Zack Albert
@zalbert.bsky.social
Polisci prof. @ Brandeis U. Research on parties and polarization and elections. Glad there’s finally hockey here. Go Leafs Go!
Really glad to get to publish this overview of my new book (Partisan Policy Networks) with Roro Toko. Including some excerpts below.
www.rorotoko.com/11/20251106-...
www.rorotoko.com/11/20251106-...
RORO
www.rorotoko.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Really glad to get to publish this overview of my new book (Partisan Policy Networks) with Roro Toko. Including some excerpts below.
www.rorotoko.com/11/20251106-...
www.rorotoko.com/11/20251106-...
Bold strategy to tell everyone to pay attention to the rallies specifically designed to draw attention to your party’s unpopular abuses of power.
"You'll see how much they hate America! Tune in to see how much they hate America! Better yet, get out there and see for yourself! Maybe take an American flag with you so everyone knows you're not really one of the America Haters? But we urge every American to watch these rallies very closely!"
Lisa McClain: "We'll see mobs of radicals at the 'I Hate America Rally.'"
October 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Bold strategy to tell everyone to pay attention to the rallies specifically designed to draw attention to your party’s unpopular abuses of power.
Really cool feeling to open a box of your own book! For sale starting august 26.
www.pennpress.org/978151282802...
www.pennpress.org/978151282802...
August 18, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Really cool feeling to open a box of your own book! For sale starting august 26.
www.pennpress.org/978151282802...
www.pennpress.org/978151282802...
I’m just a simple guy begging Google Docs to not log me out when I’m in the middle of typing a sentence
July 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I’m just a simple guy begging Google Docs to not log me out when I’m in the middle of typing a sentence
With @raylaraja.bsky.social: Are small donors the solution to democracy’s problems? www.brookings.edu/articles/are...
Are small donors the solution to democracy’s problems? | Brookings
Campaign finance regimes that increase the number of small donors may not be a solution to America's democracy woes.
www.brookings.edu
July 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
With @raylaraja.bsky.social: Are small donors the solution to democracy’s problems? www.brookings.edu/articles/are...
Could easily replace “academics” with “partisans” and explain a lot about politics
An analysis of ~100,000 academics finds that a small subset of academics generate majority of social media posts.
That vocal minority can skew how the public—and even journalists—infer “academic consensus,” potentially fueling false perceptions. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
That vocal minority can skew how the public—and even journalists—infer “academic consensus,” potentially fueling false perceptions. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Political expression of academics on Twitter - Nature Human Behaviour
An analysis of nearly 100,000 academics on Twitter reveals strong progressive stances on climate and social issues, driven by a small, vocal subset. The study highlights potential gaps between academi...
www.nature.com
June 4, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Could easily replace “academics” with “partisans” and explain a lot about politics
Worth noting this is due mostly to people thinking he isn’t serious or disciplined enough to stick to one of his most sincere, central policy goals. Which is one of the many reasons these tariffs will only have negative effects
WASHINGTON (AP) - US consumer confidence rebounds in May after five straight months of declines due to anxiety over Trump tariffs.
May 27, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Worth noting this is due mostly to people thinking he isn’t serious or disciplined enough to stick to one of his most sincere, central policy goals. Which is one of the many reasons these tariffs will only have negative effects
Need some parenting advice. My four year old has been rampaging through the house smashing things with a baseball bat. He finally agreed to pause for 90 days. My instinct is to lavishly praise him for his foresight and restraint. But what would you do?
April 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Need some parenting advice. My four year old has been rampaging through the house smashing things with a baseball bat. He finally agreed to pause for 90 days. My instinct is to lavishly praise him for his foresight and restraint. But what would you do?
I bounce back and forth (much like trump on tariffs) between “there is no plan” and “the plan is self-enrichment via market manipulation”. The truth is probably that trump is dumb and likes tariffs (no plan) + those around him see opportunities in that to make money
do I have this right? Donald Trump is just going to crash the world economy every three months — and then pretend to save it, over and over, while his cronies rake in untold billions on his shameless market manipulation, is that it? fucking hell
April 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
I bounce back and forth (much like trump on tariffs) between “there is no plan” and “the plan is self-enrichment via market manipulation”. The truth is probably that trump is dumb and likes tariffs (no plan) + those around him see opportunities in that to make money
I’m sure everyone will have a different favorite but “definition” really stands out to me
A growing list of words and materials are being scrubbed from government websites and documents in an attempt by the Trump administration to remove all references not only to DEI, but also to climate change, vaccines, and a host of other topics.
More: pen.org/banned-words...
More: pen.org/banned-words...
April 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
I’m sure everyone will have a different favorite but “definition” really stands out to me
Reposted by Zack Albert
Are you a PhD in Political Science? #polisky Have you signed the statement against basic changes to government and democracy? 1200 people have signed (ranging in many ideologies). If you wish to sign, go here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F....
Political scientists' statement on recent events
Please use this form to add your signature to the following statement. Note that we are only soliciting signatures from individuals with PhDs in political science.
We, the undersigned, are political ...
docs.google.com
March 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Are you a PhD in Political Science? #polisky Have you signed the statement against basic changes to government and democracy? 1200 people have signed (ranging in many ideologies). If you wish to sign, go here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F....
Reposted by Zack Albert
Political scientists: please consider signing, and sharing with other political scientists, this petition, which expresses urgent concerns about threats to the balance of powers in the U.S. today. Hundreds have already signed.
Political scientists' statement on recent events
Please use this form to add your signature to the following statement. Note that we are only soliciting signatures from individuals with PhDs in political science.
We, the undersigned, are political ...
urldefense.proofpoint.com
February 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Political scientists: please consider signing, and sharing with other political scientists, this petition, which expresses urgent concerns about threats to the balance of powers in the U.S. today. Hundreds have already signed.
Reposted by Zack Albert
The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, a great org, asks individuals & orgs to sign their letter requesting Congress act to restore data that has been removed & ensure a similar purge does not reoccur.
#EconSky #PolicySky #sociology #PoliSky
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#EconSky #PolicySky #sociology #PoliSky
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
February 4, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, a great org, asks individuals & orgs to sign their letter requesting Congress act to restore data that has been removed & ensure a similar purge does not reoccur.
#EconSky #PolicySky #sociology #PoliSky
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#EconSky #PolicySky #sociology #PoliSky
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
New piece today in @theconversation.com on how the Project 2025 playbook is guiding Trump's early actions and how the Heritage Foundation is cashing in on decades of subsidizing the GOP (and Trump in particular)
theconversation.com/trumps-admin...
theconversation.com/trumps-admin...
Trump’s administration seems chaotic, but he’s drawing directly from Project 2025 playbook
Many of Trump’s executive orders mirror plans laid out in Project 2025, a conservative policy plan developed in part by the Heritage Foundation.
theconversation.com
February 5, 2025 at 2:16 PM
New piece today in @theconversation.com on how the Project 2025 playbook is guiding Trump's early actions and how the Heritage Foundation is cashing in on decades of subsidizing the GOP (and Trump in particular)
theconversation.com/trumps-admin...
theconversation.com/trumps-admin...
Not at all the most important part but note how the “$50 million on condoms to hamas” lie is suddenly “$100 million”
REPORTER: Why is it important for Elon Musk to have access to the payments systems at Treasury?
TRUMP: Well, he's got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good, and it's only if we agree with him
TRUMP: Well, he's got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good, and it's only if we agree with him
February 3, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Not at all the most important part but note how the “$50 million on condoms to hamas” lie is suddenly “$100 million”
Ok but why have colleagues been doing this in meetings for a decade?
January 29, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Ok but why have colleagues been doing this in meetings for a decade?
The caricature that Republicans painted of Biden lawlessness isn’t even 1/10th of the actual lawlessness of the *first 9 days* of Trump 2.0
January 29, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The caricature that Republicans painted of Biden lawlessness isn’t even 1/10th of the actual lawlessness of the *first 9 days* of Trump 2.0
Violating 2, 3, 5 and 6 (at least)
January 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Violating 2, 3, 5 and 6 (at least)
TRUMP: “I’m sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
January 19, 2025 at 6:29 PM
TRUMP: “I’m sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
I focused heavily on heritage in my forthcoming book and, while this is pretty gross, it doesn’t surprise me. They have long focused on shaping public opinion and popular perceptions, more so than any other think tank I examined. They are always advocating and only sometimes researching
Scoop: I obtained a confidential presentation outlining how a major conservative think tanks plans to go after volunteer editors on Wikipedia who it says are "abusing their position" and promoting antisemitism
forward.com/news/686797/...
forward.com/news/686797/...
Scoop: Heritage Foundation plans to ‘identify and target’ Wikipedia editors
The conservative think tank told prospective donors that the project was part of its work to combat antisemitism.
forward.com
January 7, 2025 at 11:45 PM
I focused heavily on heritage in my forthcoming book and, while this is pretty gross, it doesn’t surprise me. They have long focused on shaping public opinion and popular perceptions, more so than any other think tank I examined. They are always advocating and only sometimes researching
Opened up an article with this photo and my 3 year old said “poor buddy”. Summarized his whole Speakership in two words.
December 20, 2024 at 12:34 AM
Opened up an article with this photo and my 3 year old said “poor buddy”. Summarized his whole Speakership in two words.
This but for my dream job (which happened to be my only offer).
What's the moment of luck that's had the biggest impact for your academic career? For me, it was how I wouldn't have gotten a PhD fellowship if it wasn't for the 1st-ranked person declining, which meant that I was awarded the fellowship as 2nd-ranked applicant. That was my last shot at a PhD.
December 12, 2024 at 11:12 PM
This but for my dream job (which happened to be my only offer).
New @polbehavior.bsky.social paper with @miacosta.bsky.social. We show that voters with more negative views of the other party (negative partisans) are more likely to care about candidate electability & even willing to give up representation for better chance to win
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Winning At All Costs? How Negative Partisanship Affects Voter Decision-Making - Political Behavior
Do voters who dislike the other side prefer candidates who can win, even if they are less representative? Negative partisanship is an important feature of American politics, but few scholars have exam...
link.springer.com
November 19, 2024 at 2:52 PM
New @polbehavior.bsky.social paper with @miacosta.bsky.social. We show that voters with more negative views of the other party (negative partisans) are more likely to care about candidate electability & even willing to give up representation for better chance to win
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A few thoughts…
1) Genuinely impressive they spent that much that fast
2) There’s likely no way this could’ve been spent that would’ve changed the outcome. Spreading around to down ballot races maybe would’ve helped but there are stingy limits ($2k) on those transfers (except party cmtes)
1/2
1) Genuinely impressive they spent that much that fast
2) There’s likely no way this could’ve been spent that would’ve changed the outcome. Spreading around to down ballot races maybe would’ve helped but there are stingy limits ($2k) on those transfers (except party cmtes)
1/2
Vice President Kamala Harris spent a remarkable $1.5 billion in her hyper-compressed presidential campaign. But in the days since losing to Donald Trump, her operation has faced questions internally and externally over what exactly the money went toward. nyti.ms/3YW7rM9
November 18, 2024 at 9:12 PM
A few thoughts…
1) Genuinely impressive they spent that much that fast
2) There’s likely no way this could’ve been spent that would’ve changed the outcome. Spreading around to down ballot races maybe would’ve helped but there are stingy limits ($2k) on those transfers (except party cmtes)
1/2
1) Genuinely impressive they spent that much that fast
2) There’s likely no way this could’ve been spent that would’ve changed the outcome. Spreading around to down ballot races maybe would’ve helped but there are stingy limits ($2k) on those transfers (except party cmtes)
1/2
Bluesky academics… Quote this & tell me: 1) a project you are working on & 2) an odd idea/theory you aren’t working on but keep thinking about
1) who are small donors, who do they support, & what are likely effects of reform?
2) ppl always been poorly informed but it’s now much worse/more impactful
1) who are small donors, who do they support, & what are likely effects of reform?
2) ppl always been poorly informed but it’s now much worse/more impactful
November 16, 2024 at 6:27 PM
Bluesky academics… Quote this & tell me: 1) a project you are working on & 2) an odd idea/theory you aren’t working on but keep thinking about
1) who are small donors, who do they support, & what are likely effects of reform?
2) ppl always been poorly informed but it’s now much worse/more impactful
1) who are small donors, who do they support, & what are likely effects of reform?
2) ppl always been poorly informed but it’s now much worse/more impactful