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Omar Wasow

@owasow.bsky.social

37K followers 3.7K following 3K posts

Asst Prof, UC Berkeley, Political Science. Study protests, stats & race: 1/ Agenda Seeding http://j.mp/agenda-seeding 2/ Race as a Bundle of Sticks http://j.mp/bundle-of

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · Feb 6

I’ve been studying civil rights protests for 20 years. With new mobilization against Trump’s agenda, I’m sharing a thread summarizing my research on how nonviolent & violent actions by 1960s activists and police influenced media, elites, public opinion & voters. 1/ www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Article title: Agenda Seeding: How 1960s Black Protests Moved Elites, Public Opinion and Voting

Article Abstract

How do stigmatized minorities advance agendas when confronted with hostile majorities? Elite theories of influence posit marginal groups exert little power. I propose the concept of agenda seeding to describe how activists use methods like disruption to capture the attention of media and overcome political asymmetries. Further, I hypothesize protest tactics influence how news organizations frame demands. Evaluating black-led protests between 1960 and 1972, I find nonviolent activism, particularly when met with state or vigilante repression, drove media coverage, framing, congressional speech, and public opinion on civil rights. Counties proximate to nonviolent protests saw presidential Democratic vote share increase 1.6–2.5%. Protester-initiated violence, by contrast, helped move news agendas, frames, elite discourse, and public concern toward “social control.” In 1968, using rainfall as an instrument, I find violent protests likely caused a 1.5–7.9% shift among whites toward Republicans and tipped the election. Elites may dominate political communication but hold no monopoly.

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Rebecca Spang @rlspang.bsky.social · 5h

The title verse of “We Shall Overcome” and most of the others are in the future tense. One verse is in the present: “We are not afraid TODAY.”

That is the most important message for our current moment. If you can “afford” to be fearless, do it.

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 7h

www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

Can you put into words what that purpose is? You and the frog have really become icons of this protest.

There’s been a nice overall whimsy that has shown up. The frog is amazing. We had a bunch of other inflatable people here last night, too. I saw people playing Twister the other day.

What they rely on is fear. So by coming out in an absurdist manner, it speaks to them, to some extent, that we’re actually not that afraid.

It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as “war-torn,” it becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it’s, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 7h

Yes and also potential for more fun for activists.

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 7h

Also worth noting that while protests with drama and conflict are usually what catches the media’s eye, groups like ACT-UP have also used humor (e.g., putting a giant condom over Sen Jesse Helms home) as an effective tactic to generate sympathetic coverage and elevate their concerns to the public.

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 12h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 9h

This is the genius of the Portland protests - they make the claims of lawlessness look not just wrong, but comical

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 12h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Jonathan W. Gray @elmcitytree.blacksky.app · 1d

Updated the Blackademics starter pack again (!) to include Vincent Brown, Imani Perry, the Harare Review of Books and others. Stay tuned for more developments coming soon....

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Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 22h

Harvard (and all universities) must take a stand against Trump's extorionary "compact". Enos and Levitsky.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Harvard Must Take a Stand Against Trump’s Compact | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson

Harvard, rather than quietly pursuing its own appeasement strategy, should lead the way to preserve academic freedom and democracy.

www.thecrimson.com

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 16h

“Practicing intermittent fasting doesn’t mean following perfect rules. Just think of it as core principles—if you can eat over a shorter time period you’ll get more benefits. And the good news is that you only need to follow it at least five days a week to see benefits, so you can have break days.”

The health benefits of intermittent fasting | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Intermittent fasting researcher Courtney Peterson discusses her research and her plans for the School's new research kitchen.

hsph.harvard.edu

Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 16h

“We’ve found that daily intermittent fasting—eating regular meals during a specific window, and fasting for at least 16 hours a day—does help people lose weight, the equivalent of about 250 calories a day, or half a pound a week.… We’ve also consistently seen large decreases in blood pressure.”

The health benefits of intermittent fasting | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Intermittent fasting researcher Courtney Peterson discusses her research and her plans for the School's new research kitchen.

hsph.harvard.edu

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FiftyPlusOne.news @fiftyplusone.news · 17h

new polls website just dropped fiftyplusone.news

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eileen chengyin chow @chowleen.bsky.social · 1d

I, however,
Have such meagre power,

Clutching at a
Moment,

While you control
An hour.

But your hour is
A stone.

My moment is
A flower.

-Langston Hughes, "Poet to Bigot"
#everynightapoem As ever.

I have done so little
For you.
And you have do little
For me.
That we have good reason
Never to agree.

I, however,
Have such meagre power,
Clutching at a
Moment,
While you control
An hour.
But your hour is
A stone.
My moment is
A flower.
-Langston Hughes, "Poet to Bigot"

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Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 1d

"While on the phone with 911, Rinderknecht allegedly typed a question into ChatGPT: 'Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes'"

Bobby Allyn @bobbyallyn.bsky.social · 1d

When investigators recovered the phone of the man suspected of starting the Palisades fire they found an image of a burning city he generated on ChatGPT www.latimes.com/california/s...

Uber driver accused of intentionally starting fire that destroyed Pacific Palisades

Authorities will announce an arrest in connection with the devastating Palisades fire, law enforcement sources said, and are expected to announce a cause of the blaze.

www.latimes.com

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 2d

One other curious assumption about future AI: the artificial super-intelligence that is able to build a super-super-intelligence won’t have similar concerns about a higher AI dominating a lesser AI and, therefore, be vigilant about encoding self-protection.

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 3d

Maybe, or maybe we’re projecting human sentiments onto something quite different.

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Asha Rangappa @asharangappa.bsky.social · 3d

We’re in a moment now where it would be worth people taking three hours to watch Gandhi, particularly the scene of the salt march. There is value to making the brutality of your opponent so plain as day that no one can argue with it. The clarity of that brought down an empire

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 3d

I want to protect myself and don’t feel the need to dominate others.

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 3d

Started listening to excellent “The Last Invention” and the debate among AI experts over threat of super-intelligence. Am struck by the recurring presumption that AI will seek to dominate, when that tendency in some humans was likely forged by evolutionary pressures not central to AI development.

EP 1: Ready Or Not

Podcast Episode · The Last Invention · S1 E1 · 35m

podcasts.apple.com

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 3d

My new op-ed with @lkfazio.bsky.social:

Trump sent a 'compact' to our universities. They should reject this devil's bargain.
Any institution that yields to these broad and intrusive demands would forever be subservient to the whims of the government.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 4d

Urbanists should start an annual celebration of public transit.

Call it Dia de los Metros.

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Joanne Hansen @joannehansen.bsky.social · 5d

Just watched @jonfavs.bsky.social and @owasow.bsky.social discuss the value and challenges of protest movements and the history of what does or doesn't work. Great prep for the 10/18 #NoKingsDay, @indivisible.org and @indivistwincities.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1bg...

How to Protest The Trump Regime Like The Civil Rights Movement

YouTube video by Offline with Jon Favreau

www.youtube.com

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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 5d

“Nice university you got there…”

Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/u...

“U.S. universities were and are the envy of the world,” Mr. Rowan told Bloomberg Television. “We can destroy that. We can lose it.”

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Andrew Heiss @andrew.heiss.phd · 6d

If you've ever wanted to learn how to make beautiful websites with #QuartoPub and #rstats , check out this workshop I'm giving in a couple weeks! It'll be a blast (and we're covering Quarto's brand new _brand dot yaml system!)

Statistical Horizons @stathorizons.bsky.social · 21d

Learn to create and publish a professional, data-focused website in “Create an Online Presence with Quarto Websites” on October 16-17, with @andrew.heiss.phd‬! Discover how to use #Quarto to build a variety of websites like personal portfolios, research compendiums, and interactive dashboards.

Quarto Websites | Online Seminar | Code Horizons

This online course taught by Andrew Heiss, Ph.D., teaches you how to use Quarto to build a variety of data-focused websites.

codehorizons.com

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Jonathan Bellack @bellack.com · 6d

Online identity should not be a one size fits all proposition. Different stakeholders (individuals, communities, platforms) have different expectations based on the channel (one-on-one, small group, broadcast, etc). We need technology to support more nuance and control. 1/2

A woman at home talking on a cellphone while watching an online video of a man giving a speech to an audience of people.

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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 8d

The “E-Bike Effect:” Those who bought e-bikes increased their average daily bicycle use from 2.1km (1.3 miles) to 9.2km (5.7 miles), a 340% increase. The e-bike share of all their transportation increased dramatically too; from 17% to 49%.

E-bikes support fewer car trips.

V @lloydalter.bsky.social

E-Bikers Ride Much Farther and More Frequently Than Regular Bikers

They are not 'cheating,' but are serious transportation.

www.treehugger.com

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Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 7d

Somebody actually sat down and wrote these two sentences, one after another. www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/u...

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Monica H Green @monicamedhist.bsky.social · 8d

"I used to say the Army’s No. 1 job was segregation,” he added. “Winning the war was No. 2.”

George Hardy, Tuskegee Airman Who Fought in Three Wars, Dies at 100. Hail and farewell. #GiftLink www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u...

George Hardy, Tuskegee Airman Who Fought in Three Wars, Dies at 100

www.nytimes.com

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