Alon Yakter

Two scholars warn of Israel’s democratic backsliding, hidden by Oct. 7’s fog of war In their new Hebrew-language book 'Democracy in Retreat,' Noam Gidron and Yaniv Roznai claim the government is using populism and polarization to chip away at democracy

Alternatively, you can read this interview with the excellent @noamgidron.bsky.social & Yaniv Roznai.

Also a reminder that boycotting all Israeli academics is not just morally dubious (collective punishment) but also strengthens rather than weakens the Israeli far right.

Frontiers | Editorial: The crises of the Israeli democracy The Crises of the Israeli Democracy:Introduction to a Research TopicJune 9, 2025Introduction: Israeli Democracy’s CrisisDuring the past ten years, Israel has...

Just read this excellent Introduction to an important special issue on democratic erosion in Israel. As other authoritarian leaders used COVID-19 to weaken liberal democracy, Netanyahu has used the October 7 attack to push through what hundreds of thousands had successfully prevented in 2023.

Your personality doesn't always predict your views...

Using data from Israel, @naamarivlin.bsky.social and co-authors show the relationship weakens when ethnonational conflict comes to the forefront.

Out now in POQ: doi.org/10.1093/poq/...

@ayakter.bsky.social al
@liorsheffer.bsky.social

Remember the poll that found ~%80 of Israelis support forced expulsion? Well, it’s
Not good social science.

Some of the most serious Israeli political scientists I know and trust: @ayakter.bsky.social @liorsheffer.bsky.social and Yael Shomer looked into it and it has multiple issues.

What a pleasure to direct this amazing @ecpr.bsky.social Joint sessions workshop on citizens democratic commitment with Hannah Werner - thanks to all participants for the exciting papers and stimulating discussions!

מאמר חדש בספר ה"בחירות בישראל" עם @yanivshapi.bsky.social @ayakter.bsky.social

תומכי אילו מפלגות מסכימים ביניהם, ועל אילו נושאים? אילו מהנושאים השפיעו יותר על ההצבעה בבחירות 2022? והאם בעשור האחרון ניכרת מגמה של קיטוב אידאולוגי גובר בין המפלגות או דווקא יציבות יחסית?

Today feels like a good(?) day to reup my paper with @ayakter.bsky.social on Israeli perception of Palestinian non-violence as terrorism @psrm.bsky.social .
It's open access so you can pretend you read it, but just in case, a short 🧵
1/

Bred for its skills in magic.

A serious question: how will comparative politics respond to the problem of under-powered research (see below)? I hope the the field will lean back into our strength (comparative case study) but I worry it will only tip toward big data.

1: from JOP: shorturl.at/aVJB2
2: from APSR: shorturl.at/sbPUi

Congrats, well deserved!

Political Science Starter Pack Collection!

Many have shared excellent starter packs lately, but finding the most relevant ones can be tricky.

This 🧵 gathers many of them in one place 👇🏽

#PoliticalScience #StarterPack

I agree! We know a lot about historical traumas' long-term effect but treat them as a constant shadow. It's interesting to think about current events that activate and interact with these deep anxieties

I think that to understand Israelis' support for the war despite the costs, we must consider the deep anxiety rooted in the national narrative (Holocaust, pogroms) that was activated on 10/7. Key Q is how long it'd last at this volume compared to past cycles, when opinions calmed after a few weeks

I know, it's always been really helpful for studying Israel too! The current anxiety feels different though. Anecdotally, I know folks living far from the 67 lines who didn't send kids to school for a while & many towns still have armed volunteers guarding, as if Palestinians will storm any minute >

Also, due to the magnitude of 10/7 and thick Israeli connectedness, I'm skeptical of individual variation by links to casualties. The national mood is uniformly bad and almost everyone knows some victims through 1-3 circles. Soldiers are cross-sectoral too, so far

>> But, the war's length (and election timing) may matter. As time passes, if this turns into a prolonged, muddy affair like the US in Iraq or Israel in Lebanon in the 80s and 90s, IDF casualties may be a bigger deal

My 2c: this context is really unique, even in Israeli terms. Right now, b/c of the unprecedented horrors and victims of 10/7 & focus on hostages, the polls show strong support for the war despite its costs. I can actually see how stopping midway can be more harmful electorally than going too far. >>

Good summary of the conflict in general <lol cry>

@liranharsgor.bsky.social writes and links to our new JCR paper: did the external threat of COVID-19, when it still seemed life-changing before vaccines, affected Israelis' policy attitudes on collaboration with the Palestinians? Answer: Not so much, though with interesting nuances #polisky #menasky