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Juan Cole

@jricole.bsky.social

6.5K followers 1.6K following 4.2K posts

Historian, essayist: Middle East, South Asia, Islam, Social History, Foreign Policy, Environment, Culture, Progressive Politics; Signal: Juan Cole

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John Ricardo Irfan "Juan" Cole is an American academic and commentator on the modern Middle East and South Asia. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Since 2002, he has written a weblog, Informed Comment (juancole.com). .. more

Political science 68%

Sociology 17%

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · Oct 26

Gaza Yet Stands: Juan Cole’s New E-Book

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Many observers have complained that our understanding of the current Mideast War too often begins with the horrendous Hamas attacks on Israelis on October 7, 2023. Historian, here, hand up. I’ve not only studied the history…

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 2h

Joy Kozloff, "Palestine," 2013 'Contested Geographies, Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY http://dlvr.it/TNc4X4

Reposted by Juan Cole

Tyler King @tyleraking.com · 4h

DHS default is to lie about every encounter. Which is why they’re trying to criminalize recording them.

CHICAGO (WGN) - A WGN creative services department employee was detained by two
Border Patrol officers and later released after federal agents swarmed a busy intersection on Chicago's North Side Friday morning, at the height of rush hour.
WGN is not naming the employee, as station policy requires blurring faces and not identifying those who have not been charged with a crime.
Witnesses on site who captured the incident on video spoke to WGN about the moments leading up to the staffer's detainment.

Thomas added that when he made his way down to the scene, around 8:30 Friday morning, he realized there was another person already detained inside the minivan being used by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
"I didn't get his name, although I asked for his name," Thomas said. "He didn't speak very good English. They claimed that the WGN employee was obstructing justice, even though she was, like all of us, just standing there, taking video.'
"

Tricia McLaughlin ®
@TriciaOhio
X.com
She was arrested for throwing objects at law enforcement.
Heartland Signal D @HeartlandSignal • 3h
BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 4h

the Israeli method

Jacqueline Sweet @jsweetli.bsky.social · 4h

WGN, this woman’s employer, is now reporting she was not charged with any crimes and was released.

DHS said earlier she was arrested for assault for throwing objects at agents.

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Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole, Michael D. McDonald , and 1 more Rosemary A. Joyce, Juan Cole, Michael D. McDonald, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

Jacqueline Sweet @jsweetli.bsky.social · 4h

WGN, this woman’s employer, is now reporting she was not charged with any crimes and was released.

DHS said earlier she was arrested for assault for throwing objects at agents.

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Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Juan Cole

Jonathan Gilligan @jgilligan.org · 5h

Student governments of Vanderbilt, MIT, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, UVA, and Arizona issued a joint statement condemning the Compact and stating that "Academic Freedom is not negotiable." www.instagram.com/p/DPm507ljBJ...

On October 1st, 2025, the White House sent the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education to our seven universities, outlining expectations universities must meet to continue receiving federal benefits.

Although the compact's full implications remain unclear, the document outlines
unprecedented expectations universities must meet to receive federal benefits. This could systemically alter the mission of higher education and erode the independence that has long defined our universities. We must not allow these attempts to control what can be taught, studied, or spoken on our campuses.

Our universities represent the full spectrum of American higher education, from liberal arts colleges to leading research institutions. As students, this directly impacts us, and thus, our voices must be heard. We know firsthand that institutional autonomy is instrumental to the perpetuation of innovation and progress. As the Compact itself acknowledges, “American higher education is the envy of the world and represents a key strategic benefit for our Nation," yet the document undermines the very principles that make this statement true. Our administrations have been presented with a false choice between their commitments to knowledge and education and our access to the resources that sustain them. To preserve our status as world leaders in education, we must remain true to the foundation of academic freedom that has propelled us forward.

As student representatives, we stand in united opposition to the outlined conditions. We call on our community of students, faculty, alumni, and leadership to reaffirm our commitment to reject political interference and federal overreach. Academic freedom is not negotiable.

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Reposted by Juan Cole, David R. Miller

Ian Bassin @ianbassin.bsky.social · 5h

The Court, blocking Trump's deployment of Texas NG to Illinois: "not even the Founding Father most ardently in favor of a strong federal government believed that one state’s militia could be sent to another state for the purposes of political retribution." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

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NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 5h

The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...

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Reposted by Juan Cole, Adrian Daub

Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 6h

Found this just incredibly depressing, more than anything.

An easel sign reads, “UCLA
ATTENTION
No events are permitted in this area today. Per Policy 852, this location is NOT designated for public expression activities.
Individuals participating in an event or a public expression activity in this area are subject to discipline and/or arrest.
Scan for policy information.”

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Levi McLaughlin @levimclaughlin.bsky.social · 8h

Japan, ostensibly one of the least religious countries in the world, had its political order upended by the lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai. That is THE story about Friday's epochal shift in Japanese politics (thread follows):

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 10h

threats to our precious bodily fluids

Gizmodo @gizmodo.com · 10h

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Makes Bizarre Connection Between Circumcision, Tylenol, and Autism https://gizmodo.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-makes-bizarre-connection-between-circumcision-tylenol-and-autism-2000670971

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Makes Bizarre Connection Between Circumcision, Tylenol, and Autism

At a White House Cabinet meeting Thursday, Kennedy argued that taking Tylenol for pain after the procedure may be driving up autism rates in boys.

gizmodo.com

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Gizmodo @gizmodo.com · 10h

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Makes Bizarre Connection Between Circumcision, Tylenol, and Autism

At a White House Cabinet meeting Thursday, Kennedy argued that taking Tylenol for pain after the procedure may be driving up autism rates in boys.

gizmodo.com

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Progressive International @progintl.bsky.social · 10h

"I said I was Jewish. They ripped me by the ear and forced me to bend down and stare at the flag of the state of Israel."

Watch David Adler, Co-General Coordinator of the Progressive International, recall the abuse of the Global Sumud Flotilla crew in Israeli detention.

5 Days in Israel’s Desert Prison: Jewish Flotilla Activist David Adler on Harrowing Detention Ordeal

Israeli forces have abducted over 500 peace activists over the past week who were sailing to Gaza in an effort to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged territory. Organizers of the Global Sumud…

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign @ipsc.bsky.social · 10h

Great letter in today's Irish Times, thousands of Palestinians are incarcerated in apartheid Israel's torture dungeons, they must be released. And our government must call for their release. #FreeThemAll #FreePalestine

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Jesse D. Jenkins @jessedjenkins.com · 10h

America’s biggest offshore wind farm will be online in six months.
"Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW project off Virginia’s coast is progressing fast. The utility has a new, more definitive target to plug into the grid: March 2026." Via @canarymedia.com
www.canarymedia.com/articles/off... 🔌💡

America’s biggest offshore wind farm will be online in six months

Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW project off Virginia’s coast is progressing fast. The utility has a new, more definitive target to plug into the grid: March 2026.

www.canarymedia.com

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

not only can't he have it, he's chasing away the actual awardees

Nobel-winning economists Duflo and Banerjee will leave US for Switzerland flip.it/Z5OZq0

Nobel-winning economists Duflo and Banerjee will leave US for Switzerland

The University of Zurich said that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, known for their work in development economics, will move from the US to Switzerland, amid Donald Trump's attacks o...

flip.it

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

Snubbed by Nobel, Trump to head to Middle East to celebrate Gaza ‘peace’ flip.it/1w3SRs

Snubbed by Nobel, Trump to head to Middle East to celebrate Gaza ‘peace’

White House decries Nobel Committee's decision not to hand Peace Prize to Donald Trump after Gaza ceasefire deal.

flip.it

Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

Al Jazeera says he's going to Egypt

Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

Put forth at least a little effort?

How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden flip.it/BFBlef

How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden

Trump's unique style and his relationships with key players helped but there were also factors beyond his control.

flip.it

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Dr. William Horne @wihorne.bsky.social · 11h

I’m teaching abt Red Summer today, when white vigilantes & National Guardsmen across the country harassed, detained, assaulted, & murdered Black Americans as part of a backlash against Black military service in WWI.

Red Summer of 1919

eji.org

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

Opinion | How China is engineering Asia’s rise as the world’s leading EV factory flip.it/H8fF46

Opinion | How China is engineering Asia’s rise as the world’s leading EV factory

Systematic Chinese investments and tech transfers are being embraced, especially in Southeast Asia, in contrast to Western decoupling efforts.

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 11h

haven't heard

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Reposted by Juan Cole

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 11h

Many thanks @houstonchronicle.com for the opportunity to explain how autism genes operate in fetal neurodevelopment, known chemical exposures interacting with those genes, why focusing on vaccines, Tylenol, circumcision is misguided, and we actually should do www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...

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David Kurtz @davidkurtz.bsky.social · 11h

In the Trump administration’s lawless investigation of liberal groups and their finances, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is “playing a central role," White House officials told Reuters:

talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...

Stephen Miller Has ‘Central Role’ Probing Liberal Groups

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This...

talkingpointsmemo.com

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 12h

"I got a call recently from University of Michigan campus police warning me to be careful, since I had been put on a watch list by the late Charlie Kirk"

IC Fundraising Appeal: Support Independent Journalism in a Year of Living Dangerously www.juancole.com/2025/10/fund...

IC Fundraising Appeal: Support Independent Journalism in a Year of Living Dangerously

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) - These are parlous times for people who speak out against injustice, and I cannot thank our loyal readers enough for their continued devotion to this site and for their s...

www.juancole.com

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 12h

The grass that decorates the river bank
has sprung from a sweet belle with angel lips.
Don’t trample on the lawn disdainfully:
The dust of a seductress gives it life.

Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 21h

“From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen:” FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:19

With no. 19 in in the first edition of Edward FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, the theme turns away from the glory of kings as a flash-in-the-pan to the impermanence of life for everyone. One of the tropes common in the subsequent poems, already used in no. 18, is that we are clay and […]

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Juan Cole @jricole.bsky.social · 12h

I want my money back.

Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 18h

US taxpayers spent over $33bn on Israel's wars over two years - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/us-taxpayers-spent-over-33bn-israels-wars-over-two-years

US taxpayers spent over $33bn on Israel's wars over two years

<article data-history-node-id="429930" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/us-taxpayers-spent-over-33bn-israels-wars-over-two-years" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/us-taxpayers-spent-over-33bn-israels-wars-over-two-years" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">US taxpayers spent over $33bn on Israel's wars over two years</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>The <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/us" target="_blank">US</a> has spent nearly $34bn supporting <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel</a> since 7 October 2023, according to a <a href="https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/AidToIsrael" target="_blank">report</a> published by Brown University on Tuesday, revealing the staggering cost of Israel’s wars in the region to US taxpayers.</p> <p>The price tag means that the US has spent around $3,400 on defence and military activities for every citizen of Israel since the country launched its devastating assault on Gaza following the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel.</p> <p>The hefty price tag to US taxpayers caught the attention of several commentators on social media. One <a href="https://x.com/Villgecrazylady/status/1975996350253691303" target="_blank">wrote</a>, “A family of 4 in Israel is receiving $577/month in subsidies, courtesy of the American taxpayer, for 2 years now.”</p> <p>"Israelis still have free healthcare and free college and subsidized childcare. They haven’t reduced any of their social welfare programs. Meanwhile Americans are literally paying for groceries with their credit cards,” the post on X added.</p> <p>The report took into account US military spending on Israel and related US military campaigns in the region as part of Brown University’s ongoing Costs of War project.</p> <h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-taxpayers-spent-33bn-israel-wars-over-two-years">US taxpayers spent over $33bn on Israel's wars over two years</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="A billboard displays an image of US President Donald Trump with a message thanking him for reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the side of a building in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on 9 October 2025 (Jack Guez/AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="009711ab-9d20-4903-8c8b-c56dfb5da230" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/images-story/Trump-poster-Israel-AFP.jpg" width="1200" height="675" alt="A billboard displays an image of US President Donald Trump with a message thanking him for reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the side of a building in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on 9 October 2025 (Jack Guez/AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>A billboard displays an image of US President Donald Trump with a message thanking him for reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza, on the side of a building in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on 9 October 2025 (Jack Guez/AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url("https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png") rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>

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Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Jennifer A. Richeson, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 9 more Kim L. Scheppele, Jennifer A. Richeson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Anders Nilsson, Juan Cole, Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, David R. Miller, Brian Keegan, Greg Linden, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 12h

News: Bari Weiss just sent a memo to staffers at CBS News asking them to produce a memo explaining "how you spend your working hours—and ideally, what you've made (or are making) that you're most proud of."

One CBS News staffer puts it like this to me: "We just got Elon Musked."

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Reposted by Gavin A. Schmidt, Juan Cole, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 12h

Here's a snippet from the MIT president's letter to ED

Screenshot from link that reads: The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.

In our view, America’s leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.

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Reposted by John R. Hutchinson, Juan Cole, Giovanna Mascheroni , and 2 more John R. Hutchinson, Juan Cole, Giovanna Mascheroni, David Murakami Wood, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 13h

Must-read piece in @theguardian.com (h/t @dpcarrington.bsky.social). In #ScienceUnderSiege, we describe how petrostates Saudi Arabia & Russia leveraged Musk's buyout of twitter so they could weaponize it for climate denial propaganda & attacks on renewables.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Money talks: the deep ties between Twitter and Saudi Arabia

The long read: Saudi Arabia’s investment in Twitter increased its influence in Silicon Valley while being used at home to shut down critics of the regime

www.theguardian.com

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Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 13h

The six high-profile Palestinian prisoners being negotiated over - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/six-high-profile-palestinian-prisoners-being-negotiated-over

The six high-profile Palestinian prisoners being negotiated over

<article data-history-node-id="429953" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/six-high-profile-palestinian-prisoners-being-negotiated-over" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/six-high-profile-palestinian-prisoners-being-negotiated-over" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">The six high-profile Palestinian prisoners being negotiated over</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p style="line-height:1.38">The first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza has <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ceasefire-officially-begins-gaza-after-two-years-israeli-genocide" target="_blank">taken effect</a>, with a prisoner exchange now set to follow in the coming days. </p> <p>At 12pm local time, the truce began, with <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israeli</a> tanks pulling back from al-Rashid Road, which runs from Gaza's north to south. </p> <p>The next stage of the agreement, the prisoner exchange, is scheduled to take place on Monday at midday, 72 hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas officially began.</p> <p>It will include the release of the estimated 20 living captives, as well as several bodies of dead Israelis held in Gaza, believed to be 28 others.</p> <p>In exchange, Israel will release around 2,000 <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinian</a> prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and hundreds of men, women and children seized from Gaza and held without charge.</p> <h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/six-high-profile-palestinian-prisoners-being-negotiated-over"><span class="field field-title">The six high-profile Palestinian prisoners being negotiated over</span></a></h3> <div alt="saadat" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a87f159b-ebab-4604-a73c-45dca62b8227" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/images-story/ahmed-saadat-pflp-imprisoned-2006-afp.jpg" width="1920" height="1080" alt="saadat" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> </div> </div> </article>

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