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Laia Balcells

@laiabalcells.bsky.social

7.1K followers 1.5K following 750 posts

Political scientist. Reskeets are not endorsements.

Videos

Political science 60%

Sociology 17%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Dani Rodrik, Christian Odendahl, Richard S.J. Tol , and 26 more Dani Rodrik, Christian Odendahl, Richard S.J. Tol, Robbert Sanderman, Gabriel Felbermayr, Steven Van de Walle, Alistair Munro, Michael A. Clemens, Lucas Leemann, Francesco Saraceno, Laia Balcells, Andrew Curry, Paul Lehmann, Guy Grossman, Joshua Goodman, David Dorn, Ingo Rohlfing, Daniel W. Drezner, Iikka Korhonen, Aaron Sojourner, Daniel Huppmann, Julia Lynch, Nazita Lajevardi, Maria Abreu, Dana R. Fisher, Bård Harstad, Jürgen Janger, Nicolai von Ondarza, Adam Tooze

Florian Scheuer @florianscheuer.bsky.social · 3h

I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David Darmofal

Samantha Michaels @samanthamichaels.bsky.social · 1d

So much tear gas that people who aren't even protesting are getting sick when they leave their homes to run errands: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

ICE is hounding Chicago area locals with excessive chemical munitions

Agents are firing tear gas and pepper balls on lawful protesters, lawsuits say, sickening even uninvolved residents.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, Benjamin Braun

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

All university researchers around the country are having to deal with new procedures around the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme yet foreign fascists are given free rein to pollute our public space. What a joke of a country. Zero dignity.

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 1d

🔴 ‘America Must Save Britain’: MAGA-Mania and Conspiracy Theories Broadcast Nightly on GB News’ New US Show

A new daily GB News programme broadcast from Washington features climate denial, vaccine misinformation, and non-stop praise for Donald Trump. ✍️ @bylinetimes.bsky.social

'America Must Save Britain': MAGA-Mania and Conspiracy Theories Broadcast Nightly on GB News' New US Show

A new daily GB News programme broadcast from Washington features climate denial, vaccine misinformation, and non-stop praise for Donald Trump – as its hosts tell the American audience that the UK need...

bylinetimes.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David R. Miller

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 1d

Here’s Trump calling for the jailing of the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois.

Totally normal. Just an ordinary day in the Trump regime.

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 1d

Six of the nine Nobel Prize winners this year work in the U.S.
Three of the six were born outside the U.S., which is the pattern most years. No country has benefited more from welcoming immigrants from around the world.
www.nobelprize.org

The official website of the Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org

The Nobel Prize rewards science, humanism and peace efforts. This is one of the central concepts in the will of Alfred Nobel, and it also permeates the outreach activities that have been developed for...

www.nobelprize.org

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Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 2d

Scary.

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 3d

Someone should start asking why we’re hearing and seeing Stephen Miller so much all of a sudden.

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Vicente Valentim @valentimvicente.bsky.social · 2d

Despite the grim topic, this is a very good paper: monuments that signal white supremacy can substitute performative violence and thus reduce it.

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Political Symbols and Social Order: Confederate Monuments and Performative Violence in the Post-Reconstruction U.S. South | American Political Science Review | Cambridge Core

Political Symbols and Social Order: Confederate Monuments and Performative Violence in the Post-Reconstruction U.S. South

www.cambridge.org

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Reposted by Kimberly A. Prather, Laia Balcells, Sanford F. Schram , and 1 more Kimberly A. Prather, Laia Balcells, Sanford F. Schram, Michael D. McDonald

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 3d

Someone should start asking why we’re hearing and seeing Stephen Miller so much all of a sudden.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David Darmofal

Andrea Chalupa @andreachalupa.bsky.social · 3d

Psychiatrists call for RFK Jr. to be replaced as health secretary
www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Psychiatrists call for RFK Jr. to be replaced as health secretary

Two groups are calling for new leadership at HHS after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actions on substance abuse treatment and mental health medications, among other issues.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Will Jennings, Bryan D. Jones, Laia Balcells , and 2 more Will Jennings, Bryan D. Jones, Laia Balcells, Guy Grossman, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 3d

at this point you have to acknowledge that there is no way that these guys don't try to mess with the 2026 midterms. there is absolutely no respect for the legitimacy of the opposition

Blue Georgia @bluegeorgia.bsky.social · 3d

Stephen Miller: "Eventually elections don’t carry the day because violence beats votes… When we see a muscular response from the federal government, it’s because we’re not going to let violence beat votes."

Is he implying federal intervention determines political legitimacy, not ballots or courts?

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Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Will Jennings, Laia Balcells , and 1 more Joanna Bryson, Will Jennings, Laia Balcells, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

Blue Georgia @bluegeorgia.bsky.social · 3d

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 4d

Oh so the guy who made up gross lies about immigrants STEALING AND EATING PETS has more thoughts about immigrants? I’m sure he’s totally telling the truth this time.

open.substack.com/pub/americas...

They’re Lying, Dividing, And Distracting. Don’t Believe The GOP’s Shutdown Hype

“This isn’t about health care for undocumented immigrants—that’s already against the law," said Sen. Mark Warner. "It’s about the fact that Republicans are intentionally skyrocketing your premiums.”

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, Alan Richardson, David Darmofal

Senator Tammy Baldwin @baldwin.senate.gov · 4d

There it is.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 4d

Gosh, maybe if these toxic know-it-all bros had taken the time to educate themselves on Trump & his positions before they endorsed him, this wouldn’t be happening now.

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 4d

Pod man out: Trump's support with influential podcasters is waning
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Pod man out: Trump's support with influential podcasters is waning

Some of the podcasters who hosted Trump ahead of last year's election are breaking with him now on key issues like deportations and the war in Gaza.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Sara Mitchell @sbmitche.bsky.social · 4d

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Before and after images show glaciers vanishing before our eyes

They are melting like never seen before, changing landscapes around the world beyond recognition.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David W. Kerstetter, Kevin Carey

Adam Harris @adamhsays.com · 5d

“The administration is inviting universities to voluntarily put on a yoke and hand it the keys.“

From @kevincarey1.bsky.social: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

A Deal That Would End Universities’ Independence

The free-speech provisions of the so-called compact are an exercise in contradiction.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Laia Balcells, Robert C. Richards , and 7 more Brendan Nyhan, Laia Balcells, Robert C. Richards, Alan Richardson, Bessma Momani, Aviel Roshwald, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, S. Laurel Weldon, Dunlap, David Darmofal

jenn m. jackson @jennmjacksonphd.bsky.social · 5d

The Vice President of the United States used his social media page to tell Joy Reid, a private citizen with no connection to the government, that she should express "gratitude" for how this country has treated her.

Black women remain the most consistent targets in all of this.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Guy Grossman @guygrossman.bsky.social · 6d

Even if he manages to bring about the end of the war in Gaza, he can’t be worthy of the Noble prize because he declared war on half his own people.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Berna Devezer @devezer.bsky.social · 6d

Not everything is something. Some things are nothing. Some things are not a thing.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David Darmofal

Scott Shapiro @scottjshapiro.bsky.social · 6d

Democrats should run on one promise: release the Epstein files. They’d crush.

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Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Laia Balcells, Efrén O. Pérez , and 2 more Nandita Sharma, Laia Balcells, Efrén O. Pérez, Alan Richardson, David Darmofal

Adam Rose @adamrose.bsky.social · 6d

How bad are tariffs going?

I paid for $32 of shaving cream from Canada. Unique stuff I’ve used for years, nothing like it in US. Small family business.

UPS guy came to my door today with box and said I have to pay additional $120 before he can hand it to me.

That makes it 5x more expensive!!! 🤯

Screenshot of message from UPS:

Hi Adam,
All import fees must be paid prior to delivery.
Save time - prepay online for your FREIGHTCOM shipment. If import fees are not paid before delivery, an additional surcharge will be applied.
Total Amount Due
119.20 USD
Additional charges may have been applied based on recent tariff policy changes.
Pay Now ›

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Reposted by Laia Balcells, David R. Miller, David Darmofal

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 6d

As a kid, I got into politics partly to do my bit fighting the Soviet Union.

Now we have a president who wants to turn us into a country that mimics the Soviet Union.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Treasury Department considers minting a $1 Trump coin

The draft design of the coin, which was overseen by the Office of the U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, features Trump’s profile on one side of the coin.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Killian Clarke @kbclarke.bsky.social · 6d

There's a book launch at Georgetown on October 30, hosted by @mortaracenter.bsky.social and with my fantastic colleague @laiabalcells.bsky.social as discussant. If you’re in the DC area, please consider joining!

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Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 8d

Good morning. Starting the day overhearing two American business men at a US airport: "This whole tariffs issue is nonsense. Just look at the EO. It does not make any sense. They are undermining the backbone of American economic growth".

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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 8d

Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Joshua Holland @joshuaholland.bsky.social · 8d

Someone on FB urged me to "GPT a recipe" and I immediately unfriended him.

Just be normal, dude.

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Reposted by Laia Balcells

Joshua Holland @joshuaholland.bsky.social · 8d

'The question is, why did Donald Trump shut down the government? He says he doesn't need Congress's permission to spend taxpayer money as he wants. He says he doesn't have to follow spending laws. So why doesn't he just order the Treasury to keep everything running? He's the boss, right?'

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Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Laia Balcells

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 8d

Sorry we had to cancel your cancer treatment, but the Secretary of Defense had to fly all the generals in so he could call them fat.

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Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 8d

This is happening tomorrow!

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 14d

Very excited to go to Harvard next week and give a lecture on my research about transitional justice museums --featuring co-authored works with Valeria Palanza, Elsa Voytas, Olwen Purdue, Francesca Parente, and Ethan vanderWilden.

www.gov.harvard.edu/calendar_eve...

Sidney Verba Fall 2025 Lecture

Professor Laia Balcells is a Professor of Government at Georgetown University. Her research focuses on comparative politics and international relations, with a particular emphasis on political violenc...

www.gov.harvard.edu

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Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Peter Thorne, Tom Clark , and 9 more Joe R. Feagin, Peter Thorne, Tom Clark, David Johnson, Laia Balcells, Ryan Enos, Michael D. McDonald, Rense Corten, Halley E. Froehlich, Greg Linden, Georg Weizsäcker, David Darmofal

Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 8d

If Harvard bows down to this lawless president, it will cover itself in shame and betray its motto “Veritas.”

Don’t pretend to stand for truth if you’re going to surrender to this bully. Appeasement only feeds the beast and puts us all at greater risk.

Trump Says a Deal With Harvard Is Close

www.nytimes.com

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