Josh McCrain
@joshmccrain.bsky.social
Political scientist at the University of Utah. Public policy, political institutions, media and politics
cool paper. yet another way policing is similar to academia
New article out (w Marcel R, Ben N, and David S) in @pnas.org. We show that young folks who signal interest in becoming cops hold more conservative views on race, multiculturalism, gender, and sexuality, etc.than their peers intending careers in other fields www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Late adolescents entering college intending a career as police officers hold more right-leaning views than their peers | PNAS
One longstanding explanation for bias and excessive force in policing is selection—the
assertion that those who select to work in law enforcement a...
www.pnas.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:49 PM
cool paper. yet another way policing is similar to academia
Incredible. Good thing nobody trusts JAMA *touches ear* oh shit
This one surely has something on offer for every one: In this cross-sectional mediation analysis, the "effects" of soft drink consumption on depression were "mediated" by abundance of Eggerthela in the gut microbiome.
This was sent to me via dm and now you all got to suffer as well.
This was sent to me via dm and now you all got to suffer as well.
Soft Drink Consumption and Depression Mediated by Gut Microbiome Alterations
This cohort study examines the association between soft drink consumption and major depressive disorder diagnosis and severity and whether this association is mediated by changes in the gut microbiota...
jamanetwork.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Incredible. Good thing nobody trusts JAMA *touches ear* oh shit
my perspective on this (which is not particularly novel) is that we will need to move exclusively to: a) mail-based samples (or samples that can verify something concrete like voter file); b) in person samples (back to undergraduates); c) elite samples (oof)
of course, lots of unknowns here
of course, lots of unknowns here
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 8:00 PM
my perspective on this (which is not particularly novel) is that we will need to move exclusively to: a) mail-based samples (or samples that can verify something concrete like voter file); b) in person samples (back to undergraduates); c) elite samples (oof)
of course, lots of unknowns here
of course, lots of unknowns here
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
this story is WILD
“Lame duck session” was out, because “lame” was offensive. Even “Americans” should be avoided, the guide said, because it excluded non-U. S. citizens.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
“Lame duck session” was out, because “lame” was offensive. Even “Americans” should be avoided, the guide said, because it excluded non-U. S. citizens.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
The Sierra Club Embraced Social Justice. Then It Tore Itself Apart.
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
this story is WILD
“Lame duck session” was out, because “lame” was offensive. Even “Americans” should be avoided, the guide said, because it excluded non-U. S. citizens.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
“Lame duck session” was out, because “lame” was offensive. Even “Americans” should be avoided, the guide said, because it excluded non-U. S. citizens.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
it's also possible to convince voters of this! www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
November 7, 2025 at 4:52 PM
it's also possible to convince voters of this! www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Josh McCrain
PRL welcomes postdoc applications at Dartmouth for 2026-2027. Work with @seanjwestwood.bsky.social & @ylelkes.bsky.social on projects like www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... and elite rhetoric analysis using americaspoliticalpulse.com/elites/
Pls apply by Jan 5 on Interfolio 🙏 apply.interfolio.com/175722
Pls apply by Jan 5 on Interfolio 🙏 apply.interfolio.com/175722
Elected Officials
americaspoliticalpulse.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:52 PM
PRL welcomes postdoc applications at Dartmouth for 2026-2027. Work with @seanjwestwood.bsky.social & @ylelkes.bsky.social on projects like www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... and elite rhetoric analysis using americaspoliticalpulse.com/elites/
Pls apply by Jan 5 on Interfolio 🙏 apply.interfolio.com/175722
Pls apply by Jan 5 on Interfolio 🙏 apply.interfolio.com/175722
absolutely brutal
October 27, 2025 at 9:25 PM
absolutely brutal
one of the most exhausting things on here is the self righteousness of people complaining about other people still being on twitter
October 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
one of the most exhausting things on here is the self righteousness of people complaining about other people still being on twitter
Reposted by Josh McCrain
The Carl Albert Center at the University of Oklahoma is recruiting graduate students who wish to earn PhDs in political science. We want students who are interested in American Politics in a area that can be supervised by one of our three faculty (Rachel Blum, Chuck Finocchiaro and myself).
October 22, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The Carl Albert Center at the University of Oklahoma is recruiting graduate students who wish to earn PhDs in political science. We want students who are interested in American Politics in a area that can be supervised by one of our three faculty (Rachel Blum, Chuck Finocchiaro and myself).
i just continue to be amazed at how much i've been able to learn via ChatGPT since it got "smarter". Just an incredible tool for researchers who already have a strong technical background
October 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
i just continue to be amazed at how much i've been able to learn via ChatGPT since it got "smarter". Just an incredible tool for researchers who already have a strong technical background
Reposted by Josh McCrain
it's actually fine if you don't want to vote for/send money to/post favorably about a guy who accidentally got a Nazi tattoo while drunk and kept it because he thought it looked cool. that doesn't make you unreasonably closed-minded.
If people affiliated with the campaign have to fall back on stuff like this in October in the year prior to the election, you're toast, pack it in.
October 21, 2025 at 2:38 PM
it's actually fine if you don't want to vote for/send money to/post favorably about a guy who accidentally got a Nazi tattoo while drunk and kept it because he thought it looked cool. that doesn't make you unreasonably closed-minded.
i feel like you dont' see this talked about enough
October 15, 2025 at 4:27 PM
i feel like you dont' see this talked about enough
well this is just a deeply upsetting read: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/s...
Motherhood Is in a Political Spotlight, but the Moms Are Shaking It Off
www.nytimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:07 PM
well this is just a deeply upsetting read: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/s...
don't protest the Wrong way, protest the Right way
If you're going to a No Kings march instead of a witty sign that might elicit a chuckle maybe you could just carry an American flag
October 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
don't protest the Wrong way, protest the Right way
Exactly what I keep telling my students. I am and should be referred to as a community hero
October 13, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Exactly what I keep telling my students. I am and should be referred to as a community hero
if this is what your DAG is looking like i'm not sure you should be using panel data lol
October 2, 2025 at 3:42 PM
if this is what your DAG is looking like i'm not sure you should be using panel data lol
police 🤝academics
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...
October 1, 2025 at 5:27 PM
police 🤝academics
Update on this ad: this position will not be the managing editor of PRQ. You will have no formal editorial responsibilities. You just have to go to a couple meetings every year. Trying to get the ad changed.
The University of Utah Department of Political Science is hiring a department chair at the rank of Full Professor! This job is open to any subfield.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
September 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Update on this ad: this position will not be the managing editor of PRQ. You will have no formal editorial responsibilities. You just have to go to a couple meetings every year. Trying to get the ad changed.
huge if true
i don't mean to single out baseball fans here, because you see this in lots of fan communities, but in certain corners people talk as though baseball is real. they think all the players are real people and the stadiums are places you can actually visit. to each their own, but that cannot be healthy
September 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
huge if true
Deadline extended! Still time to get your submissions into legislative politics section!
The @wpsa.bsky.social 2026 annual meeting submission deadline is soon. Reminder: it's in San Diego! In April!
I'm the section chair for legislative politics, please submit your papers. Also, this is a great conference for graduate students!
www.wpsanet.org/meeting/
I'm the section chair for legislative politics, please submit your papers. Also, this is a great conference for graduate students!
www.wpsanet.org/meeting/
September 29, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Deadline extended! Still time to get your submissions into legislative politics section!
Reposted by Josh McCrain
The University of Utah Department of Political Science is hiring a department chair at the rank of Full Professor! This job is open to any subfield.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
September 25, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The University of Utah Department of Political Science is hiring a department chair at the rank of Full Professor! This job is open to any subfield.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
Let me know if you have questions about the search, including (as you likely are wondering) why we are hiring an external chair.
i wish AJPS would stop boycotting my papers
I don't know why but something feels off with calling this a boycott.
September 26, 2025 at 7:45 PM
i wish AJPS would stop boycotting my papers
sociologists have discovered the people prefer romantic relationships with people who agree with them (this paper is doing numbers on reddit)
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
September 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
sociologists have discovered the people prefer romantic relationships with people who agree with them (this paper is doing numbers on reddit)
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...