Eri Bertsou
@eribertsou.bsky.social
Ass. Professor of Political Science at the University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science (CH)
Mom of three and one border collie
Mom of three and one border collie
Good news and an excellent study!
🚨 out at @apsrjournal.bsky.social 🚨
➡️ We ran a large media literacy experiment to fight misinformation
➡️ 13,500 students, 583 villages in Bihar, India
➡️Created custom misinfo curriculum of 4 months
➡️Partnered w the government to roll it out as an official course in classrooms
hopeful findings👇🏽
➡️ We ran a large media literacy experiment to fight misinformation
➡️ 13,500 students, 583 villages in Bihar, India
➡️Created custom misinfo curriculum of 4 months
➡️Partnered w the government to roll it out as an official course in classrooms
hopeful findings👇🏽
October 15, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Good news and an excellent study!
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
#Science is not doing well, true or false?🔬Between 15 years of decline in #AcademicFreedom and strong but dented #confidence: introspection from within the world of research with @eribertsou.bsky.social @colognaviktoria.bsky.social @angelovpanaro.bsky.social.👇
Measuring the temperature of science
Horizons - Issue 146
www.horizons-mag.ch
September 15, 2025 at 6:03 PM
#Science is not doing well, true or false?🔬Between 15 years of decline in #AcademicFreedom and strong but dented #confidence: introspection from within the world of research with @eribertsou.bsky.social @colognaviktoria.bsky.social @angelovpanaro.bsky.social.👇
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Four journalists were killed by an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital today, including Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with the @apnews.com. She has a 12-year-old son, who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war.
She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb
She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb
Multiple journalists killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital
A hospital strike in southern Gaza has killed at least eight people, including four journalists. The attack happened on Monday.
apnews.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Four journalists were killed by an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital today, including Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with the @apnews.com. She has a 12-year-old son, who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war.
She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb
She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
🔥 Call for papers for EPSS 2026 in Belfast: migration, forced displacement, mobility, borders, asylum, diaspora, and other migration-related topics.
Excited to co-chair the Migration Politics section with @kristinabsimonsen.bsky.social. Submit proposals by Nov 7!
#EPSS2026
Excited to co-chair the Migration Politics section with @kristinabsimonsen.bsky.social. Submit proposals by Nov 7!
#EPSS2026
This is an important opportunity for European poli sci: contribute
to getting EPSS off to a fantastic start by submitting your work to next year’s conference. I’m section chair for Migration Politics together with @aalrababah.bsky.social and can’t wait to see the cool mig research you have for us 🔥
to getting EPSS off to a fantastic start by submitting your work to next year’s conference. I’m section chair for Migration Politics together with @aalrababah.bsky.social and can’t wait to see the cool mig research you have for us 🔥
The European Political Science Society is now accepting paper & panel proposals for its annual conference!
📢 Call for Papers: EPSS 2026 – Belfast
🗓️ June 18–20, 2026
📍 ICC Belfast
📬 Deadline: Nov 7, 2025
🧵
📢 Call for Papers: EPSS 2026 – Belfast
🗓️ June 18–20, 2026
📍 ICC Belfast
📬 Deadline: Nov 7, 2025
🧵
August 20, 2025 at 8:42 AM
🔥 Call for papers for EPSS 2026 in Belfast: migration, forced displacement, mobility, borders, asylum, diaspora, and other migration-related topics.
Excited to co-chair the Migration Politics section with @kristinabsimonsen.bsky.social. Submit proposals by Nov 7!
#EPSS2026
Excited to co-chair the Migration Politics section with @kristinabsimonsen.bsky.social. Submit proposals by Nov 7!
#EPSS2026
Synthetic sampling is gaining momentum in a lot of the social sciences and, while I have been ambiguous about it myself, this white paper provides more information to ground the debate
In polling world, “synthetic sampling” (using LLMs to replace human respondents) has been getting a lot of attention recently. Last wk, Ipsos announced a synthetic panel!
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
Synthetic Sampling Report | Verasight
A report on the challenges of "synthetic sampling" for public opinion polling.
report.verasight.io
August 19, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Synthetic sampling is gaining momentum in a lot of the social sciences and, while I have been ambiguous about it myself, this white paper provides more information to ground the debate
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
In polling world, “synthetic sampling” (using LLMs to replace human respondents) has been getting a lot of attention recently. Last wk, Ipsos announced a synthetic panel!
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
Synthetic Sampling Report | Verasight
A report on the challenges of "synthetic sampling" for public opinion polling.
report.verasight.io
August 19, 2025 at 1:22 PM
In polling world, “synthetic sampling” (using LLMs to replace human respondents) has been getting a lot of attention recently. Last wk, Ipsos announced a synthetic panel!
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
But does it actually work? Here’s a white paper I wrote: “Your Polls on ChatGPT”
report.verasight.io/synthetic-sa...
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
📢 EPSS 2026 Call for Papers! @hannaeback.bsky.social and I are excited to invite submissions for the Political Representation section at EPSS 2026 in Belfast. EPSS has some exciting new panel formats this year - read on! 🧵
August 18, 2025 at 7:33 AM
📢 EPSS 2026 Call for Papers! @hannaeback.bsky.social and I are excited to invite submissions for the Political Representation section at EPSS 2026 in Belfast. EPSS has some exciting new panel formats this year - read on! 🧵
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Science for democracy. Much needed. Powerful @science.org editorial by @gretchentg.bsky.social & @chenoweth.bsky.social
“The ability to tell the truth, especially when it does not suit any particularly partisan aims, is an essential prerequisite for a free society”
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
“The ability to tell the truth, especially when it does not suit any particularly partisan aims, is an essential prerequisite for a free society”
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
August 14, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Science for democracy. Much needed. Powerful @science.org editorial by @gretchentg.bsky.social & @chenoweth.bsky.social
“The ability to tell the truth, especially when it does not suit any particularly partisan aims, is an essential prerequisite for a free society”
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
“The ability to tell the truth, especially when it does not suit any particularly partisan aims, is an essential prerequisite for a free society”
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
What--and I say this with my chest--the hell are we doing here people
AI-assistant caused DATA LOSS, destroyed projects, user files and a production database: issued faulty commands, overwriting data; another ignored freeze directives, fabricated test data, and dropped a live database. anuraag2601.github.io/gemini_cli_d... www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/r...
July 25, 2025 at 12:14 PM
What--and I say this with my chest--the hell are we doing here people
This week we had to say goodbye to our dearest Lana, very suddenly and way too soon. A dedicated polisci dog, she conducted elections fieldwork for LSE's EPOB, became an honorary member of IPZ Zurich and visited the EUI. My loudest cheerleader, patient proofreader & the bestest girl that ever was ❤️🩹
July 3, 2025 at 10:43 AM
This week we had to say goodbye to our dearest Lana, very suddenly and way too soon. A dedicated polisci dog, she conducted elections fieldwork for LSE's EPOB, became an honorary member of IPZ Zurich and visited the EUI. My loudest cheerleader, patient proofreader & the bestest girl that ever was ❤️🩹
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
🚨 Big News for European Political Science 🚨
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the European Political Science Society (EPSS): a new, member-led, not-for-profit association built to support our scholarly community.
🔗 epssnet.org
Here’s a thread with everything you need to know.
🧵
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the European Political Science Society (EPSS): a new, member-led, not-for-profit association built to support our scholarly community.
🔗 epssnet.org
Here’s a thread with everything you need to know.
🧵
June 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
🚨 Big News for European Political Science 🚨
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the European Political Science Society (EPSS): a new, member-led, not-for-profit association built to support our scholarly community.
🔗 epssnet.org
Here’s a thread with everything you need to know.
🧵
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the European Political Science Society (EPSS): a new, member-led, not-for-profit association built to support our scholarly community.
🔗 epssnet.org
Here’s a thread with everything you need to know.
🧵
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Excited to kick off #EPSA2025 on Day 1, Panel 1! 🎉
I’ll present my co-authored research with @michaelimre.bsky.social on 50 years of gender representation in political science publications. We analyze nearly 100,000 articles across 72 journals to uncover long-term trends. 🔍
@epsanet.bsky.social
I’ll present my co-authored research with @michaelimre.bsky.social on 50 years of gender representation in political science publications. We analyze nearly 100,000 articles across 72 journals to uncover long-term trends. 🔍
@epsanet.bsky.social
June 24, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Excited to kick off #EPSA2025 on Day 1, Panel 1! 🎉
I’ll present my co-authored research with @michaelimre.bsky.social on 50 years of gender representation in political science publications. We analyze nearly 100,000 articles across 72 journals to uncover long-term trends. 🔍
@epsanet.bsky.social
I’ll present my co-authored research with @michaelimre.bsky.social on 50 years of gender representation in political science publications. We analyze nearly 100,000 articles across 72 journals to uncover long-term trends. 🔍
@epsanet.bsky.social
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Five things to remember about war:
June 22, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Five things to remember about war:
Great thread and breadth of resources to learn more on this topic 👇🏼. Thank you @profsaunders.bsky.social
🧵IR scholars, let's start a thread of what we know that's relevant for a US attack on Iran. Won't change any minds, but might help us teach this crisis and learn new angles. Please add (incl. your own work!), forgive/correct omissions. Nobody can cover everything and it's great to find new work. 1/?
June 18, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Great thread and breadth of resources to learn more on this topic 👇🏼. Thank you @profsaunders.bsky.social
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
This is a view from the surface of Comet 67P.
The busy particles in the foreground are cosmic rays or bits of dust and ice.
The dots moving in the background are stars.
The busy particles in the foreground are cosmic rays or bits of dust and ice.
The dots moving in the background are stars.
May 23, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This is a view from the surface of Comet 67P.
The busy particles in the foreground are cosmic rays or bits of dust and ice.
The dots moving in the background are stars.
The busy particles in the foreground are cosmic rays or bits of dust and ice.
The dots moving in the background are stars.
Shout out to Lea Heyne and Luca Manucci @populismblog.bsky.social whose work on populist radical right electorate in Portugal was mentioned on my fav politics podcast @therestpolitics.bsky.social this morning!
May 22, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Shout out to Lea Heyne and Luca Manucci @populismblog.bsky.social whose work on populist radical right electorate in Portugal was mentioned on my fav politics podcast @therestpolitics.bsky.social this morning!
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Canceling research on misinformation is not only an attack on science and academic freedom.
It is also a democracy, safety, and security threat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/b...
It is also a democracy, safety, and security threat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/b...
Trump Administration Cancels Scores of Grants to Study Online Misinformation
www.nytimes.com
May 16, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Canceling research on misinformation is not only an attack on science and academic freedom.
It is also a democracy, safety, and security threat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/b...
It is also a democracy, safety, and security threat.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/b...
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Keir Starmer's net favourability rating has dropped 12pts in a month to -46, his lowest level ever, including a 34pt drop among Labour voters
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
May 16, 2025 at 7:58 AM
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
if you teach, you are engaged in an inherently political--but not necessarily partisan--act
the political vs partisan distinction stays kicking people's ass
this old @asociologist.bsky.social is very helpful on this
scatter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/p...
the political vs partisan distinction stays kicking people's ass
this old @asociologist.bsky.social is very helpful on this
scatter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/p...
partisans, not scientists, decide if science is partisan
Last month, Audra Wolfe wrote a fantastic post about how science is and always has been political. In the post, she analyzes statements from Nature and Scientific American, both of which endorsed J…
scatter.wordpress.com
May 3, 2025 at 11:23 AM
if you teach, you are engaged in an inherently political--but not necessarily partisan--act
the political vs partisan distinction stays kicking people's ass
this old @asociologist.bsky.social is very helpful on this
scatter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/p...
the political vs partisan distinction stays kicking people's ass
this old @asociologist.bsky.social is very helpful on this
scatter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/p...
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Politicians share similar climate policy views with citizens, but are slightly less supportive. Crucially, they underestimate public support for climate policies, potentially limiting climate action www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Responsive nor responsible? Politicians’ climate change policy preferences and public opinion perceptions
This study addresses the lack of sufficient climate action by examining politicians’ opinions and their perceptions of public opinion about climate change mitigation policies. After all, scholarly ...
www.tandfonline.com
April 24, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Politicians share similar climate policy views with citizens, but are slightly less supportive. Crucially, they underestimate public support for climate policies, potentially limiting climate action www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
🧵 THREAD: Can a short online intervention help defend democracy against partisan polarization?
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
April 24, 2025 at 11:17 AM
🧵 THREAD: Can a short online intervention help defend democracy against partisan polarization?
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
In our new study - just published in the @bjpols.bsky.social - my colleagues and I tested this question across 33 countries 🌍 with over 41,000 participants 🧑🤝🧑.
Here’s what we found 👇
She’s got guts. Chilling to watch, but necessary
Amazing. After nearly losing her house, and being locked away in a legal battle for years because of one innocuous line in her last TED Talk, @carolecadwalla.bsky.social returns to the Lion’s Den, and calls out the Broligarchs
This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like youtu.be/TZOoT8AbkNE?...
This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like youtu.be/TZOoT8AbkNE?...
This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like | Carole Cadwalladr | TED
YouTube video by TED
youtu.be
April 11, 2025 at 2:52 PM
She’s got guts. Chilling to watch, but necessary
This final publication from the project on #technocratic attitudes among citizens, serves to boost confidence in the survey measure, to trace the stability of the construct following the #COVID19 pandemic and to provide evidence on technocratic attitudes in the #US (plus some bonus thoughts!) 🧵below
Crises like the COVID-19 pandemic make the role of experts in politics more relevant & boost technocratic attitudes - increased involvement of scientific expertise in politics - among citizens.
New empirical evidence by @eribertsou.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
#polisky #academicsky
New empirical evidence by @eribertsou.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0140...
#polisky #academicsky
March 13, 2025 at 10:02 AM
This final publication from the project on #technocratic attitudes among citizens, serves to boost confidence in the survey measure, to trace the stability of the construct following the #COVID19 pandemic and to provide evidence on technocratic attitudes in the #US (plus some bonus thoughts!) 🧵below
Reposted by Eri Bertsou
Levitsky & @ryanenos.bsky.social in The Crimson hit the challenge that must be overcome: "Weaponized states create a difficult collective action problem for civil society. Individual leaders seek to protect their organizations against costly government reprisal."
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Harvard Must Take a Stand for Democracy | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
To silence ourselves in the name of neutrality would not only violate our own policy but also abdicate our broader civil responsibility.
www.thecrimson.com
March 10, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Levitsky & @ryanenos.bsky.social in The Crimson hit the challenge that must be overcome: "Weaponized states create a difficult collective action problem for civil society. Individual leaders seek to protect their organizations against costly government reprisal."
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...