly here 1/6

I still can’t believe this plan actually worked

To recap: to get back to MA today, I flew to Plattsburgh, had a driver take us to the lake Champlain ferry, crossed the icy lake, taught my class on zoom from the Burlington, VT airport, then rented a car to drive home. I feel like I’m in the Amazing Race.

Got to Plattsburgh. Ours is the only plane at the airport. So close to home yet so far away.

Yet another mini political science course in a gripping story.

TIL that all car rental desks at the Plattsburgh, NY airport are closed on Tuesdays. And only Tuesdays. Yes, I’m trying to get back to MA before the end of the week.

Congratulations!!!

their first two series were so so good. each one is like a mini political science course. the first is on the Big Dig highway project. The second is on the state lottery. and now the codfather.

Catching The Codfather A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing Massachusetts. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk ...

your post reminds me that my one of my favorite podcasts is out with a new series. about The Codfather: www.wgbh.org/podcasts/the...

Tamped down snowy trail winding through trees. Bright blue sky.

Stunning day for a spikes hike

Boundaries of American Identity: Evolving Understandings of “Us” This review examines empirical research about American national identity. It focuses on the social and political causes and consequences of (a) how people define what being American means and (b) thei...

I feel like this is a good time to re-up my review of public opinion about American identity

www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

more than halfway done. can't wait to see the studies that come from this.

Also see this great essay by @owasow.bsky.social from the day after 1/6/21. I assign it in class. And it’s always a good day to read anything by Rogers Smith.

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021...

Used this when I taught a course on identity politics to non-major upperclassmen. They found it both easy to understand and informative 🙂

🤩

Boundaries of American Identity: Evolving Understandings of “Us” This review examines empirical research about American national identity. It focuses on the social and political causes and consequences of (a) how people define what being American means and (b) thei...

I feel like this is a good time to re-up my review of public opinion about American identity

www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

Olympian Tom Daley Knits Everywhere. Here’s the Gear He Swears By. Olympic diver and knitting enthusiast Tom Daley tells us his favorite tools and tricks for knitting on the go — from the Olympic pool to the carpool line.

Olympic diver and knitting enthusiast Tom Daley tells us his favorite tools and tricks for knitting on the go — from the Olympic pool to the carpool line.

Here’s thread for you!

bsky.app/profile/debb...

My favorite MN tattoo story: www.mprnews.org/story/2024/0...

hearing about incredible achievements of former students is a constant source of joy. lately researching state identities has been lots of fun. I'm now on our school's tenure/promotion cmte, and learning about the amazing work of my colleagues throughout the university very cool, and humbling!

from my 2024 CES module: 53.5% of pre-election respondents intending to vote for Harris (or who voted early for her) had a US passport. 46% of those intending to vote (or already voted) for Trump

i mean, at the level of: here are some neat, useful, reliable things someone who collects public opinion data or runs experiments can do w/CC and here are some tips on how to do it. Or: have transcripts of a town hall meeting? Here's how you might use CC to work with them.

I would very much like a workshop on "intro to claude code for old political scientists"

check out the work of my Challenge of Democracy co-author, the one and only Jerry Goldman (of Oyez fame):

Did you present a paper at an academic conference during 2025 on state politics or policy? Consider nominating it for a best paper award! The State Politics and Policy Section of APSA has 2 separate awards; one for papers written by and/or with faculty and one just for graduate students.

Goat with a bell around its neck, standing on a rock in front of a trail sign. Snow covered alps in the background.

Cows in a patch of grass in front of trees with dolomite peaks in the background

Not that different from my actual vacations. 😂

Sometimes the adrenaline of teaching gives me temporary relief. Hope that’s the case for you.

Gallup Gave Up. Here’s Why That Sucks. Gallup has been synonymous with polling for decades. But the pollster that made its name forecasting a Franklin Roosevelt win over Alf Landon in 1936 has decide…

old 538 post from when Gallup stopped horse-race polling in 2015:
fivethirtyeight.com/features/gal...

If I remember correctly, they gave a similar justification when they decided to stop doing pre-election polls w likely voters.

End of an era. Big time series loss.