Erica Chenoweth
LightNews LightNews
banner
chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth
@chenoweth.bsky.social
30K followers 430 following 240 posts

Political scientist & part-time farmer. Books: 'On Revolutions' (2022), 'Civil Resistance' (2021), & 'The Politics of Terror' (2019). Coming soon: 'Bread & Roses' & 'The End of People Power.' https://www.ericachenoweth.com. What a time to be alive. .. more

Videos

Erica Chenoweth is an American political scientist and professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. They are known for their research work on nonviolent civil resistance movements. .. more

Political science 53%
Sociology 35%
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · Apr 1
Lately I've seen many references to the 3.5% rule. A few years ago I pulled together this Q&A on potential uses and misuses of this statistic. www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/defaul...
The cover page for a discussion paper called "Questions, Answers, and Some Cautionary Updates Regarding the 3.5% Rule" by Erica Chenoweth. In the image, peaceful protesters can be seen in front of the US Capitol building.

Reposted by Paul Glasziou, David Lazer, Scott L. Greer , and 5 more

adambonica.bsky.social
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 11d
For the second year in a row, the wealth gains for the 100 richest Americans exceeded what ALL American households spent on groceries combined.

~$995B for billionaires vs ~$775B in total grocery spending.

We have an oligarchy and inequality problem masquerading as an affordability crisis.
Infographic titled “2025 Billionaire Gains vs. Grocery Spending.” On the left, a large gold square shows that the top 100 richest Americans gained $995 billion in wealth in 2025, about $7,595 per U.S. household, representing wealth gains for just 100 individuals. On the right, a slightly smaller green square shows total U.S. grocery spending of $775 billion, about $5,916 per household, covering roughly 131 million households. A callout at the bottom reads “The Scale of Inequality,” noting that billionaire wealth gains exceeded national grocery spending by $220 billion. Sources listed: Bloomberg Billionaire Index and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · 12d
More applied ethics in public mgmt, but this is a useful treatment of the dilemmas public servants face when serving an admin they disagree with / feel the need to resist. Has lots of cases too: collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/the...
The Ethics of Dissent
Winner of the 2021 “Best Book Award” from the Academy of Management Division of Public and Nonprofit Management! “Rosemary O’Leary’s The Ethics of Dissent offers a novel take on rule breakers an...
collegepublishing.sagepub.com

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth, Benjamin Braun

dziblatt.bsky.social
Daniel Ziblatt @dziblatt.bsky.social · 13d
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
The Price of American Authoritarianism
What can reverse democratic decline?
www.foreignaffairs.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Erica Chenoweth, Karen Benjamin Guzzo , and 6 more

crampell.bsky.social
Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 15d
According to a new court filing, the Trump administration has a six-page list of banned words that Head Start locations are forbidden from using when describing their programs.
Among the censored words: "disability," "race," "women," "trauma," "Gulf of Mexico." Short thread with the full list. 🧵

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth

freepress.bsky.social
Free Press @freepress.bsky.social · 16d
CHOKEHOLD captures the repeating patterns of censorship and analyzes the hallmarks of Trump’s censorship playbook in 2025.

Free Press and @attorneynora.bsky.social identified five core findings that are explored in detailed throughout the report.

Here’s a highlight of each one.

A 🧵 1/5...

Reposted by Laia Balcells, Erica Chenoweth, Florence Faucher , and 5 more

gcapoccia.bsky.social
Giovanni Capoccia @gcapoccia.bsky.social · 16d
PhD opportunity at the University of Oxford. The Morelli scholarship funds a doctoral student to work with me on on democratic backsliding, strategies of democratic defense and regeneration, or the rise of illiberalism. Deadline Jan 9. More information at users.ox.ac.uk/~ssfc0073/

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · 21d
When Loyalties Shift: Americans’ Growing Noncooperation with Federal Abuses of Power at www.justsecurity.org/125639/us-ab...
When Loyalties Shift: Americans’ Growing Noncooperation with Federal Abuses of Power
Americans' refusals to accept apparent abuses of power by the federal government indicate that the political winds may be starting to shift.
www.justsecurity.org

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth, Andrew L. Whitehead, Michael D. McDonald , and 1 more

taniel.bsky.social
Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 27d
Another Indiana Republican Senator makes it clear he’s still opposing the GOP push to re-gerrymander the state. dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
Sen. Greg Walker Said he turned down an invitation to visit the Oval Office last week and is accusing the White House of violating federal law in its push to pressure Indiana Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · 29d
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
We're not buying what Trump enablers sell this Black Friday | Opinion
This holiday season, we're launching the 'We Ain't Buying It!' campaign – a call to action redirecting our spending, and resisting authoritarianism.
www.usatoday.com

Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Erica Chenoweth, Philip Nel , and 1 more

ianbassin.bsky.social
Ian Bassin @ianbassin.bsky.social · Nov 26
We have spent more than 1,000 years trying to separate the awesome prosecutorial powers of the state from the personal whims and vendettas of the head of state.

Trump’s actions and ideology seek to reverse those gains.

Here’s the history he’d like to reverse www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-oldest...
The oldest abuse in human government
Donald Trump and the ‘king’s justice’
www.ifyoucankeepit.org

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · Nov 23
@harvardkennedy.bsky.social is hiring for a number of faculty lines at multiple ranks. See more info here: www.hks.harvard.edu/more/about/l....
Faculty Appointments
The Academic Deans' Office recruits new faculty members who have strong teaching and research records and are intellectual leaders in their field.
www.hks.harvard.edu

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · Nov 23
From Milton Mayer, “They Thought They Were Free,” p. 197.

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · Nov 23
“…wherever there was a ‘deserving’ Party member and no other place could be found for him, he would be dumped into education.…Putting ignorant ‘reliables,’ from politics or business, over the educators was also part of the Nazi way of humiliating education and bringing it into popular contempt.”

Reposted by Dani Rodrik, Stephen M. Walt, Noelle E. Selin , and 2 more

5harad.com
Sharad Goel @5harad.com · Nov 22
📣 Job alert! 📣 Harvard Kennedy School is running 2 open-rank faculty searches in technology & public policy. One position is specifically for scholars using data science to address public problems. Please help us spread the word! academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15561
Technology and Public Policy Search (open rank)
Harvard Kennedy School invites applications for two open rank appointments in technology and public policy. We seek applications from scholars whose research and/or practice focuses on the intersectio...
academicpositions.harvard.edu

Reposted by Thomas J. Hayes

chenoweth.bsky.social
Erica Chenoweth @chenoweth.bsky.social · Nov 22
Join @stevelevitsky.bsky.social & me online, Monday 11/24 at 3:30pm ET, to talk about where we are in the US struggle for democracy. ash.harvard.edu/events/the-b...
The Breakdown with Erica Chenoweth and Steve Levitsky – Ash Center
Join Erica Chenoweth and Steven Levitsky for The Breakdown, a webinar series on the ongoing struggle for American democracy. Each month, Chenoweth and Levitsky will break down key developments, reflec...
ash.harvard.edu

Reposted by Cas Mudde, Erica Chenoweth, Lesley Bartlett

peggystuart.bsky.social
Peggy Stuart @peggystuart.bsky.social · Nov 20
When Border Patrol showed up across Charlotte, parents and neighbors rushed to Berryhill to meet kids at the bus stop. They stood watch, linked arms, and made one thing clear: if the city gets targeted, its children will not face it alone.
This is what community looks like.💙

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 3 more

jonseidel.bsky.social
Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · Nov 20
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis just handed down the written opinion version of her preliminary injunction order, regarding use of force by federal agents in Chicago.

It's the one already put on hold by the 7th Circuit.

It's 233 pages.

Here you go: cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth

matthewcebul.bsky.social
Matthew Cebul @matthewcebul.bsky.social · Nov 20
My report on Nonviolent Action against Democratic Erosion is finally out today @harvardash.bsky.social!

I try to put the US democracy movement into global comparative perspective.

For the tl;dr crowd, see below for some key takeaways:

ash.harvard.edu/resources/no...
Nonviolent Action Against Democratic Erosion: The United States in Comparative Perspective – Ash Center
ash.harvard.edu

Reposted by Kori Schake, Scott L. Greer, Erica Chenoweth , and 7 more

slotkin.senate.gov
Senator Elissa Slotkin @slotkin.senate.gov · Nov 18
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.

The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.

Don’t give up the ship.

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth, Trevon D. Logan

sifill.bsky.social
Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · Nov 18
Looking for what you can do to make you voice heard? This campaign is gaining traction.

The enablers have to feel it.

weaintbuyingit.com
We Ain’t Buying It! - Economic Pressure on Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday - We Ain’t Buying It!
We Ain’t Buying It is an economic action and solidarity campaign designed to defend democracy and reclaim community power.
weaintbuyingit.com

Reposted by Erica Chenoweth, Thomas J. Hayes

adambonica.bsky.social
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · Nov 18
As Trump again ramps up attacks on judges as biased, consider: his own appointees rule against his admin 49% of the time. Republican appointees 65%. Reporters should ask: If the judiciary is biased, why do the judges he picked keep ruling against him?
Data visualization titled “Even Trump’s Own Judicial Appointees Rule Against His Administration Nearly Half the Time.” Top section shows 81 rulings against (49.1%) vs 84 for (50.9%) among Trump appointees. Middle section compares rulings by appointing party: Democratic appointees ruled against Trump 752 times vs 169 for; Republican appointees 232 against vs 126 for. Bottom section shows historical comparison - how other presidents’ appointees ruled on Trump cases: Biden appointees 252 against/46 for, Obama 368/91, Bush 62/23, Clinton 125/22, Reagan 88/19. Source: Federal Court Dockets from Courtlistener.com. Data from Jan 21, 2025 through Nov 11, 2025, lower federal courts only, Supreme Court not included.

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Erica Chenoweth

maddow.bsky.social
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · Nov 16
“Maybe somebody thought ‘Oh it’s a small place, it’s rural, they’re probably quiet, we can overpower them,” said City Councilor Steve Hickman.

“We’ve been underestimated.”

www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fede...
Federal defense contractor backs out of potential Oregon Coast ICE facility
A defense contractor with a history of providing housing for military operations withdrew its inquiry seeking land at the Newport Municipal Airport, a city official said Wednesday, as growing evidence...
www.newsfromthestates.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Rosemary A. Joyce, Erica Chenoweth , and 1 more

adambonica.bsky.social
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · Nov 14
2/🧵 New piece with @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social in @NewRepublic: We analyzed 60,000+ respondents in the 2024 Cooperative Election Study. Gen Z has the lowest racial resentment of any generation. The generational shift overwhelms the education divide that supposedly defines modern politics.
The Shocking Truth About Gen Z Voters Is That They’re Pretty Great
Stop panicking: They are the most progressive generation ever, especially on race. If that surprises you, you’ve been listening to the wrong story.
newrepublic.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Erica Chenoweth, Smith , and 3 more

historleans.bsky.social
Rebecca Brückmann @historleans.bsky.social · Nov 14
Sixty-five years ago today, four first-graders desegregated New Orleans's public schools: Ruby Bridges at William Frantz Elementary School, and Leona Tate, Tessie Provost, and Gail Etienne at McDonogh 19 Elementary School. They faced violent mobs and threats to their lives. They were 6 years old. 🗃
Black and white photograph of six-year-old Ruby Bridges, wearing a dark dress and white cardigan and carrying a School bag, accompanied by three FBI agents in dark suits.

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, John McLaren, Robert W. Wallace , and 8 more

josephpolitano.bsky.social
Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · Nov 14
Good statement from the US conference of Catholic Bishops

Reposted by Jan W. Mueller, Richard S.J. Tol, Joe R. Feagin , and 15 more

yappelbaum.bsky.social
Yoni Appelbaum @yappelbaum.bsky.social · Nov 9
BREAKING: Mark Wolf, appointed to the federal bench by Ronald Reagan, writes that he is resigning as a judge to have the freedom to speak out against the president's assault on the rule of law.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Scott L. Greer, Erica Chenoweth , and 10 more

brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · Nov 5
Universal swing in action: "What we saw last night was a directional shift toward Democrats in 99.8% of counties that held partisan elections." www.gelliottmorris.com/p/seven-data...

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Will Jennings, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 5 more

jenvictor.bsky.social
Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · Nov 5
Came here to say this, but Jamelle Bouie has this covered. 👇
When the Democratic tent includes candidates like Spanberger and Mamdani, there is no crisis, or fight, for the party. IT’S A COALITION, NOT A POINT ESTIMATE.
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Nov 4
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Nov 4
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Erica Chenoweth

twirlingtofreedom.bsky.social
Twirling towards Freedom @twirlingtofreedom.bsky.social · Oct 30
Great discussion between @staceyabrams.com & @chenoweth.bsky.social on the power of peaceful resistance.
Stacey Abrams on No Kings Day and the Power of Civil Disobedience Against Trump
YouTube video by Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams
youtu.be

Reposted by Kori Schake, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 16 more

owenwntr.bsky.social
Owen Winter @owenwntr.bsky.social · Oct 28
Donald Trump's approval rating in our tracker has fallen to -18, the lowest it has ever been (lower than any point in his first term) www.economist.com/interactive/...
Chart showing Trump's net approval compared with this point in previous presidencies. In 2009, Obama's approval at this point was approximately +7, in 2017 Trump's was -16 and in 2021 Biden's was -7