Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
@mierkezat.bsky.social
Political scientist at Vanderbilt; political parties, social groups, Western Europe. Writing a book about identity politics, past and present.
Prev: Stanford, EUI, MPIfG, Harvard.
Prev: Stanford, EUI, MPIfG, Harvard.
Pinned
I’m very excited to share that my paper “Cleavage theory meets civil society: A framework and research agenda” with @eborbath.bsky.social & Swen Hutter has now been published online in @wepsocial.bsky.social (w/ open access funding thanks to @wzb.bsky.social!)
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
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
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
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.
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Why do parties do what they do? Excited to share my 2nd dissertation paper, just published in @jeppjournal.bsky.social
In the paper, I argue that parties seek internal unity and try to keep the team together: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
1/11 🧵
In the paper, I argue that parties seek internal unity and try to keep the team together: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
1/11 🧵
August 1, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Why do parties do what they do? Excited to share my 2nd dissertation paper, just published in @jeppjournal.bsky.social
In the paper, I argue that parties seek internal unity and try to keep the team together: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
1/11 🧵
In the paper, I argue that parties seek internal unity and try to keep the team together: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
1/11 🧵
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
I am taking particular pleasure in the complete collapse of trans-as-unbeatable-wedge-issue narrative this morning. It might be an 80-20 issue in voters minds, but it has to be on voters minds to matter. The results in VA demonstrate that it is very much not on voters minds.
November 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I am taking particular pleasure in the complete collapse of trans-as-unbeatable-wedge-issue narrative this morning. It might be an 80-20 issue in voters minds, but it has to be on voters minds to matter. The results in VA demonstrate that it is very much not on voters minds.
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
Our recent paper on civil society and cleavage formation (w @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social) was featured in the Research-in-Brief series at @stanfordcddrl.bsky.social. Check out their summary of the project here 😊 cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/news/civil-s...
Civil Society, Cleavages, and Political Parties in Western Europe
CDDRL Research-in-Brief [4-minute read]
cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu
October 27, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Our recent paper on civil society and cleavage formation (w @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social) was featured in the Research-in-Brief series at @stanfordcddrl.bsky.social. Check out their summary of the project here 😊 cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/news/civil-s...
For over 5 years I've been working in fits and starts on a massive, unwieldy data digitization project, organizing and OCRing over 15k pages of microfilmed British candidate speeches from the interwar period with limited time & money but at last the finish line is in sight and it feels amaaaazing!!
October 23, 2025 at 6:38 PM
For over 5 years I've been working in fits and starts on a massive, unwieldy data digitization project, organizing and OCRing over 15k pages of microfilmed British candidate speeches from the interwar period with limited time & money but at last the finish line is in sight and it feels amaaaazing!!
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Paths to Power (PtP) is out in @bjpols.bsky.social! It is a database with data on cabinet members' social profile globally from 1966-2021.
This is a great team effort with @chknutsen.bsky.social, @peterla.bsky.social, @inalkristiansen.bsky.social. But many more helped us along the way 🙏
A short 🧵
This is a great team effort with @chknutsen.bsky.social, @peterla.bsky.social, @inalkristiansen.bsky.social. But many more helped us along the way 🙏
A short 🧵
Paths to Power: A New Dataset on the Social Profile of Governments | British Journal of Political Science | Cambridge Core
Paths to Power: A New Dataset on the Social Profile of Governments - Volume 55
www.cambridge.org
October 20, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Paths to Power (PtP) is out in @bjpols.bsky.social! It is a database with data on cabinet members' social profile globally from 1966-2021.
This is a great team effort with @chknutsen.bsky.social, @peterla.bsky.social, @inalkristiansen.bsky.social. But many more helped us along the way 🙏
A short 🧵
This is a great team effort with @chknutsen.bsky.social, @peterla.bsky.social, @inalkristiansen.bsky.social. But many more helped us along the way 🙏
A short 🧵
hello from Nashville, where I am very deep into my crafting/diy era
October 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM
hello from Nashville, where I am very deep into my crafting/diy era
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
We are hiring PhDs and postdocs to work on the ERC project GETGOV, where I am the PI.
We will investigate governing elites since 1789. I am sure that it will be a lot of fun and result in great research!
Postdocs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
PhDs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
We will investigate governing elites since 1789. I am sure that it will be a lot of fun and result in great research!
Postdocs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
PhDs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science (3-4 years) (288628) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science (3-4 years) (288628), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Monday, November 17, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
We are hiring PhDs and postdocs to work on the ERC project GETGOV, where I am the PI.
We will investigate governing elites since 1789. I am sure that it will be a lot of fun and result in great research!
Postdocs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
PhDs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
We will investigate governing elites since 1789. I am sure that it will be a lot of fun and result in great research!
Postdocs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
PhDs: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
An amazing scholar who studies things others neglect: local and state-level community organizations, the structure of local chapters of national nonprofits, and churches engaged in antiracism work.
October 8, 2025 at 6:57 PM
An amazing scholar who studies things others neglect: local and state-level community organizations, the structure of local chapters of national nonprofits, and churches engaged in antiracism work.
Thank you so much to @davidattewell6.bsky.social and @dpzollinger.bsky.social for their fantastic stewardship of this great special issue; their introduction here is an excellent read on contemporary puzzles of cleavage formation, highly recommend!
2/@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I set out 3 puzzles: How does a new cleavage work without strong intermediary orgs? How to reconcile cleavage theory w fragmented party systems? How are structural divides (e.g. ed) mobilized indirectly in political conflict today?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Updating cleavage theory for the twenty-first century
Contemporary cleavage research has linked ‘socio-cultural’ conflicts mobilised by new left and far right parties to structural divides in post-industrial knowledge societies. Contributions in this ...
www.tandfonline.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Thank you so much to @davidattewell6.bsky.social and @dpzollinger.bsky.social for their fantastic stewardship of this great special issue; their introduction here is an excellent read on contemporary puzzles of cleavage formation, highly recommend!
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
2/@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I set out 3 puzzles: How does a new cleavage work without strong intermediary orgs? How to reconcile cleavage theory w fragmented party systems? How are structural divides (e.g. ed) mobilized indirectly in political conflict today?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Updating cleavage theory for the twenty-first century
Contemporary cleavage research has linked ‘socio-cultural’ conflicts mobilised by new left and far right parties to structural divides in post-industrial knowledge societies. Contributions in this ...
www.tandfonline.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM
2/@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I set out 3 puzzles: How does a new cleavage work without strong intermediary orgs? How to reconcile cleavage theory w fragmented party systems? How are structural divides (e.g. ed) mobilized indirectly in political conflict today?
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
6/ @mierkezat.bsky.social, @eborbath.bsky.social, and @swenhutter.bsky.social argue that civil society still shapes contemporary cleavage formation, but with a more varied, volatile, and external pressure-based orientation to parties than the membership orgs of old.
bsky.app/profile/mier...
bsky.app/profile/mier...
I’m very excited to share that my paper “Cleavage theory meets civil society: A framework and research agenda” with @eborbath.bsky.social & Swen Hutter has now been published online in @wepsocial.bsky.social (w/ open access funding thanks to @wzb.bsky.social!)
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
October 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM
6/ @mierkezat.bsky.social, @eborbath.bsky.social, and @swenhutter.bsky.social argue that civil society still shapes contemporary cleavage formation, but with a more varied, volatile, and external pressure-based orientation to parties than the membership orgs of old.
bsky.app/profile/mier...
bsky.app/profile/mier...
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I are thrilled "Cleavage Politics in Western Democracies" is out as an SI at @wepsocial.bsky.social!
Its papers explore the foundations of the cleavage pitting new left against radical right parties, and how it compares to the classic cleavages of Lipset & Rokkan:
🧵⬇️
Its papers explore the foundations of the cleavage pitting new left against radical right parties, and how it compares to the classic cleavages of Lipset & Rokkan:
🧵⬇️
October 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM
@dpzollinger.bsky.social and I are thrilled "Cleavage Politics in Western Democracies" is out as an SI at @wepsocial.bsky.social!
Its papers explore the foundations of the cleavage pitting new left against radical right parties, and how it compares to the classic cleavages of Lipset & Rokkan:
🧵⬇️
Its papers explore the foundations of the cleavage pitting new left against radical right parties, and how it compares to the classic cleavages of Lipset & Rokkan:
🧵⬇️
Getting organized for the 2026 CES conference (deadline fast approaching); if you have a paper you're planning to present that is either on 1.) group appeals, or 2.) contemporary sources of social closure, lmk and we can see whether there's enough overlap for a shared panel submission! #polisky
September 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Getting organized for the 2026 CES conference (deadline fast approaching); if you have a paper you're planning to present that is either on 1.) group appeals, or 2.) contemporary sources of social closure, lmk and we can see whether there's enough overlap for a shared panel submission! #polisky
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
This.
No TT/non-TT/VAP job will be offered to an int'l candidate, since it requires an H1-B until the green card is issued.
This process takes at least a couple of years.
No TT/non-TT/VAP job will be offered to an int'l candidate, since it requires an H1-B until the green card is issued.
This process takes at least a couple of years.
September 20, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This.
No TT/non-TT/VAP job will be offered to an int'l candidate, since it requires an H1-B until the green card is issued.
This process takes at least a couple of years.
No TT/non-TT/VAP job will be offered to an int'l candidate, since it requires an H1-B until the green card is issued.
This process takes at least a couple of years.
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Taking a closer look at @mierkezat.bsky.social @swenhutter.bsky.social & @eborbath.bsky.social's paper on cleavage formation and civil society and cannot recommend it highly enough! Really insightful theorizing, e.g. on changes in the form of civil society and its effect on group-party linkages:
September 19, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Taking a closer look at @mierkezat.bsky.social @swenhutter.bsky.social & @eborbath.bsky.social's paper on cleavage formation and civil society and cannot recommend it highly enough! Really insightful theorizing, e.g. on changes in the form of civil society and its effect on group-party linkages:
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Here are some #APSA panels that explore the relationship between parties, CSOs, and democracy *in European Politics* featuring papers by brilliant jr women; @francescayton.bsky.social @maajanmor.bsky.social and what are sure to be sharp comments from uber smart and sharp @mierkezat.bsky.social!
September 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Here are some #APSA panels that explore the relationship between parties, CSOs, and democracy *in European Politics* featuring papers by brilliant jr women; @francescayton.bsky.social @maajanmor.bsky.social and what are sure to be sharp comments from uber smart and sharp @mierkezat.bsky.social!
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
Another European election, another likely record result for a far-right party: Norwegian parliamentary elections show small gains for the social democrats (Ap) and (if the numbers hold as counting goes on) the historically best ever result for the far-right FrP.
Norway, 85% of the votes counted:
National parliament election
Ap-S&D: 28% (+1.7)
FrP~ECR: 24.6% (+13.0)
H-EPP: 14.4% (-6.0)
Sp~RE: 5.9% (-7.6)
SV~LEFT: 5.4% (-2.2)
R~LEFT: 5.3% (+0.6)
MDG-G/EFA: 4.5% (+0.6)
KrF-EPP: 4.3% (+0.5)
V-RE: 3.4% (-1.2)
+/- vs.
➤ europeelects.eu/norway
National parliament election
Ap-S&D: 28% (+1.7)
FrP~ECR: 24.6% (+13.0)
H-EPP: 14.4% (-6.0)
Sp~RE: 5.9% (-7.6)
SV~LEFT: 5.4% (-2.2)
R~LEFT: 5.3% (+0.6)
MDG-G/EFA: 4.5% (+0.6)
KrF-EPP: 4.3% (+0.5)
V-RE: 3.4% (-1.2)
+/- vs.
➤ europeelects.eu/norway
September 8, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Another European election, another likely record result for a far-right party: Norwegian parliamentary elections show small gains for the social democrats (Ap) and (if the numbers hold as counting goes on) the historically best ever result for the far-right FrP.
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
💥 Online first in West European Politics:
"Cleavage theory meets civil society: a framework and research agenda"
by @mierkezat.bsky.social @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
"Cleavage theory meets civil society: a framework and research agenda"
by @mierkezat.bsky.social @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
September 5, 2025 at 1:12 PM
💥 Online first in West European Politics:
"Cleavage theory meets civil society: a framework and research agenda"
by @mierkezat.bsky.social @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
"Cleavage theory meets civil society: a framework and research agenda"
by @mierkezat.bsky.social @eborbath.bsky.social & @swenhutter.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
Quite on the nose; from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
September 3, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Quite on the nose; from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Reposted by Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki
New Working Paper! Why do policies that reinforce unequal opportunities persist? Some blame elites. I argue less secure families defend these "boundaries" against reform and call this "boundary defense". I test this on a 2010 referendum against school reform in Hamburg. Link: osf.io/preprints/soc...
September 2, 2025 at 8:55 PM
New Working Paper! Why do policies that reinforce unequal opportunities persist? Some blame elites. I argue less secure families defend these "boundaries" against reform and call this "boundary defense". I test this on a 2010 referendum against school reform in Hamburg. Link: osf.io/preprints/soc...