Sam Vortherms
@svortherms.bsky.social
Poli Sci Asst. Prof UCI | Comparative Politics | China | Migration | Development
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
June 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
As the academic year comes to a close, I am delighted to reflect on all that happened this year, even in these stressful times. My book came out in October, completing a decade long research and writing process.
May 26, 2025 at 4:27 PM
As the academic year comes to a close, I am delighted to reflect on all that happened this year, even in these stressful times. My book came out in October, completing a decade long research and writing process.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
May 24, 2025 at 4:07 AM
*is likely experiencing a rapid acceleration in...
America is in danger of experiencing an academic brain drain
economist.com/science-and-...
economist.com/science-and-...
May 23, 2025 at 2:09 AM
*is likely experiencing a rapid acceleration in...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
This is a sickening and illegal perversion of power.
The damage being done right now is incomprehensibly large and permanent.
Carving out the heart of Americans’ future.
The damage being done right now is incomprehensibly large and permanent.
Carving out the heart of Americans’ future.
All NSF GRFPs to students choosing to attend Harvard in the Fall were just terminated
May 22, 2025 at 11:01 PM
This is a sickening and illegal perversion of power.
The damage being done right now is incomprehensibly large and permanent.
Carving out the heart of Americans’ future.
The damage being done right now is incomprehensibly large and permanent.
Carving out the heart of Americans’ future.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
5. This is of course directly in line with the Project 2025 vision of destroying expertise, institutional knowledge, and independent thought within the federal agencies so as turn the entire federal government into an extension of the President's agenda.
May 10, 2025 at 2:12 AM
5. This is of course directly in line with the Project 2025 vision of destroying expertise, institutional knowledge, and independent thought within the federal agencies so as turn the entire federal government into an extension of the President's agenda.
The Fulbright Hays program was essential for supporting me while I did fieldwork for my PhD. Every day, a new blow for the furtherance of science and research.
www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
Fulbright-Hays Grants Canceled for the Year
The grant programs have supported the international research of students and scholars for more than 60 years.
www.insidehighered.com
May 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The Fulbright Hays program was essential for supporting me while I did fieldwork for my PhD. Every day, a new blow for the furtherance of science and research.
www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...
One of the small ways you can have an impact: comment opposing the politicization of career civil servants. This proposal would dramatically accelerate the politicization of a huge range of federal offices, including the politicization of scientific research.
New from me: Everything feels overwhelming. But here is a tangible thing you can do: write a comment to oppose Trump's plan to convert 50,000 career civil servants into political appointees. Deadline is May 23. Please share!
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/here-is-a-...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/here-is-a-...
Here is a specific thing you can do to fight Trump's politicization of public services
Plus: what I wrote in Science about the revised Schedule F
donmoynihan.substack.com
May 9, 2025 at 2:28 PM
One of the small ways you can have an impact: comment opposing the politicization of career civil servants. This proposal would dramatically accelerate the politicization of a huge range of federal offices, including the politicization of scientific research.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
Oops the pasted link didn’t work. Here it is www.higheredjobs.com/region/detai...
Postdoctoral Scholar - China Data Lab at the 21st Century China Center - HigherEdJobs
Jobs in higher education. Faculty and administrative positions at colleges and universities. Updated daily. Free to job seekers.
www.higheredjobs.com
May 3, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Oops the pasted link didn’t work. Here it is www.higheredjobs.com/region/detai...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
By the way, we are searching for a postdoc for China-focused data analysis at our China Data Lab, would love to have you join us! higheredjobs.com/region/details…
https://higheredjobs.com/region/details…
May 3, 2025 at 3:39 AM
By the way, we are searching for a postdoc for China-focused data analysis at our China Data Lab, would love to have you join us! higheredjobs.com/region/details…
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
A 50% cut to science funding (which is close to what Trump is proposing for NIH) would result in huge negative long-term economic outcomes:
*7.6% cut in GDP
*8.6% cut in federal revenues
*equivalents of making the average American $10,000 poorer
*7.6% cut in GDP
*8.6% cut in federal revenues
*equivalents of making the average American $10,000 poorer
"If you look at a long period of time, a lot of our increase in living standards seems to be coming from public investment in scientific research."
The devastating cuts to science funding aren't just academic, they threaten our livelihoods and wellbeing. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/b...
The devastating cuts to science funding aren't just academic, they threaten our livelihoods and wellbeing. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/b...
Trump’s Cuts to Science Funding Could Hurt U.S. Economy, Study Shows (Gift Article)
Reducing federal support for research and development could cause long-run economic damage and reduce government revenue.
www.nytimes.com
April 30, 2025 at 12:54 PM
A 50% cut to science funding (which is close to what Trump is proposing for NIH) would result in huge negative long-term economic outcomes:
*7.6% cut in GDP
*8.6% cut in federal revenues
*equivalents of making the average American $10,000 poorer
*7.6% cut in GDP
*8.6% cut in federal revenues
*equivalents of making the average American $10,000 poorer
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
We invite you to submit presentations for Fall 2025. We welcome working papers by scholars at various career stages, using any method, in the fields of comparative politics and international relations. Please fill out the form below by May 15:
Chinese Politics Research in Progress Call for Paper (Fall 2025)
Timing: Fridays on 1-2PM (EST) / 12-1 PM (CST) / 10-11AM (PST) in Fall, 2025
Venue: Zoom
Contact us at cnpoliticsresearchinprogress@gmail.com
docs.google.com
April 23, 2025 at 7:10 PM
We invite you to submit presentations for Fall 2025. We welcome working papers by scholars at various career stages, using any method, in the fields of comparative politics and international relations. Please fill out the form below by May 15:
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
🤝 Come work with us!
APARC is #hiring:
🔸 A full-time China Program Coordinator
🔸 A full-time Center Administrative Associate
🔸 A research assistant for a project on the economics of robotics in nursing homes in Japan (for Stanford students only)
Learn more ⬇️
APARC is #hiring:
🔸 A full-time China Program Coordinator
🔸 A full-time Center Administrative Associate
🔸 A research assistant for a project on the economics of robotics in nursing homes in Japan (for Stanford students only)
Learn more ⬇️
APARC Jobs
Stanford University
stanford.io
April 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM
🤝 Come work with us!
APARC is #hiring:
🔸 A full-time China Program Coordinator
🔸 A full-time Center Administrative Associate
🔸 A research assistant for a project on the economics of robotics in nursing homes in Japan (for Stanford students only)
Learn more ⬇️
APARC is #hiring:
🔸 A full-time China Program Coordinator
🔸 A full-time Center Administrative Associate
🔸 A research assistant for a project on the economics of robotics in nursing homes in Japan (for Stanford students only)
Learn more ⬇️
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
A colleague at Stanford’s business school used The Stanford Daily to argue—poorly—against DEI. The piece was riddled with historical errors and left one searching for fact, so I broke my public writing hiatus to respond.
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
What DEI threatens isn’t merit. It’s monopoly.
Political science professor Hakeem Jefferson argues for DEI's importance to de-monopolizing universities.
stanforddaily.com
April 23, 2025 at 12:23 AM
A colleague at Stanford’s business school used The Stanford Daily to argue—poorly—against DEI. The piece was riddled with historical errors and left one searching for fact, so I broke my public writing hiatus to respond.
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
NSF's new research "priorities" seems absurd:
research should not "directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities."
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
research should not "directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities."
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
Updates on NSF Priorities
www.nsf.gov
April 22, 2025 at 5:11 PM
NSF's new research "priorities" seems absurd:
research should not "directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities."
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
research should not "directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities."
www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
jesus christ they want her dead
Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist at Harvard Medical School, was detained at Logan Airport after returning from France and sent to an ICE detention in Louisiana, The Insider reports.
A big critic of Putin and the war in Ukraine, she may now be deported to Russia.
A big critic of Putin and the war in Ukraine, she may now be deported to Russia.
March 27, 2025 at 9:59 PM
jesus christ they want her dead
Sometimes I feel like I've woken up in another authoritatian country I know well...
Rumeysa Ozturk, a PhD student at Tufts University, was detained March 25 by Department of Homeland Security agents in masks and plainclothes.
“We should all be horrified at the way DHS spirited away Rumeysa in broad daylight,” Mahsa Khanbabai, Ozturk’s lawyer, said. wapo.st/3QPfoiA
“We should all be horrified at the way DHS spirited away Rumeysa in broad daylight,” Mahsa Khanbabai, Ozturk’s lawyer, said. wapo.st/3QPfoiA
March 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Sometimes I feel like I've woken up in another authoritatian country I know well...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
Xiaojun Li and I have a new article in @scidjournal.bsky.social. China's economic growth has slowed. We use a survey experiment to examine the effects of state media messaging on who and what people blame for their difficulties. #chinasky #china 🧵 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Propaganda and Blame Attribution during Economic Downturns: Evidence from China - Studies in Comparative International Development
Amidst sluggish growth, Chinese authorities have sought to spin the narrative about their economy. But does “soft” propaganda—positive messaging, selective presentation of facts, redirection of anger—...
link.springer.com
March 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Xiaojun Li and I have a new article in @scidjournal.bsky.social. China's economic growth has slowed. We use a survey experiment to examine the effects of state media messaging on who and what people blame for their difficulties. #chinasky #china 🧵 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
1. For the past thirty years I've had the best job in the world.
I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
March 19, 2025 at 7:32 PM
1. For the past thirty years I've had the best job in the world.
I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
I've had the opportunity to follow my curiosity; explore the workings of nature and society; mentor students and junior colleagues in the same process; and teach generations of students about it all.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
I wish university leaders would a) read this, and b) reconsider their silence.
This administration is coming for higher education. Failing to point out the illegality, the violation of basic legal rights, and attacks on research and what they mean isn't going to save us.
This administration is coming for higher education. Failing to point out the illegality, the violation of basic legal rights, and attacks on research and what they mean isn't going to save us.
New from me at Cato: in its demands that Columbia surrender its academic and administrative independence to federal overseers, the Trump administration has violated one law after another. And there's every reason to think it's planning to roll out the same game plan to other universities. /1
What Can the Feds Legally Demand of Columbia University?
The Trump administration is using the threat of a funding cutoff to demand sweeping changes at Columbia University, including a drastic overhaul of its system of student discipline, and the putting of...
www.cato.org
March 17, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I wish university leaders would a) read this, and b) reconsider their silence.
This administration is coming for higher education. Failing to point out the illegality, the violation of basic legal rights, and attacks on research and what they mean isn't going to save us.
This administration is coming for higher education. Failing to point out the illegality, the violation of basic legal rights, and attacks on research and what they mean isn't going to save us.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage
March 14, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
This is who was fired from the union workforce at the Department of Education yesterday. Every single number is a person who served the nation and whose life was wrongly disrupted. That's the first tragedy, but it's clearly not the only one.
March 12, 2025 at 10:52 AM
This is who was fired from the union workforce at the Department of Education yesterday. Every single number is a person who served the nation and whose life was wrongly disrupted. That's the first tragedy, but it's clearly not the only one.
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
We condemn in the strongest possible terms any university that would sacrifice its own students to the demands of an authoritarian government.
This is absolute cowardice & capitulation to an administration hellbent on the destruction of American higher education.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/n...
This is absolute cowardice & capitulation to an administration hellbent on the destruction of American higher education.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/n...
Columbia Disciplines Students Who Occupied Campus Building Last Year
Sanctions for the Hamilton Hall occupation include expulsions and suspensions.
www.nytimes.com
March 14, 2025 at 12:12 AM
We condemn in the strongest possible terms any university that would sacrifice its own students to the demands of an authoritarian government.
This is absolute cowardice & capitulation to an administration hellbent on the destruction of American higher education.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/n...
This is absolute cowardice & capitulation to an administration hellbent on the destruction of American higher education.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/n...
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
I’m told this is a real letter. It basically says, “We’ll destroy Columbia unless you destroy it first.”
March 14, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I’m told this is a real letter. It basically says, “We’ll destroy Columbia unless you destroy it first.”
Reposted by Sam Vortherms
Since the 1950s, Summer Language Workshops at Indiana University have provided training in Russian, East European, and Central Asian languages. Generations have come to Bloomington to study Romanian, Polish, Kazakh, etc.
Rubio just cancelled all of them
languageworkshop.indiana.edu/summer-langu...
Rubio just cancelled all of them
languageworkshop.indiana.edu/summer-langu...
Title VIII: Funding: Summer Language Workshop: Language Workshop: Indiana University Bloomington
Title VIII Fellowships
languageworkshop.indiana.edu
February 27, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Since the 1950s, Summer Language Workshops at Indiana University have provided training in Russian, East European, and Central Asian languages. Generations have come to Bloomington to study Romanian, Polish, Kazakh, etc.
Rubio just cancelled all of them
languageworkshop.indiana.edu/summer-langu...
Rubio just cancelled all of them
languageworkshop.indiana.edu/summer-langu...