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The Loop

@ecprtheloop.bsky.social

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👩🏾‍💻 A political science blog site from ECPR, the European Consortium for Political Research. 🔲 Showcasing political science at its best. Get your research noticed beyond the academy http://theloop.ecpr.eu ⬛ ...and follow ECPR @ecpr.bsky.social

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The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 8h

🧭 #EUEnlargementDilemmas No.30
🗣️ War in #Ukraine has transformed how often #EUleaders talk about enlargement, but not how they frame it.
🏅 Based on @jeppjournal.bsky.social research, Nicole Scicluna shows that enlargement remains cast as a conditional, merit-based process.
👉 bit.ly/4ommRVc

🧭 Framing wartime enlargement: still a process, after all

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed how often EU leaders talk about enlargement, but not how they frame it. Nicole Scicluna shows that despite geopolitical urgency and family rhetoric, enlarg...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 1d

🤖 #Albania has appointed an #AIminister for public procurement.
♀️ But Vera Tika argues that while '#Diella' embodies gendered symbolism and digital modernity, her appointment exposes a gap between European aspiration and democratic accountability.
👉 bit.ly/47llUGO

Albania’s AI minister: 'avatar democracy' and the spectacle of accountability

Albania has appointed an AI minister for public procurement. But Vera Tika argues that while 'Diella' embodies gendered symbolism and digital modernity, her appointment exposes a gap between European ...

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Mimi Mihailescu @kagegirl.bsky.social · 2d

New article on @ecprtheloop.bsky.social: How Charlie Kirk’s murder reveals the terrifying intersection of meme culture and political violence. When terror becomes content optimised for engagement, what’s left of democracy?

theloop.ecpr.eu/performative...

#academicsky #meme #violence #CharlieKirk

Performative violence: Charlie Kirk and the meme-ification of terror

The engraved bullets that killed Charlie Kirk in September 2025 were not simply evidence; they were content designed for viral circulation. Mimi Mihăilescu argues that this represents a trajectory fir...

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The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 1d

☢️ #NuclearPoliticsParadox No.24
🌍 The 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the #NPT gives African states an opportunity to turn disarmament pledges into real action. Kudakwashe Mapako says they must take advantage of unity, minerals & norms to press for irreversible disarmament.
👉 bit.ly/4h66YQa

☢️ Why irreversible nuclear disarmament is a lonely pursuit for African states

The 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, gives African states an opportunity to turn lofty disarmament pledges into real action. Kudakwashe ...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 2d

🧠 What happens when political elites claim their opponents are simply mad?
A proposed Bill in Minnesota on so-called #TrumpDerangementSyndrome shows how politics can spill into psychiatry.
This, argues Ela Serpil Evliyaoğlu, risks turning dissent into pathology
#PoliticalPsychology
bit.ly/4n5i7C1

Is 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' a genuine mental illness?

What happens when political elites claim their opponents are simply mad? A proposed Bill on 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' shows how politics can spill into psychiatry. This, argues Ela Serpil Evliyaoğl...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 2d

The engraved bullets that killed #CharlieKirk were content designed to go viral. @kagegirl.bsky.social argues this represents a trajectory first made explicit in the 2019 #ChristchurchMassacre: not ideological terror, but performance-art #Terrorism optimised for algorithmic engagement
bit.ly/3IHWBpb

Performative violence: Charlie Kirk and the meme-ification of terror

The engraved bullets that killed Charlie Kirk in September 2025 were not simply evidence; they were content designed for viral circulation. Mimi Mihăilescu argues that this represents a trajectory fir...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 5d

🦋 #ScienceOfDemocracy No.120
@michbied.bsky.social outlines a tripartite caveat for this 🆕 phase of the series by considering a concept rarely engaged in the study of politics: ideology.
🧑‍🏫 Here, he opens up normative considerations that education needs to guide.
👉 bit.ly/4pZyrap

🦋 Ideology, normativity, and education

Michał Biedowicz outlines a tripartite caveat for this new phase of the Science of Democracy discussion by considering a concept well known but rarely engaged in the study of politics: ideology. Here,...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 5d

🤝 On 6 September, Italian #ExtremeRight parties sealed a new pact and launched a committee they call 'Remigration and Reconquest'.
↪️ Federico Taddei argues its launch could mark a turning point in #Italy’s extreme-right galaxy.
👉 bit.ly/4938fp0

Is the 'Remigration and Reconquest' committee a turning point for Italy's extreme right?

On 6 September 2025, the Italian extreme right sealed a new pact. At a national congress, CasaPound Italia, Patriots’ Network (a Forza Nuova splinter), Veneto Skinhead Front, and Brescia to Bresciani ...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 6d

🕊️ Netanyahu has accepted Trump's plan for #PeaceinGaza in principle – though he is likely to try and sabotage it. Paul Whiteley warns that this is a dangerous strategy given #Netanyahu's current dire approval ratings among ordinary Israelis. #Israel #Gaza #Ceasefire
👉 bit.ly/4oajS1M

Why Netanyahu has been forced to accept the US peace plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted Trump's plan for peace in Gaza in principle – though he is likely to try and sabotage it. Paul Whiteley warns that this is a dangerous strategy g...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 6d

🗣️ #ProEU MEPs pursue #democratisation based on institutional mimicry.
🔗 Jan Pieter Beetz, @gillespittoors.bsky.social & Wouter Wolfs argue that this risks overlooking potentially better alternative models that might better connect with European citizens.
👉 bit.ly/48gEEs2

Why the EU’s democratic deficit persists

Pro-EU MEPs have long pursued a logic of democratisation based on institutional mimicry. But as Jan Pieter Beetz, Gilles Pittoors and Wouter Wolfs argue, this path has become ideologically entrenched ...

Reposted by The Loop

Steve Biedermann @stevebmann.bsky.social · 7d

@mstephen.bsky.social and I argue @ecprtheloop.bsky.social that the return of power politics favours cooperation through #IIGOs, as they allow powerful states to increase their scope for action. Yet, the systematic turn to IIGOs is at odds with the idea of global authoritative rules. For more, see ⬇️

Reposted by The Loop

European Journal of Political Research @ejprjournal.bsky.social · 7d

🆕 Deservingness perceptions & candidate support 👥

#GroupAppeals help connect #VoterIdentity 🧩 to voting choices 🗳️ – @rdassonneville.bsky.social, Rune Stubager & Mads Thau want to know if this appeals to other social groups 📣

📖 #OA

How group appeals shape candidate support: The role of group membership, identity strength, and deservingness perceptions | European Journal of Political Research | Cambridge Core

How group appeals shape candidate support: The role of group membership, identity strength, and deservingness perceptions

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 7d

🌈 #GenderingDemocracy No.31
#AbortionRights advocates in hostile environments face tough choices.
Clare Daniel, Anna Mahoney & Grace Riley’s research in #Louisiana shows how traditional advocacy approaches fail to sway legislators and bridging divides risks setbacks.
👉 bit.ly/4h6OSxG

🌈 Abortion rights and the cost of compromise

Abortion rights advocates in hostile environments face difficult choices. Clare Daniel, Anna Mitchell Mahoney and Grace Riley’s research in Louisiana shows how traditional advocacy approaches fail to ...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 8d

🗓️ One week to go!
🗣️ Don't miss this fascinating roundtable featuring a panel of expert speakers from our ☢️#NuclearPowerPolitcs blog series. ⬇️

European Consortium for Political Research @ecpr.bsky.social · 13d

🔜 Join the next #ECPRHouseSeries Roundtable
☢️ European Nuclear Deterrence: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
🤝 Collab with @ecprtheloop.bsky.social
🗣️ @Susmonika.bsky.social @lindedesma.bsky.social, Valentina Cassar, July Decarpentrie & Mahmoud Javadi
📅 Tue 14 Oct, 16:00–17:30 BST

European Nuclear Deterrence: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Online, 14 October, 16:00 – 17:30 BST

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 8d

☢️ #NuclearPoliticsParadox No.23
🌍 #GlobalSouth states have long advocated for #NuclearDisarmament, yet recent abstentions + muted positions on conflicts suggest waning commitment.
🔎 Shivani Singh examines what this means for the #NuclearOrder.
👉 bit.ly/3IYVW2v

☢️ The Global South in a changing nuclear order: between catalysing peace and quiet acquiescence

Global South states have long advocated for nuclear disarmament, from the Bandung Conference to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Yet recent abstentions and muted positions on conflict...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 8d

👣 From #Ukraine to global finance, informal organisations are stepping into gaps left by traditional institutions.
⏩ With speed + flexibility, these informal bodies are quietly reshaping #InternationalOrder, write @stevebmann.bsky.social & @mstephen.bsky.social.
👉 bit.ly/3VPrHht

Why the resurgence of power politics favours informal governance

From Ukraine to global finance, informal organisations are stepping into gaps left by traditional institutions at a time of great power competition. With speed, flexibility, and a lack of constraining...

Reposted by The Loop

Cas Ⓜ️udde @casmudde.bsky.social · 12d

Interesting @ecprtheloop.bsky.social piece by @rnords.bsky.social on the rise of the far right in Japan 🇯🇵

More women, multipartism, and far-right populism — is Japan becoming more 'European'?

Has Japan really swung to the right? Robert Nordström explores how the collapse of one-party dominance has fuelled European-style populism — and opened the door to wider social change

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The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 9d

🗳️ The recent election results in #NorthRhineWestphalia barely disguise Chancellor #Merz’s unpopularity + offer no respite for the #CDU/CSU-SPD government at national level. ⚡Bold actions are needed to tackle #Germany’s deep + structural challenges, argues John Ryan.
👉 bit.ly/4o5xRpI

The CDU wins in North Rhine-Westphalia – despite, not because of Friedrich Merz

The recent municipal election results in North Rhine-Westphalia barely disguise Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s unpopularity. The result offers no respite for the CDU/CSU-SPD government at national level....

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 12d

🦋 #ScienceOfDemocracy No.119
💭 The ‘Fourth Theorist’ is the radical idea of a yet-to-exist theoretician who can access + condense immense amounts of information. @rishirajsen.bsky.social explores whether the #FourthTheorist risks becoming an authoritarian figure.
👉 bit.ly/4mOc7h5

🦋 The ‘Fourth Theorist’ and the future of democracy

A new book by this series’ founder introduced the radical idea of a yet-to-exist theoretician who can access and condense immense amounts of information. Rishiraj Sen looks at the advantages and pitfa...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 13d

🌈 #GenderingDemocracy No.30
📰 Under President #Bukele’s #StateOfException, #ElSalvador has made international news for its historic decline in homicides. Despite this, women report that problems of violence are far from over in the country, write @jzulver.bsky.social & Anne Ruelle.
👉 bit.ly/3KPFAK4

🌈 El Salvador’s crackdown on gang violence has failed to make life safer for women

Under President Bukele’s perpetual 'State of Exception', El Salvador has made international news for its historic decline in homicides. Despite this, women report that problems of violence are far fro...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 13d

☢ #NuclearPoliticsParadox No.22
Scholarly research has paid scant attention to #YouthParticipation in #NuclearPolitics.
🗣️ In this ‘third nuclear age’, F C Escobar argues there is a growing need to record the voices of young antinuclear organisers in the 21st century.
👉 bit.ly/4nSn7uO

☢️ Young people in the nuclear age

Young people are an important part of nuclear weapons’ history. But despite their significant presence, historical records and scholarly research have paid scant attention to youth participation in nu...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 14d

💼 We often consider business groups to be the dominant lobbying force in Brussels.
📘 But, based on @ejprjournal.bsky.social research, @frederikstevens.bsky.social shows the opposite: citizen groups are more likely to influence what gets on, or stays off, the #EU’s agenda.
👉 buff.ly/f5AAtfG

Why citizen groups outpace business in EU agenda-setting

We often consider business groups to be the dominant lobbying force in Brussels. But, based on his latest research, Frederik Stevens shows the opposite: citizen groups are more likely to influence…

theloop.ecpr.eu

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 14d

📙 Drawing on @prxjournal.bsky.social research,
@rubenvanseveren.bsky.social shows why politically cynical citizens often praise the idea of #Referendums, but may not be enthusiastic when they take place.
👎 Low interest can mean low turnout, invalid results + wasted effort.
➡️ bit.ly/3VKlG5I

Why disillusioned citizens may back referendums in theory but not in practice

Ruben Van Severen shows why politically cynical citizens often praise the idea of referendums, but are not necessarily enthusiastic when they take place. Drawing on research in Flanders, he shows how ...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 15d

🏳️‍🌈 Hungary’s government recast #BudapestPride as a danger to security, then banned the 2025 march.
📈 Varvara Prodai's data shows that the 'security threat' framing spiked in Hungarian, while English-language messaging remained legalistic.
➡️ bit.ly/4mzXVYN

How Hungary reframed LGBTQ Pride as a national security issue

Hungary’s government recast Budapest Pride as a danger to children and national security, then banned the 2025 march. Varvara Prodai’s data show that the 'security threat' framing spiked in Hungarian,...

The Loop @ecprtheloop.bsky.social · 15d

📝 The Brazilian parliament recently resumed debates on a reform proposal for public administration.
🎯 Nayara Albrecht argues that although the proposal claims to target privileges in #Brazil, it risks undermining the integrity of #PublicAdministration.
👉 bit.ly/3Klqzjf

Public administration reform in Brazil: still seeking the wrong suspects

Nayara Albrecht argues that although the proposal claims to target privileges, it risks undermining the integrity of public administration. She suggests that the agenda should also address disparities...