Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

JHSB @jofhsb.bsky.social · Aug 29

In light of International Overdose Awareness Day #IOAD2025, read about the effects of college education on indicators of deaths of despair including hard drug use: bit.ly/3HEMC3j

By Grzegorz Bulczak @a-gugushvili.bsky.social Jonathan Koltai

@asamedsoc.bsky.social @overdoseday.bsky.social

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 25

🔍 Related insights from Social Forces @sfjournal.bsky.social‬: Rolling out anti-discrimination laws across Europe did not reduce perceived disability discrimination—and among men, perceptions even worsened.
Laws without broader change = limited impact.
academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 25

Takeaway:
Anti-discrimination legislation is important, but not sufficient. Real progress for people with disabilities needs:
🔹 Stronger enforcement
🔹 Workplace accommodations
🔹 Broader cultural + structural change

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 25

What did change?
📊 We saw slight increases in voting + trust after disability-specific laws…
…but placebo tests suggest these trends were driven by broader societal shifts, not the legislation itself.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 25

The Nordic model is praised for equality 🌍✨.
But our analysis shows that even strong anti-discrimination laws haven’t closed disability gaps in:
⚖️ Institutional trust
💼 Employment
🙂 Life satisfaction
➡️ Laws alone are not enough.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 25

🆕 Out in Social Science & Medicine with @gruelig.bsky.social:
Do anti-discrimination laws improve the lives of people with disabilities in the Nordics? 🇩🇰-🇫🇮-🇳🇴-🇸🇪
👉 Our study finds little evidence of impact on well-being, trust, jobs, or income.
🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The effect of anti-discrimination legislation on individuals with disabilities in Nordic countries

Nordic countries are renowned for progressive welfare systems and a high quality of life, yet disparities persist between individuals with and without…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 18

⚖️ As leaders debate peace terms, domestic opinion might shape what’s politically acceptable. My article shows European views are fractured, raising doubts about a united European front www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

When the guns fall silent: the variety of European perspectives on the end of war in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked intense geopolitical debates and public reflection across Europe regarding the likely trajectory and resolution of the conflict. Public expectations about t...

www.tandfonline.com

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 18

📰 Who you are + what you follow matters:
Close news followers = more likely to expect 🇺🇦-favorable outcomes.
Disengaged = more pessimistic/uncertain.
Far-right sympathies = more acceptance of outcomes favoring 🇷🇺.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 18

🌍 Regional divides:
🇩🇰 🇫🇮 🇬🇧 → More skeptical of outcomes rewarding 🇷🇺, shaped by history + security concerns.
🇦🇹 🇪🇸 → More acceptance of concessions, linked to neutrality + economic ties.
Europe is far from united on how the war will end.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 18

📊 Optimism for a full 🇺🇦 victory is modest:
🇬🇧 10%
🇫🇮 6%
🇦🇹 3%
🇪🇸 4%
Most expect either a compromise or a frozen conflict. This gap between public expectations and political ambitions matters for peace talks.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Aug 18

🇺🇸-🇺🇦-🇪🇺 As Trump meets Zelensky + European leaders today to discuss ending Russia’s war, it’s important to know: European citizens themselves see the war’s end very differently. My new study in ‪@jei-publication.bsky.social‬ explores these divides 👉 shorturl.at/Mw8KE

When the guns fall silent: the variety of European perspectives on the end of war in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked intense geopolitical debates and public reflection across Europe regarding the likely trajectory and resolution of the conflict. Public expectations about t...

shorturl.at

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 23

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Why does this matter? Because how we remember the past shapes how we see leaders today. This isn’t just about history, it’s about how people across Europe understand today’s threats. 📖 Read more: doi.org/10.1080/2374...

How Europeans compare Putin and Stalin in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine

This study examines public perceptions of similarities between Vladimir Putin and Joseph Stalin across five European countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The analysi...

doi.org

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 23

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The more people follow news about the war or think it’s a big global threat, the more they see Putin and Stalin as similar. Those who support far-right parties, especially in Austria, are much less likely to make the comparison.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 23

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Finns and Danes are much more likely to say Putin is “Stalin-like,” probably because of their history with the Soviet Union and how close they are to Russia. Meanwhile, people in Austria, Spain, and the UK are more on the fence.

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 23

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What do Europeans think: does Putin resemble Stalin? In my new article, I look at how people in 5 countries compare the two leaders, and what shapes these views: history, politics, the media, and the war in Ukraine.
🔗 doi.org/10.1080/2374...

How Europeans compare Putin and Stalin in the context of Russia's war in Ukraine

This study examines public perceptions of similarities between Vladimir Putin and Joseph Stalin across five European countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The analysi...

doi.org

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Political Studies @polstudies.bsky.social · Jun 19

Is downward class mobility linked to far-right party voting and how? @dafnoukos.bsky.social, @a-gugushvili.bsky.social‬ & Tim Vlandas argue it significantly affects far-right voting but only under specific conditions. Read OPEN ACCESS in @polbehavior.bsky.social‬: buff.ly/Cljvggt

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 16

@sociusjournal.bsky.social

Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 16

With @gruelig.bsky.social

Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 16

1⃣ Published in Socius: we analyze Norwegian registry data to examine how early-life chronic conditions and disabilities (asthma, diabetes, sensory loss, physical impairments) influence earnings in adulthood. Read more: doi.org/10.1177/2378...

A Register-Based Study of Early-Life Disabilities and Income Attainment in Adulthood - Alexi Gugushvili, Jon Erik Finnvold, Therese Dokken, Jan Grue, 2025

Individuals with disabilities are likely to be doubly disadvantaged, as they tend to earn less but require more financial resources than individuals without dis...

doi.org

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 16

2⃣ By age 32, individuals with or who developed these conditions earn notably less than their peers, even after accounting for actual hours worked. This highlights persistent economic disparities tied to early-life health

Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · Jun 16

1⃣ Published in Socius: we analyze Norwegian registry data to examine how early-life chronic conditions and disabilities (asthma, diabetes, sensory loss, physical impairments) influence earnings in adulthood. Read more: doi.org/10.1177/2378...

A Register-Based Study of Early-Life Disabilities and Income Attainment in Adulthood - Alexi Gugushvili, Jon Erik Finnvold, Therese Dokken, Jan Grue, 2025

Individuals with disabilities are likely to be doubly disadvantaged, as they tend to earn less but require more financial resources than individuals without dis...

doi.org

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CREST Sociology @crestsociology.bsky.social · Jun 3

THIS THURSDAY, 12:00 Paris time at the CREST Sociology seminar: @a-gugushvili.bsky.social! Come out to Palaiseau or join us on-line: zoom.us/j/9482848830...

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Kristian Kiehling @kristiankiehling.bsky.social · May 22

As part of its ongoing war, Moscow has set up another political party in Norway, aiming to divide and conquer the minds of gullible Europeans. The Party for Peace and Justice (FOR), which is supposedly left-wing, is calling for an end to military aid for Ukraine and is financed by dubious donations.

New party's ads stirred up a storm - Norway's News in English — www.newsinenglish.no

UPDATED: Norwegians riding public transportation to 17th of May celebrations in the Oslo area over the weekend got a bit of a shock on the way: Metro cars were plastered with advertising calling for a...

www.newsinenglish.no

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Daphne Halikiopoulou @dafnoukos.bsky.social · May 7

How and why actual class decline leads to far-right party support: our new blog post for @lseeuroppblog.bsky.social with @a-gugushvili.bsky.social and Tim Vlandas, based on our Political Behavior article blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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LSE EUROPP Blog @lseeuroppblog.bsky.social · May 7

Does class decline lead to increased support for far-right parties?

New research from @a-gugushvili.bsky.social @dafnoukos.bsky.social & Tim Vlandas @polbehavior.bsky.social

How and why actual class decline leads to far-right party support

Does class decline increase an individual's support for the far right? New research suggests that it can, but only under specific conditions.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · May 5

5️⃣ Policy call, if any 📢🏛️: Instead of prescribing marriage as a health cure, invest in social & economic support for single adults. Everyone deserves a fair shot at long life. 🌱❤️

Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · May 5

4️⃣ Take‑home: the storied “marriage‑protection effect” could be mostly selection bias. Health & longevity might stem from shared background, not the ring. 🪄🚫💍

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · May 5

3️⃣ BUT when we compared twin pairs (same genes & upbringing) 🎭 the mortality gap vanished. Partnership status ≠ magic shield. 🫥✨

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · May 5

2️⃣ Population stats say YES: at age 62, single men faced ⚰️ +59 % and single women +47 % higher mortality than coupled peers. 💔

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Alexi Gugushvili @a-gugushvili.bsky.social · May 5

🧵1️⃣ In a new Norwegian twin study with @oyvindw.bsky.social we ask: does being partnered really cut your risk of death? 💍📉 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Does partnership predict mortality? Evidence from a twin fixed effects study design

This study examines the association between partnership status and mortality, addressing methodological concerns such as selection effects and unobser…

www.sciencedirect.com

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CREST Sociology @crestsociology.bsky.social · Apr 22

NEW ARTICLE: CREST Sociology's @scoavoux.bsky.social, @eollion.bsky.social, and @ppraeg.bsky.social's Machine Bias in Sociological Methods & Research, on why we can't use LLMs to generate meaningful survey data

Link: doi.org/10.1177/0049...
Preprint at @socarxiv.bsky.social: doi.org/10.31235/osf...

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