Sarang Shah
@sarangshah.com
now: lawyer + politics phd candidate @ UC Berkeley
soon: Columbia Law School fellow at Public Economic Law Project
Corp law + governance, political economy, democracy + money in politics, housing
past: physicist, tech writer, journalist
taoist in SF
soon: Columbia Law School fellow at Public Economic Law Project
Corp law + governance, political economy, democracy + money in politics, housing
past: physicist, tech writer, journalist
taoist in SF
Pinned
Sarang Shah
@sarangshah.com
· 26d
Welcome to everyone joining Bluesky in the recent influx.
Just in case anyone new catches this account in this wave, a few rules:
1. Have fun
2. Be cool
3. Delete posts
4. Enjoy ideas
5. Look on my works
That's all. Knock yourself out!
1. Have fun
2. Be cool
3. Delete posts
4. Enjoy ideas
5. Look on my works
That's all. Knock yourself out!
Reposted by Sarang Shah
It's true that Mamdani is a skilled improviser but that's counterintuitively a result of his superior preparation — spending time and energy to hone your speaking style, memorize talking points etc frees up cognitive load to notice and react to what's around you instead of thinking about what to say
Dude is such a natural and charismatic communicator. Something occurs that would make someone else stumble or lose focus and he just rolls it into his speech almost like it was prepared. That takes not just talent but instinct.
Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.”
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
February 6, 2026 at 4:52 AM
It's true that Mamdani is a skilled improviser but that's counterintuitively a result of his superior preparation — spending time and energy to hone your speaking style, memorize talking points etc frees up cognitive load to notice and react to what's around you instead of thinking about what to say
Reposted by Sarang Shah
FT exclusive:
“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”
via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues
“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”
via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues
February 5, 2026 at 11:39 PM
FT exclusive:
“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”
via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues
“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”
via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues
Reposted by Sarang Shah
This year I made two big changes to my graduate International Political Economy syllabus: 1) I leaned in to money and capital as organizing themes, and 2) I assigned (nearly) all books. Here's our reading list, ft. Karl Polanyi, Benjamin Cohen, @stefeich.bsky.social, Ngaire Woods, J.C. Sharman ...
February 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM
This year I made two big changes to my graduate International Political Economy syllabus: 1) I leaned in to money and capital as organizing themes, and 2) I assigned (nearly) all books. Here's our reading list, ft. Karl Polanyi, Benjamin Cohen, @stefeich.bsky.social, Ngaire Woods, J.C. Sharman ...
Reposted by Sarang Shah
“The upshot is not that Democrats have no choice but to parrot Stephen Miller or Matthew Yglesias. Rather, there’s a huge issue—the issue that voters actually care about the most—that Democrats should be raising the salience of but aren’t: the economy.”
Jared Abbott & Milan Loewer in our new forum:
Jared Abbott & Milan Loewer in our new forum:
The focus should be fighting plutocracy.
Jared Abbot and Milan Loewer respond in a forum on “How Not to Defeat Authoritarianism.”
www.bostonreview.net
February 5, 2026 at 8:28 PM
“The upshot is not that Democrats have no choice but to parrot Stephen Miller or Matthew Yglesias. Rather, there’s a huge issue—the issue that voters actually care about the most—that Democrats should be raising the salience of but aren’t: the economy.”
Jared Abbott & Milan Loewer in our new forum:
Jared Abbott & Milan Loewer in our new forum:
Really curious about what happened with the SF Standard, which seemed so promising and at one point hired so many good people
February 5, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Really curious about what happened with the SF Standard, which seemed so promising and at one point hired so many good people
"Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will" is indeed a viable, even necessary, disposition in these times. We must cultivate reasonable expectations while anticipating the worst.
Trump and the Republicans are trying to rig the election. That's not being a "doomer," that's acknowledging reality.
Democrats need a coordinated, national response to these coordinated, national attacks. We need an "Elections Czar"
My latest solution in @thenation.com
Democrats need a coordinated, national response to these coordinated, national attacks. We need an "Elections Czar"
My latest solution in @thenation.com
Democrats Need to Get Serious About Stopping Trump From Rigging the Midterms
Here’s one idea for a coordinated response to Trump’s coordinated attacks.
www.thenation.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:08 PM
"Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will" is indeed a viable, even necessary, disposition in these times. We must cultivate reasonable expectations while anticipating the worst.
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Real opening for Dems to run as the law and order party.
So much corruption. So much abuse of individual rights. So much battery. So much contempt of court. Chaos, disorder.
Run as party that will enforce the law against criminal goons.
Of course Dems would need to stop funding the criming, too.
So much corruption. So much abuse of individual rights. So much battery. So much contempt of court. Chaos, disorder.
Run as party that will enforce the law against criminal goons.
Of course Dems would need to stop funding the criming, too.
NEW: The top Trump-appointed proseutor in MN says his office is dropping "pressing priorities" to manage crushing immigration workload.
His short-staffed office is doing constant overtime and bouncing between contempt hearings.
The bleak assessment:
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
His short-staffed office is doing constant overtime and bouncing between contempt hearings.
The bleak assessment:
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
February 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Real opening for Dems to run as the law and order party.
So much corruption. So much abuse of individual rights. So much battery. So much contempt of court. Chaos, disorder.
Run as party that will enforce the law against criminal goons.
Of course Dems would need to stop funding the criming, too.
So much corruption. So much abuse of individual rights. So much battery. So much contempt of court. Chaos, disorder.
Run as party that will enforce the law against criminal goons.
Of course Dems would need to stop funding the criming, too.
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Shin-Merced
America: where the alignments of $100B transportation projects are chosen based on whether a chain store would have to be relocated.
February 5, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Shin-Merced
w ha t
"The penis-injection problem in ski jumping" is the sort of crisis any Italian-hosted Olympic games is expected to deliver
February 5, 2026 at 7:16 PM
w ha t
Reposted by Sarang Shah
As a former pretty young woman, I learned this the hard way. All of us do. And women who were not (or age out of being) conventionally attractive learn other takeaways.
Don't miss an important takeaway here: if you are a pretty young woman, inviting a guy senior to you to give a talk is assumed to be a romantic overture.
February 5, 2026 at 6:12 PM
As a former pretty young woman, I learned this the hard way. All of us do. And women who were not (or age out of being) conventionally attractive learn other takeaways.
Reposted by Sarang Shah
The Trump Admin just put out a rule that would reclassify federal workers as "Schedule Policy/Career" (previously Schedule F) if they work in policy-relevant roles. Potentially huge swaths of the civil service could become at-will employees.
public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-02375.pdf
public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-02375.pdf
public-inspection.federalregister.gov
February 5, 2026 at 6:20 PM
The Trump Admin just put out a rule that would reclassify federal workers as "Schedule Policy/Career" (previously Schedule F) if they work in policy-relevant roles. Potentially huge swaths of the civil service could become at-will employees.
public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-02375.pdf
public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-02375.pdf
Reposted by Sarang Shah
I have discovered that a very good way to counter The Horrors is to focus on drinking at least two cups of coffee the instant I wake up. I used to drink a half cup and then kind of forget about it but now that simply won't do. Follow me for more health advice
February 5, 2026 at 5:39 PM
I have discovered that a very good way to counter The Horrors is to focus on drinking at least two cups of coffee the instant I wake up. I used to drink a half cup and then kind of forget about it but now that simply won't do. Follow me for more health advice
Reposted by Sarang Shah
I recommend @josephinequinn.bsky.social's How the World Made the West for the picture it paints of the classical Mediterranean world as a cosmopolitan space of exchange and diversity.
Murray's mental image of Helen of Troy is probably wrong. His mental image of Western civilization definitely is.
Murray's mental image of Helen of Troy is probably wrong. His mental image of Western civilization definitely is.
Charles Murray, famous racist, is very mad that Lupita Nyong’o is going to play Helen of Troy.
www.liberalcurrents.com/none-more-wo...
www.liberalcurrents.com/none-more-wo...
February 5, 2026 at 6:14 PM
I recommend @josephinequinn.bsky.social's How the World Made the West for the picture it paints of the classical Mediterranean world as a cosmopolitan space of exchange and diversity.
Murray's mental image of Helen of Troy is probably wrong. His mental image of Western civilization definitely is.
Murray's mental image of Helen of Troy is probably wrong. His mental image of Western civilization definitely is.
Good news for all who %>%!
dplyr 1.2.0 is out now and we are SO excited!
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
- `filter_out()` for dropping rows
- `recode_values()`, `replace_values()`, and `replace_when()` that join `case_when()` as a complete family of recoding/replacing tools
These are huge quality of life wins for #rstats!
tidyverse.org/blog/2026/02...
dplyr 1.2.0
dplyr 1.2.0 fills in some important gaps in dplyr's API: we've added a new complement to `filter()` focused on dropping rows, and we've expanded the `case_when()` family with three new recoding and re...
tidyverse.org
February 5, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Good news for all who %>%!
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Exclusive: The European Central Bank is working on opening up its liquidity facility to more countries, making it cheaper and easier to access in a bid to foster the international role of the euro, three sources told Reuters reut.rs/4r2973D
Exclusive: ECB to open up liquidity line to more countries in push for bigger euro role - sources
The European Central Bank is working on opening up its liquidity facility to more countries, making it cheaper and easier to access in a bid to foster the international role of the euro, three sources...
reut.rs
February 5, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Exclusive: The European Central Bank is working on opening up its liquidity facility to more countries, making it cheaper and easier to access in a bid to foster the international role of the euro, three sources told Reuters reut.rs/4r2973D
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Bitcoin is getting pretty close to being down 50% from its October peak, and it's hard not to view that as one of the most positive indicators we've had in a while.
February 5, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Bitcoin is getting pretty close to being down 50% from its October peak, and it's hard not to view that as one of the most positive indicators we've had in a while.
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Who all will be at ALPE in Richmond VA this weekend?
I'll be presenting some work on corporate law and governance and how to conceptualize corporate power on a panel at 11:30 Friday. Come on by!
I'll be presenting some work on corporate law and governance and how to conceptualize corporate power on a panel at 11:30 Friday. Come on by!
February 5, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Who all will be at ALPE in Richmond VA this weekend?
I'll be presenting some work on corporate law and governance and how to conceptualize corporate power on a panel at 11:30 Friday. Come on by!
I'll be presenting some work on corporate law and governance and how to conceptualize corporate power on a panel at 11:30 Friday. Come on by!
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Epstein is the sub- plot... My post. open.substack.com/pub/annpetti...
The Mandelson Scandal is about Wall Street Power and Political Deviance
Epstein the paedophile is a sub-plot.
open.substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Epstein is the sub- plot... My post. open.substack.com/pub/annpetti...
Reposted by Sarang Shah
This is the @elizabethbitmeehan.com bat signal
February 5, 2026 at 6:49 PM
This is the @elizabethbitmeehan.com bat signal
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Trump: "Mike Johnson is a very religious person. He does not hide it. He'll say to me sometimes at lunch, 'Sir, may we pray.' I'll say, 'Excuse me? We're having lunch.'"
February 5, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Trump: "Mike Johnson is a very religious person. He does not hide it. He'll say to me sometimes at lunch, 'Sir, may we pray.' I'll say, 'Excuse me? We're having lunch.'"
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Is he…roasting the prayer breakfast?
February 5, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Is he…roasting the prayer breakfast?
Reposted by Sarang Shah
The world factbook was an invaluable resource in asylum petitions—a place where the federal government acknowledged in writing that, for example, Tibetans face systematic repression in China. I don’t like to have it vanish.
Add the CIA World Factbook to the long and growing list of disappearing government datasets: www.cia.gov/stories/stor...
February 5, 2026 at 2:42 PM
The world factbook was an invaluable resource in asylum petitions—a place where the federal government acknowledged in writing that, for example, Tibetans face systematic repression in China. I don’t like to have it vanish.
Reposted by Sarang Shah
The Senate is going to be on a knife edge because of a handful of states, each of which has Democrats heavily concentrated in a couple of cities. There is plenty of scope on Election Day & afterward for the competitive authoritarian shenanigans to meaningfully affect outcomes in 2026.
February 5, 2026 at 2:36 PM
The Senate is going to be on a knife edge because of a handful of states, each of which has Democrats heavily concentrated in a couple of cities. There is plenty of scope on Election Day & afterward for the competitive authoritarian shenanigans to meaningfully affect outcomes in 2026.
A good reason as any for empirical social scientists to redouble their efforts to conceptualize and measure power, and integrate it into their explanations
Imo, the starting point of any sort of Marx-inspired political economy is that while individual capitalists qua capitalists seek greater money profits, capital owners as political actors seek to increase the authority that possession of money gives them over other human beings.
February 5, 2026 at 2:44 PM
A good reason as any for empirical social scientists to redouble their efforts to conceptualize and measure power, and integrate it into their explanations
Reposted by Sarang Shah
Still feels like pulling the wiring out. The factbook's section on territorial/longstanding disputes was also useful in seeing other countries' interests.
Very much feels like a gratuituous waste.
Very much feels like a gratuituous waste.
February 5, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Still feels like pulling the wiring out. The factbook's section on territorial/longstanding disputes was also useful in seeing other countries' interests.
Very much feels like a gratuituous waste.
Very much feels like a gratuituous waste.