Ash Splawinski
@splawinski.bsky.social
PhD candidate in political science @ UofT
Researching policy design, administrative burdens & political mobilization
Previously a visiting scholar at UT Austin & CU Denver
Overthinks for work, underthinks for fun!
Researching policy design, administrative burdens & political mobilization
Previously a visiting scholar at UT Austin & CU Denver
Overthinks for work, underthinks for fun!
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
The Age of Academic Slop is Upon Us
what happens when AI automates "normal science"?
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
Canada is not Venezuela. But, that doesn’t mean we’re somehow immune to geopolitical conflict. A few have wondered if ‘aligning with American interests’ would protect us. But… getting at what that actually means depends on who you ask. Sigh.
“Our neighbour’s autocratic and avaricious leader is demonstrably eager to use his country’s massive military power to advance his interests. We must get ready.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: We need to prepare for the possibility that the U.S. uses military coercion against Canada
After the capture of Venezuela’s president and Trump’s musing about Greenland, Canada must prepare for the worst-case scenario
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Canada is not Venezuela. But, that doesn’t mean we’re somehow immune to geopolitical conflict. A few have wondered if ‘aligning with American interests’ would protect us. But… getting at what that actually means depends on who you ask. Sigh.
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
In a 2021 essay, Renee DiResta and Alex Stamos discussed the factors that led to the January 6 storming of the Capitol—and warned that “echo chambers, hyperpartisan media, and peer-to-peer misinformation are not going anywhere.”
The Insurrection Hiding in Plain Sight
The alternate reality that political leaders, media properties, and influencers have helped construct still envelops millions of Americans.
www.foreignaffairs.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:04 PM
In a 2021 essay, Renee DiResta and Alex Stamos discussed the factors that led to the January 6 storming of the Capitol—and warned that “echo chambers, hyperpartisan media, and peer-to-peer misinformation are not going anywhere.”
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
Got called “carceral” for this which means it’s time to lay my favorite game: does this person not know the difference between civil and criminal law, or do they simply think that “carceral” is a magic word that delegitimizes all feminist resistance to sexual abuse?
These technologies can and are being used to create lifelike images and videos of actual living women and girls. For what I think are pretty obvious gendered civil rights reasons, it needs to be a recognized civil cause of action to create an AI image or avatar of a woman without her consent.
"And I never say no"
We need to have a serious talk about the way "AI companion" apps not only prey on the vulnerable, but are priming their users to ignore consent and to conflate love with control.
We need AI regulations across so many sectors, but this area is particularly horrifying.
We need to have a serious talk about the way "AI companion" apps not only prey on the vulnerable, but are priming their users to ignore consent and to conflate love with control.
We need AI regulations across so many sectors, but this area is particularly horrifying.
December 28, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Got called “carceral” for this which means it’s time to lay my favorite game: does this person not know the difference between civil and criminal law, or do they simply think that “carceral” is a magic word that delegitimizes all feminist resistance to sexual abuse?
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
New Cambridge Element of Public Policy on AI
"Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy" by Fernando Filgueiras
www.cambridge.org/core/element...
"Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy" by Fernando Filgueiras
www.cambridge.org/core/element...
Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy
Cambridge Core - Political Economy - Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy
www.cambridge.org
December 16, 2025 at 4:38 PM
New Cambridge Element of Public Policy on AI
"Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy" by Fernando Filgueiras
www.cambridge.org/core/element...
"Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy" by Fernando Filgueiras
www.cambridge.org/core/element...
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
We remember them always.
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
December 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM
We remember them always.
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist.
I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
December 5, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist.
I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
People are holding administrative burden parties to collectively take on tasks
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...
Essay | How to Turn the Bureaucratic Grind of Life Into a Party
We all feel it: the growing stream of administrative tasks sapping our time, spirits and social lives. Admin Night represents a tiny, nerdy resistance.
www.wsj.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:54 PM
People are holding administrative burden parties to collectively take on tasks
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...
Oh hey, it’s me! 🤓
A new interesting article by @splawinski.bsky.social is now available on our FirstView page. It is entitled "The impact of inter-actor competition on administrative burdens: theorizing “consequent populations” using the illustrative case of gamete donation governance": tinyurl.com/yhdyu9zx
November 4, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Oh hey, it’s me! 🤓
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
November 1, 2025 at 12:31 AM
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
This is such a great piece. It's not directly about the current SCOTUS's extreme unitary executive jurisprudence, but it shows how that body of cases -- though justified in the name of democracy -- is in fact anti-democratic. www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
The Law of Constitutional Capture
Constitutional capture is commonplace in the world today. A government that was built to be for the common good, the public interest, is rebuilt from the inside to become a government for the interest...
www.degruyterbrill.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This is such a great piece. It's not directly about the current SCOTUS's extreme unitary executive jurisprudence, but it shows how that body of cases -- though justified in the name of democracy -- is in fact anti-democratic. www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Melatonin: 0
Baseball: 1
Baseball: 1
You up, Toronto? The second-longest World Series game in history is still going
Follow our Game 3 live blog for all the action
Follow our Game 3 live blog for all the action
Blue Jays vs. Dodgers Game 3 score and live updates: You up, Toronto? The second-longest World Series game in history is still going
Follow our live blog with reporting from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the watch party at Rogers Centre.
www.thestar.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Melatonin: 0
Baseball: 1
Baseball: 1
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
I apologized to my neighbour in advance because, as soon as it began, I knew I’d be yelling at my tv. Go #BlueJays!
At the point in the Jays game where I’m just letting the kids swear when they’re excited with no consequences. Because that was an EXPLETIVE DELETED inning.
October 25, 2025 at 3:36 AM
I apologized to my neighbour in advance because, as soon as it began, I knew I’d be yelling at my tv. Go #BlueJays!
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
50% of American adults are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life. Just 10% are more excited than concerned.
🧪
🧪
October 15, 2025 at 4:21 PM
50% of American adults are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life. Just 10% are more excited than concerned.
🧪
🧪
Oh my GOSH, I’m behind the times. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
October 14, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Oh my GOSH, I’m behind the times. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
I know people do discourse analysis, content analysis, word embedding, etc but does anyone study the use of emojis in politics? …I gotta look this up.
#BREAKING: Pete Hegseth sends goodbye emoji to news outlets protesting press policy
thehill.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:19 AM
I know people do discourse analysis, content analysis, word embedding, etc but does anyone study the use of emojis in politics? …I gotta look this up.
4. Diverge - deepen the political divide and intensify polarization
New, from me:
Trump's 3 step plan to create a military omniforce
1. Purge - those deemed disloyal
2. Merge - different parts of law enforcement/military
3. Surge - impose the omniforce on Dem cities; instigate unrest; assert dominance; silence dissent
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/purge-merg...
Trump's 3 step plan to create a military omniforce
1. Purge - those deemed disloyal
2. Merge - different parts of law enforcement/military
3. Surge - impose the omniforce on Dem cities; instigate unrest; assert dominance; silence dissent
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/purge-merg...
Purge, Merge, and Surge
Trump is creating a omniforce of armed loyalists to establish his police state
donmoynihan.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:44 AM
4. Diverge - deepen the political divide and intensify polarization
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
My book is now available for pre-order with Cambridge University Press (cup.org/4nfM2IM). Here, I reflected on America's acceleration of reliance on Medicare Advantage and the new traditional Medicare prior auth administrered with AI, through the lens of my findings
open.substack.com/pub/miranday...
open.substack.com/pub/miranday...
The American Exceptionalism of Health Insurance Barriers
My forthcoming book Coverage Denied just became available for pre-order, and proofing and now promoting this work has given me an opportunity to reflect on contemporary health policy developments thro...
open.substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
My book is now available for pre-order with Cambridge University Press (cup.org/4nfM2IM). Here, I reflected on America's acceleration of reliance on Medicare Advantage and the new traditional Medicare prior auth administrered with AI, through the lens of my findings
open.substack.com/pub/miranday...
open.substack.com/pub/miranday...
Reposted by Ash Splawinski
assistant professor, associate professor, grad student
October 7, 2025 at 1:35 AM
assistant professor, associate professor, grad student
My first post probably should have been more generic. Hello world, etc.
October 4, 2025 at 6:17 PM
My first post probably should have been more generic. Hello world, etc.
Somewhere in the distance the Advocacy Coalition Framework people are crying.
FBI now renamed ACF (Ass Clown Factory)
As soon as I read the words “ass clown factory” I had to double check it was the real FBI director’s account and not some parody.
It’s real.
It’s real.
October 4, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Somewhere in the distance the Advocacy Coalition Framework people are crying.