Nate Ela
@nateela.bsky.social
Law prof + sociologist thinking and writing about property, land, cities, democracy, sometimes Philly. Posts ≠ speaking for the institution where I work (obvs).
nateela.net | SSRN: bit.ly/ElaSSRN
(Views are mine, not those of any institution.)
nateela.net | SSRN: bit.ly/ElaSSRN
(Views are mine, not those of any institution.)
Pinned
Nate Ela
@nateela.bsky.social
· Nov 15
A Path to Multiparty Democracy
Americans are sick of the two-party system. Yet in almost every state, a crucial ballot access restriction denies them any meaningful alternative. A century ago
papers.ssrn.com
Here’s a piece on how we could get from here to multiparty democracy in the U-S-A, via state courts. Revising some this month, all ears 👂if you have thoughts… papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
And social science? Especially flatlining:
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Social Sciences
7/11
7/11
February 19, 2026 at 3:19 AM
And social science? Especially flatlining:
Science in the United States is flatlining, a thread:
NSF Update
Funding curve overall. A little bit of progress in the past week, but only a little bit.
Now by Directorate...
1/11
Funding curve overall. A little bit of progress in the past week, but only a little bit.
Now by Directorate...
1/11
February 19, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Science in the United States is flatlining, a thread:
Reposted by Nate Ela
Recall the majority opinion in Plyler the justices pointedly said they wanted to avoid creating and underclass of people who wouldn't have a public education due to a legal status beyond their control. And now HF wants to go back to that. Fog horning racism.
The Heritage Foundation is now calling for the overturn of Plyler vs. Doe, the Supreme Court ruling that banned states from denying an education to the children of undocumented immigrants.
February 18, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Recall the majority opinion in Plyler the justices pointedly said they wanted to avoid creating and underclass of people who wouldn't have a public education due to a legal status beyond their control. And now HF wants to go back to that. Fog horning racism.
Reposted by Nate Ela
Working on Restoring Justice kept me grounded this past year, so I share it w/ excitement & some nervousness.
Written w/ Meredith Elizalde, whose son Nick was killed in a shooting at his high school, we argue for a right to restorative justice.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Written w/ Meredith Elizalde, whose son Nick was killed in a shooting at his high school, we argue for a right to restorative justice.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
February 17, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Working on Restoring Justice kept me grounded this past year, so I share it w/ excitement & some nervousness.
Written w/ Meredith Elizalde, whose son Nick was killed in a shooting at his high school, we argue for a right to restorative justice.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Written w/ Meredith Elizalde, whose son Nick was killed in a shooting at his high school, we argue for a right to restorative justice.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
When life gives flu that cancels the family Hanukkah get together, make latkes for Valentinukkah with @sustras.bsky.social
February 14, 2026 at 11:30 PM
When life gives flu that cancels the family Hanukkah get together, make latkes for Valentinukkah with @sustras.bsky.social
Reposted by Nate Ela
Excited to have signed a contract for my book with U. Chicago Press. Now to get this thing done and out so it can be an actual physical thing next spring... whoa.
February 11, 2026 at 2:58 AM
Excited to have signed a contract for my book with U. Chicago Press. Now to get this thing done and out so it can be an actual physical thing next spring... whoa.
Excited to share it!
February 11, 2026 at 12:50 PM
Excited to share it!
I've been working on this paper on how our political economy is shaped by jagoffs who benefit from laws that keep resources from being put to use... and now I see it everywhere (even in threats of lawless action aimed at keeping things out of use)
A billionaire family that owns a bridge crossing between Michigan and Canada has wanted Trump to stop a new bridge — and Trump is now threatening to block its opening (with authority he doesn’t have). www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/u...
Trump Threatens to Block Opening of New Bridge to Canada
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:16 AM
I've been working on this paper on how our political economy is shaped by jagoffs who benefit from laws that keep resources from being put to use... and now I see it everywhere (even in threats of lawless action aimed at keeping things out of use)
(the working title is a working title, and will change a bit...)
February 11, 2026 at 2:59 AM
(the working title is a working title, and will change a bit...)
Excited to have signed a contract for my book with U. Chicago Press. Now to get this thing done and out so it can be an actual physical thing next spring... whoa.
February 11, 2026 at 2:58 AM
Excited to have signed a contract for my book with U. Chicago Press. Now to get this thing done and out so it can be an actual physical thing next spring... whoa.
“As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."
February 8, 2026 at 4:51 PM
“As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down."
Would I prefer if suburban/exurban folk turn against warehouse concentration camps on principle? Yes. (And polls suggest they’re souring on mass deportation.)
Is it okay to use traffic, parking, etc as wedge issue to trigger freakout about massive new developments? Yes.
NIMBY judo ftw.
Is it okay to use traffic, parking, etc as wedge issue to trigger freakout about massive new developments? Yes.
NIMBY judo ftw.
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman says planned ICE detention facilities in Berks and Schuylkill counties would strain local resources.
John Fetterman asks DHS to halt development of ICE detention centers in Pennsylvania, saying they will burden local communities
www.inquirer.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:14 AM
Would I prefer if suburban/exurban folk turn against warehouse concentration camps on principle? Yes. (And polls suggest they’re souring on mass deportation.)
Is it okay to use traffic, parking, etc as wedge issue to trigger freakout about massive new developments? Yes.
NIMBY judo ftw.
Is it okay to use traffic, parking, etc as wedge issue to trigger freakout about massive new developments? Yes.
NIMBY judo ftw.
February 8, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Tho to be fair I've never been to Iceland, maybe the storms are insane.
February 8, 2026 at 12:49 AM
Tho to be fair I've never been to Iceland, maybe the storms are insane.
The @archive.org version cuts off before Bjork annoyedly declared (in last minute of this youtube clip) that the storm "wouldn't be much in Iceland, I'll tell you that much" (as a born and raised upper midwesterner I can say it was actually pretty intense)
Bjork Live Pitchfork Festival,Union Park, Chicago 19th July 2013
YouTube video by Bjork live
www.youtube.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:48 AM
The @archive.org version cuts off before Bjork annoyedly declared (in last minute of this youtube clip) that the storm "wouldn't be much in Iceland, I'll tell you that much" (as a born and raised upper midwesterner I can say it was actually pretty intense)
👀 Depeche Mode (1985); Boogie Down Productions (1988); Pavement (1992); Neutral Milk Hotel (1997); Tortoise (2005); Bjork (pitchfork 2013, cut off by huge storm, we all ran for the L and got soaked); so; much; more...
🎧🔊🤘
🎧🔊🤘
Everyone should be following the digitization and posting of the Adam Jacobs Collection. A 10,000 live concert chronicle of rocknroll-live-in-Chicago between the mid-1980s and today. archive.org/details/aada...
February 8, 2026 at 12:44 AM
👀 Depeche Mode (1985); Boogie Down Productions (1988); Pavement (1992); Neutral Milk Hotel (1997); Tortoise (2005); Bjork (pitchfork 2013, cut off by huge storm, we all ran for the L and got soaked); so; much; more...
🎧🔊🤘
🎧🔊🤘
@dsuisman.bsky.social I assume you're all over this but fwiw it made me think of you. 🤘
February 8, 2026 at 12:23 AM
@dsuisman.bsky.social I assume you're all over this but fwiw it made me think of you. 🤘
If only the boss would tell Stephen Miller to redeploy 100% effort to ULURP reform
February 7, 2026 at 11:35 PM
If only the boss would tell Stephen Miller to redeploy 100% effort to ULURP reform
Inject this straight into my Land Use syllabus veins
Trump and Mamdani find unlikely common ground on New York City zoning
The president’s long history in New York City real estate looms large over the ongoing conversation with Mamdani.
www.politico.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Inject this straight into my Land Use syllabus veins