Matthew Specter
@matthewspecter.bsky.social
Historian of political ideas, Sr Fellow@UC Berkeley’s Institute European Studies;
lecturer @Santa Clara U; editor at HISTORY & THEORY; author, THE ATLANTIC REALISTS (Stanford 2022), write on IR theory, 20th cent. Germany, transatlantic intellectual history
lecturer @Santa Clara U; editor at HISTORY & THEORY; author, THE ATLANTIC REALISTS (Stanford 2022), write on IR theory, 20th cent. Germany, transatlantic intellectual history
Reposted by Matthew Specter
TODAY! DC peeps, join us. Wondering how we got to a place where the Republican party is currently debating whether to mainstream a Nazi influencer?! Laura’s got answers.
Open to the public with free registration:
Open to the public with free registration:
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
TODAY! DC peeps, join us. Wondering how we got to a place where the Republican party is currently debating whether to mainstream a Nazi influencer?! Laura’s got answers.
Open to the public with free registration:
Open to the public with free registration:
Reposted by Matthew Specter
The Supreme Court met on Friday to consider hearing a longshot case aimed at upending the right of same-sex couples to marry. I appeared on CNN News Central to break it all down.
open.substack.com/pub/theoatha...
open.substack.com/pub/theoatha...
The Supreme Court is set to consider a bid to overturn same-sex marriage. I went on CNN to talk about it.
The Supreme Court met on Friday to consider hearing a longshot case aimed at upending the right of same-sex couples to marry.
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:33 AM
The Supreme Court met on Friday to consider hearing a longshot case aimed at upending the right of same-sex couples to marry. I appeared on CNN News Central to break it all down.
open.substack.com/pub/theoatha...
open.substack.com/pub/theoatha...
Reposted by Matthew Specter
They’re wearing masks so they can’t be prosecuted later. As long as they think they can’t be prosecuted, their crimes will intensify. They will torture, starve and kill, as they have already, on greater and greater scale.
Signed, someone who’s covered the unaccountable War on Terror for 23 years.
Signed, someone who’s covered the unaccountable War on Terror for 23 years.
I’ve come to believe that we need to gather considerable forces and a campaign to demand the removal of face masks by ICE, Border Patrol, FBI and police.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
Video on social media shows an immigration agent pulling a gun in Little Village and holding it to the side — which is not an appropriate or safe way to hold a gun. (Among other issues.)
November 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
They’re wearing masks so they can’t be prosecuted later. As long as they think they can’t be prosecuted, their crimes will intensify. They will torture, starve and kill, as they have already, on greater and greater scale.
Signed, someone who’s covered the unaccountable War on Terror for 23 years.
Signed, someone who’s covered the unaccountable War on Terror for 23 years.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
Can’t emphasise enough what an incredibly insightful discussion this is, with lots of points one rarely if ever hears elsewhere.
Must listen
Check out the latest Russia Contingency. I join the head of Lasar’s Group, one of Ukraine’s best and lesser known drone units to talk about their experience, how drone use is evolving, adaptation on both sides, and what the future holds.
@WarOnTheRocks warontherocks.com/episode/ther...
@WarOnTheRocks warontherocks.com/episode/ther...
November 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Can’t emphasise enough what an incredibly insightful discussion this is, with lots of points one rarely if ever hears elsewhere.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
BREAKING: Judge Immergut issues a permanent injunction against Pete Hegseth and the deployment of the National Guard to Portland.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 8, 2025 at 1:01 AM
BREAKING: Judge Immergut issues a permanent injunction against Pete Hegseth and the deployment of the National Guard to Portland.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Matthew Specter
this has been one of my central arguments the past ten years. the theory underpinning the anti-democratic elements of the american constitutional order is wrong!
The more democratic elements of the American constitutional and economic order are actually throwing up road blocks to Trumpism. Protests and boycotts and low level courts and juries and cetera. Elite actors on the other hand are all too frequently caving. Fascinating study in who actually cares!
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
November 6, 2025 at 10:38 PM
this has been one of my central arguments the past ten years. the theory underpinning the anti-democratic elements of the american constitutional order is wrong!
Reposted by Matthew Specter
The irony is that a century ago, the exact same kind of religious bigotry that Cuomo’s embraced down the stretch — we can’t elect someone from that faith or they’ll impose it on all of us! — was aimed squarely at Catholics like Cuomo.
Boy Mamdani's race is really a vivid reminder that anti-Islamic bigotry is 100% accepted in US public discourse. People don't even bother dog whistling, it's just right out in the open.
November 4, 2025 at 11:02 PM
The irony is that a century ago, the exact same kind of religious bigotry that Cuomo’s embraced down the stretch — we can’t elect someone from that faith or they’ll impose it on all of us! — was aimed squarely at Catholics like Cuomo.
LIVE: Dean Erwin Chemerinsky of @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social on the “unprecedented” threat to American democracy.
November 4, 2025 at 1:12 AM
LIVE: Dean Erwin Chemerinsky of @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social on the “unprecedented” threat to American democracy.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
Nearly half of UC undergraduates and graduate students experience food insecurity. Those numbers will increase with the federal government's refusal to fund SNAP (CalFresh). If you can afford it, please consider contributing to the UCI Basic Needs Center, which feeds many of our students.
Fill Our Pantries: Nourish Student Success
Help University of California, Irvine raise $15,000 for the project: Fill Our Pantries: Nourish Student Success. Your gift will make a difference!
zotfunder.give.uci.edu
October 30, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Nearly half of UC undergraduates and graduate students experience food insecurity. Those numbers will increase with the federal government's refusal to fund SNAP (CalFresh). If you can afford it, please consider contributing to the UCI Basic Needs Center, which feeds many of our students.
Pleased to be presenting here in Berlin—program here: transatlantic-reason.info
October 30, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Pleased to be presenting here in Berlin—program here: transatlantic-reason.info
Reposted by Matthew Specter
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship
Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”
www.404media.co
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
Reposted by Matthew Specter
I know it’s too much to expect them to know their history, but if the American Revolution had a motto, it definitely would not have been “immigrants go home.”
It would have been “get your fucking soldiers out of our cities.”
It would have been “get your fucking soldiers out of our cities.”
October 28, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I know it’s too much to expect them to know their history, but if the American Revolution had a motto, it definitely would not have been “immigrants go home.”
It would have been “get your fucking soldiers out of our cities.”
It would have been “get your fucking soldiers out of our cities.”
Reposted by Matthew Specter
A reminder that you can donate to Wikipedia to keep human-sourced knowledge accessible.
The billionaire launched his A.I.-powered version, Grokipedia, on Monday.
Elon Musk Challenges Wikipedia With His Own A.I. Encyclopedia
The billionaire launched his A.I.-powered version, Grokipedia, on Monday.
www.nytimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:21 PM
A reminder that you can donate to Wikipedia to keep human-sourced knowledge accessible.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
Trump ballroom sponsors
October 23, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Trump ballroom sponsors
Reposted by Matthew Specter
The brutality. The corruption. The lies.
Everything is on full display — and many Americans are beginning to learn an important lesson.
Watch.
Everything is on full display — and many Americans are beginning to learn an important lesson.
Watch.
October 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
The brutality. The corruption. The lies.
Everything is on full display — and many Americans are beginning to learn an important lesson.
Watch.
Everything is on full display — and many Americans are beginning to learn an important lesson.
Watch.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
"normies do not care about this thing and so it is no use raising a stink" is imho just an excuse for not doing politics, which is the job of making normies care about something
October 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
"normies do not care about this thing and so it is no use raising a stink" is imho just an excuse for not doing politics, which is the job of making normies care about something
Reposted by Matthew Specter
My grandfather’s union job put his family squarely into the middle class, and set his kids up for generations of opportunity. I know that countless families in New Jersey share a similar story.
October 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
My grandfather’s union job put his family squarely into the middle class, and set his kids up for generations of opportunity. I know that countless families in New Jersey share a similar story.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
Jackie Fielder, supervisor for The Mission, on how to prepare and organize www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMHxagFf/
Knowledge is power. Spread power, not panic.
TikTok video by Jackie Fielder
www.tiktok.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Jackie Fielder, supervisor for The Mission, on how to prepare and organize www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMHxagFf/
Presenting here at day 2 of a joyous gathering in honor of Hauke Brunkhorst’s 80th birthday, with other admirers of his work, from around the world.
October 23, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Presenting here at day 2 of a joyous gathering in honor of Hauke Brunkhorst’s 80th birthday, with other admirers of his work, from around the world.
Grateful to Mathias Albrecht of the Uni. Bielefeld for this invitation to speak in this lecture series tonight.
October 21, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Grateful to Mathias Albrecht of the Uni. Bielefeld for this invitation to speak in this lecture series tonight.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
(CBS News) - A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
@macfarlanenews.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/pardone...
@macfarlanenews.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/pardone...
October 21, 2025 at 12:25 PM
(CBS News) - A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
@macfarlanenews.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/pardone...
@macfarlanenews.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/pardone...
Reposted by Matthew Specter
Hasan: I am not willing to sit back and watch our glorious American multiracial and multicultural democratic experiment destroyed by the guy from Home Alone 2.
October 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Hasan: I am not willing to sit back and watch our glorious American multiracial and multicultural democratic experiment destroyed by the guy from Home Alone 2.
Reposted by Matthew Specter
October 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM