José Marichal
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josemarichal.bsky.social
José Marichal
@josemarichal.bsky.social
Pol Sci Prof at CalLutheran. Author of "You Must Become an Algorithmic Problem" (Bristol Univ Press) and "Machine Liberalism" (Forthcoming from Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press)
https://josemarichal.github.io/
That's my understanding of it
February 11, 2026 at 4:55 AM
Had a student call me "Unc" in class and I've been going around calling myself Unc every since... "Unc is hungry..... Unc is tired." 😂
February 11, 2026 at 12:01 AM
IMHO it means that the current
iteration of liberalism is flawed.. but there are many varieties of liberalism
February 10, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Reposted by José Marichal
The CFP for #AusSTS2026 is now live! This year’s theme is ‘Antipodean Interruptions’. We invite submissions for presentations, written workshop papers, meet-ups, and Making and Doing sessions. Deadline is Friday 3 April (11:59pm NZST).

Full details on our ✨NEW WEBSITE✨ aussts.org/aussts2026
February 8, 2026 at 10:28 PM
was teaching about the bill of rights on Friday and had that moment of saying to myself "oh yeah.. I love the fact that the individual is so valuable that there are a whole list of ways in which the state is required to ensure their rights aren't violated"
February 8, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I assume good faith arguments, but struggle with justifications like this:

“we're tired of being kicked around by Barack Obama and his leftists. And I think they are finally glad that there’s somebody on the playground that is willing to punch the bully.”

In which specific ways was Obama a Bully?
The Evangelicals Who See Trump’s Viciousness As a Virtue: It is testimony to the marketing genius of Donald Trump that he never sold himself to Christians as one of them.... Instead, he sold himself as their protector.
(@peter-wehner.bsky.social)
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Evangelicals Who See Trump’s Viciousness As a Virtue
At the National Prayer Breakfast, the president tested his audience’s commitment to Christian ethics.
www.theatlantic.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Should call it "viewpoint dominance" not "viewpoint diversity"
"Professors Are Being Watched: ‘We’ve Never Seen This Much Surveillance’"
"Scrutiny of university classrooms is being formalized, with new laws requiring professors to post syllabuses and tip lines for students to complain."
Gift link 🎁
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...
Professors Are Being Watched: ‘We’ve Never Seen This Much Surveillance’
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Clear ethically-grounded contrasts are good for democracy... goes all the way back to a 1950's report by the American Political Science Assn. on the civic importance of clear differentiation between parties. Politicians that muddle the differences not only look weak, but they confuse voters.
“Virginia State Police’s job is not immigration enforcement,” says a Virginia state Senator who opposed the contracts the state had with ICE.

Governor Abigail Spanberger this week ordered the state police to end this agreement.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now.
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 9:30 PM
This story is fascinating in so many ways.... good indication that ppl are "quiet quitting" capitalism when they so easily legitimate theft.. but also how many of these folks are "breaking the law" but would be perfectly happy to see other "law breakers" beaten and thrown into detention centers?
Everyone is stealing TV
Fed up with increasing subscription prices, viewers embrace rogue streaming boxes.
www.theverge.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:26 PM
great opportunity to think through the core implications of my current (and forthcoming) book.....
How does a democracy survive when its citizens are trained to prefer predictability over exploration? @josemarichal.bsky.social @callutheran.bsky.social California Lutheran University's Political Science Department discusses: faculti.net/algorithmic-... #Democracy #Politics
February 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM
rewatching Best in Show last night.... forgot how warm yet hilariously funny it is.
February 4, 2026 at 6:04 PM
I wonder why he even bothers to post on Bluesky... What kind of reaction does he think he's going to get?
Democrats want commonsense reform for ICE:

End the roving patrols and racial profiling.

Take accountability and abide by the same rules as local police.

Masks need to come off, body cameras need to stay on—no secret police in the United States of America.
February 4, 2026 at 1:52 AM
Reposted by José Marichal
@makcapitalism.bsky.social podcast with Hanif Abdurraquib dropping today!
Premiering tomorrow at 11 AM EST Living in De La Soul’s D.A.i.S.Y. Age with Austin McCoy @austinmccoy.bsky.social and Hanif Abdurraqib!
youtu.be/_368VEbekJM
February 3, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Favorite MF Doom line if the day

"If y'all wanna see a wino, bring the wine out"

music.youtube.com/watch?v=leVE...
A Dead Mouse
YouTube video by MF DOOM - Topic
music.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by José Marichal
Join us May 8 and 9 for a weekend about liberalism, ethics, religion, and the good.

Feat: @jamellebouie.net, @hollybfletcher.bsky.social @sarahposner.bsky.social and more

Attendance is free, but registration is required. More here:

www.pulaskiinstitution.org/events/for-g...
February 2, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Half wondering if this (and our current environment) will lead to more avant-garde and "punk" movements in the art world. Human creativity and ingenuity always finds a way.
Trump: "I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything."
February 2, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by José Marichal
In his forthcoming book, Your Data Will Be Used Against You, George Washington University Law School professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson explores how sensor-driven technologies, social media monitoring, and artificial intelligence can be weaponized against democratic values and personal freedoms.
How to Apply the 'Tyrant Test' to Technology
George Washington University Law School professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson is the author of the forthcoming book Your Data Will Be Used Against You.
www.techpolicy.press
February 1, 2026 at 4:02 PM
uncolsicited love for the Civic Tech Field Guide
civictech.guide
Civic Tech Field Guide
A rich, crowdsourced collection of thousands of tech for good projects from around the world.
civictech.guide
February 2, 2026 at 12:56 AM
Unsolicited love for whoever created this fantastic app that lets you listen to most college ration stations in the world

www.campus-fm.com
Campus FM - stream college radio
Live stream college radio stations from universities across North America. Listen to student radio online free.
www.campus-fm.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:35 AM
I was looking forward to Kid Rock's two week residency 😁
February 1, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Reminds of what Rogers Smith said in Civic Ideas... we have two traditions a liberal expansionist one and an ascriptive restrictionist one.... there are still some folks out here who uphold the former.
Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept."

Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
January 31, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Even on these grossly immoral terms, the "lower housing costs" argument is dubious attheu.utah.edu/business/wha...
January 31, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Scandinavian bashing is a new one.
Chris Rufo is so upset about the Minneapolis protests that he is resorting to anti-Nordic racism christopherrufo.com/p/the-curse-...
January 30, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by José Marichal
My first book, Darwin and the Queer Origins of Life, will be published by Yale University Press on 11 August (UK) and 8 September (US). Please help spread the word! 🙏

UK: yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300... @yalebooks.bsky.social 🏳️‍🌈📚🐵

US: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300... @yalepress.bsky.social 🏳️‍⚧️ 🗃️🦋
January 30, 2026 at 10:21 AM
The Trump campaign was skillful at getting large segments of immigrant communities to believe he was only going after "violent criminals" (los delinquentes) when they'd message to other constituents that all undocumented immigrants were criminals and targets for mass deportation.
January 30, 2026 at 12:22 AM