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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 3d

Diagnosing, then prematurely handing off the task is one of the biggest missed opportunities of the field.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 3d

Mad respect for describing the problem in sober, nuanced way and of course methodological rigor that has come to be standard of the discipline.

What would really move the field forward is not shying away from engaging in meaningful solutions.

Specific recommendations and strategies - next issue?

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 5d

He’s among the few to impose costs on compliance, remarkably.

There can be a plausible reason, perhaps UC system relies more on state funds vs other R1 academic institutions.

But that’s a partial explanation at best.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 5d

Imposing meaningful costs on compliance.

Several comments made a contrast to NY…. How much of that can be explained by funding source? I.e. the biggest beneficiaries of NIH funding in NY are private academic medical centers with fewer state funds, vs UC system that is more funded by both?

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Reposted by Positive Peace Edits

Nathan Kalmoe (he/him) @nathankalmoe.bsky.social · 6d

Essential, but not easy. 1) publicize & condemn horrors, 2) msg that there could/should be accountability, normalize that via electeds, columnists, pundits, civ orgs, etc. 2) primary failing Dems, 3) defend a free election & mobilize base. 4) movement pressure to make accountability a gov priority.

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 6d

…OTOH that may be an understandable strategy. But as Bonica and others point out, US is pretty unique among democracies at failing at accountability (not just in politics but in other areas too, eg white collar crime)

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 6d

Yes, when, how, and by whom though?

Dems in office have no appetite or spine to see this through. The logic has been: let’s be forward-looking and not devote pol capital on these fights, when we can pass actual polices that help people…

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 6d

…OTOH that may be an understandable strategy. But as Bonica and others point out, US is pretty unique among democracies at failing at accountability (not just in politics but in other areas too, eg white collar crime)

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 6d

Yes, when, how, and by whom though?

Dems in office have no appetite or spine to see this through. The logic has been: let’s be forward-looking and not devote pol capital on these fights, when we can pass actual polices that help people…

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 8d

“Conflict in their own minds” - lots of people, in many disciplines, echo this.

Operationalize & screen/monitor?

Done for many civilian and mil roles already

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 8d

Meanwhile, gov science agencies, even before 2025, were not responsively engaging with the public.

There are opportunities to provide a counterweight to some of the information asymmetries.

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 8d

Science communities need to radically step up. So far, science comms role is taken on by many individuals who are committed to making info accessible (eg YLE, Eric Topol). But it’s all over the place, and there are few if any trustworthy hubs that people can turn to.

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 13d

Imposing costs on compliance works

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 19d

Poli sci excels at offering sober, nuanced understanding of a problem. In this case, more than most disciplines.

Diagnosis is not enough to meet the moment though. You also have an opportunity to make a positive contribution by offering, and collectively engaging in meaningful solutions.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 19d

They’re not Thor.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 20d

It’s important to describe and diagnose the problem soberly, which is what disciplines like poli sci excel at.

To be useful and relevant, at some point you have to engage in discussing specific, meaningful solutions: who can do what, if you can’t count on X, these are the opts and next steps, etc

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 23d

This is great. Appreciate the growing trend of political scientists recognizing the value of accessible and high quality science communication 🔥

Would just add that some of the lang may be hard for people outside PS to understand (e.g. “Higher dimensionality of the space of political competition”)

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 24d

But also: don’t underestimate potential financial incentives of elevating talking points agreeable to tech VCs/oligarchs - an audience with power to influence newsletter traffic & subscrip.

Backlash to Bsky may be a signal that they’re threatened by the info counterweight + network effects.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 25d

Great article. Also illustrates strengths of poli sci - sober, nuanced, discussion of a problem, and a culture of shying away from engaging in meaningful solutions.

Most sol’ns offered (e.g. tech regs, public health, unity) aren’t improving and they just leave it at that. Urgent gap.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 25d

Great article. Also illustrates strengths of poli sci - sober, nuanced, discussion of a problem, and the field’s culture of shying away from engaging in meaningful solutions.

Most sol’ns offered (e.g. tech regs, public health, unity) aren’t improving and they just leave it at that. Urgent gap.

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 25d

Great article. Also illustrates strengths of poli sci - sober, nuanced, discussion of a problem, and the field’s culture of shying away from engaging in meaningful solutions.

Most sol’ns offered (e.g. tech regs, public health, unity) aren’t improving and they just leave it at that. Urgent gap.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 26d

Re Klein’s columns: if one was tasked with undermining unity & cohesion of a center-left coalition whose ideal points are closer vs. far right pol leader and ideologies - his recent writing, stances, and oscillation would contribute to that goal. Not sugg. it’s intentional, but consider the effect.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · 26d

Social movements have engaged with those prejudiced against them for pragmatic reasons. Engaging with extremists (and CK’s statements fit that) is not the same though.

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Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · Sep 3

Mental fitness assessments: used in high responsibility civilian and military roles (e.g. aviation, nuclear safety, national security) - but not for political leaders. And definitely not for political leaders with power to deploy violence at mass scale.

Positive Peace Edits @positivepeaceedits.bsky.social · Aug 30

29/ Lastly, the success of the above rests on a foundation that includes security and state capacity - underscoring both a hierarchy of needs and feedback loops that can either reinforce peace, or entrench cycles of violence.

cc: @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social, @kkjetelina.bsky.social

(Book reactions) Why We Fight, by Chris Blattman - how do wicked problems become easy problems?

Lessons from public health history

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