Chitralekha Basu
@chitbazoo.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Empirical Democratic Theory, University of Cologne
www.chitralekhabasu.com
www.chitralekhabasu.com
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
"The high-income admissions advantage at Ivy-Plus colleges is driven by....(1) preferences for children of alumni, (2) weight placed on non-academic credentials, and (3) athletic recruitment" which are "uncorrelated or negatively correlated with post-college outcomes" unlike SAT/ACT scores
Recently accepted by #QJE, “Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges,” by Chetty (@Oppinsights), Deming, and Friedman: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges*
Abstract. We use anonymized admissions data from several colleges linked to income tax records and SAT and ACT test scores to study the determinants and ca
doi.org
November 23, 2025 at 9:29 PM
"The high-income admissions advantage at Ivy-Plus colleges is driven by....(1) preferences for children of alumni, (2) weight placed on non-academic credentials, and (3) athletic recruitment" which are "uncorrelated or negatively correlated with post-college outcomes" unlike SAT/ACT scores
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Good morning. I've got a banger new post out today that develops a new method for placing voters on the left-right ideological spectrum, and adds a new, "non-ideological"/affordability axis to usual way we chart & think about US voters (esp swing voters). www.gelliottmorris.com/p/not-just-l...
Not just left vs right: Most voters think about affordability and material wellbeing, not in ideological terms
Most voters want a party that emphasizes cost of living issues and makes the world a better place. Few Americans think in solidly ideologically terms. "Moderates" are mostly non-ideological.
www.gelliottmorris.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Good morning. I've got a banger new post out today that develops a new method for placing voters on the left-right ideological spectrum, and adds a new, "non-ideological"/affordability axis to usual way we chart & think about US voters (esp swing voters). www.gelliottmorris.com/p/not-just-l...
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
🚨New paper out in @jeppjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1080/1350...
@manuelwagner.bsky.social & I re-conceptualize class representation to take into account social mobility between classes and variation in how individuals enter politics.
@manuelwagner.bsky.social & I re-conceptualize class representation to take into account social mobility between classes and variation in how individuals enter politics.
October 29, 2025 at 9:55 AM
🚨New paper out in @jeppjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1080/1350...
@manuelwagner.bsky.social & I re-conceptualize class representation to take into account social mobility between classes and variation in how individuals enter politics.
@manuelwagner.bsky.social & I re-conceptualize class representation to take into account social mobility between classes and variation in how individuals enter politics.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
the actual suicide of the West will be combining a rapidly aging population with hostility to migrants. however we must give credit to East Asia, especially Japan, for pioneering this model.
November 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
the actual suicide of the West will be combining a rapidly aging population with hostility to migrants. however we must give credit to East Asia, especially Japan, for pioneering this model.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
there’s a whole literature on why the median voter theorem’s
core prediction (indistinguishably centrist parties, which Downs doesn’t actually expect!) doesn’t bear out, taking one assumption at a time and gaming out/showing what happens when it isn’t met www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
core prediction (indistinguishably centrist parties, which Downs doesn’t actually expect!) doesn’t bear out, taking one assumption at a time and gaming out/showing what happens when it isn’t met www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
DOWNS AND TWO-PARTY CONVERGENCE
▪ Abstract We take as our starting point the insights of Downs (1957) into two-party competition. A careful reading of Downs offers a much more sophisticated and nuanced portrait of the factors affect...
www.annualreviews.org
November 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
there’s a whole literature on why the median voter theorem’s
core prediction (indistinguishably centrist parties, which Downs doesn’t actually expect!) doesn’t bear out, taking one assumption at a time and gaming out/showing what happens when it isn’t met www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
core prediction (indistinguishably centrist parties, which Downs doesn’t actually expect!) doesn’t bear out, taking one assumption at a time and gaming out/showing what happens when it isn’t met www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Danish right-wing populists are pretty much back to the same level as before Mette Frederiksen came to power. Soc Dems are competitive because they lead a left-wing bloc in a PR system. Doesn't transfer neatly to the UK, where losing liberal voters to Greens/etc would cost Labour seats to Reform
November 17, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Danish right-wing populists are pretty much back to the same level as before Mette Frederiksen came to power. Soc Dems are competitive because they lead a left-wing bloc in a PR system. Doesn't transfer neatly to the UK, where losing liberal voters to Greens/etc would cost Labour seats to Reform
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Labour now down to 18% in our latest @ipsosintheuk.bsky.social voting intention, the joint lowest we've ever had them - prev. May 2009 (expenses scandal, economic crisis). What's happening in 3 charts ...
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Labour now down to 18% in our latest @ipsosintheuk.bsky.social voting intention, the joint lowest we've ever had them - prev. May 2009 (expenses scandal, economic crisis). What's happening in 3 charts ...
It has long been astonishing to me how much UK pol commentary has assumed the simplest possible Downsian model as truth - ignoring decades of empirical -and- theoretical work on the importance of much else: issue ownership, opinion and salience endogeneity, mobilization effects, and so much more!
Fascinating how often political commentary in the UK still refers to the median voter. In a multi-dimensional space with salience endogenous to positions, it‘s unclear to me who that should be. In a multi-party system, winning the median voter is of course not necessarily a vote-maximizing strategy.
November 17, 2025 at 11:01 AM
It has long been astonishing to me how much UK pol commentary has assumed the simplest possible Downsian model as truth - ignoring decades of empirical -and- theoretical work on the importance of much else: issue ownership, opinion and salience endogeneity, mobilization effects, and so much more!
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Fascinating how often political commentary in the UK still refers to the median voter. In a multi-dimensional space with salience endogenous to positions, it‘s unclear to me who that should be. In a multi-party system, winning the median voter is of course not necessarily a vote-maximizing strategy.
November 17, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Fascinating how often political commentary in the UK still refers to the median voter. In a multi-dimensional space with salience endogenous to positions, it‘s unclear to me who that should be. In a multi-party system, winning the median voter is of course not necessarily a vote-maximizing strategy.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Here is some hard evidence that Mamdani actually managed to bring young voters to the polls. 18-29 year olds voted at similar rates than 40-49 year olds.
Youth turnout, 2021 to 2025 (and 2025 as pct of 2021):
NJ Gov 20% to 29% (+145%)
VA Gov 27% to 34% (+126%)
NYC Mayor 11.1% to 41.3% (+372%)
Sources: CIRCLE circle.tufts.edu/latest-resea... and DDHQ
NJ Gov 20% to 29% (+145%)
VA Gov 27% to 34% (+126%)
NYC Mayor 11.1% to 41.3% (+372%)
Sources: CIRCLE circle.tufts.edu/latest-resea... and DDHQ
November 10, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Here is some hard evidence that Mamdani actually managed to bring young voters to the polls. 18-29 year olds voted at similar rates than 40-49 year olds.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Aside from the crucial voting system difference, the Social Democrats over this period have haemorrhaged votes to progressive parties and are currently on course for their worst result in 110yrs, while the Green Left are set for their best ever.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
what are the odds that the people in Downing Street briefing this out would also break out in hives at the mere mention of proportional representation?
November 8, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Aside from the crucial voting system difference, the Social Democrats over this period have haemorrhaged votes to progressive parties and are currently on course for their worst result in 110yrs, while the Green Left are set for their best ever.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
I’m lucky to teach a wonderful group of postgrads studying gender & politics at Bath 💫
Send your excellent gender & politics students our way 😊
They can find out more about our MSc in International Relations with Gender Politics at the Virtual Open Day on 12 Nov 👇
www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/ex...
Send your excellent gender & politics students our way 😊
They can find out more about our MSc in International Relations with Gender Politics at the Virtual Open Day on 12 Nov 👇
www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/ex...
November 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
I’m lucky to teach a wonderful group of postgrads studying gender & politics at Bath 💫
Send your excellent gender & politics students our way 😊
They can find out more about our MSc in International Relations with Gender Politics at the Virtual Open Day on 12 Nov 👇
www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/ex...
Send your excellent gender & politics students our way 😊
They can find out more about our MSc in International Relations with Gender Politics at the Virtual Open Day on 12 Nov 👇
www.bath.ac.uk/campaigns/ex...
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
School lunches get a bad rap, but they're healthier than the average packed lunch. And making them free for all amplifies academic and health benefits for low-income kids by removing stigma/shame.
So I'm glad Colorado voted to raise taxes on high-income households to make school meals free for all.
So I'm glad Colorado voted to raise taxes on high-income households to make school meals free for all.
November 6, 2025 at 11:30 AM
School lunches get a bad rap, but they're healthier than the average packed lunch. And making them free for all amplifies academic and health benefits for low-income kids by removing stigma/shame.
So I'm glad Colorado voted to raise taxes on high-income households to make school meals free for all.
So I'm glad Colorado voted to raise taxes on high-income households to make school meals free for all.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Crazy support numbers for Zohran Mamdani among young women: 84% (!) of women aged 18-29 voted for Mamdani in the NYC Mayoral Election.
But also important: young men voted MUCH MORE STRONGLY (67%) for Mamdani than old men (37%).
But also important: young men voted MUCH MORE STRONGLY (67%) for Mamdani than old men (37%).
November 5, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Crazy support numbers for Zohran Mamdani among young women: 84% (!) of women aged 18-29 voted for Mamdani in the NYC Mayoral Election.
But also important: young men voted MUCH MORE STRONGLY (67%) for Mamdani than old men (37%).
But also important: young men voted MUCH MORE STRONGLY (67%) for Mamdani than old men (37%).
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
An inconvenient truth. @turnbulldugarte.com and @emiliabelknap.bsky.social puncture a pervasive myth. "Among young respondents aged 18-25, a very comfortable majority of women reject Reform UK (75%), and a similarly large majority of men in the same age group share the same view (71%)."
Most British young men reject the far right - UK in a changing Europe
Emilia Belknap and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte explain their analysis on the demographics of Reform UK voters in the UK. They argue that while the dominant narrative is that young men are the most likely ...
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 6:04 PM
An inconvenient truth. @turnbulldugarte.com and @emiliabelknap.bsky.social puncture a pervasive myth. "Among young respondents aged 18-25, a very comfortable majority of women reject Reform UK (75%), and a similarly large majority of men in the same age group share the same view (71%)."
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
❗️Please share widely:
TT position in migration/citizenship/identity at IPW @univie.ac.at: jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Tenure-T...
Deadline: 10 Dec 2025
TT position in migration/citizenship/identity at IPW @univie.ac.at: jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Tenure-T...
Deadline: 10 Dec 2025
Tenure-Track Professorship in Migration, Citizenship, Identity
Tenure-Track Professorship in Migration, Citizenship, Identity
jobs.univie.ac.at
October 30, 2025 at 11:34 AM
❗️Please share widely:
TT position in migration/citizenship/identity at IPW @univie.ac.at: jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Tenure-T...
Deadline: 10 Dec 2025
TT position in migration/citizenship/identity at IPW @univie.ac.at: jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Tenure-T...
Deadline: 10 Dec 2025
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
🧵 / YouGov's new study finds Britain's ethnic minority communities now tend to have a negative view of the Labour party
Greens: +17 net favourable
Lib Dems: +1
Labour: -19
Conservatives: -44
Reform UK: -62
Breakdowns by individual ethnic group in chart 👇
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Greens: +17 net favourable
Lib Dems: +1
Labour: -19
Conservatives: -44
Reform UK: -62
Breakdowns by individual ethnic group in chart 👇
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
October 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🧵 / YouGov's new study finds Britain's ethnic minority communities now tend to have a negative view of the Labour party
Greens: +17 net favourable
Lib Dems: +1
Labour: -19
Conservatives: -44
Reform UK: -62
Breakdowns by individual ethnic group in chart 👇
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Greens: +17 net favourable
Lib Dems: +1
Labour: -19
Conservatives: -44
Reform UK: -62
Breakdowns by individual ethnic group in chart 👇
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Pleased to share that the Kennedy School has been authorized to conduct a faculty search in American politics
This is as an extraordinary opportunity for us - please share widely with your networks and consider applying
academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15418
This is as an extraordinary opportunity for us - please share widely with your networks and consider applying
academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15418
Professor of Public Policy (American Politics)
Harvard Kennedy School seeks a scholar of the highest distinction to appoint as a professor of public policy, focusing on American politics, elections, and policy. We particularly welcome applications...
academicpositions.harvard.edu
October 23, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Pleased to share that the Kennedy School has been authorized to conduct a faculty search in American politics
This is as an extraordinary opportunity for us - please share widely with your networks and consider applying
academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15418
This is as an extraordinary opportunity for us - please share widely with your networks and consider applying
academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15418
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Your regular reminder that scrapping ILR for people who have come here and played by the rules, which is what Lam proposes here, is a position supported by 3% of the public
Sunday Times interview Tory "rising star" Katie Lam
She is clear she wants lots of legal migrants to be told to "go home" so as "to leave a mostly but not entirely culturally coherent group of people"
(The interviewer suggests she is scrapping ILR or stripping people of it)
She is clear she wants lots of legal migrants to be told to "go home" so as "to leave a mostly but not entirely culturally coherent group of people"
(The interviewer suggests she is scrapping ILR or stripping people of it)
October 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Your regular reminder that scrapping ILR for people who have come here and played by the rules, which is what Lam proposes here, is a position supported by 3% of the public
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
🚨New Article Out! “The Scottish Road to Net Zero: Corporate Welfare and Assetization Cascades”
The article focuses on the evolution of the land-based natural capital market in Scotland in light of the country's net zero efforts.
The article focuses on the evolution of the land-based natural capital market in Scotland in light of the country's net zero efforts.
October 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
🚨New Article Out! “The Scottish Road to Net Zero: Corporate Welfare and Assetization Cascades”
The article focuses on the evolution of the land-based natural capital market in Scotland in light of the country's net zero efforts.
The article focuses on the evolution of the land-based natural capital market in Scotland in light of the country's net zero efforts.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
Some very useful stuff here on a topic where there’s a lot of froth and bad research.
Basic truth is Gen Z men in the UK are simply not more right wing - in attitudes or voting behaviour - than older generations. They are less.
Most of the intra-gen divide is young women getting more progressive.
Basic truth is Gen Z men in the UK are simply not more right wing - in attitudes or voting behaviour - than older generations. They are less.
Most of the intra-gen divide is young women getting more progressive.
🧵/ Our major new study on young men, masculinity, and misogyny questions the extent to which Gen Z men are really more likely to hold misogynist views than older generations of men
October 14, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Some very useful stuff here on a topic where there’s a lot of froth and bad research.
Basic truth is Gen Z men in the UK are simply not more right wing - in attitudes or voting behaviour - than older generations. They are less.
Most of the intra-gen divide is young women getting more progressive.
Basic truth is Gen Z men in the UK are simply not more right wing - in attitudes or voting behaviour - than older generations. They are less.
Most of the intra-gen divide is young women getting more progressive.
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
If you liked this thread / Substack please read @profjanegreen.bsky.social’s brilliant recent piece on Labour and Reform.
politicscentre.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
politicscentre.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
September 30, 2025 at 8:03 AM
If you liked this thread / Substack please read @profjanegreen.bsky.social’s brilliant recent piece on Labour and Reform.
politicscentre.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
politicscentre.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n
British Politics' Midlife Crisis
Why British Parties Can't Make Peace with Their Actual Voters
benansell.substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:40 AM
On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
🚨 New paper in @thejop.bsky.social
Why do politicians often misperceive what citizens' policy positions are?
@simonotjes.bsky.social and I study ~10,000 estimates of public opinion by politicians in Denmark & the Netherlands to uncover the sources of these (mis)perceptions
Thread 🧵1/10
Why do politicians often misperceive what citizens' policy positions are?
@simonotjes.bsky.social and I study ~10,000 estimates of public opinion by politicians in Denmark & the Netherlands to uncover the sources of these (mis)perceptions
Thread 🧵1/10
September 29, 2025 at 7:18 AM
🚨 New paper in @thejop.bsky.social
Why do politicians often misperceive what citizens' policy positions are?
@simonotjes.bsky.social and I study ~10,000 estimates of public opinion by politicians in Denmark & the Netherlands to uncover the sources of these (mis)perceptions
Thread 🧵1/10
Why do politicians often misperceive what citizens' policy positions are?
@simonotjes.bsky.social and I study ~10,000 estimates of public opinion by politicians in Denmark & the Netherlands to uncover the sources of these (mis)perceptions
Thread 🧵1/10
Reposted by Chitralekha Basu
For the Guardian, @turnbulldugarte.com and I discuss our research that clearly shows one thing: Labour's anti-immigration strategy will only strengthen Reform and weaken its own electoral prospects. It won't win voters back but ultimately normalizes the far right
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Our research makes it clear: by capitulating to the right, Labour is driving voters to Reform UK | Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte
Mimicking Farage on immigration is senseless. Labour voters feel betrayed; anti-immigration voters see through the ruse, say academics Tarik Abou-Chadi and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte
www.theguardian.com
September 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM
For the Guardian, @turnbulldugarte.com and I discuss our research that clearly shows one thing: Labour's anti-immigration strategy will only strengthen Reform and weaken its own electoral prospects. It won't win voters back but ultimately normalizes the far right
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...