Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · 29d

Thank you so much, Nihad! I hope everything is going great for you!

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Sep 9

New publication in the Journal of Conflict Resolution! Why do rebel groups adopt different recruitment strategies? @michaeljsoules.bsky.social and I explore this question by examining the behavior of 232 rebel groups over recent decades journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

1 3 14

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Feb 3

Postdoc opening at Princeton SPIA. Applications are due this month. I’m more than happy to answer any questions about the position! puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

puwebp.princeton.edu

1

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Dec 5

While this semester has had its ups and downs, my students have been consistently amazing

1

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Nick Brumfield @nickjbrumfield.bsky.social · Nov 13

Here it is! A Starter Pack for Middle East News

A couple things
1) Inclusion in this list should not be taken as an endorsement, this is to crystalize the MENA ecosystem so it can grow

2) Limit's 150, so if I missed you, hit me in the replies & I'll get you in the next one
go.bsky.app/2pjNYfP

59 200 380

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Jan 30

Hamas regroups in northern Gaza to prepare new offensive. And on it goes.

www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...

Hamas regroups in northern Gaza to prepare new offensive

Militant Palestinian group begins to rebuild system of governance in north after being driven out by Israeli forces

www.theguardian.com

3 3

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Dec 15

Conflictsky

Nick Brumfield @nickjbrumfield.bsky.social · Dec 15

"Why Are the Houthis Attacking?" articles are a dime a dozen these days, but here's one I authored for FPRI

In it I provide an overview of the tactics the Houthis have used during the Gaza crisis, these tactics' history in Yemen, & the multiple factors driving the Houthi escalation on Gaza

menasky

Why Are the Houthis Attacking Now - Foreign Policy Research Institute

On the November 19, forces from Yemen’s rebel Houthi movement launched one of their boldest international attacks to date when they seized the vehicle carrier

fpri.org

1

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Dec 7

Self-censorship, hostile pressure campaigns, feckless administrators. Shibley Telhami and I have a new article in the Chronicle of Higher Education based on our recent MESB survey of almost 1000 academic Middle East scholars. Its chilling.

abuaardvark.substack.com/p/gaza-and-a...

Gaza and Academic Self-Censorship

Our new Chronicle essay reveals eye-opening results from the new Middle East Scholars Barometer survey.

abuaardvark.substack.com

18 24

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Regine Schwab @reginesonja.bsky.social · Nov 29

New working paper with Werner Krause & Samer Massoud on the effects of targeting hospitals on violence dynamics in Northwest Syria hicn.org/working-pape...
conflictsky polisky menasky

The bombing of hospitals and local violence dynamics in civil wars: Evidence from Syria – HiCN

Can coercive airpower quell a rebellion? Existing literature on the effects of counterinsurgent violence focuses predominantly on casualties resulting from atta

hicn.org

2 15 29

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Nov 14

Interested in how al-Qaeda and it’s affiliates responded to the October 7 attacks? Sara Harmouch, @vladimirrauta.bsky.social, and I discuss these reactions, how they relate to al-Qaeda’s past relations with Hamas, and future implications for militant cooperation irregularwarfare.org/articles/the...

1

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Dani Gilbert @danigilbert.bsky.social · Nov 11

This may be too complex a topic for limited characters, but I’ll try: conventional wisdom in the hostage recovery community is the more “professional” the kidnapper, the better outcome for the hostage: less rash, more patient, better care, centralized decision-making authority about release 1/n

Avishay BSG (Ben-Sasson-Gordis) @avishaybsg.bsky.social · Nov 10

I don't know. My intuition is that this introduces more, not less complexity since neither Israel nor the mediators would necessarily have direct access to these groups. I wonder what @danigilbert.bsky.social thinks.

1 17 54

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Nov 7

Really cool to see our article in print!

1

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Nov 6

Conflictsky

Aaron Y. Zelin @azelin.bsky.social · Nov 6

Check out my new open access journal article for Policy & Internet: "'Highly nuanced policy is very difficult to apply at scale': Examining researcher account and content takedowns online" onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... polisky commsky academicsky

1 2

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Nov 3

There may be no day after in Gaza - Nathan Brown

carnegieendowment.org/2023/11/03/t...

There Might Be No Day After in Gaza

As the war continues, deterioration at the level of governance, security, and public order will likely be deepened by the absence of a political horizon, diplomatic process, or future prospects.

carnegieendowment.org

7 7

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Anna Meier @annameier.bsky.social · Nov 3

"Descriptive research—work aimed at answering 'who,' 'what,' 'when,' 'where,' and 'how' questions—is vital at every stage of social scientific inquiry." 🎉

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · Nov 3

New (and Open Access!) article in Perspectives on Politics: “A Case for Description”

from Michelle Jurkovitch, Mary Anne Mendoza-Davé, @mkguliford.bsky.social and me!

With a huge thank you to everyone who participated in our workshops, as well!

A Case for Description | PS: Political Science & Politics | Cambridge Core

A Case for Description

www.cambridge.org

11 36

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Nov 2

Amr Hamzaway on the Arab public response to Gaza

carnegieendowment.org/2023/11/01/p...

Pay Attention to the Arab Public Response to the Israel-Hamas War

The peaceful nature of the mass mobilization reflects a growing trend to renounce violence.

carnegieendowment.org

8 5

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Lisel Hintz @liselhintz.bsky.social · Oct 27

A must-read on Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim perspectives by one of the most compelling voices on these issues @danaelkurd.bsky.social

Dana El Kurd @danaelkurd.bsky.social · Oct 27

Wrote about how people in our communities are feeling right now

www.thenation.com/article/poli...

Muslim and Arab Voters Are Sending Biden a Stark Warning—and He’d Better Pay Attention

These voters may be a deciding factor in Biden's reelection. His backing of Israel's assault on Gaza could turn them against him for good.

www.thenation.com

4 9

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Andrew M Leber @andrewleber.bsky.social · Oct 27

Frontline uploaded their 2002 documentary on how the Oslo Accords had already fallen apart by the turn of the century.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt3P...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt3PpqaLfxo&ab_channel=FRONTLINEPBS%7COfficial

www.youtube.com

9 11

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Oct 27

How big have the protests over Gaza in the US been, what have they been saying, and how might they matter? I had a Good Chat with @jayulfelder.bsky.social and Jeremy Pressman from the Crowd Counting Consortium to find out. Check it out at @goodauth.bsky.social!

goodauthority.org/news/us-prot...

Will protests over the Israel-Hamas war shift U.S. policy?

Free Gaza CUNY Teachers event Oct. 18, 2023 (cc Pamela Drew/Flickr) There has been a remarkable wave of protests around the world in response to Israel’s

goodauthority.org

15 18

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Oct 26

Polisky

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Oct 25

I’m officially an et al.! We analyzed the discourse of al-Masra, an Arabic language newspaper linked to AQAP, surrounding over 100 individuals and organizations across 1250 articles Menasky Conflictsky www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1...

4

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Aaron Y. Zelin @azelin.bsky.social · Oct 25

Frame your friends close & your enemies closer: how al-Masra newspaper imagines individuals - Nihad Aboud, Mark Berlin, Sam Biasi, and Tyler B. Parker, Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... menasky

Frame your friends close and your enemies closer: how al-Masra newspaper imagines individuals

Armed groups are well-known for discussing their allies and adversaries in unitary actor terms. However, individuals also play an important part in the discourse of armed groups. Focusing on jihadi...

www.tandfonline.com

1 4

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · Oct 26

Remarkably timely Arab Barometer survey in Gaza found deep unpopularity of Hamas government. www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/what-...

What Palestinians Really Think of Hamas

Before the war, Gaza’s leaders were deeply unpopular—but an Israeli crackdown could change that.

www.foreignaffairs.com

2 58 90

Mark Berlin @markberlin2.bsky.social · Oct 25

I’m officially an et al.! We analyzed the discourse of al-Masra, an Arabic language newspaper linked to AQAP, surrounding over 100 individuals and organizations across 1250 articles Menasky Conflictsky www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1...

3 6

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Dani Gilbert @danigilbert.bsky.social · Oct 13

I wrote about the hostage crisis ongoing since Hamas kidnapped scores of Israelis and foreigners on Saturday. So much is unknown, but here’s what I’ve got for now, in @goodauth.bsky.social ⤵️
polisky conflictsky intsec

goodauthority.org/news/why-the...

Why the Gaza hostage crisis is different

Security Fence at the border of the Gaza Strip courtesy of © Joyclynn, via Canva.com The Oct. 7 Hamas incursion into Israel – on the 50th anniversary of

goodauthority.org

4 49 89

Reposted by Mark Berlin

Aidan Milliff @aidanmilliff.com · Oct 24

Really pleased to share that "Making Sense, Making Choices: How Civilians Choose Survival Strategies During Violence" is accepted at the APSR. @apsa.bsky.social

You can see the accepted version here! I'll post more about the paper once it's up on FirstView.

aidanmilliff.com/media/Millif...

Cover page of "Making Sense, Making Choices" See here for text version: https://aidanmilliff.com/media/Milliff_JMP.pdf

1 10 35