Huss Banai
@hbanai.bsky.social
Associate Professor of International Studies at Indiana University-Bloomington. Books on liberalism, democracy, human rights, Iran, and US-Iran relations. Working on a book on enmity in politics. Co-Editor, Int'l Studies Review.
hussbanai.info
hussbanai.info
Must be nice to choose your own punishment… www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
Larry Summers to Step Back From Public Commitments Over Emails With Epstein
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Must be nice to choose your own punishment… www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
Finally listened to this, which was very good. The title of the episode is very poorly-crafted, however. It's not NYT-level headline diversion bad, but I really can't understand why it wasn't simply called "MAGA is the Home of Anti-Semitism Now" or some such clearer title.
Today’s episode of The Ezra Klein Show.
Is this the future of MAGA?
With political writer John Ganz, who’s studied the roots of antisemitism on the right and has followed the evolution of MAGA closely.
youtu.be/6jyDHToxC-4?...
Is this the future of MAGA?
With political writer John Ganz, who’s studied the roots of antisemitism on the right and has followed the evolution of MAGA closely.
youtu.be/6jyDHToxC-4?...
Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes and the Right’s ‘Groyper’ Problem | The Ezra Klein Show
YouTube video by The Ezra Klein Show
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Finally listened to this, which was very good. The title of the episode is very poorly-crafted, however. It's not NYT-level headline diversion bad, but I really can't understand why it wasn't simply called "MAGA is the Home of Anti-Semitism Now" or some such clearer title.
Big deal, even if it’s the same lawmakers that have made even voting for Republicans a mockery of common sense.
NEW: Indiana will NOT redistrict. They don’t have the votes. www.wishtv.com/news/politic...
Indiana won't redraw congressional maps due to lack of votes in Senate
Indiana Senate will not redraw congressional maps due to lack of votes, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced.
www.wishtv.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Big deal, even if it’s the same lawmakers that have made even voting for Republicans a mockery of common sense.
How did so many high profile people get lured into the Epstein world?
Status.
He was the mysterious rich guy with hideaways that only extremely high-status people were invited to. Nectar to the status-chasing mind. He seemed to hold the keys to a really-existing Eyes Wide Shut world.
Status.
He was the mysterious rich guy with hideaways that only extremely high-status people were invited to. Nectar to the status-chasing mind. He seemed to hold the keys to a really-existing Eyes Wide Shut world.
November 14, 2025 at 6:31 PM
How did so many high profile people get lured into the Epstein world?
Status.
He was the mysterious rich guy with hideaways that only extremely high-status people were invited to. Nectar to the status-chasing mind. He seemed to hold the keys to a really-existing Eyes Wide Shut world.
Status.
He was the mysterious rich guy with hideaways that only extremely high-status people were invited to. Nectar to the status-chasing mind. He seemed to hold the keys to a really-existing Eyes Wide Shut world.
So I believe this is actually post about Biden...
No one has figured out the exact scale of the Hispanic vote collapse yet, but I tried to get my arms around it. Read the rest here: www.thebulwark.com/p/2025-elect...
November 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
So I believe this is actually post about Biden...
As an erstwhile Canadian Young Liberal and friend of two current Liberal paliamentarians, I'm pretty biased - but the Democratic Party really needs Mark Carney-like messenger in the lead up to next two big national election cycles.
Budget 2025 is our strategy to transform our economy — from reliance to resilience. We’re making generational investments to take control of our future.
November 7, 2025 at 8:42 PM
As an erstwhile Canadian Young Liberal and friend of two current Liberal paliamentarians, I'm pretty biased - but the Democratic Party really needs Mark Carney-like messenger in the lead up to next two big national election cycles.
We can now project that Donald Trump will have an epic meltdown in due course.
November 5, 2025 at 3:08 AM
We can now project that Donald Trump will have an epic meltdown in due course.
We beat Ohtani but lost to Yamamoto. Simple as that.
November 2, 2025 at 4:31 AM
We beat Ohtani but lost to Yamamoto. Simple as that.
This whole series has turned on defense. Unbelievable.
November 2, 2025 at 3:40 AM
This whole series has turned on defense. Unbelievable.
We immigrated to Canada and landed in Toronto one year after the Blue Jays’ last World Series win. I became a Canadian partly by learning to love baseball through the Jays.
This is the closest I’ve come to feel what my schoolmates back then told me it felt to be on top of the world.
Go Jays!
This is the closest I’ve come to feel what my schoolmates back then told me it felt to be on top of the world.
Go Jays!
November 2, 2025 at 1:49 AM
We immigrated to Canada and landed in Toronto one year after the Blue Jays’ last World Series win. I became a Canadian partly by learning to love baseball through the Jays.
This is the closest I’ve come to feel what my schoolmates back then told me it felt to be on top of the world.
Go Jays!
This is the closest I’ve come to feel what my schoolmates back then told me it felt to be on top of the world.
Go Jays!
Reposted by Huss Banai
Right-wingers with their petulant anti-anti-racism nourished the viper of antisemitism in their bosom.— www.unpopularfront.news/p/a-viper-in...
A Viper in its Bosom
The Right nourished and protected its Antisemitic Wing
www.unpopularfront.news
October 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Right-wingers with their petulant anti-anti-racism nourished the viper of antisemitism in their bosom.— www.unpopularfront.news/p/a-viper-in...
Don’t be surprised if you read the exact same line a year from about the US midterms: “Analysts said the results were due, in part, to a fragmented opposition, which included many of the same leaders repudiated by voters two years ago when they elected Mr. Milei”
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/w...
Argentina’s Voters Hand Javier Milei a Crucial Victory in Midterm Election
www.nytimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Don’t be surprised if you read the exact same line a year from about the US midterms: “Analysts said the results were due, in part, to a fragmented opposition, which included many of the same leaders repudiated by voters two years ago when they elected Mr. Milei”
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/w...
Reposted by Huss Banai
Angus: This is a guy who showed an AI video of himself dumping diarrhea on his own citizens. So the fact that he’s freaking out because we showed a video that just had Ronald Reagan speaking shows he’s not trustworthy.
October 25, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Angus: This is a guy who showed an AI video of himself dumping diarrhea on his own citizens. So the fact that he’s freaking out because we showed a video that just had Ronald Reagan speaking shows he’s not trustworthy.
This is a great conversation that’s about much more than just strongmen. Kudos to @aysezarakol.bsky.social and @ppfideas.bsky.social for rounding the topic so capaciously
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
Fixing Democracy: Confronting the Strongmen
Podcast Episode · Past Present Future · 10/22/2025 · 1h 12m
podcasts.apple.com
October 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
This is a great conversation that’s about much more than just strongmen. Kudos to @aysezarakol.bsky.social and @ppfideas.bsky.social for rounding the topic so capaciously
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
This Westie is already over the cooler temps in the Midwest.
October 24, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This Westie is already over the cooler temps in the Midwest.
Reposted by Huss Banai
Among all the things wrong with this, maybe it is not in the U.S. national interest for the president to make dramatic foreign policy changes in response to a TV ad?
October 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Among all the things wrong with this, maybe it is not in the U.S. national interest for the president to make dramatic foreign policy changes in response to a TV ad?
IR scholars need to pay more attention to this stuff than they currently do.
3/ Thread. bsky.app/profile/jenn...
Balaji (a close associate of Thiel & Andreessen) leads the “network state” movement, which encourages tech elites to build their own “countries” by acquiring physical territory w/in host countries & building “parallel institutions” to replace existing ones in media, education, finance, & science 1/
October 23, 2025 at 7:39 PM
IR scholars need to pay more attention to this stuff than they currently do.
Reposted by Huss Banai
The ol’ “If-it-weren’t-for-me” brand of free-market capitalism. 🤡
October 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
The ol’ “If-it-weren’t-for-me” brand of free-market capitalism. 🤡
At the inaugural American book launch of @abuaardvark.bsky.social’s important (critical) book, which I highly recommend. Great Q&A with @marieharf.bsky.social @perryworldhouse.bsky.social
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
October 21, 2025 at 4:22 PM
At the inaugural American book launch of @abuaardvark.bsky.social’s important (critical) book, which I highly recommend. Great Q&A with @marieharf.bsky.social @perryworldhouse.bsky.social
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Reposted by Huss Banai
🍁Canadians Skeptical Any Leader Can Reason With Trump
📊New polling from Abacus Data finds two-thirds say Mark Carney handled his meeting with Trump well, but... The latest from @canadianpolling.bsky.social for 338 ↓ www.338canada.ca/p/canadians-...
📊New polling from Abacus Data finds two-thirds say Mark Carney handled his meeting with Trump well, but... The latest from @canadianpolling.bsky.social for 338 ↓ www.338canada.ca/p/canadians-...
Canadians Skeptical Any Leader Can Reason With Trump
New polling from Abacus Data finds two-thirds say Mark Carney handled his meeting with Trump well, but few believe a change in government would improve relations with the U.S.
www.338canada.ca
October 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
🍁Canadians Skeptical Any Leader Can Reason With Trump
📊New polling from Abacus Data finds two-thirds say Mark Carney handled his meeting with Trump well, but... The latest from @canadianpolling.bsky.social for 338 ↓ www.338canada.ca/p/canadians-...
📊New polling from Abacus Data finds two-thirds say Mark Carney handled his meeting with Trump well, but... The latest from @canadianpolling.bsky.social for 338 ↓ www.338canada.ca/p/canadians-...
Terrific and important conversation, but especially so in the last 20 minutes or so in reference to the distinctions between right-wing rhetoric and left-liberal analysis. Highly recommend.
This week, James Butler’s On Politics podcast looks at the rise of the online right (and left).
Listen and subscribe:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
Listen and subscribe:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...
October 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Terrific and important conversation, but especially so in the last 20 minutes or so in reference to the distinctions between right-wing rhetoric and left-liberal analysis. Highly recommend.