Laia Balcells

@laiabalcells.bsky.social

7.2K followers 1.6K following 820 posts

Yale educated political scientist. Georgetown professor. Views here are personal. Reskeets are not endorsements.

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Political science 60%

Sociology 17%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 1d

I agree that we should look at the content, not the number of mentions.

rich traditions @helldude.bsky.social · 1d

anyone could be mentioned in the epstein files one million times. means nothing

Reposted by Laia Balcells

rich traditions @helldude.bsky.social · 1d

anyone could be mentioned in the epstein files one million times. means nothing

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Tom Clark, Laia Balcells , and 3 more Brendan Nyhan, Tom Clark, Laia Balcells, Aaron Sojourner, James Goodwin, Prokla Redaktion

Chris Ingraham @cingraham.bsky.social · 1d

This is the second time an ICE employee has been arrested in in a Bloomington, MN underage sex trafficking sting www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...

Minnesota House DFL @mnhousedfl.bsky.social · 1d

Police in Bloomington, MN just announced that one of the guys they arrested in an underage sex trafficking sting was a **background checker for ICE agents.**

He had a high security clearance in the Trump administration... and he was caught trying to abuse children. Sickening.

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 3d

First Team USA's medal of this game is brought by a queer athlete. What will MAGA say? 🌈

CNN @cnn.com · 3d

Breezy Johnson wins gold in women's downhill, earning Team USA's first medal of Winter Games. Follow live updates.
https://cnn.it/4tiQMkd

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 3d

And, as far as I know, she is the first queer skier to achieve this amazing feat.

NBC News @nbcnews.com · 3d

BREAKING: Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill gold medal, joining Lindsey Vonn as only Americans to accomplish feat.

Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill gold medal, joining Lindsey Vonn as only Americans to accomplish feat

Johnson, a Wyoming native, posted the leading time on the day's sixth run. American Jacqueline Wiles finished fourth.

www.nbcnews.com

Reposted by Laia Balcells

CNN @cnn.com · 3d

Breezy Johnson wins gold in women's downhill, earning Team USA's first medal of Winter Games. Follow live updates.
https://cnn.it/4tiQMkd

Reposted by Laia Balcells

NBC News @nbcnews.com · 3d

BREAKING: Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill gold medal, joining Lindsey Vonn as only Americans to accomplish feat.

Breezy Johnson wins Olympic downhill gold medal, joining Lindsey Vonn as only Americans to accomplish feat

Johnson, a Wyoming native, posted the leading time on the day's sixth run. American Jacqueline Wiles finished fourth.

www.nbcnews.com

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 4d

Winter Olympics: that time of the year where people who never follow winter sports decide that they like to watch winter sports...until the next Olympics.

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 4d

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to move forward with a new voter-approved congressional map that favors Democrats in this year’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea by state Republicans and the Trump administration.

Supreme Court Allows New California Congressional Districts That Favor Democrats

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to move forward with a new congressional map that favors Democrats in this year’s elections.

buff.ly

Reposted by Laia Balcells, David R. Miller, Erol Akçay

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 5d

In a functioning democracy, he would not be president by this evening

Trump Posts Video Portraying Obamas as Apes

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Tom Pepinsky @tompepinsky.com · 6d

Another thing that I have noticed after nearly two decades in New York state, is that Northern liberalism really is a thing. Even rural central NY still has plenty of counterculture and free thinking (not just in Ithaca). Rural conservatives may vote Republican, but they want to leave people alone

Reposted by Laia Balcells, Daniel W. Drezner

Corey Atad @coreyatad.com · 7d

incredible 🤣

Reposted by Laia Balcells, Sebastian Karcher

American Political Science Review @apsrjournal.bsky.social · 8d

Our February Issue has been published! Read it at www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Raul Pacheco-Vega @raulpachecovega.bsky.social · 8d

I still continue to have a critical view of AI. This does not make me a technophobe nor a caveman.

Reposted by Laia Balcells, Nicolai von Ondarza

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 8d

Italian MEP Roberto Vannacci today formally broke with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini’s far-right League party, capping weeks of internal turmoil and exposing a widening rift on Italy’s right.

Italy’s far-right League party splits as Salvini’s deputy quits

Roberto Vannacci has launched a new far-right party that’s “not moderate.”

www.politico.eu

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Houston Chronicle @houstonchronicle.com · 8d

The Houston Chronicle editorial board says that Democrats should make state Rep. James Talarico their Senate candidate because he's running like he actually wants to win in Texas. bit.ly/4qfdZkM

Reposted by John R. Hutchinson, Laia Balcells

Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 8d

Newly released files shed new light on Chomsky and Epstein relationship www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Newly released files shed new light on Chomsky and Epstein relationship

Latest communications undermine Chomsky’s earlier claims that he primarily had financial dealings with Epstein

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by David Darmofal

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 8d

Now out in the February 2026 issue of the APSR.

American Political Science Review @apsrjournal.bsky.social · Apr 28

Just published on APSR First View: "Ideology and Revolution in Civil Wars: The 'Marxist Paradox'" by Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social and Stathis Kalyvas. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Reposted by Laia Balcells

elDiario.es @eldiario.es · 8d

Trump reclama ahora 1.000 millones de dólares a Harvard

El presidente de EEUU afirma que reclama una compensación "por daños y perjuicios" a la universidad después de que el New York Times informara que su administración había desistido de exigir 200 millo...

www.eldiario.es

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Claire Adida @claireadida.bsky.social · 8d

Just a reminder that "A database maintained by the right-wing Heritage Foundation found "fewer than 100 examples of non-citizens voting between 2002 and 2022, amid more than 1 billion lawfully cast ballots."

via @juddlegum.bsky.social

Hundreds of citizens wrongly stripped of voting rights in botched effort to legitimize Trump's conspiracy theory

One of the central narratives that former President Donald Trump and his allies are pushing is that Democrats are planning to steal the election by using undocumented immigrants to pad their vote tota...

popular.info

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 12d

Wow. Is this real?

Eliza Orlins @elizaorlins.bsky.social · 12d

Elon Musk has publicly claimed he never visited Epstein's island and barely knew the man.

New documents show Musk emailing Epstein in Dec 2013: "Is there a good time to visit?"

Epstein: "always space for you"

This was 5 years after Epstein's 2008 conviction and sex offender registration.

From: Lesley Groff <
To: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com>
Subject: Reminder: Elon Musk-Christmas and New Year's
Date: Tue, 31 Dee 2013 17:40:25 +0000
Just a reminder Elon Musk was asking about coming to your island on Jan. 2....
Begin forwarded message:
From: Elon Musk <
Subject: Re: Christmas and New Year's Date: December 25, 2013 11:35:38 AM EST
To: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com>
Cc: Lesley Groff <
Actually, I could fly back early on the 3rd. We will be in St Bart's. When should we head to your island on the 2nd?
On Dec 25, 2013, at 12:30 PM, "Elon Musk" <
<mailto:
>> wrote:
I need to fly back to LA on the night of the 2nd, so w
On Dec 25, 2013, at 6:34 AM, "Jeffrey Epstein" < jeevacation@gmail.com<mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com>>
wrote:
the 2 or 3 would be perfect. I will come and get you.
On Sun, Dec 15, 2013 at 5:32 PM, Elon Musk - Ok, probably the 1st then.
Kmailto:
>> wrote:
On Dec 15, 2013, at 2:25 PM, "Jeffrey Epstein" <jeevacation@gmail.com<mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com> <mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com-mailto:jeevacation@gmail.com>>> wrote:
any day 1st - 8th. play it by ear if you want. always space for you
On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 11:35 PM, Elon Musk
<mailto:
<mailto:
mailto:
→ wrote:
Will be in the BVI/St Bart's area over the holidays. Is there a good time to visit?
***********************************************************
The information contained in this communication is confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may constitute inside information, and is intended only for the use of the addressee. It is the property of Jeffrey Epstein
EFTA00680523

Reposted by Laia Balcells, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Eliza Orlins @elizaorlins.bsky.social · 12d

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 12d

February 2026 issue of the @apsrjournal.bsky.social: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

American Political Science Review: Volume 120 - Issue 1 | Cambridge Core

Cambridge Core - American Political Science Review - Volume 120 - Issue 1

www.cambridge.org

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · 12d

Oh Canada 🇨🇦

sarah @goingonawalk.bsky.social · 12d

Hudson Williams gives a full body leg up hug to a smiling Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney

Reposted by Laia Balcells

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Jeffries: "We believe there should be a prohibition on ICE deporting or detaining American citizens. We believe that ICE should conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country. We believe ICE shouldn't run around with masks ... "

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 13d

New working paper with Ana Paula Pellegrino and Ben Burnley (both of them recent PhDs from Georgetown): "Between wars and words: how international conflict shapes discourse of non-belligerent political leaders" www.wider.unu.edu/sites/defaul...

www.wider.unu.edu

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 13d

I thought of this when I saw @benansell.bsky.social's piece on MN: benansell.substack.com/p/my-minneap...

My Minneapolis

An ode to a city that knows who it is

benansell.substack.com

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 13d

That's why Minnesota has a special place in my heart.

Laia Balcells @laiabalcells.bsky.social · 13d

When I was a teenager, I came to the US for three or four weeks to visit a friend and improve my English. My destination were the Twin Cities, thus the first place in the US I visited by myself.

Reposted by Laia Balcells

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 14d

‘I was simply luckier’: Holocaust survivors warn against forgetting Nazi atrocities

People urged to stand up against populism and antisemitism as the world marks International Holocaust Memorial Day

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