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John Sides

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John Sides may refer to:John H. Sides (1904–1978), American admiral John M. Sides, American political scientist John Sides, member of… more

H-index: 33
Political science 62%
Communication & Media Studies 14%
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by John Sides — Reposted by: Samuel Workman

johnsides.bsky.social
Much more data from @tesler.bsky.social @goodauth.bsky.social. Tells us something about the backlash to DOGE and the OBBB, I think. And buttresses Democrats' stance on extending ACA subsidies.

t.co/bs3pJYTlpi
https://goodauthority.org/news/americans-are-in-an-unusually-liberal-fiscal-policy-mood-shutdown/
t.co
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by John Sides — Reposted by: Will Jennings

johnsides.bsky.social
Under Biden, there was no thermostatic shift in public opinion about the size of government. The public stayed relatively liberal. Take attitudes toward the government's role in health care:
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by John Sides — Reposted by: Lisa W. Fazio

johnsides.bsky.social
A very large group is ambivalent about democracy vs. autocracy. More on this in a new piece from me @goodauth.bsky.social.

goodauthority.org/news/autocra...
Autocracy or democracy? More and more people are ambivalent.
When faced with the choice between a dictator and democracy, some people choose both.
goodauthority.org
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by John Sides — Reposted by: Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Jon H. Fiva , and 1 more

johnsides.bsky.social
Imagine asking people two questions -- whether each of these is a good or bad way to run a govt:

1) having a democratic political system

2) having a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliament and elections

What percent says *both* are good?

44%!
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Finally, Scott Abramson and Sharece Thrower. "The direct cost to voters of polling site closures and consolidation." Very cool study from here in Nashville!

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Next, Cindy Kam and VU Ph.D. @amengel.bsky.social, "A racial reckoning? racial attitudes in the wake of the murder of George Floyd."

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Three new publications from Vanderbilt political science faculty! First up, Diana Lee and @yamilrvelez.bsky.social, "Measuring Descriptive Representation at Scale: Methods for Predicting the Race and Ethnicity of Public Officials."

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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Reposted by: John Sides

gelliottmorris.com
thermostat go click-click-click
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Reposted by: John Sides

today.yougov.com
NEW Economist/YouGov Jul 25-28
% who approve | disapprove of Trump
U.S. adult citizens 40% | 55% (-15)
Last week 41% | 55%
Start of term 49% | 43%

Democrats 6% | 91%
Independents 29% | 62%
Republicans 86% | 12%
Men 44% | 51%
Women 37% | 59%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
A stacked bar chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "Approval and disapproval of Trump's job performance." The chart's sub-headline is: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as President? (%)."
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Some more great new research from Vandy polisci faculty!

Peter Schram in International Organization, "Conflicts that Leave Something to Chance."

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
The popularity of ICE is plunging.

goodauthority.org/news/america...
ICE’s popularity is plunging.
ICE’s budget is skyrocketing, but more and more Americans view the agency unfavorably.
goodauthority.org
6 30

by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
I worked with E.J. for many years and highly recommend her for any academic looking to polish their writing and reach a larger audience!
ejgraff.bsky.social
E.J. Graff @ejgraff.bsky.social · Jun 23
Academics & researchers: Is this your summer for finishing your book or publishing that oped? Get in touch! I've got time opening up in my editorial coaching schedule. We will have fun AND will get that piece polished & published.

www.linkedin.com/in/ejgraff/
www.linkedin.com
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
For more, see here: goodauthority.org/news/america...
Americans’ views of the opposite party have declined even further.
New data shows another increase in “affective polarization.”
goodauthority.org
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
People also appear to raise the out-party less favorably than "out-partisans" (i.e., Ds rate the "Republican Party" less favorably than "Republicans"). Suggests that "the party" calls to mind party leaders and activists not just ordinary folks, as some research has suggested.
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Once you separate by mode, you get the expected finding: people express less favorable views of the out-party when they complete the survey themselves. Raises the possibility that the ANES was underestimating affective polarization because it used only face-to-face interviews for many years!
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Methodological point: you have to separate the later ANES studies by survey mode, because out-party feelings are cooler in the self-completed mode than in face-to-face or phone interviews. If you don't, you're conflating changes over time with changes in mode (and I've seen some people do this).
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
In general, in-party feelings are stable. Perhaps they were higher in the 1960s, although the change the object being evaluated (e.g., from "Democrats" to "Democratic Party") makes it harder to compare.

But as we've known, out-party feelings have become cooler. 2024 only continued the trend.
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
For @goodauth.bsky.social, I updated the affective polarization trend using the newly released 2024 ANES. Here's the graph.

A few important points...
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Reposted by: John Sides

ejgraff.bsky.social
Academics & researchers: Is this your summer for finishing your book or publishing that oped? Get in touch! I've got time opening up in my editorial coaching schedule. We will have fun AND will get that piece polished & published.

www.linkedin.com/in/ejgraff/
www.linkedin.com
1 3

by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
And while I'm at it, a THIRD piece in the AJPS from Vanderbilt polisci faculty came out yesterday -- this one by my colleagues @BradSmithUNC and Peter Bils:

"The Logic of Secret Alliances"

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Somehow I neglected to mention a SIXTH APSR by Vanderbilt polisci faculty. This one, by Jorge Mangonnet et al., is now out and formally forthcoming in 2026!

"Family Ties, Social Control, and Authoritarian Distribution to Elites"

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Then, finally, this *extremely* topical piece by @johnadearborn.bsky.social : “Contesting the Reach of the Rights Revolution: The Reagan Administration and the Unitary Executive”

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Erin York and Daniel Tavana have this piece in the BJPS: “Legislative Cooptation in Authoritarian Regimes: Policy Cooperation in the Kuwait National Assembly”

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
And then Andres Gannon: “Complementarity in alliances: How strategic compatibility and hierarchy promote efficient cooperation in international security”

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
There’s also 2 pieces in the American Journal of Political Science. Federica Izzo and colleagues are first with “Argumentation Strategies in Party Competition.”

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Then, ‪@brentonkenkel.bsky.social‬ and Kristopher Ramsay: “The Effective Power of Military Coalitions: A Unified Theoretical and Empirical Model”

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
Next up, the first of the 2 new pieces in the Journal of Politics by VU political science faculty. Peter Bils and colleagues with this excellent title: “Fanatical Peace: How Fundamental Disagreements Can Discourage Conflict.”

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
That piece makes FIVE (5) APSR pieces by Vandy faculty in 2025 alone.

bsky.app/profile/john...
johnsides.bsky.social
John Sides @johnsides.bsky.social · Jan 29
As a Proud Department Chair, I have to note that the new issue of the American Political Science Review has FOUR articles by Vanderbilt political science faculty!

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...?
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
There’s so much interesting research coming from Vanderbilt political science faculty. As dept chair, it is a pleasure to highlight a bunch of it.

First, up, @trounstine.bsky.social and Sarah Anzia in the @apsrjournal.bsky.social on civil service adoption:

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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by John Sides

johnsides.bsky.social
If Trump can get people to root for Duke basketball, that might be the pinnacle of negative polarization.
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