Sumita Pahwa
@sumitapahwa.bsky.social
Social scientist, Bombayite, Californian, ex-Cairene. Mango maven. Cat lady. Teaches at Scripps College. Book: https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/5829/politics-as-worship/
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Much as fish don’t know about water, political reporters don’t know about Twitter brain
this administration is more twitter pilled than any previous iteration and the only reason it isn’t called out more regularly is because our top political reporters are just as mentally broken
November 26, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Much as fish don’t know about water, political reporters don’t know about Twitter brain
"Je veux pas avec ces histoires" 🤣 brava.
These French babies arguing 🤣
November 26, 2025 at 3:46 AM
"Je veux pas avec ces histoires" 🤣 brava.
This is just so lovely.
University of Cambridge on Instagram: "Why would an atheist believe in ghosts? 👻
This is the mystery that social anthropologist Ashley explored in her Master's dissertation: why does a future-forward...
79K likes, 591 comments - cambridgeuniversity on October 30, 2025: "Why would an atheist believe in ghosts? 👻
This is the mystery that social anthropologist Ashley explored in her Master's dissertati...
www.instagram.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
This is just so lovely.
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Guess we’re discovering moral hazard again, again
You have to keep giving money to avoid collapse and if there’s collapse you have to give more money. It’s called the free market.
November 25, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Guess we’re discovering moral hazard again, again
I'm going to guess that most of us would hesitate to define our functional languages in terms of those we can 'actually speak,' because fluency is often a challenge, but, in descending order:
English, Hindi, French, Arabic (MSA & Egyptian), v broken Punjabi.
English, Hindi, French, Arabic (MSA & Egyptian), v broken Punjabi.
My first languages are English & Scots.
I can speak conversational French & I read it a bit better.
I'm fluent in American Sign Language.
I know a teensy bit of restaurant Spanish.
#language #languages #languagelearning #linguistics #polyglot #writing #writingcommunity #ASL #Scots
I can speak conversational French & I read it a bit better.
I'm fluent in American Sign Language.
I know a teensy bit of restaurant Spanish.
#language #languages #languagelearning #linguistics #polyglot #writing #writingcommunity #ASL #Scots
How many languages do you actually speak?
I'll go first. Me: 4
#language #languages #languagelearning #linguistics #polyglot #writing #writingcommunity
I'll go first. Me: 4
#language #languages #languagelearning #linguistics #polyglot #writing #writingcommunity
November 25, 2025 at 9:34 AM
I'm going to guess that most of us would hesitate to define our functional languages in terms of those we can 'actually speak,' because fluency is often a challenge, but, in descending order:
English, Hindi, French, Arabic (MSA & Egyptian), v broken Punjabi.
English, Hindi, French, Arabic (MSA & Egyptian), v broken Punjabi.
I'd like to pin someone else's post....
If everybody could just stop publishing for a year or two so I can catch up on reading and sleep, that would be super
November 25, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I'd like to pin someone else's post....
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Why the #UnitedStates will never have a woman #President - a woman is elected #PrimeMinister of #Japan, and the "standard bearer of US media" does an entire article about her...handbag 🤦♀️
The Most Impactful Political Handbag Since Mrs. Thatcher’s
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Why the #UnitedStates will never have a woman #President - a woman is elected #PrimeMinister of #Japan, and the "standard bearer of US media" does an entire article about her...handbag 🤦♀️
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
If Isaac Chotiner ever said this to me, I would move to the woods.
November 25, 2025 at 1:12 AM
If Isaac Chotiner ever said this to me, I would move to the woods.
Wow, people still using twitter, and how!
Also, is this the same Ben Smith who worked for AP and then tne NYT? What happened to him?
Also, is this the same Ben Smith who worked for AP and then tne NYT? What happened to him?
A new kind of rapid Chotining. Please appreciate the alt-text.
November 25, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Wow, people still using twitter, and how!
Also, is this the same Ben Smith who worked for AP and then tne NYT? What happened to him?
Also, is this the same Ben Smith who worked for AP and then tne NYT? What happened to him?
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Upcoming deadlines to apply to Syracuse U's great Qualitative and Multi-Method Research 2-week summer program! Fellowships available to cover the costs! Pls circulate widely!
www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/cen...
www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/cen...
November 25, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Upcoming deadlines to apply to Syracuse U's great Qualitative and Multi-Method Research 2-week summer program! Fellowships available to cover the costs! Pls circulate widely!
www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/cen...
www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/cen...
Yup! My children have more homework and more packed schedules in freaking California today than I did in the hypercompetitive Indian elite school system 30+ years ago.
Hard agree with most of this large chunk--why isn't this what the article is about, I plead.
November 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Yup! My children have more homework and more packed schedules in freaking California today than I did in the hypercompetitive Indian elite school system 30+ years ago.
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Oops, here’s the link
Malleable Minds: The Effects of STEM- vs. Humanities-Focused Curricula
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
November 24, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Oops, here’s the link
Sholay Movie chakki pissing scene
YouTube video by Cut to Cut
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 AM
You can tell this is a very US-centric, low-desi rep social media platform by the fact that there is zero zilch Dharmendra death news.
November 24, 2025 at 11:22 AM
You can tell this is a very US-centric, low-desi rep social media platform by the fact that there is zero zilch Dharmendra death news.
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
If you have weekend leftovers that could do with a bit of a zhuzh, or are just after a quick flavour-fix, you might well be interested in the Green Tahini Sauce that’s #RecipeOfTheDay. It’s divine splodged over sweet potatoes (as it is here) and so much else besides. www.nigella.com/recipes/gree...
Green Tahini Sauce
I’m often to be found, bowl in front of me, stick blender in hand, mixing up a green tahini sauce: it turns any plate of vegetables into a feast, though its robust earthiness is particularly glorious ...
www.nigella.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:47 AM
If you have weekend leftovers that could do with a bit of a zhuzh, or are just after a quick flavour-fix, you might well be interested in the Green Tahini Sauce that’s #RecipeOfTheDay. It’s divine splodged over sweet potatoes (as it is here) and so much else besides. www.nigella.com/recipes/gree...
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Still on!
Cornell are having a 44% off sale until December 5th! Buy books including mine… www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
November 24, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Still on!
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
Those assignments where you get a student to get ChatGPT to write an essay and then correct it always *seem* like a good idea, but for many reasons, tend to backfire.
Yeah, I’ve been hearing about how the activity backfires. Part of it is that even AI companies say, if they get someone to try it, it immediately increases the chance to use in the future. The other part is students, who want to use AI, will see AI as being acceptable if another assignment used it.
November 24, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Those assignments where you get a student to get ChatGPT to write an essay and then correct it always *seem* like a good idea, but for many reasons, tend to backfire.
I'd be curious to know how many WhatsApp users don't have family on different continents - is it breaking out of the immigrant and diaspora scene?
UPDATE: Americans who use
YouTube 84%
Facebook 71%
Instagram 50%
TikTok 37%
WhatsApp 32%
Reddit 26%
Snapchat 25%
X (Twitter) 21%
Threads 8%
Bluesky 4%
Truth Social 3%
Full Pew Research Center report: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
YouTube 84%
Facebook 71%
Instagram 50%
TikTok 37%
WhatsApp 32%
Reddit 26%
Snapchat 25%
X (Twitter) 21%
Threads 8%
Bluesky 4%
Truth Social 3%
Full Pew Research Center report: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
November 24, 2025 at 5:33 AM
I'd be curious to know how many WhatsApp users don't have family on different continents - is it breaking out of the immigrant and diaspora scene?
Now for the 'unread books' exchange.
Bluesky, how big is your box of old cables? If you know you know.
November 24, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Now for the 'unread books' exchange.
Yep. Also, early feasts involved eel, mussels, and corn pudding. The latter is quite good made with hatch chiles.
The reason we eat turkey is because it's indigenous to north america
November 24, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Yep. Also, early feasts involved eel, mussels, and corn pudding. The latter is quite good made with hatch chiles.
It's true of all festivals, holidays, celebrations. Gruelling work, taken for granted, required as duty to 'make memories.' Those of you grousing about having to visit family at this time, get on trash or cleaning duty, and offer to buy a side dish.
Every conversation I had with another woman at church this morning was about how much cooking each of us are responsible for this week. I guess this is Thanksgiving in middle age.
a woman wearing sunglasses and a turkey head stands in a kitchen
ALT: a woman wearing sunglasses and a turkey head stands in a kitchen
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 AM
It's true of all festivals, holidays, celebrations. Gruelling work, taken for granted, required as duty to 'make memories.' Those of you grousing about having to visit family at this time, get on trash or cleaning duty, and offer to buy a side dish.
Reposted by Sumita Pahwa
the economic success of the U.S. is significantly built on the land grant universities and in particular their excellent agricultural science tradition.
Really important to stress that the Crown Jewels of the US higher education system were never the Ivies or elite SLACs (other countries have equivalents of these) but the well-funded, large, cheap, and excellently staffed public state university systems bringing high quality education to the masses.
One of the bragging rights that the US ed system had in the 20th century is that we didn't have education tracks. Essentially, any kid could go to a CC or state school & major in whatever they wanted to (obviously an oversimplification). I fear this aspect of the American dream is dying.
November 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
the economic success of the U.S. is significantly built on the land grant universities and in particular their excellent agricultural science tradition.