Biff Parker-Magyar
@biffpm.bsky.social
postdoc @ Harvard Weatherhead 24-25 & asst prof @ Yale 25-. Networks, contentious politics, MENA. Peripatetic product of the garden state.
https://biffpm.github.io/
https://biffpm.github.io/
Pinned
The Quiet Demise of Jordan’s Political Space | Journal of Democracy
In the shadow of Gaza’s destruction, the Jordanian regime has quietly repressed one of the main sources of the country’s political activism.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
I wrote a piece for @jodemocracy.bsky.social on a little-noticed court decision last week to effectively permanently outlaw Jordan’s teacher’s union
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Kind of surreal to be discussing my new book on my favorite podcast for learning about new books.
Marc as always knows so much about the topic; it's a real privilege (if intimidating) to be in conversation with him.
Marc as always knows so much about the topic; it's a real privilege (if intimidating) to be in conversation with him.
Welcome to Season 15 of the POMEPS Podcast! On this week's episode, Rana Khoury joins POMEPS Director Marc Lynch to discuss her new book, Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War. Also, Marc shares additional academic research on Syria. pomeps.org/civilizing-c...
Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War (S. 15, Ep. 1) - Project on Middle East Political Science
Welcome to Season 15 of the POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcast! On this week’s episode of the podcast, Rana Khoury of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign joins Marc Lynch to discu...
pomeps.org
January 13, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Kind of surreal to be discussing my new book on my favorite podcast for learning about new books.
Marc as always knows so much about the topic; it's a real privilege (if intimidating) to be in conversation with him.
Marc as always knows so much about the topic; it's a real privilege (if intimidating) to be in conversation with him.
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Our just-published investigation into Assad's surveillance state which revealed how the former regime urged friends, spouses, and neighbors to inform on each other, leaving a legacy of broken trust that will take years to unravel. www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Families, Neighbors Informed on Each Other in Assad’s Syria, With Deadly Consequences
Intelligence files found in a Damascus prison complex reveal cases that led to brutal detentions; a wife records a husband.
www.wsj.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Our just-published investigation into Assad's surveillance state which revealed how the former regime urged friends, spouses, and neighbors to inform on each other, leaving a legacy of broken trust that will take years to unravel. www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]
November 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Call for Applications: Early-career scholars in the Arab #MENA region are invited to attend the 2026 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR), held at @maxwellsu.bsky.social. Deadline: Dec 14th. Apply now!
Call for Applications: 2026 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) | Deadline: December 14, 2025 -
Call for Applications: Apply Now for the 2026 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) Deadline: December 14, 2025 Maxwell School, Syracuse University, NY, USA June 14–26, 2026 The…
buff.ly
December 3, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Call for Applications: Early-career scholars in the Arab #MENA region are invited to attend the 2026 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR), held at @maxwellsu.bsky.social. Deadline: Dec 14th. Apply now!
earlier this year I learned that Benjamin Netanyahu was enrolled in MIT's Political Science PhD
news.mit.edu/1996/netanya...
bsky.app/profile/dand...
news.mit.edu/1996/netanya...
bsky.app/profile/dand...
December 1, 2025 at 3:47 PM
earlier this year I learned that Benjamin Netanyahu was enrolled in MIT's Political Science PhD
news.mit.edu/1996/netanya...
bsky.app/profile/dand...
news.mit.edu/1996/netanya...
bsky.app/profile/dand...
third recent text from friends in ~Jordan asking if Zohran Mamdani is *really* about to win
1. as a political scientist we absolutely love to discuss early voting
2. first time in a while my voice messages back haven't needed to explain some distressing feature of U.S. politics
3. fingers crossed
1. as a political scientist we absolutely love to discuss early voting
2. first time in a while my voice messages back haven't needed to explain some distressing feature of U.S. politics
3. fingers crossed
November 3, 2025 at 7:42 PM
third recent text from friends in ~Jordan asking if Zohran Mamdani is *really* about to win
1. as a political scientist we absolutely love to discuss early voting
2. first time in a while my voice messages back haven't needed to explain some distressing feature of U.S. politics
3. fingers crossed
1. as a political scientist we absolutely love to discuss early voting
2. first time in a while my voice messages back haven't needed to explain some distressing feature of U.S. politics
3. fingers crossed
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
TWO MORE DAYS to apply for the POMEPS Travel – Research – Engagement (TRE) grants for 2026. Awards of up to $3,000 will be offered to support research travel to the broader Middle East. Deadline to apply: Oct. 15th. More info: pomeps.org/call-for-pro...
Call for Proposals: 2026 Travel Research Engagement Grants - Project on Middle East Political Science
The Project on Middle East Political Science announces a call for proposals for POMEPS Travel – Research – Engagement (TRE) grants for 2026. Awards of up to $3,000 will be offered to support research ...
pomeps.org
October 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM
TWO MORE DAYS to apply for the POMEPS Travel – Research – Engagement (TRE) grants for 2026. Awards of up to $3,000 will be offered to support research travel to the broader Middle East. Deadline to apply: Oct. 15th. More info: pomeps.org/call-for-pro...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
New article from @biffpm.bsky.social on a little-noticed court decision to outlaw Jordan’s teacher’s union. Her analysis? The muted response underscores how Jordan’s political landscape has shifted as attention/activism center on Gaza. https://loom.ly/D97MUsU
August 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
New article from @biffpm.bsky.social on a little-noticed court decision to outlaw Jordan’s teacher’s union. Her analysis? The muted response underscores how Jordan’s political landscape has shifted as attention/activism center on Gaza. https://loom.ly/D97MUsU
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
POMEPS is pleased to call for proposals for the POMEPS Junior Scholar Book Development Workshops to be held in a virtual format throughout the academic year 2025-2026. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15. More info:
pomeps.org/pomeps-junio...
pomeps.org/pomeps-junio...
Call for Proposals: POMEPS Junior Scholar Book Development Workshops 2025-2026 - Project on Middle East Political Science
The Project on Middle East Political Science is pleased to call for proposals for the POMEPS Junior Scholar Book Development Workshops to be held in a virtual format throughout the academic year 2025-...
pomeps.org
August 15, 2025 at 7:18 PM
POMEPS is pleased to call for proposals for the POMEPS Junior Scholar Book Development Workshops to be held in a virtual format throughout the academic year 2025-2026. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15. More info:
pomeps.org/pomeps-junio...
pomeps.org/pomeps-junio...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Oh so it does have phd level intelligence
Google Gemini doesn’t appear to be doing too well:
‘"I am a disgrace to this planet. I am a disgrace to this universe. I am a disgrace to all universes . . . I am a disgrace to all possible and impossible universes and all that is not a universe," the bot continued.’
‘"I am a disgrace to this planet. I am a disgrace to this universe. I am a disgrace to all universes . . . I am a disgrace to all possible and impossible universes and all that is not a universe," the bot continued.’
Google says it's working on a fix for Gemini's self-loathing 'I am a failure' comments
Google Gemini users said the bot is sharing self-loathing messages while attempting to solve tasks, including "I am a disgrace to this universe."
www.businessinsider.com
August 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Oh so it does have phd level intelligence
I wrote a piece for @jodemocracy.bsky.social on a little-noticed court decision last week to effectively permanently outlaw Jordan’s teacher’s union
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
The Quiet Demise of Jordan’s Political Space | Journal of Democracy
In the shadow of Gaza’s destruction, the Jordanian regime has quietly repressed one of the main sources of the country’s political activism.
www.journalofdemocracy.org
August 5, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I wrote a piece for @jodemocracy.bsky.social on a little-noticed court decision last week to effectively permanently outlaw Jordan’s teacher’s union
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclu...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
NEW: Why are women overrepresented in STEM fields in the Arab world, despite broader gender inequality? Fida Adely, Jennifer Olmsted and Sana Odeh surveyed members of Arab Women in Computing to find out, and the results defy simplistic economic explanations.
READ NOW
READ NOW
Unpacking the Gender 'Paradox’ Behind Arab Women in Tech - MERIP
ompared to women in the United States and most European countries, Arab women are highly represented in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and related computing fields. In fact, six of […]
buff.ly
June 18, 2025 at 4:02 PM
NEW: Why are women overrepresented in STEM fields in the Arab world, despite broader gender inequality? Fida Adely, Jennifer Olmsted and Sana Odeh surveyed members of Arab Women in Computing to find out, and the results defy simplistic economic explanations.
READ NOW
READ NOW
10 million people
"President Donald Trump on Monday urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States."
(as a quick reminder, it did.)
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
"President Donald Trump on Monday urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States."
(as a quick reminder, it did.)
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Trump says everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran
President Donald Trump on Monday urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States.
www.reuters.com
June 17, 2025 at 12:45 AM
10 million people
"President Donald Trump on Monday urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States."
(as a quick reminder, it did.)
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
"President Donald Trump on Monday urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States."
(as a quick reminder, it did.)
www.reuters.com/world/middle...
list experiment in the wild
June 2, 2025 at 12:37 AM
list experiment in the wild
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Days before masked ICE agents detained Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk to deport her, Dept determined that the admin had not produced any evidence showing she engaged in antisemitic activities or made public statements supporting a terrorist organization www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
No evidence linking Tufts student to antisemitism or terrorism, State Dept. office found
An internal memo, prepared before Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk was detained by ICE, raises doubts about the Trump administration’s claims that she supports Hamas.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 14, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Days before masked ICE agents detained Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk to deport her, Dept determined that the admin had not produced any evidence showing she engaged in antisemitic activities or made public statements supporting a terrorist organization www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Join us next week! Polisky Dictatorsky
On Tuesday April 8 at 11:00-12:00pm EST/5:00-6:00pm CET Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed (Toulouse) will present "Monopolizing Clientelism During Regime Transition" followed by comments by @shalaby12.bsky.social (Wisconsin-Madison) and @biffpm.bsky.social (@harvard.edu)
On Tuesday April 8 at 11:00-12:00pm EST/5:00-6:00pm CET Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed (Toulouse) will present "Monopolizing Clientelism During Regime Transition" followed by comments by @shalaby12.bsky.social (Wisconsin-Madison) and @biffpm.bsky.social (@harvard.edu)
April 1, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Join us next week! Polisky Dictatorsky
On Tuesday April 8 at 11:00-12:00pm EST/5:00-6:00pm CET Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed (Toulouse) will present "Monopolizing Clientelism During Regime Transition" followed by comments by @shalaby12.bsky.social (Wisconsin-Madison) and @biffpm.bsky.social (@harvard.edu)
On Tuesday April 8 at 11:00-12:00pm EST/5:00-6:00pm CET Ahmed Ezzeldin Mohamed (Toulouse) will present "Monopolizing Clientelism During Regime Transition" followed by comments by @shalaby12.bsky.social (Wisconsin-Madison) and @biffpm.bsky.social (@harvard.edu)
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
"Creating a ruckus" is his euphemism for wrote an op-ed in a newspaper. The Constitution protects all people under U.S. jurisdiction (not just citizens) from government actions penalizing them for speech, use of the free press, or peaceful assembly.
March 27, 2025 at 6:34 PM
"Creating a ruckus" is his euphemism for wrote an op-ed in a newspaper. The Constitution protects all people under U.S. jurisdiction (not just citizens) from government actions penalizing them for speech, use of the free press, or peaceful assembly.
It's a rare bit of good news to (belatedly) see this order re: the Columbia student been in hiding. Hopefully it's followed
Honest q is when will we see lawsuits on the legal rationale for Rubio unilaterally revoking visas? Would that go to the Supreme Court?
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/n...
Honest q is when will we see lawsuits on the legal rationale for Rubio unilaterally revoking visas? Would that go to the Supreme Court?
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/n...
Columbia Student Hunted by ICE Sues to Prevent Deportation
Yunseo Chung, a legal permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. since she was 7, participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Immigration agents visited residences looking for her.
www.nytimes.com
March 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
It's a rare bit of good news to (belatedly) see this order re: the Columbia student been in hiding. Hopefully it's followed
Honest q is when will we see lawsuits on the legal rationale for Rubio unilaterally revoking visas? Would that go to the Supreme Court?
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/n...
Honest q is when will we see lawsuits on the legal rationale for Rubio unilaterally revoking visas? Would that go to the Supreme Court?
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/n...
Reposted by Biff Parker-Magyar
Many “savvy” folks argue protests can’t work. Evidence suggests otherwise.
“Muslim ban set off a fury of protests across US, garnering tremendous media attention and discussion… Portraying ‘Ban’ at odds with inclusive elements of American identity prompted some citizens to shift their attitudes…”
“Muslim ban set off a fury of protests across US, garnering tremendous media attention and discussion… Portraying ‘Ban’ at odds with inclusive elements of American identity prompted some citizens to shift their attitudes…”
A Change of Heart? Why Individual-Level Public Opinion Shifted Against Trump’s “Muslim Ban” - Political Behavior
Public opinion research suggests that rapid and significant individual-level fluctuations in opinions toward various policies is fairly unexpected absent methodological artifacts. While this may gener...
link.springer.com
February 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Many “savvy” folks argue protests can’t work. Evidence suggests otherwise.
“Muslim ban set off a fury of protests across US, garnering tremendous media attention and discussion… Portraying ‘Ban’ at odds with inclusive elements of American identity prompted some citizens to shift their attitudes…”
“Muslim ban set off a fury of protests across US, garnering tremendous media attention and discussion… Portraying ‘Ban’ at odds with inclusive elements of American identity prompted some citizens to shift their attitudes…”
Our article “Social Media Narratives Across Conflict: Evidence from Syria” is now ahead of print at the Journal of Politics!
March 19, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Our article “Social Media Narratives Across Conflict: Evidence from Syria” is now ahead of print at the Journal of Politics!