I'm happy that this paper has been published in @ejisbisa.bsky.social Thank you for the timely review, constructive feedback, and overall very smooth process!

I hope this paper stimulates greater interest in ideational factors behind state behavior, as well as in countries and regions that continue to be historically, culturally, and politically significant yet remain relatively understudied in Western academia.

National narratives produce diverse interpretations of state survival, and so states’ physical bodies and physical survival – as IR scholars frequently discuss these concepts – are chiefly ideational. I illustrate these theoretical arguments through case studies of Georgia and Kazakhstan.

This article has undergone a long journey, but it is ultimately much stronger. In it, I problematize a fundamental assumption of IR, states’ survival interest, arguing that the meaning of survival varies significantly (not just the means of pursuing it).

I'm happy to report that my article "Rethinking Survival in IR: Ontological Security and Narrated Statehood" has been published online open access in the European Journal of International Security.

National narratives produce diverse interpretations of state survival, and so states’ physical bodies and physical survival – as IR scholars frequently discuss these concepts – are chiefly ideational.

Rubio Admits Difficulties in Translating US Peace Plan from the Original Russian

Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?

This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

This is happening in Tbilisi, Georgia: over 310 consecutive days of pro-democracy mass public protests.

Georgian women are fighting on the front lines of these protests. Most of the ~26 activists arrested today are women.

This is Soviet history researcher Rusiko Kobakhidze—always contributing to the resistance, knowing better than anyone the threat we face.

Day 279 of protests.

Russia's leaders aren't even pretending to care about a peace deal with Ukraine, or the sovereignty of their neighboring states. Why stop at Soviet nostalgia? Putin could have come dressed as Ivan the Terrible.

Please share widely!
IR Theory Colloquium (IRTC)
2025-2026
Call for applications / Due July 31
IRTC is a monthly, 90-minute Zoom workshop for early career researchers, aimed at improving theoretical arguments and expanding the IR Theory community.
More info below:

I'll be giving a research presentation on ontological security and civil resistance for the REEEC Summer Research Lab. It's a public event, so join us if you are interested. emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/1...

For the 228th consecutive day, Rustaveli avenue is blocked. ✅

Georgians keep resisting and protesting every day in 8+ cities. 🇬🇪✊

"Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country" Frederick Douglass, 1852.

Just a few days ago only 16% supported US involvement in this conflict.

A line chart with a blue line showing a large growth of protest events from Jan 20 - May 31, 2025, and a green line showing the relatively modest growth of protest events during the same period in 2017.

My team and I at the Crowd Counting Consortium (@djpressman@bsky.social, Soha Hammam, & Chris Shay) have a new piece out: wagingnonviolence.org/2025/06/amer.... In it, we show that through May 2025, the size and scale of anti-Trump protests have dwarfed those in 2017. 🧵

ASN World Convention The ASN World Convention, the largest international and inter-disciplinary scholarly gathering of its kind.

If you are attending the ASN Convention at Columbia University, come by to hear about about Nationalism in the US and Canada (Panel, 3:20pm, May 23) and/or about the Crisis in Georgia: Domestic and International Ramifications (Roundtable, 12pm, May 23) www.asnconvention.com

A Call for Constructive Engagement | AAC&U A Call for Constructive Engagement

Collective action is hard, but crucial for protecting democracy. This statement, in response to governmental overreach and political interference, has been signed by over 500 institutions of higher education, and the number of signatories continues to grow. www.aacu.org/newsroom/a-c...

Georgia’s Identity Crisis and Public Protests - PONARS Eurasia Image credit/license: Vakho Kareli/Aprili Media  PONARS EURASIA POLICY MEMO NO. 931 (PDF) Georgia is undergoing a major identity crisis, with significant implications for both its regime type and its ...

🚨New PONARS Policy memo: Georgia’s Identity Crisis and Public Protests 🇬🇪
By Eteri Tsintsadze-Maass

📖Read about it here:
ponarseurasia.org/georgias-ide...

Thank you to the editors for their feedback and for publishing this article.

Georgia’s Identity Crisis and Public Protests - PONARS Eurasia Image credit/license: Vakho Kareli/Aprili Media  PONARS EURASIA POLICY MEMO NO. 931 (PDF) Georgia is undergoing a major identity crisis, with significant implications for both its regime type and its ...

Pro-democracy and pro-EU public protests have been ongoing for 140+ days in Georgia. Demonstrators block the main avenue in Tbilisi every day, while new and creative forms of civil resistance emerge almost daily. See my new article on why and what it means: www.ponarseurasia.org/georgias-ide...

THIS THIS THIS. Universities MUST band together and use the collective weight of their institutions to stop students being snatched off the streets for speaking their minds. Among many other thing, it makes Americans less safe!

This is too close... I gave up eventually, but I've forced friends and loved ones to watch Kieslowski's gloomy masterpieces with me.

The far-right’s pretend fight against antisemitism is a perfect political strategy | Rachel Shabi The far-right has found in its pretend fight against antisemitism a way to divide progressives while at the same time clobbering them

I am quoted in this great piece by @rachelshabi.bsky.social. My point is that the real pernicious antisemitism on display here is Trump's effort to turn Jews into a model minority for his fascist regime.

Chart of cumulative protests reported from Jan 22 - Feb 28, 2017 vs 2025:

I was part of a 3-year, multi-institutional project on crisis and resilience funded by Minerva (DoD), now abruptly discontinued. While many have been personally affected, a bigger concern is that our political leaders no longer seek informed insights on matters of domestic and foreign policy.

"Women against regime" - noisy march heading to parliament to mark International Women's Day on Day 101 of non-stop #GeorgiaProtests.
🎥 Nini Gabritchidze/Civil.ge

It was great meeting you, Bohdana!

If you are awake and still deciding which #ISA2025 panel to attend, come join us. This might be the first Georgia panel at ISA ever!