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Ben Crum

@bencrum.nl

3.5K followers 160 following 230 posts

Political Scientist @vuamsterdam.bsky.social Democracy, European Union politics, Social justice, Digital governance, Political theory

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Law 9%

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · Aug 27

New paper on a new topic in @policyr.bsky.social

I analyse the EU’s AI Act and its place in the global governance of the AI.
Examining the economy of AI + the contents of the Act, I conclude that expecting a ‘Brussels effect’ is neither apt nor useful.
….

policyreview.info/articles/ana...

Brussels effect or experimentalism? The EU AI Act and global standard-setting

Looking at the nature of AI technology and the contents of the EU AI Act, the external impact of the Act is better understood in terms of experimentalist governance than in terms of the much-cited ‘Br...

policyreview.info

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Reposted by R. Daniel Kelemen

Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 16h

Really big if confirmed:
@danielfreund.bsky.social suspects Hungarian government of undertaking spyware attacks on European parliamentarians
danielfreund.eu/after-spywar...

After spyware attack: Daniel Freund files lawsuit against Viktor Orbán - Daniel Freund

danielfreund.eu

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 17h

Belangrijk onderzoek van @ipsosnl.bsky.social @maartjevdkoppel.bsky.social @sjoerdvanheck.bsky.social

Meerderheid rechts-conservatieve kiezers vindt: "besluiten die de meerderheid wil moeten worden uitgevoerd, zelfs als ze de rechtsstaat uitdagen of aanpassen”
www.ipsos-publiek.nl/actueel/link...

Links-rechtspolarisatie verlamt de Nederlandse politiek - Ipsos I&O Publiek

teeds minder kiezers zijn tevreden over de manier waarop de democratie werkt in Nederland: ze geven de democratie nu een 5,2, waar dat in 2018 nog een 6,4 was. Waarom de democratie niet naar tevredenh...

www.ipsos-publiek.nl

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 1d

@alvarooleart.bsky.social @pieterdewilde.bsky.social @juliennavarro.bsky.social @carolinaplescia.bsky.social @olivertreib.bsky.social @bschlipphak.bsky.social @giselahg.bsky.social @kgadd.bsky.social @schnizzl.bsky.social @tomtheuns.bsky.social

Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 1d

This has taken some time, but the cover alone makes it worth the wait:

'The Promise of EU Democracy' is due to come out at OUP this spring

It collects the very best on EU democracy - promises and disillusions - from the H2000 RECONNECT-project
global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Book cover of 'The Promise of EU Democracy' (Oxford UP 2026), eds: Wouters, Smith, Raube and Crum

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Philipp Lutz @lutzphilipp.bsky.social · 1d

Is het in overeenstemming met democratische waarden om van immigranten te eisen dat ze trouw beloven aan normen die niet van burgers worden verwacht en gehandhaafd? www.socialevraagstukken.nl/migratiesame... @s-manser-egli.bsky.social @vuamsterdam.bsky.social

Voor immigranten gelden strengere sociale normen

Immigranten krijgen vaak niet dezelfde sociale speelruimte als burgers zonder migratieachtergrond. Sociale wetenschappers Stefan Manser-Egli en Philipp Lutz vinden dat het streven naar vrijheid en gel...

www.socialevraagstukken.nl

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 5d

@danrealitybites.bsky.social !

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 5d

This is exciting: a new book coming out by Steven Lukes
I guess I'll be doing some close reading under the Christmas tree
press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

The Diversity of Morals

How to make sense of the divergence between philosophers’ quest for a single morality and social scientists’ assumption that there are multiple moralities

press.princeton.edu

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 9d

“If negotiations between EU member states and MEPs don’t begin in the coming months, there will be no chance of having European lists in 2029. That would mean missing, once again, a historic opportunity to finally give European elections a truly European dimension”
euobserver.com/eu-political...

Time running out for transnational lists for 2029 Euro-elections

There is a systemic absence of a genuine European electoral space. As long as citizens are only allowed to vote for national parties, from national lists, presented by national actors, using national ...

euobserver.com

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Reposted by Simon Hix, Ben Crum

Jan Rovny @jrovny.bsky.social · 9d

Many are concerned about the return of Babiš to the top of Czech politics. While the results of this weekend's Czech legislative election poses its concerns, I am an optimist. I think Babiš's victory is rather Pyrrhic. Here are some thoughts: blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

The 2025 Czech election – Andrej Babiš’s Pyrrhic victory

Andrej Babiš’s ANO won the 2025 Czech election on 3–4 October. Yet as Jan Rovny explains, Babiš will find it challenging to form a stable government.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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Reposted by Ben Crum, Alan Renwick

Past Present Future Podcast @ppfideas.bsky.social · 10d

NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In today’s episode David talks to @alanrenwick.bsky.social from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros & cons of referendums. How can they be used to open up political debate? When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

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Reposted by Cas Mudde, Martín Lodge, Ilko−Sascha Kowalczuk , and 5 more Cas Mudde, Martín Lodge, Ilko−Sascha Kowalczuk, Nicholas Birns, Ben Crum, Steffen Ganghof, Karsten Mäuse, Oliver Nachtwey

Steffen Mau @steffenmau.bsky.social · 13d

Herausragender Wissenschaftler, bewunderter Autor, befreundeter Kollege, kluger Ratgeber: Claus Offe ist gestorben!

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 18d

Fascinating account of AI policy in Vietnam by @digitaldang.bsky.social
"Most countries will not build an AI stack from scratch; they will adopt, adapt and hybridize — assembling intelligence from components that are not entirely their own"

www.noemamag.com/a-third-path...

A Third Path For AI Beyond The US-China Binary | NOEMA

What if the future of AI isn’t defined by Washington or Beijing, but by improvisation elsewhere?

www.noemamag.com

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Reposted by Laurent Pech, Ben Crum

Tineke Strik @tinekestrik.bsky.social · 21d

Yesterday I presented my draft report on the Hungarian rule of law.

My message: the Hungarian RoL has worsened significantly. Therefore, the EU must freeze more funds and take away Orbán's veto.

I look forward to working with my pro-democratic colleagues on this resolution.

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Laurent Pech 🇺🇦 @profpech.bsky.social · 21d

"The problem is no longer confined to specific policy areas or individual member states such as Hungary or Slovakia. From German local authorities attempting to oppress pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Italy’s prime minister discrediting the judiciary .. a dangerous pattern is emerging across the EU"

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 21d

If Europe keeps placating its own far right, how can it possibly stand up to Trump? | Thu Nguyen and Jannik Jansen

European leaders’ weakness is undermining the democratic principles on which the EU was built, say Thu Nguyen and Jannik Jansen from the Jacques Delors Centre

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Ben Crum, Toni Haastrup

Nathalie Brack @nathaliebrack.bsky.social · 23d

Call for Proposals for Special Issues of the Journal of European Integration to be published in 2027
Deadline for Submissions: 31/10/25
www.tandfonline.com/journals/geu...

Feel free to contact us at [email protected] with any questions about the procedure or informal enquiries you may have.

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Coen Graamans @sn0r.bsky.social · 26d

Dutch comedian Arjen Lubach has a nice bit about Disney cancelling Kimmel.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vRX...

Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been cancelled | The New Disney | LUBACH

YouTube video by LUBACH

www.youtube.com

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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 27d

Where the separate divisions of ANTIFA landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944:

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · 28d

Gefeliciteerd Sarah!
Een bijzondere en mooie overstap!

Reposted by Ben Crum

Julia Rone = Юлия Роне @juliarone.bsky.social · Sep 15

Join us for the VICES workshop on the Externalities of EU's digital transition for (semi)peripheral countries!
From lithium mining in Serbia to Hungary's contested battery bet and data extractivism and neo-colonialism in the Global South. The bad examples are many. But maybe also the alternatives?

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Nathalie Brack @nathaliebrack.bsky.social · Sep 15

You have a great idea for a special issue in EU studies?
Check out our call 👇

Journal of European Integration @jei-publication.bsky.social · Sep 15

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕
𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒: 31 Oct. 25

The JEI invites proposals for SIs to be published in 2027. Proposals on any topic within the scope of the journal are welcome and need to be received by the editorial office ([email protected]) by the deadline.

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · Sep 15

Great quote 👇 from @dmugge.bsky.social

Martin Sandbu @martinsandbu.ft.com · Sep 15

The most succinct statement I have seen of what is at stake. "In the digital arena, the EU is still playing a rules-based version of nobody-gets-hurt judo, whereas the other major players have shifted to something more like mixed martial arts." big-europe.eu/publications...

Time for the gloves to come off in digital policy

big-europe.eu

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Martin Sandbu @martinsandbu.ft.com · Sep 15

Time for the gloves to come off in digital policy

big-europe.eu

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Gjalt de Graaf @graafgjalt.bsky.social · Sep 15

werkenbij.vu.nl/vacatures/ph...

Vacature — PhD position in Public Administration & Digital Governance

Are you a public administration or management student interested in AI and/or value-based governance? Are you interested in doing research about the risks of AI use in public administration and how to...

werkenbij.vu.nl

Reposted by Ben Crum

Gjalt de Graaf @graafgjalt.bsky.social · Sep 15

werkenbij.vu.nl/vacatures/2-...

Vacature — 2 Postdocs in Public Administration & Digital Governance

Are you a scholar in public administration or management with qualitative research skills and expertise in AI or value-based governance? Interested in fair and responsible AI use in public administrat...

werkenbij.vu.nl

Reposted by Ben Crum

David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · Sep 13

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

‘We took the gloves off’: ex-IDF chief confirms Gaza casualties over 200,000

Retired general Herzi Halevi says ‘not once’ had legal advice constrained Israel’s military decisions in the strip

www.theguardian.com

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Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · Sep 12

Wow!

Ben Crum @bencrum.nl · Sep 10

Check out the Book of Abstracts👇 of June's conference @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social
It offers a perfect overview of the breadth of research that's being done on the digital society
Happy to be included with a short take on how EU legislation on DSA/DMA has been (de-)politicised in newspapers

Weizenbaum-Institut @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social · Sep 10

👉 Just published: "Empowering People in Online Spaces: Democracy and Well-being in Digital Societies" - Book of Abstracts of the Weizenbaum Conference 2025. #WIConf25

➡️ doi.org/10.34669/WI.... 🔗

Reposted by Axel Bruns, Ben Crum

Weizenbaum-Institut @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social · Sep 10

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Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Jan W. Mueller, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 4 more Katharine Hayhoe, Jan W. Mueller, Rosemary A. Joyce, Lesley Bartlett, Ben Crum, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Colin Woodard

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · Sep 9

If you're an author and haven't yet signed up for the Anthropic settlement, do yourself a favor (and strike a blow against AI) by checking to see if any of your books were involved.

www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI

Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by Ben Crum

Alexandra Geese @alexandrageese.bsky.social · Sep 8

Commission President Von der Leyen will have to explain this: barring an EVP from holding a press conference is unacceptable!
@teresaribera.ec.europa.eu has shown the courage to defend the free press instead of pandering to authoritarian leaders and monopolistic tech companies.

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