Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
@alichtenheld.bsky.social
Political Scientist | Professor @unileiden.bsky.social | Author, "Guilt by Location."
Expert on forced displacement, conflict, peacebuilding. Consultant for USAID, World Bank, State Dept., others. @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social PhD. Crossfit enthusiast.
Expert on forced displacement, conflict, peacebuilding. Consultant for USAID, World Bank, State Dept., others. @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social PhD. Crossfit enthusiast.
Pinned
Excited to announce my book is out with @cambridgeuppolisci.bsky.social! It provides a primer on wartime displacement (an issue that is, sadly, urgent and timely) and examines how, when, and why armed groups strategically displace civilians, drawing on fieldwork in Uganda, Syria, and elsewhere. 1/
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
I see this take around from time to time and totally disagree. ICE just murdered a woman standing up to them. No Kings is among the largest protests in history.
The complacency is coming from elites in media, business, universities, and the Democratic leadership
The complacency is coming from elites in media, business, universities, and the Democratic leadership
January 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
I see this take around from time to time and totally disagree. ICE just murdered a woman standing up to them. No Kings is among the largest protests in history.
The complacency is coming from elites in media, business, universities, and the Democratic leadership
The complacency is coming from elites in media, business, universities, and the Democratic leadership
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
There’s a Silicon Valley billionaire freak out happening about a potential wealth tax ballot initiative in California.
I hope everybody understands—the only way to make billionaires pay a similar *income* tax rate as their secretaries is via taxing unrealized cap gains or wealth
I hope everybody understands—the only way to make billionaires pay a similar *income* tax rate as their secretaries is via taxing unrealized cap gains or wealth
December 29, 2025 at 12:07 AM
There’s a Silicon Valley billionaire freak out happening about a potential wealth tax ballot initiative in California.
I hope everybody understands—the only way to make billionaires pay a similar *income* tax rate as their secretaries is via taxing unrealized cap gains or wealth
I hope everybody understands—the only way to make billionaires pay a similar *income* tax rate as their secretaries is via taxing unrealized cap gains or wealth
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
A legend indeed
December 23, 2025 at 5:42 PM
A legend indeed
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
moving past this moment in US politics is going to require credible promises to prosecute the authors of all this human disaster. peoples interested in countering US authoritarianism can draw on international tools in this process, including joining the ICC internationalpolicy.org/publications...
August 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
moving past this moment in US politics is going to require credible promises to prosecute the authors of all this human disaster. peoples interested in countering US authoritarianism can draw on international tools in this process, including joining the ICC internationalpolicy.org/publications...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
I don't care what Bari Weiss was thinking. But as someone who moved from Russia to America for freedom, I didn't have "passing around a pulled 60 Minutes segment like Soviet-era samizdat" in 2025 on my bingo card.
Anyway: watch what our government is doing, and share it widely.
Anyway: watch what our government is doing, and share it widely.
The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5
December 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I don't care what Bari Weiss was thinking. But as someone who moved from Russia to America for freedom, I didn't have "passing around a pulled 60 Minutes segment like Soviet-era samizdat" in 2025 on my bingo card.
Anyway: watch what our government is doing, and share it widely.
Anyway: watch what our government is doing, and share it widely.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little?
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
Bad things happen when you hire opinion hacks to run media outlets
Bad things happen when you hire non-academics to run universities
Bad things happen when you hire businessmen to run the government
Etc. Etc.
Experience & expertise matter. And actual relevant expertise.
Bad things happen when you hire non-academics to run universities
Bad things happen when you hire businessmen to run the government
Etc. Etc.
Experience & expertise matter. And actual relevant expertise.
really cannot be emphasized enough that bari weiss has literally never done journalism. i don’t mean that in the pejorative sense. i mean that in the “has never performed the job she was hired to do” sense
One explanation for Bari killing the story is that she did so as a public act of fealty to the administration. But another is that, as an inexperienced journalist, she doesn’t understand that a refusal to go on the record is a kind of comment in and of itself
December 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Bad things happen when you hire opinion hacks to run media outlets
Bad things happen when you hire non-academics to run universities
Bad things happen when you hire businessmen to run the government
Etc. Etc.
Experience & expertise matter. And actual relevant expertise.
Bad things happen when you hire non-academics to run universities
Bad things happen when you hire businessmen to run the government
Etc. Etc.
Experience & expertise matter. And actual relevant expertise.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
December 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
Not that it will but the willingness of Americans to obey is a very funny contrast with our self-image and should probably prompt some reflection bsky.app/profile/jonf...
NEWS: They're adding Trump's name to the Kennedy Center building right now. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Kennedy Center adds Trump’s name to building
The signage change follows a vote by the board of trustees to rename the performing arts complex the Trump Kennedy Center.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Not that it will but the willingness of Americans to obey is a very funny contrast with our self-image and should probably prompt some reflection bsky.app/profile/jonf...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
No one who has ever witnessed a single faculty meeting could ever again claim that college professors are part of some sort of coordinated conspiracy to accomplish anything, let alone turn the entire US into a Marxist utopia/dystopia with an assist from their great pals in corporate boardrooms.
December 25, 2024 at 9:43 PM
No one who has ever witnessed a single faculty meeting could ever again claim that college professors are part of some sort of coordinated conspiracy to accomplish anything, let alone turn the entire US into a Marxist utopia/dystopia with an assist from their great pals in corporate boardrooms.
"Efficiencies are easy to promise, but difficult to realize in the stubbornly human-centered endeavor of education. And that is because education is, by necessity, inefficient." Preach! www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
Four Frictions: or, How to Resist AI in Education - Public Books
We are calling for resistance to the AI industry’s ongoing capture of higher education.
www.publicbooks.org
December 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
"Efficiencies are easy to promise, but difficult to realize in the stubbornly human-centered endeavor of education. And that is because education is, by necessity, inefficient." Preach! www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
Another way to restart the world’s idea machine is to restore funding and grants to universities, researchers, and artists.
America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. But what if AI is the way to restart the world’s idea machine?
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Another way to restart the world’s idea machine is to restore funding and grants to universities, researchers, and artists.
Yup.
Nothing will make you an education AI skeptic faster than grading some college take home assignments. Admins who haven’t been in a classroom in years push it as a learning tool. Students are laughing at them as they use it as a cheating tool. It’s all instructors are texting about with each other.
December 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Yup.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
I am indebted to colleagues & friends, esp @stephrschwartz.bsky.social, @alichtenheld.bsky.social & the staff @aissr.bsky.social
@uva-fmg.bsky.social
@uva-fmg.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 2:23 PM
I am indebted to colleagues & friends, esp @stephrschwartz.bsky.social, @alichtenheld.bsky.social & the staff @aissr.bsky.social
@uva-fmg.bsky.social
@uva-fmg.bsky.social
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
This fetid landmark, this historical stain on humanity is primarily due to the stunningly reckless obliteration of America's foreign assistance agency earlier this year.
Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.
Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.
For First Time in Decades, Child Deaths Will Rise This Year
Almost a quarter of a million more children around the world are projected to die in 2025 than in 2024.
www.wsj.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:18 PM
This fetid landmark, this historical stain on humanity is primarily due to the stunningly reckless obliteration of America's foreign assistance agency earlier this year.
Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.
Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
This is always the plan with authoritarians wielding militaristic power. They create their own enemies to justify their power grabs.
Netanyahu loved October 7th for this exact reason. His failures led to it, and instead of being held accountable, he got more power than ever.
Netanyahu loved October 7th for this exact reason. His failures led to it, and instead of being held accountable, he got more power than ever.
Place National Guard in harm’s way for no good reason. Two members are tragically and unnecessarily shot. The reckless regime’s response: We’re sending 500 more National Guard troops! What a disgrace.
November 27, 2025 at 5:37 AM
This is always the plan with authoritarians wielding militaristic power. They create their own enemies to justify their power grabs.
Netanyahu loved October 7th for this exact reason. His failures led to it, and instead of being held accountable, he got more power than ever.
Netanyahu loved October 7th for this exact reason. His failures led to it, and instead of being held accountable, he got more power than ever.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
"Common decency stigmatizes people that do not participate in it—removes them from voluntary association. We indeed have to live with one another, but terms and conditions apply."
me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually
www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...
me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually
www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...
How Can We Live Together? - Boston Review
Ezra Klein is wrong: shame is essential.
www.bostonreview.net
September 23, 2025 at 5:09 PM
"Common decency stigmatizes people that do not participate in it—removes them from voluntary association. We indeed have to live with one another, but terms and conditions apply."
me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually
www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...
me on why Ezra Klein should be ashamed / why shame is Good Actually
www.bostonreview.net/articles/how...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
the research is clear: get yourself exposed to female peers
nber semigated version: www.nber.org/papers/w34269
nber semigated version: www.nber.org/papers/w34269
September 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
the research is clear: get yourself exposed to female peers
nber semigated version: www.nber.org/papers/w34269
nber semigated version: www.nber.org/papers/w34269
It was an honor to discuss my book at the @thecrs.bsky.social's annual conference, and I am grateful for "Guilt by Location" receiving this year's CRS book award. If you missed the keynote, don't worry, you can still order the book today!
cup.org/4gOE8Cy
www.amzn.com/1009523473
cup.org/4gOE8Cy
www.amzn.com/1009523473
Live at #CRS2025 🎤 Adam Lichtenheld, winner of the CRS Book of the Year, is presenting his groundbreaking research on strategic displacement as part of military & political tactics.
Grateful to our judges — and especially Corinne Bara for guiding the award process.
Grateful to our judges — and especially Corinne Bara for guiding the award process.
September 19, 2025 at 10:27 AM
It was an honor to discuss my book at the @thecrs.bsky.social's annual conference, and I am grateful for "Guilt by Location" receiving this year's CRS book award. If you missed the keynote, don't worry, you can still order the book today!
cup.org/4gOE8Cy
www.amzn.com/1009523473
cup.org/4gOE8Cy
www.amzn.com/1009523473
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
I would especially recommend the political science article referenced in the piece. Accommodation by mainstream parties of far right immigration policies does not win votes by taking the issue off the table, it loses votes for the mainstream parties
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
July 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I would especially recommend the political science article referenced in the piece. Accommodation by mainstream parties of far right immigration policies does not win votes by taking the issue off the table, it loses votes for the mainstream parties
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Can't wait to read!
July 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Can't wait to read!
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
The proofs are in. It has a website. It has blurbs from amazing scholars. So I guess my book is real, and @cornellupress.bsky.social must agree!
Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War is coming out later this year 🤓
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War is coming out later this year 🤓
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
Civilizing Contention by Rana B. Khoury | Paperback | Cornell University Press
In Civilizing Contention, Rana B. Khoury asserts that to understand civilian and refugee activism in war, we must regard the international actors and organizations that enter the scene to help. When.....
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu
July 9, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The proofs are in. It has a website. It has blurbs from amazing scholars. So I guess my book is real, and @cornellupress.bsky.social must agree!
Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War is coming out later this year 🤓
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
Civilizing Contention: International Aid in Syria's War is coming out later this year 🤓
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
one of the stranger phenomena in American life is that hate is supposed to flow in one direction (rural people get to hate urban people, Republicans get to hate Democrats) and if the hate goes the other way people pretend as if this is very upsetting.
The media made a HUGE deal out of "basket of deplorables" and "cling to their guns or religion."
But, of course, it will totally ignore Trump saying he hates Democrats: "I hate them. I believe they hate their country."
But, of course, it will totally ignore Trump saying he hates Democrats: "I hate them. I believe they hate their country."
in addition to his "shylocks" comment, i can't imagine the media backlash if Biden said anything like from this screenshot - that he "hates Republicans" - and i'm also tired of having this "IMAGINE IF BIDEN!" thought experiment but it's just a constant reminder of the double standards
July 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
one of the stranger phenomena in American life is that hate is supposed to flow in one direction (rural people get to hate urban people, Republicans get to hate Democrats) and if the hate goes the other way people pretend as if this is very upsetting.
Reposted by Adam Lichtenheld, PhD
