Ben Laurence
@agentsofchange.bsky.social
Author of Agents of Change. Political philosopher at UChicago who is obsessed with the relation of theory to practice. Currently working on the political theory of labor unions. https://benlaurence.net
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Last week Yoram Hazony, far-right Israeli theorist & leader of National Conservatism, sat down with NYT columnist Ross Douthat to explain why he was surprised there's now an antisemitism crisis in the MAGA movement. Nobody else was surprised. My latest: bit.ly/HazonyAntisemitism
November 24, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Last week Yoram Hazony, far-right Israeli theorist & leader of National Conservatism, sat down with NYT columnist Ross Douthat to explain why he was surprised there's now an antisemitism crisis in the MAGA movement. Nobody else was surprised. My latest: bit.ly/HazonyAntisemitism
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Baristas are locking arms in front of lines of trucks.
This distribution center is Starbucks’ largest on the East Coast, which is why we’re showing up to send a message. We're ready to continue escalating our ULP strike until Starbucks does the right thing.
#NoContractNoCoffee
This distribution center is Starbucks’ largest on the East Coast, which is why we’re showing up to send a message. We're ready to continue escalating our ULP strike until Starbucks does the right thing.
#NoContractNoCoffee
November 19, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Baristas are locking arms in front of lines of trucks.
This distribution center is Starbucks’ largest on the East Coast, which is why we’re showing up to send a message. We're ready to continue escalating our ULP strike until Starbucks does the right thing.
#NoContractNoCoffee
This distribution center is Starbucks’ largest on the East Coast, which is why we’re showing up to send a message. We're ready to continue escalating our ULP strike until Starbucks does the right thing.
#NoContractNoCoffee
Reposted by Ben Laurence
The HHS report on gender affirming care released it's updated report showing they stacked its authors with anti-trans hate-group affiliated members, several of whom aren't even doctors with any sort of clinical experience. They selected their own ideologically friendly peer reviewers.
It's a joke.
It's a joke.
November 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The HHS report on gender affirming care released it's updated report showing they stacked its authors with anti-trans hate-group affiliated members, several of whom aren't even doctors with any sort of clinical experience. They selected their own ideologically friendly peer reviewers.
It's a joke.
It's a joke.
@leaypi.bsky.social delivering the Dewey Lecture yesterday! It was a banger about freedom, capitalism and impersonal domination.
November 18, 2025 at 2:14 PM
@leaypi.bsky.social delivering the Dewey Lecture yesterday! It was a banger about freedom, capitalism and impersonal domination.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Everybody opposed to authoritarianism and oligarchy should needs to stand in solidarity with the Starbucks workers who are likely going on strike starting November 13
This is a winnable fight — but it'll take all of our support to help workers get past the finish line
This is a winnable fight — but it'll take all of our support to help workers get past the finish line
BREAKING: After months of stonewalling by Starbucks, unionized baristas just voted 92% to authorize a ULP strike unless Starbucks finalizes fair contracts & stops union busting.
If forced, our baristas will strike in dozens of cities on November 13 – the company's busiest sales day of the year.
If forced, our baristas will strike in dozens of cities on November 13 – the company's busiest sales day of the year.
Starbucks unionized workers say they'll strike on Nov. 13 if coffee giant doesn't finalize contract
Union members say they are ready to strike on the chain's Red Cup Day if Starbucks doesn't finalize a contract with their union by then.
www.cbsnews.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Everybody opposed to authoritarianism and oligarchy should needs to stand in solidarity with the Starbucks workers who are likely going on strike starting November 13
This is a winnable fight — but it'll take all of our support to help workers get past the finish line
This is a winnable fight — but it'll take all of our support to help workers get past the finish line
I grew up in NYC. As a child of a single mom who worked tirelessly to support me, whose career fell apart later in life and was on workfare when I went to college, hard not to feel like the city chewed me up and spat me out. But I guess I can call myself a new yorker again.
November 5, 2025 at 4:59 AM
I grew up in NYC. As a child of a single mom who worked tirelessly to support me, whose career fell apart later in life and was on workfare when I went to college, hard not to feel like the city chewed me up and spat me out. But I guess I can call myself a new yorker again.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Who is wise? One who learns from all people.
Who is a fool? One who is content with their own limited understanding of the world.
(Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers)
Who is a fool? One who is content with their own limited understanding of the world.
(Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers)
November 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Who is wise? One who learns from all people.
Who is a fool? One who is content with their own limited understanding of the world.
(Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers)
Who is a fool? One who is content with their own limited understanding of the world.
(Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers)
Awkward realization that my fashion sense is dominated by the question (aside from the unpleasant fedora issue): would Indiana Jones wear this?
November 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Awkward realization that my fashion sense is dominated by the question (aside from the unpleasant fedora issue): would Indiana Jones wear this?
Reposted by Ben Laurence
UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera
In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.
As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.
As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
October 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera
In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.
As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.
As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
October 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Watch the videos of our people celebrating and fuel up on joy for the next phase of the fight for a Free Palestine. We will never stop until our people have the dignity of full lives on our land: self determination, freedom of movement, the right to return. In our lifetime.
October 9, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Watch the videos of our people celebrating and fuel up on joy for the next phase of the fight for a Free Palestine. We will never stop until our people have the dignity of full lives on our land: self determination, freedom of movement, the right to return. In our lifetime.
Claus Offe, the great German Marxist sociologist died yesterday. His essays collection Disorganized Capitalism is so good! I'm obsessed with "2 Logics of Collective Action", a rejoinder to Mancur Olson's neo-classical treatment of unions. "The Political Economy of the Labor Market" is also a banger!
October 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Claus Offe, the great German Marxist sociologist died yesterday. His essays collection Disorganized Capitalism is so good! I'm obsessed with "2 Logics of Collective Action", a rejoinder to Mancur Olson's neo-classical treatment of unions. "The Political Economy of the Labor Market" is also a banger!
The Ezra Klein conversation with Ta
-Nahisi Coates is like listening to an evolved human (Coates) trying to reason, with great moral clarity and nuance, with a hollow shell of a person.
-Nahisi Coates is like listening to an evolved human (Coates) trying to reason, with great moral clarity and nuance, with a hollow shell of a person.
September 30, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The Ezra Klein conversation with Ta
-Nahisi Coates is like listening to an evolved human (Coates) trying to reason, with great moral clarity and nuance, with a hollow shell of a person.
-Nahisi Coates is like listening to an evolved human (Coates) trying to reason, with great moral clarity and nuance, with a hollow shell of a person.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Happy Stanislav Petrov Day! On this day one man prevented the apocalypse.
September 26, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Happy Stanislav Petrov Day! On this day one man prevented the apocalypse.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
"Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked by drones off Greece."
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Spain's PM says he will send warship to protect Gaza aid flotilla
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked by drones off Greece.
www.reuters.com
September 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
"Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked by drones off Greece."
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Reposted by Ben Laurence
sorry i know we already did this, but just remembered that the sorta-tacit-sorta-explicit thing in that amicus brief is 'we are goldbugs for gender' and had to stare at the wall for five minutes
So this is clearly trying to appeal to gold standard cranks yeah? And that may well describe at least a couple justices
September 24, 2025 at 2:24 AM
sorry i know we already did this, but just remembered that the sorta-tacit-sorta-explicit thing in that amicus brief is 'we are goldbugs for gender' and had to stare at the wall for five minutes
Reposted by Ben Laurence
It gives me no pleasure to report that he does indeed have that shit on
September 24, 2025 at 12:13 AM
It gives me no pleasure to report that he does indeed have that shit on
A new Chotiner dropped
this is the most chotinered a chotiner interview has ever chotinered
September 23, 2025 at 7:10 PM
A new Chotiner dropped
Reposted by Ben Laurence
Unions in Italy have launched a one-day strike to protest Israel's war on Gaza. Thousands of workers are demonstrating in the general strike that's brought schools, transit and ports to a halt.
September 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Unions in Italy have launched a one-day strike to protest Israel's war on Gaza. Thousands of workers are demonstrating in the general strike that's brought schools, transit and ports to a halt.
So so sad to learn about the death of Jonathan Lear. His work on Aristotle and Freud was formative for me. He was a model of philosophical intelligence and curiosity. More importantly he was a human human, with rare integrity and sharp judgment. It's hard to imagine the world without him in it.
September 22, 2025 at 9:04 PM
So so sad to learn about the death of Jonathan Lear. His work on Aristotle and Freud was formative for me. He was a model of philosophical intelligence and curiosity. More importantly he was a human human, with rare integrity and sharp judgment. It's hard to imagine the world without him in it.
Reposted by Ben Laurence
All of us at the university budget town hall heard the same thing when the president said that donors liked the “sharpening” we’ve done and will reward future “sharpening,” right?
September 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
All of us at the university budget town hall heard the same thing when the president said that donors liked the “sharpening” we’ve done and will reward future “sharpening,” right?
Reposted by Ben Laurence
We haven’t seen the text of this yet, but to be clear, the president has literally zero legal authority to impose a $100,000 fee on visas. None. Zip. Zilch.
The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.
The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.
Trump signs an EO on H-1Bs raising "the fee that companies pay to sponsor H1-B applicants to $100,000"
September 19, 2025 at 10:02 PM
We haven’t seen the text of this yet, but to be clear, the president has literally zero legal authority to impose a $100,000 fee on visas. None. Zip. Zilch.
The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.
The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.
Seems like ending H1-B visas may result in offshoring some high skilled jobs. Not in higher ed obvs but in tech
On the news of H-1B visa fees rising to $100,000, reupping this analysis.
Have U.S. multinationals been growing remote-suitable jobs offshore rather than onshore?
Elton Mykerezi & I partnered with Revelio on new analysis. Their data is built from worker LinkedIn profiles & corp structure info.
Toplines:
www.reveliolabs.com/news/busines...
Elton Mykerezi & I partnered with Revelio on new analysis. Their data is built from worker LinkedIn profiles & corp structure info.
Toplines:
www.reveliolabs.com/news/busines...
September 20, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Seems like ending H1-B visas may result in offshoring some high skilled jobs. Not in higher ed obvs but in tech