Nils Weidmann
@nilsweidmann.bsky.social
Professor of Political Science, University of Konstanz, Germany. https://www.polver.uni-konstanz.de/cnc/people/weidmann/
Pinned
Nils Weidmann
@nilsweidmann.bsky.social
· Jun 21
After 26 days, 2424 kilometers, 16 talks and only two flat tires, #BikeAndTalk2024 from Konstanz to Oslo is over! It was a fantastic trip, and I’m so grateful for meeting so many great colleagues along the way. Hope to do another iteration of this format next year.
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
If you get asked to review... please respond!!! And if you agree to review, please turn in the review. If it's a little late, that's ok, but let the journal know.
Recently did around 30 requests to ppl who'd published very similar papers to the one I needed reviews for. 3 declines, 25 no response. Please at least decline guys it slows stuff down so much otherwise.
I'm still relatively new to this journal associate editor business, but it already sucks… I've had a paper on my desk for more than a month now:
Reviewers invited: 12
Of those…
Declined: 5
No response: 7
Reviewers invited: 12
Of those…
Declined: 5
No response: 7
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
If you get asked to review... please respond!!! And if you agree to review, please turn in the review. If it's a little late, that's ok, but let the journal know.
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
📣 We're hiring a postdoc in political science for our ReJust project @uni-konstanz.de!
Project with Dirk Leuffen @leuffen.bsky.social and Urs Fischbacher
3-year position | Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025 | Start: April 2026
Please share widely 🙏
Project with Dirk Leuffen @leuffen.bsky.social and Urs Fischbacher
3-year position | Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025 | Start: April 2026
Please share widely 🙏
Postdoctoral Research Position
Deadline: 15.12.2025
stellen.uni-konstanz.de
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 AM
📣 We're hiring a postdoc in political science for our ReJust project @uni-konstanz.de!
Project with Dirk Leuffen @leuffen.bsky.social and Urs Fischbacher
3-year position | Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025 | Start: April 2026
Please share widely 🙏
Project with Dirk Leuffen @leuffen.bsky.social and Urs Fischbacher
3-year position | Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025 | Start: April 2026
Please share widely 🙏
November 20, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Thanks to the great help by @rstrauch.bsky.social, Gabriele Spilker and the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" @excinequality.bsky.social, version 5.0 of the "Mass Mobilization in Autocracies Database" (coverage until 2022) is now available at mmadatabase.org!
Mass Mobilization in Autocracies Database
mmadatabase.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Thanks to the great help by @rstrauch.bsky.social, Gabriele Spilker and the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" @excinequality.bsky.social, version 5.0 of the "Mass Mobilization in Autocracies Database" (coverage until 2022) is now available at mmadatabase.org!
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
Auf der Suche nach einer Postdoc-Stelle im Bereich der empirischen Menschenrechtsforschung? An der @fau.de suchen wir eine*n Postdoc für 3+3 Jahre für unser Team. tinyurl.com/4d3w3th6
www.pol.phil.fau.de
October 1, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Auf der Suche nach einer Postdoc-Stelle im Bereich der empirischen Menschenrechtsforschung? An der @fau.de suchen wir eine*n Postdoc für 3+3 Jahre für unser Team. tinyurl.com/4d3w3th6
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
#OpenAccess from the new issue of @psrm.bsky.social -
Intra-ethnic divisions and disagreement over self-determination demands in ethnic movements - https://cup.org/481UkPS
- @frederikgremler.bsky.social, Manuel Vogt & @nilsweidmann.bsky.social
Intra-ethnic divisions and disagreement over self-determination demands in ethnic movements - https://cup.org/481UkPS
- @frederikgremler.bsky.social, Manuel Vogt & @nilsweidmann.bsky.social
September 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM
#OpenAccess from the new issue of @psrm.bsky.social -
Intra-ethnic divisions and disagreement over self-determination demands in ethnic movements - https://cup.org/481UkPS
- @frederikgremler.bsky.social, Manuel Vogt & @nilsweidmann.bsky.social
Intra-ethnic divisions and disagreement over self-determination demands in ethnic movements - https://cup.org/481UkPS
- @frederikgremler.bsky.social, Manuel Vogt & @nilsweidmann.bsky.social
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
📄 Does the Community Understand the Community Guidelines?
with @yannistheocharis.bsky.social , @mianahrgang.bsky.social , @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
with @yannistheocharis.bsky.social , @mianahrgang.bsky.social , @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
September 17, 2025 at 12:44 PM
📄 Does the Community Understand the Community Guidelines?
with @yannistheocharis.bsky.social , @mianahrgang.bsky.social , @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
with @yannistheocharis.bsky.social , @mianahrgang.bsky.social , @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
This is an excellent special issue! Highly recommended.
Thanks to @jpeaceresearch.bsky.social for giving us the possibility to guest edit a special issue on "Political violence in democracies". Ursula Daxecker, @neerajprsd.bsky.social and I wrote an open access introduction: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Thanks to all authors of 14 articles!
Thanks to all authors of 14 articles!
Political violence in democracies: An Introduction - Andrea Ruggeri, Ursula Daxecker, Neeraj Prasad, 2025
It is well established that democracies experience less political violence than autocracies. Paradoxically, however, this widely accepted fact has led scholars ...
journals.sagepub.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:55 PM
This is an excellent special issue! Highly recommended.
Thanks for the endorsement, @kailmarkvart.bsky.social! This work was only possible because there's a large coding project with full transparency in its procedures and data, and with unrestricted access. Kudos (again) to the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social for providing this huge public good.
Now with page numbers! Really happy to already see excellent work applying these findings to similar projects regarding LLMs. For example: doi.org/10.1017/S104...
August 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Thanks for the endorsement, @kailmarkvart.bsky.social! This work was only possible because there's a large coding project with full transparency in its procedures and data, and with unrestricted access. Kudos (again) to the @vdeminstitute.bsky.social for providing this huge public good.
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
Please share: by Sept 1, we solicit nominations for @isanet.bsky.social Karl Deutsch Award to recognize 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟰𝟱, 𝗼𝗿 ≤𝟭𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 who have made significant contribution to the study of #𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 & #𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵
🔗 www.isanet.org/Programs/Awa...
#IR
🔗 www.isanet.org/Programs/Awa...
#IR
Karl Deutsch Award
www.isanet.org
August 9, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Please share: by Sept 1, we solicit nominations for @isanet.bsky.social Karl Deutsch Award to recognize 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟰𝟱, 𝗼𝗿 ≤𝟭𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 who have made significant contribution to the study of #𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 & #𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵
🔗 www.isanet.org/Programs/Awa...
#IR
🔗 www.isanet.org/Programs/Awa...
#IR
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
EPSA have announced that they will hold a conference in July 2026.
😵💫 We understand that there might be some confusion about EPSS and EPSA.
👉🏽 So we thought we would clarify some things.
A short 🧵
😵💫 We understand that there might be some confusion about EPSS and EPSA.
👉🏽 So we thought we would clarify some things.
A short 🧵
August 7, 2025 at 4:28 PM
EPSA have announced that they will hold a conference in July 2026.
😵💫 We understand that there might be some confusion about EPSS and EPSA.
👉🏽 So we thought we would clarify some things.
A short 🧵
😵💫 We understand that there might be some confusion about EPSS and EPSA.
👉🏽 So we thought we would clarify some things.
A short 🧵
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
Now online ft. @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & coauthors!
Large language models can help us assess the state of democracy for comparative research, but they do so with their own attitudes.
doi.org/10.1017/S104...
Large language models can help us assess the state of democracy for comparative research, but they do so with their own attitudes.
doi.org/10.1017/S104...
August 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Now online ft. @nilsweidmann.bsky.social & coauthors!
Large language models can help us assess the state of democracy for comparative research, but they do so with their own attitudes.
doi.org/10.1017/S104...
Large language models can help us assess the state of democracy for comparative research, but they do so with their own attitudes.
doi.org/10.1017/S104...
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
ACLED locking researchers out feels less like data protection, more like damage control. Especially when the numbers already… don’t add up because they're sourced from people doing the fighting. 📉
👉
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
👉
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
July 30, 2025 at 2:14 PM
ACLED locking researchers out feels less like data protection, more like damage control. Especially when the numbers already… don’t add up because they're sourced from people doing the fighting. 📉
👉
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
👉
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
This article should have been published alongside the one it responds to. The original article finds that the authors' own (commercial) data outperforms the free UCDP data. Conflict of interest? Nah. But at least we know now that this conclusion is based on "a series of unfounded claims." 👇
My new article with Mert Can Yilmaz out in Research & Politics! An investigation into what does drive differences between UCDP and ACLED data and a response to a series of unfounded claims made by Clionadh Raleigh et al in a 2023 article. (1/4) Read it here doi.org/10.1177/2053...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
July 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
This article should have been published alongside the one it responds to. The original article finds that the authors' own (commercial) data outperforms the free UCDP data. Conflict of interest? Nah. But at least we know now that this conclusion is based on "a series of unfounded claims." 👇
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
Very interesting on LLMs and democracy coding: Quite good at «easy» cases, but very problematic for tough ones:
«Some LLMs are too pessimistic and others [too optimistic] … it is difficult to replace human coders with LLMs because the extent and direction of these attitudes is not known a priori.»
«Some LLMs are too pessimistic and others [too optimistic] … it is difficult to replace human coders with LLMs because the extent and direction of these attitudes is not known a priori.»
#OpenAccess from @pspolisci.bsky.social -
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
July 30, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Very interesting on LLMs and democracy coding: Quite good at «easy» cases, but very problematic for tough ones:
«Some LLMs are too pessimistic and others [too optimistic] … it is difficult to replace human coders with LLMs because the extent and direction of these attitudes is not known a priori.»
«Some LLMs are too pessimistic and others [too optimistic] … it is difficult to replace human coders with LLMs because the extent and direction of these attitudes is not known a priori.»
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
#OpenAccess from @pspolisci.bsky.social -
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
July 30, 2025 at 12:05 PM
#OpenAccess from @pspolisci.bsky.social -
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes - cup.org/3H8EebY
- @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, Mats Faulborn & @dgarcia.eu
#FirstView #LLM
... and here's a short press release about the article: www.uni-konstanz.de/en/universit...
July 21, 2025 at 8:39 AM
... and here's a short press release about the article: www.uni-konstanz.de/en/universit...
Very happy that the joint paper with Ore Koren on infectious diseases and trust in politics has now been published: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... A nice result of his fellowship at @uni-konstanz.de, funded by the @humboldt-foundation.de!
Infectious disease outbreaks drive political mistrust | PNAS
The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the far-reaching social implications
of emerging infectious diseases, an issue with historical paral...
www.pnas.org
July 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Very happy that the joint paper with Ore Koren on infectious diseases and trust in politics has now been published: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... A nice result of his fellowship at @uni-konstanz.de, funded by the @humboldt-foundation.de!
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
This fall, we’re launching two new Master’s programs focused on applied methods in the social sciences at Uni Marburg. More info + details 👉
July 11, 2025 at 4:17 PM
This fall, we’re launching two new Master’s programs focused on applied methods in the social sciences at Uni Marburg. More info + details 👉
I still don’t understand why we’re not adjusting the semester dates such that the teaching ends before the summer heat kicks in? If the University of Mannheim (and many other institutions worldwide) can do it, we can too. What we’re currently going through is completely avoidable.
July 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I still don’t understand why we’re not adjusting the semester dates such that the teaching ends before the summer heat kicks in? If the University of Mannheim (and many other institutions worldwide) can do it, we can too. What we’re currently going through is completely avoidable.
Terrific news! Count me in for Belfast 2026.
🚨 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 5:40 PM
Terrific news! Count me in for Belfast 2026.
This is fantastic news, and I'm grateful to the members of the EPSA Reform Working Group for managing this transition. "Reform" would have been the preferred outcome, since this also would have resolved the ownership question of @psrm.bsky.social, but let's take one step at a time. Belfast 2026!!
🚨 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 5:32 PM
This is fantastic news, and I'm grateful to the members of the EPSA Reform Working Group for managing this transition. "Reform" would have been the preferred outcome, since this also would have resolved the ownership question of @psrm.bsky.social, but let's take one step at a time. Belfast 2026!!
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
🔗📃 Link to he paper now published in the ICWSM conference proceedings (ojs.aaai.org/index.php/IC...) co-authored with @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, @friederikeq.bsky.social, @sebnagel.bsky.social, @yannistheocharis.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
Written for Lawyers or Users? Mapping the Complexity of Community Guidelines
| Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media
ojs.aaai.org
June 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
🔗📃 Link to he paper now published in the ICWSM conference proceedings (ojs.aaai.org/index.php/IC...) co-authored with @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, @friederikeq.bsky.social, @sebnagel.bsky.social, @yannistheocharis.bsky.social & Molly Roberts
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
@nilsweidmann.bsky.social and Mina Rulis study the link between university disciplines and political protest in autocracies. They focus on how the composition of academic institutions shapes the likelihood of activism in university cities.
Read more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Read more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
June 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM
@nilsweidmann.bsky.social and Mina Rulis study the link between university disciplines and political protest in autocracies. They focus on how the composition of academic institutions shapes the likelihood of activism in university cities.
Read more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Read more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Nils Weidmann
📣 Happy to announce the publication of our article (w @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, @friederikeq.bsky.social, @sebnagel.bsky.social, @yannistheocharis.bsky.social & Molly Roberts) on the complexity and availability of community guidelines @icwsm.bsky.social! 🔗 ojs.aaai.org/index.php/IC...
June 10, 2025 at 11:36 AM
📣 Happy to announce the publication of our article (w @nilsweidmann.bsky.social, @friederikeq.bsky.social, @sebnagel.bsky.social, @yannistheocharis.bsky.social & Molly Roberts) on the complexity and availability of community guidelines @icwsm.bsky.social! 🔗 ojs.aaai.org/index.php/IC...