2022

Latent territorial threat and democratic regime reversals

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:55:28 +0000

Latent territorial threat and democratic regime reversals Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 12:55

Latent territorial threat and democratic regime reversals

By: Johannes Karreth, Jaroslav Tir, Douglas M Gibler

Abstract:

Why do some democracies revert to non-democratic forms of governance? We develop an explanation of democratic reversals that emphasizes the influence of states’ external border relations on domestic politics. Latent threats to a state’s territory encourage political centralization of authority in the executive to defend against danger to the homeland. Latent territorial threat also facilitates the construction and maintenance of large land armies to fight threatening neighbors. Combined, latent territorial threat increases leaders’ domestic power, weakens democratic institutions, encourages other conditions threatening democratic survival, and, ultimately, leads to democratic reversals. Synthesizing prior research on territorial conflict, we generate a quantitative, continuous measure of latent territorial threat against all democracies with contiguous neighbors from 1946 to 2016, using Bayesian estimation. Empirical tests accounting for measurement uncertainty and other common determinants of reversals as well as brief reviews of individual cases of reversal provide robust evidence that democracy failed at higher rates in countries facing high levels of threats to their territory from neighbors. Our study implies that a complete account of the development of democratic institutions should emphasize that domestic factors alone fall short of explaining why democracies fail.

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Does threat from COVID-19 stimulate attitudes amenable to public cooperation? Evidence from India

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:53:34 +0000

Does threat from COVID-19 stimulate attitudes amenable to public cooperation? Evidence from India Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 12:53

Does threat from COVID-19 stimulate attitudes amenable to public cooperation? Evidence from India

By: Shane P Singh, Jaroslav Tir

Abstract:

Especially before the development of vaccines, efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 relied heavily on public cooperation with health directives that highlight the virus’ existential threat. In this article, we test whether exposure to information about threat from the pandemic induces in individuals positive orientations towards their compatriots and society – thus providing the micro-foundations of the ‘we are in this together’ sentiment that would bolster public cooperation. Fielding a pre-registered experiment in the early days of the pandemic in India, we randomised exposure to a vignette referencing the biological threat. We find no evidence that treatment increased positive attitudes towards one’s compatriots or society. If anything, the treatment had a negative effect, which bodes poorly for efforts to obtain public cooperation in the fight against the virus.

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Consent in peacekeeping

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:50:56 +0000

Consent in peacekeeping Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 12:50

Consent in peacekeeping

By: Timothy Passmore, Johannes Karreth, Jaroslav Tir

Abstract:

In September 2007, amid widespread armed attacks by rebel groups against civilians in eastern
Chad and the Central African Republic, the UN Security Council approved the establishment
of a peacekeeping mission, MINURCAT, aimed at curbing the violence and strengthening the
rule of law. Significant UN resources were directed toward the mission, including an author-
ized strength of over 6000 uniformed and civilian personnel, and total estimated expenses
amounting to $1.39 billion (UN Department of Peace Operations n.d.). Yet, after less than
three years, the government of Chad indicated its desire for the UN to completely withdraw,
which was completed by the end of 2010. From the perspective of the UN and the international
community, the mission was considered a failure, where only limited successes were achieved
in carrying out the operational mandate. From the outset, the government of Chad had agreed
to the mission only reluctantly and subsequently sought to restrict the capacity of the mission
to deliver peace. This resulted in both a mission devoid of a political mandate that would be
essential to procuring a resolution to the conflict, as well as a host state highly resistant to the
mission’s presence (Johnstone 2011, p. 171)....

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International justice: Rights and obligations of states

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:50:40 +0000

International justice: Rights and obligations of states Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:50

International justice: Rights and obligations of states

By: Steve Vanderheiden

Abstract:

A preliminary question to its application concerns whether or not justice can defensibly be extended to relations between states, as the notion of “international justice” supposes that it can be. Philosophers and political theorists have long assumed that some ethical norms govern the conduct of nation-states in international politics, occasionally prescribing limits on state actions beyond those inscribed in law or justifying international responses to transgressions of these norms. Strong environmental protections might be advocated from the weaker sense of justice that is coextensive with human rights doctrine, although with the somewhat more modest goal of ensuring that all meet some threshold of access to environmental goods and services, or are not put at risks that exceed a similar threshold by the acts of others. An alternative formulation to distributive justice principles that have developed around the ideal of equity, which lends itself to several problems in global environmental politics, is one that is instead built around ideal of responsibility.

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Climate justice and equity

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:49:21 +0000

Climate justice and equity Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:49

Climate justice and equity

By: Steve Vanderheiden

Abstract:

Equity serves as a key ideal in the normative assessment of anthropogenic climate change as well as in the evaluation of responses to it. This chapter examines this ideal in light of commitments within the climate treaty as well as in principles of remedial justice.

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Foundations of Social Policy Support Under Heterogenous Tax Enforcement: Evidence from Survey and Laboratory Experiments

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:17:49 +0000

Foundations of Social Policy Support Under Heterogenous Tax Enforcement: Evidence from Survey and Laboratory Experiments Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:17

Foundations of Social Policy Support Under Heterogenous Tax Enforcement: Evidence from Survey and Laboratory Experiments

By: Israel Marques, Sarah Sokhey

Abstract:

What do citizens want from the government when the government functions poorly? We find that poorly functioning institutions play a significant role in citizens' redistributive preferences. Specifically, we argue that heterogeneity in tax enforcement creates both winners and losers, leading to under-explored cleavages in support for redistribution. Higher earners are more supportive of redistribution when they can more easily evade taxes. We use an original survey experiment to show that perceptions of pervasive tax evasion reduce support for social benefits. We then test our central argument using laboratory experiments simulating earned income and heterogeneity in tax evasion. We find that high earners prefer more redistribution when they can under-report their earned income, but only when the ability to evade taxes is heterogeneous. Our results indicate a nuanced causal explanation that counters some traditional explanations.

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Full View Russia’s response to COVID-19: Leveraging pre-pandemic data to theorize about public approval

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:15:11 +0000

Full View Russia’s response to COVID-19: Leveraging pre-pandemic data to theorize about public approval Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:15

Russia’s response to COVID-19: Leveraging pre-pandemic data to theorize about public approval

By: Sarah Wilson Sokhey

Abstract:

Why have Russians largely approved of the government’s pandemic response despite having one of the highest excess death rates in the world? The explanation is not that the government has done a good job, that citizens have come to expect little from the state in general, nor entirely because of a pro-government media. Drawing on pre-pandemic survey data, I argue that Russians’ opinions about state-provided healthcare shape their evaluation of the government’s response to COVID-19, and help explain approval of the government's pandemic reaction. Future research on Russian pandemic politics should account for the importance of prior assessments.

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Learning by doing: using an undergraduate research lab to promote diversity and inclusion

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:12:13 +0000

Learning by doing: using an undergraduate research lab to promote diversity and inclusion Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:12

Learning by doing: using an undergraduate research lab to promote diversity and inclusion

By: Jeffrey Nonnemacher, Sarah Wilson Sokhey

Abstract:

Undergraduate research labs have long been recognized as having educational and professional benefits, but much less attention has been given to how they can promote diversity and inclusion. Without a conscientious effort to promote these goals, labs are likely to replicate and perpetuate existing inequalities. This article discusses our experiences and lessons from launching an undergraduate research lab in a political science department at a research-oriented state university. It concludes with suggestions for other departments interested in starting undergraduate research labs. Promoting diversity and inclusion by working with undergraduates is unlikely if faculty are recruiting students individually outside of a lab, if the burden is on students to approach faculty, or if labs do not take practical steps to make this happen.

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Enraged and engaged? Emotions as motives for discussing politics

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:53:13 +0000

Enraged and engaged? Emotions as motives for discussing politics Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 10:53

Enraged and engaged? Emotions as motives for discussing politics

By: Jennifer Wolak, Anand Edward Sokhey

Abstract:

The 2016 presidential campaign made some feel angry, while others felt anxious, embarrassed, or enthusiastic. We explore how these emotions relate to patterns of political talk within informal conversation networks. Using items from the 2016 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, we link emotional reactions to rates of conversation, interest in political talk, and exposure to disagreeable viewpoints. Rather than deterring people from contentious conversations, we find that the heightened emotions are associated with greater engagement in political talk. Those who feel angry do not confront their opponents. Instead, they avoid conversations with those who do not share their views, where anger is tied to partisan patterns of political discussion. Feelings of embarrassment have the opposite relationship, as those who felt embarrassed during the campaign were more likely to discuss politics with those with contrary views. These results inform when and how people engage in political talk.

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The knowledge polity: Teaching and research in the social sciences

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:50:35 +0000

The knowledge polity: Teaching and research in the social sciences Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 10:50

The knowledge polity: Teaching and research in the social sciences

By: Paul A Djupe, Anand Edward Sokhey, Amy Erica Smith

Abstract:

Drawing on surveys of diverse social science faculty, three acclaimed scholars develop a rich and sometimes surprising portrait of who produces research, teaches students, and contributes to the business of higher education-and how, when, and why. In The Knowledge Polity, Paul A. Djupe, Amy Erica Smith, and Anand Edward Sokhey envision academics as members of a polity where the primary output is knowledge and citizenship comes with rights and responsibilities. Leveraging the 2017 Professional Activity in the Social Sciences (PASS) Study, they develop a theoretically and empirically rich account of who produces knowledge, and how. The data enable an unparalleled understanding of the nature and sources of inequalities by gender and racial or ethnic identification in the disciplines of sociology and political science in the US. To explain those inequalities, the authors consider academics as embedded in institutional and social contexts-including their home lives-and carefully consider their personalities and changing compositions of the academic workforce. A comprehensive and wide-ranging analysis, this book documents patterns that have long been shrouded in anecdote and enables scholars from across the social and behavioral sciences to make empirically-grounded decisions about their individual and collective futures.

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