Erin Lockwood
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erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Erin Lockwood
@erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
2.9K followers 1.6K following 1.1K posts
Assistant professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine | researching and teaching IPE, financial politics, global inequality | fan of plants, birds, snacks, sci-fi, quilting | she/her
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erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Just encountered my first philosophical "just in case" meaning "iff" in the wild 🫡
Although this is clearly the meaning of the term ‘arbitrary’ relevant for a discussion of domination, the issue is far from settled. This is because the somewhat elliptical expression ‘according to will or pleasure’ is open to two possible interpretations. On the one hand, we might say that the exercise of social power is left to the will or pleasure of a person or group just in case it is not somehow procedurally constrained. On the other hand, we might say that the exercise of social power is left to the will or pleasure of a person or group when it can be employed by them without regard to the relevant interests of the parties affected by that exercise. Let me explain each of these two interpretations somewhat more fully.
November 11, 2025 at 12:21 AM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Entirely too close to @lailalalami.com's The Dream Hotel for comfort.
a piece of notebook paper with handwriting that reads: (4) We have no idea of how they come up with these scores or on how they work (5) They told me once I received my risk score there is nothing I can do to change it. (6) People in jail have have lost hope in being able to do anything to reduce their time and have turned to drugs and violence. Below the image is the caption "Alexander can't read or write, so he dictated answers to mailed questions from Verite News and ProPublica to a fellow prisoner."
November 10, 2025 at 10:19 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Don't talk to me or my son ever again (about attacking the houseplants).
A small grey and white cat sitting protectively on top of her tabby cat friend.
November 10, 2025 at 9:10 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Re-reading Roberto Aragãoa and Lucas Linsi's @ripejournal.bsky.social article on how governments manipulate official statistics on the same day that the U.S. failed to publish the Oct. monthly jobs report. I thin their typology of manipulated statistics is going to be extra-useful in this era ...
Chart depicting four different strategies for manipulating official statistics, organized by the degree of consensus on the "actual" number, the operationalization of the manipulated number, and when each form of manipulation is most likely to occur
November 7, 2025 at 8:22 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
My cat ate my syllabus planning notes.
List of potential readings for a grad IPE seminar with the corner of the paper chewed up by a feline vandal
November 7, 2025 at 5:58 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
This is literally blocks away from our old apartment in Evanston at Sherman and Austin. This is horrifying.
Wymer added that he saw multiple agents pointing pepper spray canisters at residents in the crowd, and that he “got a little bit of pepper spray in my eye” from what he thinks was an accidental squeeze, but did not see “any full-on squeezes.” Resident David Brooks said he biked over to the intersection of Oakton and Asbury after seeing a report that agents were in the area, arriving after the crash but before EPD arrived. He said he witnessed a federal officer “forcibly putting a female into the backseat” on the passenger side, and he began filming with his phone. “He [the agent] was being very violent with her, I said ‘You got to stop that,’ and he said, ‘Step back or I’ll (expletive) shoot you,‘” Brooks said. “I step back, and then I continue to record, at which point he turned around and pointed a gun at me.” Brooks said he stepped back again and the agent put his gun back in its holster, but “continued to be violent” and refused to answer Brooks’ requests to identify his name, badge number or supervisor. He added that another man the agents detained and took in their vehicle was “bleeding from the head, they were roughing him on the ground pretty good.”
October 31, 2025 at 6:43 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Once upon a desert sandy while I wandered, fine and dandy, Came a traveler, quaint and curious, telling of forgotten lore -- Of a statue, now decaying, two legs, no trunk, and a saying, On its pedestal betraying, betraying Ozy's claims of yore. "Tis only ruins now," he muttered, downplaying Ozy's claims of yore -- "Only this and nothing more."
October 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Once upon a desert sandy while I wandered, fine and dandy, Came a traveler, quaint and curious, telling of forgotten lore -- Of a statue, now decaying, two legs, no trunk, and a saying, On its pedestal betraying, betraying Ozy's claims of yore. "Tis only ruins now," he muttered, downplaying Ozy's claims of yore -- "Only this and nothing more."
October 30, 2025 at 9:44 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Elane Westfaul on a successful defense of her dissertation entitled "Prayer in the Pluriverse" this morning!

Learn more about Elane's research, which studies the politics of prayer in indigenous/Christian prayer camps against extractivism here: www.elanewestfaul.com
Screenshot of a Zoom meeting with Elane Westfaul, Gamber, Cecelia Lynch, and Erin Lockwood looking serious
October 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
I was noodling around with this earlier this summer. Not sure it's entirely right, but basically C doesn't exist in meaningful trading volumes, B is full of scams, and A is "congratulations, you're asymptomatically approaching dollar bank deposits"
October 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Kids' Halloween costumes are done! Green and gold forest fairy for the 5 yo (she picked out all the fabrics and pattern) and mermaid for the 3 yo (free-handed and not especially well, but meets 3 yo standards). We worked together on the shell necklace, with shells collected on a recent camping trip.
Iridescent Forest Green dress with white glitter tulle neck band, gold lamé belt with glitter tulle paniers and white and gold fairy wings Mermaid costume with shiny green lamé top, iridescent fish scale blue "tail" skirt and a necklace strung with seashells found on a recent camping trip
October 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Other figures in Mr. Trump’s orbit were more skeptical. Laura Loomer, the conservative influencer who holds significant sway with Mr. Trump, wrote on X in October that Mr. Zhao should not be pardoned because he had become a citizen of the U.A.E. “You know who gets Emirati citizenship when they weren’t born in the U.A.E.?” Ms. Loomer wrote. “People who are trying to evade punishment for crimes.” The stock photo of Josep Maria García as included in the 2018 ClickHole article, "Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made a Great Point"
October 23, 2025 at 4:55 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Six percent of Orange County residents are undocumented, most of whom have lived here for over a decade. Fifteen percent of Orange County residents live in a mixed-status family. These are our neighbors.
Our data show that nearly a third of Orange County’s residents are immigrants, of which undocumented people represent more than 210,000 people, or ⅕ of all immigrants. Over three-quarters of undocumented people have lived here for more than a decade, raising families, working and contributing taxes, and laying down roots to establish homes. As a result, their ties reach deep into local households and schools. More than 491,000 county residents are either undocumented themselves or live with undocumented family members, including 216,000 U.S. citizens. Among children under five, 16% have at least one undocumented parent, and more than half of U.S. citizens with undocumented family members are 17 or younger. These are not abstract numbers—they are our neighbors, students, co-workers, and the next generation of Orange County residents growing up worried about whether their families will be ripped apart.
October 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
These efforts by her friends, teachers, and relatives to keep her a part of their community are heartbreaking in what they show about how deeply beloved and woven into our communities undocumented folks like Nory are and how futile many of these efforts are likely to be at getting Nory home to LA.
Back in Los Angeles, Nory’s supporters are trying to ease the distance. Among them is her former history and government teacher, Darcy White, who has been on a crusade. She obtained Nory’s case documents, scanning hundreds of pages, and reached out to a local congressman to see if his office could get involved. She made connections with a nonprofit to help Nory get more reliable internet access. She put together care packages with shoes and clothes, while Nory’s friends added extra comforts like skin-care products and makeup. “I just lost it when I found out she was gone,” said Ms. White who calls or messages Nory every day. “For me this is like my little kid, and I want to do whatever I can.” Others have contributed in their own ways. School staff members vetted lawyers and community foundations, and looked into how Nory might continue her education. Her friend Emily helped the family set up the initial GoFundMe. Her cousin Yuri fought back nerves to tell Nory’s story at an immigration rally. There is a shared belief back home that Nory cannot be forgotten. Perhaps the most consistent reminder of this is her name that still appears on the cross-country roster. “She’s on our team this year,” insisted Christopher Haddy, the team’s coach and the school’s athletics director. “Every race we do, she’s going to be on our team. And I think that’s the best thing we can do — to say she was supposed to be here.”
October 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
If you want to buy the handbook, you can save 30% using the code AUFLY30 through the OUP Academic website.
Flyer advertising the Oxford Handbook of Institutions of International Economic Governance Market Regulation, edited by Eric Brousseau, Jean-Michel Glachant, and Jérôme Sgard. The flyer notes that you can use promotion code AUFLY30 to save 30% at global.oup.com/academic
October 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Talked to the 3 and 5 year old about what God calls us to do and what we think our leaders should do. We're ready.

#NoKings
Two homemade signs, one with a multicolor scribble that reads "Help other people who are sick, - M., age 3" and a second that reads "Welccome everyone!" in brightly colored letters with two little figures saying Hi to each other.
October 18, 2025 at 1:42 AM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Your local public library is also free, and yet here I am.
Forbes headline that reads "When Knowledge is Free, What are Professors For?"
October 16, 2025 at 10:34 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
🧐
FT headline that reads: "US Treasury arranging fresh $20bn in debt market support for Argentina / Facility builds on previously announced $20bn swap line as Washington seeks to boost libertarian ally Javier Milei" Portion of the headline that reads: "Facility builds on previously announced $20bn swap line as Washington seeks to boost libertarian ally Javier Milei" Portion of the headline that reads: "libertarian ally Javier Milei" Portion of the headline that reads: "libertarian"
October 15, 2025 at 8:45 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Update: after fighting over this basket, then fighting over a second basket I put next to this basket, they ended up together in the first basket. Instructive, in some inscrutable way.
Two cats in a rectangular basket, one is fast asleep and the other was, until I disrupted her cat nap by taking a photo
October 14, 2025 at 5:19 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Everyone, meet Sparkle and Ursula! ✨📚
A grey and white kitten peeking out of a cat tunnel A tabby cat lying belly up with its paws in the air Two cats on a cat tree in early morning light at the window A grey and white kitten sleeping
October 14, 2025 at 2:21 AM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Vote by mail rules, part 2 🗳️📬
Email from the California Secretary of State confirming my ballot was received and counted
October 10, 2025 at 11:15 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
But only slightly. These bets exist.

Polymarket already allows you to bet on how many people will be deported under the Trump administration in 2025.
Two bets from Polymarket, one which reads "How many people will Trump deport in 2025?" and one which says "Will Trump deport 750,000 or more people in 2025?"
October 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
I'm sorry, wha --

Oh, the other ICE.
ICE Announces Strategic Investment in Polymarket
October 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Extremely cool that the FCC's total disinterest in enforcing and strengthening consumer protection and data privacy has not only unleashed a new influx of spammy robocalls but also created a new niche for equally scammy firms to capitalize on this by promising to "erase" your data.
Ad for a service that claims to erase your data using the recent increase in robocalls as a hook Ad for a service that claims to erase your data using the recent increase in robocalls as a hook
October 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
erinkaylockwood.bsky.social
Vote by mail rules 🗳️📬
Ballot return envelope for California's redistricting special election
October 9, 2025 at 3:57 AM