José Marichal
@josemarichal.bsky.social
Pol Sci Prof at CalLutheran. Author of "You Must Become an Algorithmic Problem" (Bristol Univ Press) and "Machine Liberalism" (Forthcoming from Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press)
https://www.callutheran.edu/faculty/profile.html?id=marichal
https://www.callutheran.edu/faculty/profile.html?id=marichal
Reposted by José Marichal
we need to hire little guys to whisper in our ear about how we too are merely midwit, mortal posters
there is a subtle and persistent mental warping effect that occurs when you have 30 to 500 people agreeing with your every opinion no matter what it is
January 5, 2026 at 4:19 AM
we need to hire little guys to whisper in our ear about how we too are merely midwit, mortal posters
“This moment exposes the collapse of a long-standing bargain: that expanded executive power would be exercised by leaders who respect law, institutions, and international norms."
inews.co.uk/news/why-put...
inews.co.uk/news/why-put...
Why Putin's threat will grow after Trump's Venezuela attack
Intelligence sources, academics and political figures fear the US may have emboldened Moscow and Beijing
inews.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 3:52 AM
“This moment exposes the collapse of a long-standing bargain: that expanded executive power would be exercised by leaders who respect law, institutions, and international norms."
inews.co.uk/news/why-put...
inews.co.uk/news/why-put...
My question is: how much of the public even knows that we kidnapped the president of Venezuela? And if they do know, how much of them care?
January 5, 2026 at 3:44 AM
My question is: how much of the public even knows that we kidnapped the president of Venezuela? And if they do know, how much of them care?
"it could have been many things, but we made it this" might be the best encapsulation of the last 20 years I've ever heard
I cannot stress this enough but the internet was a mistake. It could have been many things but we made it this. We are not the people for this kind of power.
www.fox9.com/news/minneso...
www.fox9.com/news/minneso...
Minnesota GOP worked with YouTuber on child care fraud viral video
www.fox9.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:28 AM
"it could have been many things, but we made it this" might be the best encapsulation of the last 20 years I've ever heard
Reposted by José Marichal
🚨 3-Year Postdoc in Political Science at Aarhus University 🚨
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
December 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
🚨 3-Year Postdoc in Political Science at Aarhus University 🚨
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
I’m seeking to recruit a postdoc for my @erc.europa.eu research project 𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑴 on state-citizen interactions.
Link and more information in second post.
Position Start: Fall 2026
Application Deadline: ‼️ February 5, 2026, 23:59 CET ‼️
The past 48 hours reminds me of Stephanie Bert's lush reflection on the 2016 election in which she called her poetry "rococo" and then speculates that the current president admires: "the wrong kind of rococo... the flaunting of a wealth he has used to hurt others, as a boastful public spectacle."
Reading Yeats in the Age of Trump
No poet captures the feeling of political failure—of having lost an unfair fight—like W. B. Yeats.
www.bostonreview.net
January 4, 2026 at 11:28 PM
The past 48 hours reminds me of Stephanie Bert's lush reflection on the 2016 election in which she called her poetry "rococo" and then speculates that the current president admires: "the wrong kind of rococo... the flaunting of a wealth he has used to hurt others, as a boastful public spectacle."
January 4, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Reposted by José Marichal
I’m compiling a little intro reading list for my friends who just learned Venezuela existed and have BIG FEELINGS about everything. Please contribute, because this is complicated af and my “stuff can be two things” line is wearing thin.
January 4, 2026 at 4:18 PM
I’m compiling a little intro reading list for my friends who just learned Venezuela existed and have BIG FEELINGS about everything. Please contribute, because this is complicated af and my “stuff can be two things” line is wearing thin.
So the leader of the Senate Dems said the Trump admin actions in Venezuela were illegal.
Then asked what Congress is going to do about it, said they were going to try to pass a law making further action illegal?
Bruh.
youtu.be/itlsPLi31y0?...
Then asked what Congress is going to do about it, said they were going to try to pass a law making further action illegal?
Bruh.
youtu.be/itlsPLi31y0?...
‘There is no authority’ for US to enter Venezuela and oust Maduro: Schumer
YouTube video by ABC News
youtu.be
January 4, 2026 at 6:31 PM
So the leader of the Senate Dems said the Trump admin actions in Venezuela were illegal.
Then asked what Congress is going to do about it, said they were going to try to pass a law making further action illegal?
Bruh.
youtu.be/itlsPLi31y0?...
Then asked what Congress is going to do about it, said they were going to try to pass a law making further action illegal?
Bruh.
youtu.be/itlsPLi31y0?...
Reposted by José Marichal
Marked by systematic attempts to compromise data integrity and privacy across the federal government, the Trump administration is leveraging personal data to advance political enmity toward the transgender and gender diverse community, argue Katelyn Ringrose, CJ Larkin, Os Keyes, and Jay T. Conrad.
Gender Politics and the Weaponization of Personal Data | TechPolicy.Press
Katelyn Ringrose, CJ Larkin, Os Keyes, and Jay T. Conrad explain how federal policies are weaponizing data to target transgender and gender diverse individuals.
buff.ly
January 4, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Marked by systematic attempts to compromise data integrity and privacy across the federal government, the Trump administration is leveraging personal data to advance political enmity toward the transgender and gender diverse community, argue Katelyn Ringrose, CJ Larkin, Os Keyes, and Jay T. Conrad.
Reposted by José Marichal
My latest with @ichotiner.bsky.social.
January 4, 2026 at 1:14 AM
My latest with @ichotiner.bsky.social.
"Those de facto governments may be illegitimate, odious, and oppressive. But a world where any country can topple another’s rulers, as long as it is preceded into battle by an opposition party that blesses its military action, will be awfully messy."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
The Messiness of a Post-Maduro World
Trump’s apparent violation of international law will almost certainly go unpunished, but the rules and norms will be missed.
www.theatlantic.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:46 AM
"Those de facto governments may be illegitimate, odious, and oppressive. But a world where any country can topple another’s rulers, as long as it is preceded into battle by an opposition party that blesses its military action, will be awfully messy."
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Why are Democratic politicians sounding like a TA leading a discussion section of Intro to Global Politics? I want to ask her if her statement is going to be on the test.
President Trump’s actions today with Venezuela raise more questions than answers. Is America going to be involved in running and stabilizing Venezuela? Today's actions raise many questions about the stability of the region and our policy towards South America.
January 4, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Why are Democratic politicians sounding like a TA leading a discussion section of Intro to Global Politics? I want to ask her if her statement is going to be on the test.
Another good thread
I’ve taught State Failure & Statebuilding @warstudieskcl.bsky.social at King’s for the past 13 years.
There are MANY reasons why it’s a bad idea for the US to ‘run’ Venezuela.
An economy in crisis. Disintegrating infrastructure. Nonstate armed groups deeply embedded into the state.
/1
There are MANY reasons why it’s a bad idea for the US to ‘run’ Venezuela.
An economy in crisis. Disintegrating infrastructure. Nonstate armed groups deeply embedded into the state.
/1
January 3, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Another good thread
Reposted by José Marichal
A point that Wallerestein made often: as overall US power declines, it overplays its best card—military force. But each time it does so, it accelerates the decline of its overall power. SeeVietnam, Iraq. Violent coercion is the strength of the weak.
January 3, 2026 at 9:33 PM
A point that Wallerestein made often: as overall US power declines, it overplays its best card—military force. But each time it does so, it accelerates the decline of its overall power. SeeVietnam, Iraq. Violent coercion is the strength of the weak.
Reposted by José Marichal
The one thing I'll say about the shit show in Venezuela right now is that it is truly insane that so many people seem to just assume the regime has fallen because Maduro is out of the picture.
January 3, 2026 at 5:48 PM
The one thing I'll say about the shit show in Venezuela right now is that it is truly insane that so many people seem to just assume the regime has fallen because Maduro is out of the picture.
Good reminder that this is the result of the dangerous, long-term trend of expanding executive power
www.execfunctions.org/p/on-the-leg...
www.execfunctions.org/p/on-the-leg...
On the Legality of the Venezuela Invasion
Executive branch precedents can be garnered to support the action—which does not, of course, mean that it is lawful.
www.execfunctions.org
January 3, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Good reminder that this is the result of the dangerous, long-term trend of expanding executive power
www.execfunctions.org/p/on-the-leg...
www.execfunctions.org/p/on-the-leg...
How far we've come from "civic hacking,". "Remix Culture," "the Long Tail," and "Here Comes Everybody"
Happening on X currently--each time a woman posts something the embedded AI allows other users to abuse them by putting them in a bikini or removing their clothing in response. And this is a feature use case Musk is promoting! www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
Elon Musk's Grok AI floods X with sexualized photos of women and minors
When contacted by Reuters for comment by email, xAI replied with the message "Legacy Media Lies."
www.reuters.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:30 PM
How far we've come from "civic hacking,". "Remix Culture," "the Long Tail," and "Here Comes Everybody"
This thread has suddenly become very relevant.
Plausible worst case scenario with Venezuela in four steps:
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
January 3, 2026 at 6:50 PM
This thread has suddenly become very relevant.
Reposted by José Marichal
Speaking to a solid source. Keep your eyes on Maduro’s Minister of Justice,
Diosdado Cabello as the new power supporter in VZ supported by Trump.
Source added, “if Cabello’s in charge it will be worse than Maduro”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diosdad...
Diosdado Cabello as the new power supporter in VZ supported by Trump.
Source added, “if Cabello’s in charge it will be worse than Maduro”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diosdad...
Diosdado Cabello - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 3, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Speaking to a solid source. Keep your eyes on Maduro’s Minister of Justice,
Diosdado Cabello as the new power supporter in VZ supported by Trump.
Source added, “if Cabello’s in charge it will be worse than Maduro”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diosdad...
Diosdado Cabello as the new power supporter in VZ supported by Trump.
Source added, “if Cabello’s in charge it will be worse than Maduro”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diosdad...
This is a "retooling" for a multi-polar world. Abandon liberal internationalism and shore up your dominance of the Western Hemisphere...
How do D's respond? Defend a liberal international liberal order that was always "abstract" to the American people? Or do you adopt a new foreign policy?
How do D's respond? Defend a liberal international liberal order that was always "abstract" to the American people? Or do you adopt a new foreign policy?
January 3, 2026 at 5:52 PM
This is a "retooling" for a multi-polar world. Abandon liberal internationalism and shore up your dominance of the Western Hemisphere...
How do D's respond? Defend a liberal international liberal order that was always "abstract" to the American people? Or do you adopt a new foreign policy?
How do D's respond? Defend a liberal international liberal order that was always "abstract" to the American people? Or do you adopt a new foreign policy?
This is a less erudite, more nakedly materialist, less apologetic version of the Project for a New American Century that got us into the Iraq War.
January 3, 2026 at 5:17 PM
This is a less erudite, more nakedly materialist, less apologetic version of the Project for a New American Century that got us into the Iraq War.