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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 12m

Congratulations to my friend and colleague Amitav Acharya on his new book "Once and Future World Order" - decline of western hegemony does not necessarily mean increased global instability. He argues that peaceful multipolarity has emerged many times in world history.

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 14h

Their presence in DC last month with #FreeDC was impressive. Great to see young people mobilizing to defend democracy

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

In this time of polycrisis, connecting the growing autocracy to the climate crisis is necessary. It’s good to see young activists meeting the moment!

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Youth-led US climate activists widen focus to fight authoritarianism

Sunrise Movement, which led calls for a Green New Deal, will organize against Trump’s attacks on universities

www.theguardian.com

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

@beattyriedl.bsky.social @fromagehomme.bsky.social

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

Global liberal order was created by people who lived through horrors of WW2. As that memory has faded, the appreciation for the rationale for the creation of that order, the consensus around it, has fractured, if not dissolved. Country reports had strong brand and researchers took risks to get facts

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

State Dept no longer comments on quality of elections. @freedomhouse.bsky.social is worried because this is a top 5 indicator of #democratic #erosion. Also gone from annual #humanrights reports: prison conditions, right to fair trial. Congressionally mandated sections being neglected

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

@marisakabas.bsky.social @fromagehomme.bsky.social @shayan86.bsky.social @sbradshaw.bsky.social @leahgreenberg.bsky.social @anneapplebaum.bsky.social

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

State Dept no longer comments on quality of elections. @freedomhouse.bsky.social is worried because this is a top 5 indicator of #democratic #erosion. Also gone from annual #humanrights reports: prison conditions, right to fair trial. Congressionally mandated sections being neglected

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

State Dept embracing a philosophy of natural rights which implies that human rights comes from western, Christian civilization -- deliberately excluding others. Foreign govts that Global Engagement Center used to cooperate with now see the US as a major propagator of misinformation.

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

Adela Levis - all US govt efforts to counter #misinformation and malign influence are gone. Not just GEC at State, also DNI, FBI etc. No one in USG is pushing back against authoritarian propaganda anymore. Counter-terror programs studying violent extremism, or domestic white supremacy, gone.

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

Democracy #HumanRights & Labor at State Dept lost 80% of staff. Our role was to advocate for human rights as American values. Those voices for indigenous rights, disabled rights, protecting religious groups, now do not exist in USG. Expertise on corruption, elections, are gone. Not about efficiency.

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 4d

Nicole Widdersheim - we have to hold civic space in US. We still have freedom of speech, but we can't let National Guard on streets become normalized. Support global #humanrights: share digital security w/ NGOs, etc. And with State Dept abandoning human rights reporting, maybe EU or others can do it

Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

BREAKING: Today, over 1,000 former DOJ officials who served in both Republican & Democratic administrations—have released a letter condemning the unprecedented, politically motivated indictment of fmr. FBI Director James Comey. Read their letter: protdem.org/3ITOo0Y

BREAKING DOJ Alumni Condemn Comey Indictment
A bipartisan group of over 1,000 former DOJ officials decry unprecedented abuse of power

"The indictment represents an unprecedented assault on the rule of law directed by President Donald Trump..."

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Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 7d

The State Dept no longer collects data on freedom of association, and abolished GEC, office charged w/defending America against foreign malign influence. Join us on Friday at @americanuniversity.bsky.social at noon to discuss impact on global democracy. We moved to a bigger room due to high demand!

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 5d

More Americans blame Trump and Republicans than Democrats for shutdown, poll finds - @washingtonpost.com

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...

We asked 1,000 Americans who is to blame for the shutdown. Here’s what they said.

More Americans blame Trump and Republicans than Democrats for shutdown, poll finds.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 6d

Do you remember when Hatch Act violations were subtle and something that politicians actually tried to hide?

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 7d

@democracyforward.org @carnegiedcg.bsky.social @anneapplebaum.bsky.social @colbyitkowitz.bsky.social @raskin.house.gov @karenattiah.bsky.social @antoniajuhasz.bsky.social @silindberg.bsky.social @beattyriedl.bsky.social @sunrisemvmt.bsky.social @indivisible.org @brennancenter.org #humanrights

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 7d

The State Dept no longer collects data on freedom of association, and abolished GEC, office charged w/defending America against foreign malign influence. Join us on Friday at @americanuniversity.bsky.social at noon to discuss impact on global democracy. We moved to a bigger room due to high demand!

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 7d

I think Sen. Tammy Duckworth may have the best comment on Hegseth's speech: “He also claimed that weakening rules of engagement strengthens our warfighters, when in reality it will simply create more enemies of America and make it more likely those enemies would torture captured American troops”

The Hill @thehill.com · 7d

Pete Hegseth’s military meeting triggers fears, head scratching and praise

thehill.com

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 12d

Great fun to catch up with Kingsley Moghalu, one of Africa's great economists, yesterday in my department. We revisited his contribution to my Oxford Handbook of #Nigeria Politics, and discussed the state of liberalism, causes of inequality, and supply chain vulnerabilities.

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Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan

Rep. Jason Crow @crow.house.gov · 12d

First he fired a U.S. Attorney for refusing to prosecute his political opponents.

Then he installed a political aide and ordered them to come up with trumped-up criminal charges.

It's corruption & an abuse of power by the President.
abcnews.go.com/US/former-fb...

Former FBI Director James Comey indicted days after Trump demanded his DOJ move 'now' to prosecute enemies

Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted just days after President Trump issued a public demand for the DOJ to act "now" to prosecute him, sources say.

abcnews.go.com

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 13d

This should help Americans understand why Trump fired so many data scientists, from the NOAA and the CDC to the BLS: the data needs to "fit" the desired narrative. "Overstatement of GDP growth in autocracies and the recent decline in global inequality" url: academic.oup.com/sf/article/1...

Overstatement of GDP growth in autocracies and the recent decline in global inequality

Abstract. After rising for almost two centuries, global income inequality declined substantially after 2000. While past scholarship on global inequality ha

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan

American University Dept. of Politics, Governance, & Economics @pge-sis.bsky.social · 13d

Don't miss out on this event happening tomorrow- see you there! 🌏📚

Light refreshments will be served at 5 pm, and the lecture will begin at 5:30 pm.

American University Dept. of Politics, Governance, & Economics @pge-sis.bsky.social · 15d

Join us for a special talk by World Bank’s Bill Maloney on his new book Reclaiming the Lost Century of Growth—exploring learning economies in Latin America & the Caribbean.

Thurs, Sept 25
5:00–7:00pm
SIS Room 120, American University

Open to all AU students & faculty!
Questions? [email protected]

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 14d

In case you missed this robust defense of free speech following a brutal government crackdown on...jokes...check out #JimmyKimmel. Reminds me of Ebenezer Obadare's essay on "infrapolitics" and the power of humor, feared by weak leaders in @africanaffairs.bsky.social youtube.com/shorts/dtGDv...

Jimmy Kimmel defends free speech in late-night return

YouTube video by Washington Post

youtube.com

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Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 14d

@girlsreallyrule.bsky.social @50501movement.bsky.social @leahgreenberg.bsky.social @fisherdanar.bsky.social @davidcorn.bsky.social @protectdemocracy.org @progressivecaucus.bsky.social

Prof. Carl LeVan @democracyprofdc.bsky.social · 14d

Extra credit on last week's test: "In 1987 Mikhail Gorbachev wrote a book about reforming the USSR which became an unexpected best seller in the US. What was the title?"
I like the question because it was one of the first books on politics I read, after Barry Rubin's "Paved with Good Intentions"

Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 15d

Today is the Mic Drop Summit at Climate Week NYC. I'll be talking mid-day about how we can all work together to fight the growing polycrisis.

If you haven't gotten into the event (or are not local), you can watch it here:
sine-network.zoom.us/j/89846571811

#ClimateWeekNYC

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