Matthew Cebul
@matthewcebul.bsky.social
Political scientist studying civil resistance, democratic erosion, and US foreign policy in MENA. Lead Research Fellow at HKS Nonviolent Action Lab; formerly USIP. Manservant to Korra the cat.
Lives for Alcaraz highlights, epic fantasy, and "draw a card."
Lives for Alcaraz highlights, epic fantasy, and "draw a card."
This is the clearest distillation of why political "moderation" doesn't work against reactionary conservatism.
It's not about the policies: it's about the values!
www.thebulwark.com/p/when-moder...
It's not about the policies: it's about the values!
www.thebulwark.com/p/when-moder...
July 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
This is the clearest distillation of why political "moderation" doesn't work against reactionary conservatism.
It's not about the policies: it's about the values!
www.thebulwark.com/p/when-moder...
It's not about the policies: it's about the values!
www.thebulwark.com/p/when-moder...
IMO, the most interesting part of the paper is that respondents' support for armed rebellion is unrelated to their beliefs about the efficacy of nonviolence -- our respondents thought that nonviolent alternatives were *less likely* to succeed, but still preferred them to armed rebellion.
June 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM
IMO, the most interesting part of the paper is that respondents' support for armed rebellion is unrelated to their beliefs about the efficacy of nonviolence -- our respondents thought that nonviolent alternatives were *less likely* to succeed, but still preferred them to armed rebellion.
For JD Vance, "immigrant" and "servant" are synonyms.
May 30, 2025 at 3:25 PM
For JD Vance, "immigrant" and "servant" are synonyms.
A sneak preview of me vs R2 on this summer's major R&R
May 15, 2025 at 5:12 PM
A sneak preview of me vs R2 on this summer's major R&R
Had a great time at the DC protest today! Fortunately for all of us, my sign was the least impressive I saw — many more creative USIP peacebuilders were out in force!
April 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Had a great time at the DC protest today! Fortunately for all of us, my sign was the least impressive I saw — many more creative USIP peacebuilders were out in force!
Lincoln glares out at the mall in solemn, implacable challenge:
“We endured. Will you?”
Profane his temple with cynical fatalism, and I guarantee that you will leave ashamed.
No, Lincoln demands resolve. Anything less dishonors the millions of Americans who lived and died for our ideals.
9/
“We endured. Will you?”
Profane his temple with cynical fatalism, and I guarantee that you will leave ashamed.
No, Lincoln demands resolve. Anything less dishonors the millions of Americans who lived and died for our ideals.
9/
March 31, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Lincoln glares out at the mall in solemn, implacable challenge:
“We endured. Will you?”
Profane his temple with cynical fatalism, and I guarantee that you will leave ashamed.
No, Lincoln demands resolve. Anything less dishonors the millions of Americans who lived and died for our ideals.
9/
“We endured. Will you?”
Profane his temple with cynical fatalism, and I guarantee that you will leave ashamed.
No, Lincoln demands resolve. Anything less dishonors the millions of Americans who lived and died for our ideals.
9/
But nihilism? No.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept that. Not ever.
Defeatism is undignified.
It is un-American.
It is beneath you, and beneath us.
8/
I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept that. Not ever.
Defeatism is undignified.
It is un-American.
It is beneath you, and beneath us.
8/
March 31, 2025 at 5:43 PM
But nihilism? No.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept that. Not ever.
Defeatism is undignified.
It is un-American.
It is beneath you, and beneath us.
8/
I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept that. Not ever.
Defeatism is undignified.
It is un-American.
It is beneath you, and beneath us.
8/
You’re upset? Good. You should be.
These are bleak times. Ignorant, hateful illiberalism is attacking our society and corroding our way of life.
That is a difficult truth to bear, and it is appropriate to grieve what we’ve already lost; to dread the generational struggle that looms before us.
7/
These are bleak times. Ignorant, hateful illiberalism is attacking our society and corroding our way of life.
That is a difficult truth to bear, and it is appropriate to grieve what we’ve already lost; to dread the generational struggle that looms before us.
7/
March 31, 2025 at 5:40 PM
You’re upset? Good. You should be.
These are bleak times. Ignorant, hateful illiberalism is attacking our society and corroding our way of life.
That is a difficult truth to bear, and it is appropriate to grieve what we’ve already lost; to dread the generational struggle that looms before us.
7/
These are bleak times. Ignorant, hateful illiberalism is attacking our society and corroding our way of life.
That is a difficult truth to bear, and it is appropriate to grieve what we’ve already lost; to dread the generational struggle that looms before us.
7/
Their fortitude has inspired generations to pursue a truly worthy national project:
Liberty. For All.
That great purpose has abided through our failures, our lowest moments. It has inexorably bound us, even when we knew that we would not live to see the dream fulfilled.
*Especially* then.
6/
Liberty. For All.
That great purpose has abided through our failures, our lowest moments. It has inexorably bound us, even when we knew that we would not live to see the dream fulfilled.
*Especially* then.
6/
March 31, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Their fortitude has inspired generations to pursue a truly worthy national project:
Liberty. For All.
That great purpose has abided through our failures, our lowest moments. It has inexorably bound us, even when we knew that we would not live to see the dream fulfilled.
*Especially* then.
6/
Liberty. For All.
That great purpose has abided through our failures, our lowest moments. It has inexorably bound us, even when we knew that we would not live to see the dream fulfilled.
*Especially* then.
6/
They lived through grave, desperate times, yet kept their faith.
They refused to give up on us, even when their fellow Americans deserted them.
They didn’t shirk or make excuses for their sorry circumstances.
They were ordinary people who embraced extraordinary devotion to our cause.
5/
They refused to give up on us, even when their fellow Americans deserted them.
They didn’t shirk or make excuses for their sorry circumstances.
They were ordinary people who embraced extraordinary devotion to our cause.
5/
March 31, 2025 at 5:31 PM
They lived through grave, desperate times, yet kept their faith.
They refused to give up on us, even when their fellow Americans deserted them.
They didn’t shirk or make excuses for their sorry circumstances.
They were ordinary people who embraced extraordinary devotion to our cause.
5/
They refused to give up on us, even when their fellow Americans deserted them.
They didn’t shirk or make excuses for their sorry circumstances.
They were ordinary people who embraced extraordinary devotion to our cause.
5/
We know that the American pantheon obscures as much of our history as it celebrates – our democracy is hardly as exceptional or unblemished as we want to believe.
Yet for all their failings, those we choose to honor on the mall collectively embody a profound virtue:
Endurance.
4/
Yet for all their failings, those we choose to honor on the mall collectively embody a profound virtue:
Endurance.
4/
March 31, 2025 at 5:29 PM
We know that the American pantheon obscures as much of our history as it celebrates – our democracy is hardly as exceptional or unblemished as we want to believe.
Yet for all their failings, those we choose to honor on the mall collectively embody a profound virtue:
Endurance.
4/
Yet for all their failings, those we choose to honor on the mall collectively embody a profound virtue:
Endurance.
4/
During hard times here in DC, I find myself gravitating towards the national mall.
My typical running loop visits monuments to the Vietnam War, WWII, Washington, Jefferson, FDR, MLK Jr., and Lincoln.
Visiting the memorials has always been a deeply humbling experience for me.
My typical running loop visits monuments to the Vietnam War, WWII, Washington, Jefferson, FDR, MLK Jr., and Lincoln.
Visiting the memorials has always been a deeply humbling experience for me.
March 31, 2025 at 5:26 PM
During hard times here in DC, I find myself gravitating towards the national mall.
My typical running loop visits monuments to the Vietnam War, WWII, Washington, Jefferson, FDR, MLK Jr., and Lincoln.
Visiting the memorials has always been a deeply humbling experience for me.
My typical running loop visits monuments to the Vietnam War, WWII, Washington, Jefferson, FDR, MLK Jr., and Lincoln.
Visiting the memorials has always been a deeply humbling experience for me.
This figure plots how US respondent support for democratic norms is shaped by 1) partisan affiliation and 2) attitudes towards elites/technocracy. Foa and Mounk argue that anti-technocratic populism explains why GOPers condone attacks on institutions yet still purportedly support democracy.
2/
2/
March 27, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This figure plots how US respondent support for democratic norms is shaped by 1) partisan affiliation and 2) attitudes towards elites/technocracy. Foa and Mounk argue that anti-technocratic populism explains why GOPers condone attacks on institutions yet still purportedly support democracy.
2/
2/