Eli Friedman
@elifriedman.bsky.social
Dept of Global Labor and Work at Cornell | China in Global Capitalism w/Haymarket https://t.ly/uySU6 | Labor politics in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan | @aaup.org & @jvp.bsky.social
Pinned
Eli Friedman
@elifriedman.bsky.social
· Oct 1
The Cost of China’s Prosperity - Boston Review
For Hong Kong and Taiwan, neoliberalism’s falling tides made political repression inevitable.
www.bostonreview.net
Xi: “The unification of the motherland is the historical trend... No one can stop the wheels of history”
But it's precisely bc those wheels of history reversed in the 2010s that the PRC has resorted to militarization. My take in @bostonreview.bsky.social on the PRC's 75th:
But it's precisely bc those wheels of history reversed in the 2010s that the PRC has resorted to militarization. My take in @bostonreview.bsky.social on the PRC's 75th:
These protests reveal ongoing and systemic crises in schools, hospitals, and workplaces. Respect to these heroes
「2025年中国十大群体抗争事件：致敬无名英雄」Top 10 Collective Protest Incidents in China in 2025
YouTube video by 昨天
www.youtube.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:52 PM
These protests reveal ongoing and systemic crises in schools, hospitals, and workplaces. Respect to these heroes
I still don't understand why pro-CCP folks in the West insist on the most tortured and convoluted analogies for Taiwan. But I suppose we must reiterate *taking a deep breathe* Taiwan is not Israel. It is not the Confederacy. Taiwan is Taiwan, why not learn what actually happened there.
Taiwan Is Not Israel: The Morning Star & the CPB’s Weaponisation of Anti-Colonial Language
The argument arrived, as these arguments do, in a WhatsApp group at half past eleven on a Friday night.
redmole.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:03 PM
I still don't understand why pro-CCP folks in the West insist on the most tortured and convoluted analogies for Taiwan. But I suppose we must reiterate *taking a deep breathe* Taiwan is not Israel. It is not the Confederacy. Taiwan is Taiwan, why not learn what actually happened there.
Reposted by Eli Friedman
"[M]any low- and middle-income countries — particularly in Africa — are now transferring more funds to China in debt payments than they receive in fresh financing from the world's second-largest economy."
Multilateral financing now the biggest net inflow. Incredible.
Multilateral financing now the biggest net inflow. Incredible.
African nations now send more money to China than they receive in new loans
China's role as a leading financier to developing nations has shifted over the past decade, with new loans to poorer countries falling sharply while debt repayments continue to rise, according to ana...
www.reuters.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:39 PM
"[M]any low- and middle-income countries — particularly in Africa — are now transferring more funds to China in debt payments than they receive in fresh financing from the world's second-largest economy."
Multilateral financing now the biggest net inflow. Incredible.
Multilateral financing now the biggest net inflow. Incredible.
Reposted by Eli Friedman
"These court victories tell us that … we have a right to say that Charlie Kirk said some disgusting things, and just because we’re faculty members doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to say those things.”
– Todd Wolfson, AAUP President
– Todd Wolfson, AAUP President
Faculty firings over Kirk commentary are unraveling
The fierce First Amendment clash between faculty and their colleges sparked by the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is starting to tip in the educators’ favor.
www.politico.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:16 PM
"These court victories tell us that … we have a right to say that Charlie Kirk said some disgusting things, and just because we’re faculty members doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to say those things.”
– Todd Wolfson, AAUP President
– Todd Wolfson, AAUP President
I get why 1, 3, and 5 are trending but need someone to walk me through 2
January 26, 2026 at 10:45 PM
I get why 1, 3, and 5 are trending but need someone to walk me through 2
Chinese-English translations of "stand closer to pee" signage are a bottomless well of poetic innovation
January 26, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Chinese-English translations of "stand closer to pee" signage are a bottomless well of poetic innovation
Border & Rule is great, grab a free ebook copy
Free Ebooks: Abolish ICE, Abolish the Border
In solidarity with all those standing up for our communities against the brutality of immigrant detention and ICE occupation, we're offering free ebooks of three crucial books about migrant justice an...
www.haymarketbooks.org
January 26, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Border & Rule is great, grab a free ebook copy
Reposted by Eli Friedman
this week is the deadline for paper proposals for
The State of the Unions
The 28th Annual University of Florida Critical Theory Reading Group Conference
April 23-25 in Gainesville
keynotes Sianne Ngai, Anna Kornbluh
alumni keynote: Ryan Kerr
call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2025/12/...
The State of the Unions
The 28th Annual University of Florida Critical Theory Reading Group Conference
April 23-25 in Gainesville
keynotes Sianne Ngai, Anna Kornbluh
alumni keynote: Ryan Kerr
call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2025/12/...
cfp | call for papers
call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu
January 26, 2026 at 2:15 PM
this week is the deadline for paper proposals for
The State of the Unions
The 28th Annual University of Florida Critical Theory Reading Group Conference
April 23-25 in Gainesville
keynotes Sianne Ngai, Anna Kornbluh
alumni keynote: Ryan Kerr
call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2025/12/...
The State of the Unions
The 28th Annual University of Florida Critical Theory Reading Group Conference
April 23-25 in Gainesville
keynotes Sianne Ngai, Anna Kornbluh
alumni keynote: Ryan Kerr
call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2025/12/...
New book on labor precarity in China, Japan, and France
Precariousness in High-Growth Economies | Comparing Labor in Contempor
This book is the culmination of advanced historical and sociological fieldwork in China, Japan, and France. It explores the evolution of working and living
www.taylorfrancis.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:19 PM
New book on labor precarity in China, Japan, and France
Sending solidarity to labor leader Lee Cheuk-yan and the other activists facing trumped up subversion charges. Free them all!
HKFP Live: National security trial of Tiananmen vigil group begins
Three Tiananmen vigil activists and their group are set to stand trial for a national security charge in Hong Kong.
hongkongfp.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Sending solidarity to labor leader Lee Cheuk-yan and the other activists facing trumped up subversion charges. Free them all!
Solidarity to MN, let's get out there on Friday
ICE Out for Good
On January 23, people across the country are taking action in solidarity with Minnesota to demand ICE out of our communities. Join the day of action.
iceoutforgood.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Solidarity to MN, let's get out there on Friday
Spent many years of my life in Asia (esp China) and a year in Spain and the only time I remember anything overtly anti-American was a drunk French guy in Beijing in 2003 mocking me about Bush bombing Iraq. I was like, "yeah I hate it too" and that was that
the "americans will be pariahs when they travel!!" discourse is so funny. 1) we deserve it, 2) people in other countries (excluding, say, large parts of Iraq) are in reality pretty chill about americans, great satan or no
January 21, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Spent many years of my life in Asia (esp China) and a year in Spain and the only time I remember anything overtly anti-American was a drunk French guy in Beijing in 2003 mocking me about Bush bombing Iraq. I was like, "yeah I hate it too" and that was that
At this point wouldn't be shocked if he threatened to nuke four cities because they treated his hotels very unfairly. Then one city offers to install a gold statue of him, crisis would be averted, and they'd never build the statue.
I just hate this cycle, we have other things to worry about
I just hate this cycle, we have other things to worry about
January 21, 2026 at 8:45 PM
At this point wouldn't be shocked if he threatened to nuke four cities because they treated his hotels very unfairly. Then one city offers to install a gold statue of him, crisis would be averted, and they'd never build the statue.
I just hate this cycle, we have other things to worry about
I just hate this cycle, we have other things to worry about
A great book
Six years after the ‘Be Water’ rebellion, in 'Forever Hong Kong' Ching Kwan Lee interrogates the historical conditions and precedents that precipitated the 2019 revolt, reinterpreting Hongkongers’ political resistance as acts of decolonial defiance. A conversation with @sharonyamsy.bsky.social.
Forever Hong Kong: A Conversation with Ching Kwan Lee
Six years after the spectacular ‘Be Water’ rebellion that rippled across national borders, Forever Hong Kong asks: What historical conditions and precedents precipitated the citywide revolt in 2019? H...
madeinchinajournal.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:58 AM
A great book
Awful that they're trying to smear Mamdani and the entire DSA with this, but the international committee has been a tankie haven for ages. Just disgraceful that they're taking state-organized junkets to the Uyghur region
www.newsweek.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Awful that they're trying to smear Mamdani and the entire DSA with this, but the international committee has been a tankie haven for ages. Just disgraceful that they're taking state-organized junkets to the Uyghur region
Guess I'm a day late, but @cornellilr.bsky.social has put together an awesome research guide on MLK and the labor movement
LibGuides: Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources: Kheel Center Resources
This guide is divided into 10 different categories. Each is designed to give the researcher ideas on how to track down material relating to King's legacy. In the first category a rare video clip from ...
guides.library.cornell.edu
January 20, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Guess I'm a day late, but @cornellilr.bsky.social has put together an awesome research guide on MLK and the labor movement
Reposted by Eli Friedman
This Day in Labor History: January 20, 1920. Filipino sugar workers on Oahu, Hawaii, went on strike to demand higher pay. Japanese workers joined and this multiracial strike led to victory for workers and, even rarer, a cross-racial strike with significant solidarity that helped create that victory!
January 20, 2026 at 2:10 PM
This Day in Labor History: January 20, 1920. Filipino sugar workers on Oahu, Hawaii, went on strike to demand higher pay. Japanese workers joined and this multiracial strike led to victory for workers and, even rarer, a cross-racial strike with significant solidarity that helped create that victory!
Reposted by Eli Friedman
Breaking: Three unions are calling on the University of Minnesota to shut down for Jan. 23. They include the Graduate Labor Union Electrical Workers Local 1105, AFSCME 3800, & Teamsters Local 320. Campus undergraduate organizations are joining the call. labornotes.org/2026/01/will...
January 20, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Breaking: Three unions are calling on the University of Minnesota to shut down for Jan. 23. They include the Graduate Labor Union Electrical Workers Local 1105, AFSCME 3800, & Teamsters Local 320. Campus undergraduate organizations are joining the call. labornotes.org/2026/01/will...
"The more dramatic and speedy the capitalist development, the greater the severity of the social dislocations that generate these dual-economy patterns."
Good synthesis of China's political economic and demographic crises
Good synthesis of China's political economic and demographic crises
China Came Late to Capitalism but Early to Its Pathologies
In China, the number of single-person households has increased along with rates of loneliness. In this respect, China is not unique. It is simply suffering from the same social dislocation affecting a...
jacobin.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:53 PM
"The more dramatic and speedy the capitalist development, the greater the severity of the social dislocations that generate these dual-economy patterns."
Good synthesis of China's political economic and demographic crises
Good synthesis of China's political economic and demographic crises
Two things that are true: China is leading the world in renewable energy. And also their energy corporations are ramping up international investments in oil and gas bc they like making money. Very worrying jump last year.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
January 18, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Two things that are true: China is leading the world in renewable energy. And also their energy corporations are ramping up international investments in oil and gas bc they like making money. Very worrying jump last year.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Reposted by Eli Friedman
I'll say again that this is little different from the gestapo going door to door rounding up Jews.
This week, I spoke with a St. Paul woman who told me ICE came to her door and asked her to report on her "Asian neighbors."
The Hmong community, the large majority of whom are in this country legally for decades now, is in hiding.
The Hmong community, the large majority of whom are in this country legally for decades now, is in hiding.
January 16, 2026 at 9:33 PM
I'll say again that this is little different from the gestapo going door to door rounding up Jews.
Let's gooooo!
every single successful general strike in US history has had union backing through the local AFL-CIO
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
January 16, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Let's gooooo!
Thinking of banning laptops from my class of 45 students. I've mostly heard positive things about this, but interested in any experiences others have had.
January 16, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Thinking of banning laptops from my class of 45 students. I've mostly heard positive things about this, but interested in any experiences others have had.
Really hoping the banned countries will boycott. Would be appropriately humiliating to try to have a World Cup without Brazil
US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump visa ban
The Trump administration has identified a host of athletic competitions it classifies as “major sporting events” — aside from soccer's 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games — that athletes and coa...
apnews.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Really hoping the banned countries will boycott. Would be appropriately humiliating to try to have a World Cup without Brazil
In 2025 we've lost tens of thousands of factory jobs but gained 12k ICE thugs.
Worst gov jobs program ever
Worst gov jobs program ever
January 16, 2026 at 3:03 AM
In 2025 we've lost tens of thousands of factory jobs but gained 12k ICE thugs.
Worst gov jobs program ever
Worst gov jobs program ever