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Shannon McGregor, PhD

@shannimcg.bsky.social

16K followers 2.8K following 1.2K posts

Professor at UNC. Principal investigator at CITAP. Researching & writing on political comm: identity, social media, public opinion, data, news. BOOK: Media & January 6th (Oxford) https://global.oup.com/academic/product/media-and-january-6th-9780197758533

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · Oct 28

For those further interested in the political emptiness of polarization, you can read the longer, more academic screed that @dkreiss.bsky.social & I published. It’s #openaccess
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 19h

This is a perilous moment for democracy in the United States, but I couldn’t be prouder of the Knight Institute’s work right now, and I don’t take for granted that we have the freedom and resources to do it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

This free speech group at Columbia is taking on Trump when the university won’t – and winning

The Knight Institute is defending free speech at a school now synonymous with compromising on it

www.theguardian.com

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NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 1d

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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Dannagal Goldthwaite Young @dannagal.bsky.social · 18h

If you’re wondering why all of us are being compelled to “integrate AI” into our classrooms, our workflow, and our kitchen appliances…

It’s because the market is all in on tech and they put us in another “too big to fail“ predicament.

NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 2d

“Concerns over an AI bubble bursting have grown lately, with analysts recently finding that it’s 17 times the size of the dotcom-era bubble and four times bigger than the 2008 financial crisis.”

Hang onto your butts. This “correction” is gonna hurt.
futurism.com/artificial-i...

Bank of England Warns of Impending AI Disaster

The Bank of England has sounded the alarm, warning of an intensifying risk of a "sudden correction" due to an AI spending frenzy.

futurism.com

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Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 1d

Glad that NYT went to some of the smartest, most clued in experts, @whitneyphillips.bsky.social who is the bomb when it comes to abusive internetting, and @shannimcg.bsky.social an expert in media and social media in politics.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

President Trump’s long, avid embrace of social media has been eagerly adopted by his top aides, replacing longstanding governmental norms with ones native to the internet while also controlling the political narrative.

Trump’s Aides and Officials Take Political Battles Online

President Trump’s long, avid embrace of social media has been eagerly adopted by his top aides, replacing longstanding governmental norms with online ones.

nyti.ms

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 4d

Huge same. Metal af recovery. Much blood. But SO much better at breathing now

Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 4d

Without downloading anything, where are you mentally right now?

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 4d

It’s real bad here folks

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 4d

Monstrous.

"federal agents detained nearly every resident of the 130-unit building—including children and babies—placing them in zip ties and separating them by race into vans for more than two hours early Tuesday morning."

Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 4d

Good reporting on the South Shore raid from South Side weekly here.

Confirms one thing I was told but didn't put in my own piece because I didn't have a second source and it seemed too insane: border agents segregated arrested residents by race

southsideweekly.com/federal-agen...

Federal Agents Storm South Shore Building, Detaining Families and Children

Families were woken by flashbangs and helicopters as hundreds of federal agents raided their homes. Days later, neighbors are still searching for the missing.

southsideweekly.com

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 4d

right? it's so clearly the inspiration

Reposted by Shannon McGregor, PhD

Houston Chronicle @houstonchronicle.com · 5d

Texas once feared a phantom federal occupation. Now Gov. Abbott’s troops are helping carry it out under Trump. And Houston may be next, writes the Houston Chronicle editorial board. bit.ly/48Q3D5C

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 5d

Danielle Allen fails the Lando test / lives out the Arrested Development meme: "A deal on the core principles in a compact could then become a framework for negotiating on legislation." Come ON. With this administration and this Congress?
therenovator.substack.com/p/why-im-exc...

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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 7d

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 8d

These people do not get it — much of the public does. This belies not only a self protectionism but also a disconnect from the public.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 8d

I asked Chris Murphy if he privately talks to Dem colleagues about why they don't sound the alarm loudly. His answers were depressing. Dems tell him they don't want to be "alarmist" or that "democracy" didn't work in 2024, so they want to stick to health care. 5/

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 8d

Here's the assignment folks. Write op-eds for your local papers and campus newspapers too. Just. Say. No. This is a classic authoritarian move and risks the future of higher education and science and innovation in the US. Speak out today. No time to lose. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

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Rebekah Tromble @rebekahtromble.bsky.social · 8d

Hand holding a frying pan with a fried egg in it, with the words “This is your university if you sign” at the top. Image is from the 1980s “This is your brain on drugs” campaign.

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 8d

Not yet! Book workshop this morning, fly back tomorrow morning! But at least here in Illinois, I’ve had edible, even good, food! Plus I’ve been snuggling my friend’s new baby

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Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 9d

Bingo

Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · 9d

We’ve never had a shutdown under a competitive authoritarian regime before. This matters because the rules of the game have changed. If congressional leaders act as if the old rules apply, they will lose. The executive seeks to consolidate power and does not negotiate in good faith.

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Shannon McGregor, PhD @shannimcg.bsky.social · 8d

Glad you made it home!

Reposted by Shannon McGregor, PhD

Jeff Sharlet @jeffsharlet.bsky.social · 8d

I appreciate the clarity of this statement on Trump's attempt to further strongarm 9 universities, including my employer, from Penn faculty:
"When an invitation is accompanied by consequences for not accepting it, it is in fact a threat, not an invitation." aaup-penn.org/statement-by...

Statement by the AAUP-Penn Executive Committee on the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education | AAUP–Penn

October 2, 2025 (updated 4:15pm) All members of the Penn community are invited to sign this petition urging the administration to say no to the Compact. We were alarmed to read reports that Penn has b...

aaup-penn.org

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 9d

And it's not a one-time capitulation. If DOJ ever says you violated the vague and unconstitutional terms, they will take back ALL federal funds from that year and you have to return ALL private funding from donors who want their gifts back from that year. It's a never-ending protection racket.

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 9d

The Act of Capitulation that Trump is demanding that all colleges and universities are to sign surrenders authority over vast areas to Trump, as the Dear Leader. www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/u...

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AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 9d

It’s a 1️⃣-2️⃣punch: The State of Texas, the Regents, & the President dissolve the Faculty Council. Then Trump offers a compact that will affect academic freedom, curriculum, student recruitment, research priorities, the future of academic programs. Once faculty had a voice in such decisions. No longer.

AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 14d

✴️For the first time since 1945, UT does not have a representative faculty council.

Our press release on the replacement of an elected Faculty Council with faculty advisory bodies composed entirely of appointees of President Davis.

docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Press Release 9.27.2025.docx

PRESS RELEASE American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter at The University of Texas at Austin Contact: Pauline Strong, PhD, Chapter President, [email protected] _________________...

docs.google.com

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 9d

NEW: In newly unsealed testimony, a SpaceX insider revealed that Elon Musk’s company had directly received money from Chinese investors, raising questions about foreign ownership interests in one of the United States’ most important military contractors.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Took Money Directly From Chinese Investors, Company Insider Testifies

The newly unsealed testimony marks the first time direct Chinese investment in the company has been disclosed, raising new questions about foreign ownership interests in one of America’s most importan...

www.propublica.org

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Eric Muller @elmunc.bsky.social · 10d

Radical ties get you suspended at #UNC Chapel Hill—unless they’re to the Confederacy, in which case they get you $2.5 million to build a shrine to a secessionist monument.
🤔
#academicsky

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Emily Farris @emayfarris.bsky.social · 10d

This new column by @tressiemcphd.bsky.social makes me think about when I recently had to talk to the police for yet another safety plan, I tried to “lighten” the mood by saying that we all knew this wasn’t my first rodeo. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...

For at least the past 15 years, my colleagues in academia have grappled with angry letters to university officials for doing their jobs. They have weathered campaigns for their firing. They have contended with an internet army obsessed with doxxing them, their parents, their kids. I’ve been contacted by the F.B.I. more than once in my career. Not because I hold any important state secrets or know a biker gang but because one of my colleagues has lived with so much sustained harassment from right-wing “activists” that it has become a matter of federal concern. Watch lists (one of which was constructed by Kirk’s organization) do not distinguish between public intellectuals at wealthy enclaves and hoi polloi who teach popular classes at cash-strapped schools. In either case, an army of trained provocateurs stands ready to destroy their lives to prove their bona fides as conservative activists.

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Chokely Carmichael🥋 @stewartcoles.bsky.social · 11d

This is one of my favorite articles, by @dkreiss.bsky.social & @shannimcg.bsky.social, on why “polarization” is the wrong framing of the problem to begin with.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

From Kreiss & McGregor (2023): “Normatively, we argue that we cannot sacrifice equality and justice on the altar of social cohesion. Any consideration of the harmful democratic effects of polarization must address the fact that political inequality, especially in the context of White racial supremacy in the United States, has historically had far greater and more lasting de-stabilizing and anti-democratic effects, especially for non-White and non-dominant groups in society (Mulrooney, 2018).”

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