Kate McNamara
@katemcnamara.bsky.social
Money, markets, politics & culture; industrial policy; EU stuff. Prof at Georgetown University. Writings @kathleenrmcnamara.wordpress.com
Pinned
I don't know about you, but I am getting impatient waiting for the capitalists to save us. What happened to the whole "state as the managing committee of the bourgeoisie" thing? A political economy 🧵 1/
A tremendous pleasure, and honor, to talk with @catherinedevries.bsky.social about the process of writing. She is a genius at writing herself, as evident in how she drew the threads of our convo together in this wonderful piece. Subscribe to her amazing substack blog to learn more. 🧵👇
Kate McNamara, Professor & author of The Politics of Everyday Europe, treats writing as a way of thinking clearly about power, markets & the ideas that connect them.
For her, writing isn’t easy, it’s a struggle, but one worth having!
🪶 New: catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/etched-in-...
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For her, writing isn’t easy, it’s a struggle, but one worth having!
🪶 New: catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/etched-in-...
🧵
Etched in Marble: Kate McNamara on Imagination, Compassion, and the Struggle Worth Having
Writers on the Forces That Shape Us and the Writing That Endures
catherineeunicedevries.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:04 AM
A tremendous pleasure, and honor, to talk with @catherinedevries.bsky.social about the process of writing. She is a genius at writing herself, as evident in how she drew the threads of our convo together in this wonderful piece. Subscribe to her amazing substack blog to learn more. 🧵👇
As usual, the brilliant @jamellebouie.net has a diagnosis for our political ills & a path forward out of “the president’s effort to create and consolidate a personalist dictatorship”—but only if the Democrats listen to a deeply unhappy public & act to rebuild what is being brutally destroyed.
Opinion | Democrats Are Teaching Trump the Wrong Lesson
www.nytimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:54 PM
As usual, the brilliant @jamellebouie.net has a diagnosis for our political ills & a path forward out of “the president’s effort to create and consolidate a personalist dictatorship”—but only if the Democrats listen to a deeply unhappy public & act to rebuild what is being brutally destroyed.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
I’ve voted 7 times to reopen the government in a way that holds Trump accountable for his lawlessness and prevents a health care crisis.
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
I’ve voted 7 times to reopen the government in a way that holds Trump accountable for his lawlessness and prevents a health care crisis.
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
Reposted by Kate McNamara
What an amazing essay from the former chair of Africana Studies at Bowdoin. I'll share a few sections in the reply but seriously, read the whole thing. It's all insightful and beautifully written.
lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
It’s remarkable, the people you’ll hear from. Teach for even a little while at an expensive institution—the term they tend to prefer is “elite”—and odds are that eventually someone who was a studen…
lithub.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
What an amazing essay from the former chair of Africana Studies at Bowdoin. I'll share a few sections in the reply but seriously, read the whole thing. It's all insightful and beautifully written.
lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
Trying to make sense of Trump’s foreign policy? Check out @abenewman.bsky.social & Stacie Goddard’s “Neo-royalism” for how Trump & elites are using the powers of the Presidency to extract money & status for themselves, with zero interest in national security or prosperity. 👇🧵
1/UAE Chip deal offers textbook case in neo-royalism. Elite ties rather than national security drive dealmaking. The winner is not national security but Trump inner circile.
www.reuters.com/world/china/...
www.reuters.com/world/china/...
Microsoft to invest over $15 billion in UAE, secures US export licenses for Nvidia chips
Microsoft will invest over $15 billion in the United Arab Emirates in the seven years to the end of 2029 and has the Trump administration's approval to export Nvidia chips for its data centres there, a senior executive told Reuters on Monday.
www.reuters.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Trying to make sense of Trump’s foreign policy? Check out @abenewman.bsky.social & Stacie Goddard’s “Neo-royalism” for how Trump & elites are using the powers of the Presidency to extract money & status for themselves, with zero interest in national security or prosperity. 👇🧵
Reposted by Kate McNamara
A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
@tressiemcphd.bsky.social is unmatched. Read her latest piece—and everything else she writes.
@tressiemcphd.bsky.social is unmatched. Read her latest piece—and everything else she writes.
October 29, 2025 at 10:22 AM
A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
@tressiemcphd.bsky.social is unmatched. Read her latest piece—and everything else she writes.
@tressiemcphd.bsky.social is unmatched. Read her latest piece—and everything else she writes.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
That would be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the nation's top diplomat, in the Oval Office for a meeting btwn the U.S. president and the NATO Secretary-General in the middle of a brutal war in Europe, staring at plans for a ballroom that will replace the now-demolished East Wing of the White House.
Trump waves around renderings of his new ballroom, which appears to be entirely gold
October 22, 2025 at 9:44 PM
That would be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the nation's top diplomat, in the Oval Office for a meeting btwn the U.S. president and the NATO Secretary-General in the middle of a brutal war in Europe, staring at plans for a ballroom that will replace the now-demolished East Wing of the White House.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Karoline Leavitt on what she expected for today’s demonstrations: “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, violent criminals.”
Scott Bessent: “Most unhinged in the Democratic Party”
Mike Johnson: “The pro-Hamas wing, the antifa people.”
NYPD: More than 100,000 protesters; zero arrests.
Scott Bessent: “Most unhinged in the Democratic Party”
Mike Johnson: “The pro-Hamas wing, the antifa people.”
NYPD: More than 100,000 protesters; zero arrests.
October 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Karoline Leavitt on what she expected for today’s demonstrations: “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, violent criminals.”
Scott Bessent: “Most unhinged in the Democratic Party”
Mike Johnson: “The pro-Hamas wing, the antifa people.”
NYPD: More than 100,000 protesters; zero arrests.
Scott Bessent: “Most unhinged in the Democratic Party”
Mike Johnson: “The pro-Hamas wing, the antifa people.”
NYPD: More than 100,000 protesters; zero arrests.
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies…
October 18, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies…
Reposted by Kate McNamara
1/ New report from @bentleyallan.bsky.social's Net Zero Policy Lab: As the US withdraws from green tech industries and pressures allies to follow suit, China is stepping in to power the developing world's energy transition. The scale is staggering.
www.netzeropolicylab.com/china-green-...
www.netzeropolicylab.com/china-green-...
China Green Leap Outward — Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab
A new China Low Carbon Technology FDI Database
www.netzeropolicylab.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:21 AM
1/ New report from @bentleyallan.bsky.social's Net Zero Policy Lab: As the US withdraws from green tech industries and pressures allies to follow suit, China is stepping in to power the developing world's energy transition. The scale is staggering.
www.netzeropolicylab.com/china-green-...
www.netzeropolicylab.com/china-green-...
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Political science has obsessed over polarization while largely neglecting extremism, and with few exceptions has been inattentive to the roots of it all—power, structures, and identities. Too many elites are just as unprepared. Thus, their takes are empty, trite, and naive.
September 17, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Political science has obsessed over polarization while largely neglecting extremism, and with few exceptions has been inattentive to the roots of it all—power, structures, and identities. Too many elites are just as unprepared. Thus, their takes are empty, trite, and naive.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
NEW: 77% of Americans say the US political system needs major changes or complete reform.
Those who say the same about their country
Nigeria 91%
Brazil 87%
S Korea 86%
Greece 83%
Kenya 80%
France 74%
UK 58%
Germany 48%
Canada 47%
Sweden 29%
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
Those who say the same about their country
Nigeria 91%
Brazil 87%
S Korea 86%
Greece 83%
Kenya 80%
France 74%
UK 58%
Germany 48%
Canada 47%
Sweden 29%
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
September 15, 2025 at 4:59 PM
NEW: 77% of Americans say the US political system needs major changes or complete reform.
Those who say the same about their country
Nigeria 91%
Brazil 87%
S Korea 86%
Greece 83%
Kenya 80%
France 74%
UK 58%
Germany 48%
Canada 47%
Sweden 29%
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
Those who say the same about their country
Nigeria 91%
Brazil 87%
S Korea 86%
Greece 83%
Kenya 80%
France 74%
UK 58%
Germany 48%
Canada 47%
Sweden 29%
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
Submitted a paper this afternoon (hooray!) but oh the painful & inevitable stages involved in writing--from the euphoria (this will be the Best Paper Ever!) to the depths of despair (wow, this thing is terrible) to the resignation phase (well, I guess I'll just cut out that idea and move on). 1/
September 12, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Submitted a paper this afternoon (hooray!) but oh the painful & inevitable stages involved in writing--from the euphoria (this will be the Best Paper Ever!) to the depths of despair (wow, this thing is terrible) to the resignation phase (well, I guess I'll just cut out that idea and move on). 1/
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Chicago and NYC building their arsenals in case Trump gets any ideas
August 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Chicago and NYC building their arsenals in case Trump gets any ideas
Well then.
Apropos of nothing, a reminder that German stock markets kept climbing in an almost uninterrupted fashion in the run-up to WW2. Investors are really, really bad at pricing serious institutional and political risks.
August 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Well then.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Horse race coverage, but the horses are democracy and authoritarianism
They’re not making the slightest pretense of doing anything but weaponizing a federal agency against Trump’s enemies, and the New York Times’ response is “Well played, sire!”
August 26, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Horse race coverage, but the horses are democracy and authoritarianism
Well, this piece really stirred the pot, but I find it is more right than wrong about how to teach in the age of AI. Oral exams, in-class active learning & lots of structured interactions with students as they develop their papers seems to help, but I have the luxury of only teaching seminars...
Opinion | Students Hate Them. Universities Need Them. The Only Real Solution to the A.I. Cheating Crisis.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Well, this piece really stirred the pot, but I find it is more right than wrong about how to teach in the age of AI. Oral exams, in-class active learning & lots of structured interactions with students as they develop their papers seems to help, but I have the luxury of only teaching seminars...
From Swampdoodle to NoMa. YIMBY success story: building blocks of new apartments in DC has helped keep housing prices from rising as in comparative cities. (But designing around the politics of NIMBYism there was easier than most places).
economist.com/united-state...
economist.com/united-state...
Welcome to the YIMBYest neighbourhood in America
Lessons for the country, from a few blocks north of the Capitol
economist.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
From Swampdoodle to NoMa. YIMBY success story: building blocks of new apartments in DC has helped keep housing prices from rising as in comparative cities. (But designing around the politics of NIMBYism there was easier than most places).
economist.com/united-state...
economist.com/united-state...
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Just got round to watching Mario Draghi's speech in Rimini in the original Italian. It is easily the most important speech on Europe so far this year and I hope someone (@grandcontinent.bsky.social?) publishes it in English and other EU languages soon.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMME...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMME...
Mario Draghi’s Full Speech: Europe’s Harsh Reality — Powerless on the Global Stage! -ITALIAN-
YouTube video by EU Debates | eudebates.tv
www.youtube.com
August 24, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Just got round to watching Mario Draghi's speech in Rimini in the original Italian. It is easily the most important speech on Europe so far this year and I hope someone (@grandcontinent.bsky.social?) publishes it in English and other EU languages soon.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMME...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMME...
Um... what? Believe me, the much bigger problem I have experienced driving in DC for 22 years is the inability of my fellow Washingtonians to understand how a 4-way stop sign works. Plus 'Dave Thomas' Circle--oh, and Chevy Chase Circle. Wear your damn seatbelt, snowflake. #DCStatehood
A sitting Republican senator says he is so scared driving in DC that he doesn't wear a seatbelt out of fear he might get carjacked and won't be able to escape www.mediaite.com/media/tv/rep...
Republican Senator Says He Doesn’t Wear Seatbelt in D.C. Because He Fears Being Carjacked: ‘I Don’t Buckle Up’
Sen. Markwayne Mullin said he does not wear a seatbelt while driving in Washington, D.C., lest doing so prevent him from acting quickly in case he's carjacked.
www.mediaite.com
August 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Um... what? Believe me, the much bigger problem I have experienced driving in DC for 22 years is the inability of my fellow Washingtonians to understand how a 4-way stop sign works. Plus 'Dave Thomas' Circle--oh, and Chevy Chase Circle. Wear your damn seatbelt, snowflake. #DCStatehood
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Grossly irresponsible of the Times to have this ludicrous credulous spin as the top story the morning after a president who rules by fiat proclaims a totally specious emergency to militarize the capital - an editorial insult to our intelligence and our democracy.
August 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Grossly irresponsible of the Times to have this ludicrous credulous spin as the top story the morning after a president who rules by fiat proclaims a totally specious emergency to militarize the capital - an editorial insult to our intelligence and our democracy.
DC: my hometown, not a violent hellscape, friends. Here are some recent photos from a Sunday morning in the Bishop's Garden @ Washington Cathedral. Enjoy! #DCStatehood
August 11, 2025 at 10:46 PM
DC: my hometown, not a violent hellscape, friends. Here are some recent photos from a Sunday morning in the Bishop's Garden @ Washington Cathedral. Enjoy! #DCStatehood
Comprehensive and very well thought out set of reasons for not allowing any use of AI in the classroom.
Unfortunately, my policy on AI has grown by quite a few sources over the last year. Here it is for anyone who wants to adopt or adapt it for their courses. And if you have ideas, I'm all ears.
AI policy and guidelines - Joe McVeigh.docx
You are strictly prohibited from using Generative AI (GenAI) or Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and Grok, for research or writing assignments. Any submitted wor...
docs.google.com
August 9, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Comprehensive and very well thought out set of reasons for not allowing any use of AI in the classroom.
Reposted by Kate McNamara
Stanford is hiring: tenure-track, assistant professor position in Sustainable Food Systems. Please share! #academia
Stanford | Faculty Positions: Details - Assistant Professor in Sustainable Food Systems
facultypositions.stanford.edu
August 5, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Stanford is hiring: tenure-track, assistant professor position in Sustainable Food Systems. Please share! #academia