During the coalition negotiations in class where students are trying to form a majority coalition:
AfD: come on CDU, we are both at 8 on the L-R scale, you don’t want to form a coalition with SPD!
CDU: are you willing to have open borders?
AfD: never
CDU: then no way we can cooperate
Principles!
Posts by Zeynep Somer-Topcu
Our @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org author shared insights from her book: “The truth is, they’d always been standing in political quicksand. As @zeynsom.bsky.social describes in her book “Glass Ceilings, Glass Cliffs, and Quicksands,” female leaders often operate in more precarious environments.”
One thing I forgot to say in this interview: Good riddance!
I am very proud of this paper, and if you are into voter perceptions of party positions, you will like it too. :)
The deadline is approaching fast (next Tuesday). If you are an EPSS member and can mentor, or would like to get advice (or both), we look forward to your applications!
Great to see this go live 👇
As part of the EPSS Diversity Committee, I’m especially excited about this mentoring program—open to all EPSS members, both as mentors and as mentees.
🗓️ Fill out the survey by March 31 to participate.
ℹ️ FAQ: epssnet.org/about/divers...
Please apply and spread the word.
Please forward to your colleagues!
There are many days when I am so glad that I study European politics. Today is one of those days when I do not care enough or need to watch the SOTU.
Overhead at the sauna room, as a young woman was conversing with an older woman:
- I am a junior at Penn State
- What are you doing here in Austin in the middle of the semester?
- Oh, I am taking the semester off to open my third eye.
- (perplexed) What's next?
- Law school
Gen Z to the core!
Inspired by @mcopelov.bsky.social I asked my small, all senior comparative parties class what their first political memory was: several Obama 2012 reelection, 1 Obama 2008, 1 bin Ladin’s capture, 1 arab spring (she is from UAE). So glad nobody said 2016 Trump!
😂
So, now what stops Turkey from taking over Syria, Russia from taking over Ukraine, and China from taking over Taiwan? US?
WTF?!!
📢 Since launching EPSS in June 2025, we’ve been thrilled by the positive feedback from across the political science community.
Now that Call for Papers for EPSS Conference in Belfast has closed, we want to share the response has been extraordinary!
🧵
🔥 When fancy faculty @zeynsom.bsky.social coauthor with fancy alum @josephfcozza.bsky.social in fancy journals. Congrats.
Lesbian and gay party leaders receive lower leadership evaluations than straight leaders in the UK, and the effects are consistent across genders. Interesting yet discouraging findings in our BJPS paper. @josephfcozza.bsky.social @gdilandro.bsky.social Andrea Aldrich @utgovernment.bsky.social
And, of course, to the faculty and graduate students who attended the conference, provided comments, and gave rides.
and to the local presenters and discussants: @oguzhan-alkan.bsky.social, @gracechartzell.bsky.social, @tiffanydbarnes.bsky.social @cbwlezien.bsky.social
Thanks to those who made the trip: @jaeheejung.bsky.social @henrikseeberg.bsky.social @homola.bsky.social @markuswagner.bsky.social @kendallcurtis.bsky.social, Jae-Jae Spoon, Bonnie Meguid, Mads Andreas Elkjær
It was great to host the Comparative Representation in Advanced Parliamentary Democracies workshop at UT. It is always fun and inspiring to hear about the cutting-edge research. @utgovernment.bsky.social
Senator Merkley is on hour 20 of reading How Democracies Die, mixed w commentary, on u.s. senate floor
Proud to have not one -- but TWO -- UT Austin PhDs on this list. Congratulations Oguzhan Alkan @oguzhan-alkan.bsky.social (advisor: @zeynsom.bsky.social; BA: @buicinmezunlar.bsky.social) and Allison Verrilli @averrilli.bsky.social (advisor: @hlw.bsky.social; BA: @notredame.bsky.social). Hook'em.
Such a great honor for such a superb dissertation! Congratulations @oguzhan-alkan.bsky.social @utgovernment.bsky.social
You can check the APSA-CP and IR sections' best dataset awards from the last few years to find the award-winning datasets
Still confused about EPSA vs. EPSS? Which conference should you go to? Here is a link to clarify things: epssnet.org/uncategorize... TL;DR: "EPSA" community will be in Belfast. Same community, new organisation, bigger mission; slightly new name; and a very different foundation @epssnet.bsky.social
Looking forward to seeing your paper, panel, roundtable etc. proposals for the Party Politics section of EPSS. Don't forget: submissions are due on November 7, and the conference will take place in Belfast on June 18-20. @epssnet.bsky.social @sarahwagner.bsky.social
Are you interested in how parties' parliamentary behavior (e.g., passing bills, calling for elections, forming coalitions, cooperating/conflicting) affects voters (e.g., electoral behavior, perceptions, affective polarization)? Please let me know. I am putting together an MPSA panel proposal.