2026

Atmospheric Violence: Disaster and Repair in Kashmir. By Omer Aijazi. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024. 284p.

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:35:39 +0000

Atmospheric Violence: Disaster and Repair in Kashmir. By Omer Aijazi. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024. 284p. Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:35

Atmospheric Violence: Disaster and Repair in Kashmir. By Omer Aijazi. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024. 284p.

By: Steven Vanderheiden

Abstract:

Ethnographer of disaster and decolonialism Omer Aijazi book Atmospheric Violence aims to capture the “feel and mood of life” in the borderland pahars (or mountainscapes, home of the ethno-linguistically distinct Pahari people) of Kashmir. Since the 1990s, the Line of Control has demarcated sections of this contested territory controlled by Pakistan from those controlled by India. Liberation movements against India occupation are ongoing, with the region and its people having long suffered from colonial violence. Compounding these troubles were the impacts of a devastating 2005 earthquake, which killed 80,000 people and injured another 138,000, leaving 3.5 million without shelter and destroying buildings, infrastructure, livestock, and livelihoods. The combined effects of these natural and human disasters offer a glimpse into the lives of some of the planet most marginalized communities, whose resilience and efforts at repair and a kind of flourishing have attracted the interest of scholars like Aijazi. Based on extensive fieldwork conducted in the Neelum Valley of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir from 2014 through 2022, the book seeks to tell the story of this unique place and people.

Rather than focusing on state violence, its victims, or resistance campaigns to it, Aijazi writes about the people of Kashmir in their efforts to go on living in its wake. As he writes, his aim in the book “is to sharpen our view of how people live, refuse and flourish amid everyday suffocations and environmental ruin, while in the shadows of empire” (p. 5). While subject to violence, he backgrounds it by locating it within the “atmosphere,” described as “an emplacing arrangement to appreciate life textures and tonalities” (p. 6), focusing in the foreground on “the labor of life within everyday chronicity in the pahars, where violence constitutes the very atmosphere” (p. 14). This allows him to focus on the “repair work” undertaken in response to violence and disaster, and through that develop a sense of flourishing, understood as “the ethical and moral risks people take in their daily life that carry political and existential stakes and offer clues on the aesthetics and poetics of desirous futures and wanting pasts and presents” (p. 11).

The book core is thus comprised of a series of “scenes,” or “framing devices through which specific aspects of the feeling world are rendered palpable” (p. 24). Each of the five chapter-length ethnographic studies of individual protagonists residing within the region but in some way also marginalized from their already-marginalized communities reveals a character, but also their community and culture through their individual and collective struggles to go on living in the midst of atmospheric violence and despite having suffered tremendous loss. Interlaced with theoretical musings and reflections on his own outsider status, cultural misunderstandings from sharing food and other gifts to the effects of monetary payments to research subjects, and the role of academics in liberation movements, each scene paints a rich tapestry inspired by its focal character, as well as conveying mood and affect emanating from the life of the communities of those under study and the circumstances in which they now find themselves.

Characters in each scene are compellingly sketched in terms of their histories, relations, fears, and aspirations while avoiding cliches and archetypes. Niaz, confined to a wheelchair, has trained to become a teacher but is unable to find work, yet perseveres and hopes against all odds to recover from his disability. Parveen, a midwife with one of the few paid health care positions in the only clinic near her village, gifts others with kindness and compassion after her children had grown and left and her husband had passed. Sattar Shah, the tenant farmer and voluntary outcast whose renunciations serve Allah but keep him at a distance from others, prioritizes the spiritual over the social. Abrar, whose father owned the guesthouse where Aijazi stayed during his years of fieldwork, searches for work beyond Kashmir and embodies the tension between rootedness and desires for connection. Chandni Bibi, who stubbornly attributes her blindness to the 2005 earthquake but refuses to be defined by it, finds purpose and support through caregiving to her brother family. All are affected by the area geopolitics, endemic poverty, and aftermath of the earthquake, but none are defined by it, instead drawing their breath (a rich metaphor that Aijazi uses throughout) from their relations with others in the community and their unique topography.

As an ethnography of ordinary life under extraordinary circumstances (of natural disaster and empire), Aijazi scenes portray their characters sympathetically and with deference to their self-understandings rather than through patronizing caricatures or embellishments. He resists the temptation to use them as pawns in a larger narrative, or to draw conclusions (about Kashmir and its future, about natural disasters, about decolonialism) from them. As he writes in the book concluding chapter, he understands his task as an ethnographer to be “to enlarge and expand the frames of legibility of Kashmir, to stretch the relation between possibility and desire, and to prod and poke the realisms of imperial cartographies, borders, and boundaries” (p. 217). In this, he responds to Rob Nixon call to bring those suffering from slow violence into view (in Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor, 2011), telling their stories in part so that readers can better appreciate how global forces connect victims with those contributing toward their victimization. However, Aijazi does not view or treat them as victims so much as people whose horizons as well as current predicaments are shaped by forces beyond their control but who nonetheless manage to carry on living within domains of autonomy and with resources that are available to them. The violence and deprivation come across as no less real to the reader, even as they are mostly relegated to the background in favor of a focus on the resilience of humanity.

Readers from political science might be disappointed by the backgrounding of politics and government. However, those concerned with decolonizing the discipline, and indeed those critical of the constraints of academic disciplines and seeking examples of social science work that challenges disciplinary boundaries, will find ample provocation in several extended reflections on the possibilities and constraints therein. Likewise, for those enamored with all kinds of theory, from the normative to the critical and interpretive; from decolonial to feminist and critical race theory, from theories of disaster and repair, of affect, of culture and identity, and of world systems. Aijazi interprets the social world that he encounters through a running dialogue that moves effortlessly between sometimes disparate theoretical voices, most of which are mobilized sympathetically, as expressions of what he wants his readers to understand or what he himself is struggling to understand. For those who study borderlands and the marginalized people that reside within them, or even for those who reflect on the challenges or importance of doing so, the book offers itself as a guide, a scholarly and personal resource, and a model for how to engage in such difficult but vital and edifying work.

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Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis: by Chris Armstrong, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 2024

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:34:28 +0000

Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis: by Chris Armstrong, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 2024 Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:34

Global Justice and the Biodiversity Crisis: by Chris Armstrong, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 2024

By: Steve Vanderheiden

Abstract:

Anthropogenic environmental change, especially when of a scale that could without hyperbole be called a crisis, provides interesting fodder for the application of global justice theories. Insofar as human drivers of the crisis or its expected impacts are differentiated in terms that coincide with existing patterns of advantage and disadvantage, such crises may aptly be

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Transforming Texas-style commodification: Sovereignty, resilience, and energy justice

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:20:08 +0000

Transforming Texas-style commodification: Sovereignty, resilience, and energy justice Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 11:20

Transforming Texas-style commodification: Sovereignty, resilience, and energy justice

By: Whiskey Sours, Steve Vanderheiden

Abstract:

We examine the 2021 collapse of the Texas electrical grid as a case study of vulnerabilities introduced by the commodification of energy systems. While theories of commodification do predict several of the observed impacts of this experiment in privatization and deregulation of public utilities, we attribute these impacts to a tendentious conception of “Texas-style” sovereignty that is not captured by existing accounts of energy justice. By supplementing existing conceptions of energy justice with an evolved conception of sovereignty, we hope to provide a more capacious and defensible normative foundation for energy systems than is available elsewhere, and one capable of diagnosing and avoiding the trappings of Texas-style energy ideals.

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Through the Grapevine: Socially Transmitted Information and Distorted Democracy. By Taylor N. Carlson. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024. 207p.

Avery Lord — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:00:27 +0000

Through the Grapevine: Socially Transmitted Information and Distorted Democracy. By Taylor N. Carlson. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024. 207p. Avery Lord Wed, 06/17/2026 - 09:00

Through the Grapevine: Socially Transmitted Information and Distorted Democracy. By Taylor N. Carlson. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024. 207p.

By: Anand Edward Sokhey

Abstract:

If you study American politics or political behavior, you should absolutely read Taylor Carlson recent book about information, interpersonal communication, and democratic functioning in the United States. However, if you tell others about the book (and you should), Through the Grapevine would suggest that you should be mindful about the message you pass along—after all, many of us have experienced some version of “the telephone game” at some point in our lives. In the context of Carlson book, we might expect that as people summaries of the work traverse their academic circles, those narratives could change in meaningful ways. To wit, the reports might evolve to exclude or misrepresent some important details, and they could shift to incorporate individuals’ personal characterizations, political opinions, and their own professional academic agendas. Indeed, given all too familiar communication dynamics, it would probably not surprise us to observe different colleagues coming to different conclusions—all through this secondhand talk—about what the book findings mean for the future of American democracy.

Just as we cannot escape rumor, gossip, and other forms of “chained” communication in our everyday (online and offline) lives, Carlson calls our attention to a ubiquitous and persistent feature of our politics: that the information the public relies on is, fundamentally, socially transmitted. Information flows from various sources to the “actively informed,” and then finally to the “casually informed.” She presents a wealth of evidence that this multistep transmission matters because (1) it changes the content and nature of the information, and (2) this altered information influences people opinions and propensity to participate in politics.

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How Exiles Mobilize Domestic Dissent

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:51:14 +0000

How Exiles Mobilize Domestic Dissent Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 15:51

How Exiles Mobilize Domestic Dissent

By: Elizabeth R Nugent, Alexandra A Siegel

Abstract:

How can exiles mobilize dissent back home? We argue that internet communication technologies enable exiles to play an instigator role in domestic contentious politics. Analyzing the behavior of three types of social media users—influencers, amplifiers, and consumers—we explore how Egyptian exiles participated in a cascade of online dissent that culminated in sizable anti-regime protests in September 2019. Analyses of large-scale digital trace data from Facebook, Google, Twitter, and YouTube demonstrate that exiles were central to the introduction and amplification of oppositional content, facilitating its circulation among a domestic audience that then localized the content by linking it with place-based calls for protest. Our findings suggest that content produced and amplified by exiles facilitates coordination among domestic opposition and challenges the supporting role typically ascribed to opposition abroad.

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Easy to Produce, Hard to Persuade: The Asymmetric Effects of AI on the Online Information Ecosystem

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:49:04 +0000

Easy to Produce, Hard to Persuade: The Asymmetric Effects of AI on the Online Information Ecosystem Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 15:49

Easy to Produce, Hard to Persuade: The Asymmetric Effects of AI on the Online Information Ecosystem

By: Brendan Nyhan, Jennifer Pan, Alexandra Siegel, Yamil Velez

Abstract:

The hype around large language models and other forms of AI has led to widespread concern about their effects on information exposure and persuasion, but these fears are likely to outstrip reality. AI is more likely to reinforce existing patterns of exposure and behavior than it is to transform how people understand and relate to the political world. Even with widespread AI use, we expect that most people will continue to consume relatively little political news and that it will be difficult to durably change public opinion at scale. The effects of AI on politics are likely to be greatest in the way it relaxes constraints on monitoring and production for lower-capacity actors and in how state control over AI development risks embedding regime-preferred narratives into the technology. We conclude by discussing how AI enables new approaches to studying information exposure and behavior.

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Responding to criticism: Autocratic states and treaty reservation withdrawal

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:19:49 +0000

Responding to criticism: Autocratic states and treaty reservation withdrawal Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 15:19

Responding to criticism: Autocratic states and treaty reservation withdrawal

By: Kelebogile Zvobgo, Megan Shannon, Cody D Eldredge

Abstract:

Autocracies, like democracies, use reservations to adjust their treaty commitments. But autocracies receive far greater pressure to withdraw reservations. To what extent is this pressure effective? We show through statistical analyses and case illustrations that autocracies respond to international pressure differently than democracies. Autocracies are more likely to withdraw reservations when facing treaty body reviews and less likely to withdraw reservations in response to peer state objections. We propose explanations for this difference. Autocracies may be more responsive to periodic reviews because they are conducted by technical experts from diverse countries, regions, and political regimes, rather than by states’ political representatives. Periodic review is an iterative process that gives autocracies time to address domestic opposition to withdrawing reservations. Yet, autocracies may be less likely to withdraw reservations in response to state objections because they see objections, which primarily originate with Western democracies, as biased, hypocritical, and possibly even neocolonial. Objections are also only filed once and may not have the sustained impact necessary to prompt reservation withdrawal. Our research improves scholarly understanding of autocratic states’ engagement with international law and international organizations, and reveals the conditional effects of the international community efforts to change state behavior within treaty regimes.

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How Partisan Policies Can Shape Health Behaviors: Executive Order Proof-of-Vaccine Mandate Bans Increased COVID-19 Vaccinations

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:56:31 +0000

How Partisan Policies Can Shape Health Behaviors: Executive Order Proof-of-Vaccine Mandate Bans Increased COVID-19 Vaccinations Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 14:56

How Partisan Policies Can Shape Health Behaviors: Executive Order Proof-of-Vaccine Mandate Bans Increased COVID-19 Vaccinations

By: Deena N Brosi, Gregory Tung, Beth M McManus, Srinivas Parinandi, Glen P Mays

Abstract:

COVID-19 vaccine resistance was detrimental to herd immunity and worsened COVID-19 morbidity and mortality during outbreaks. Despite more evidence showing reactionary behavior among residents exposed to vaccine mandates, little research has been conducted on the effects of state proof-of-vaccine (POV) mandate bans in the United States (US). We sought to investigate the causal effects of POV mandate bans, overall and stratified by policy passage via executive order or state legislature, on first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations. Methods: In the contiguous US, 21 states enacted POV mandate bans from 8 February 2021–25 October 2021. Using a geographic regression discontinuity design, we selected treatment and control counties within 150 miles of the POV mandate ban state border. The resulting sample was 4612 county-observations and 2466 unique counties. We conducted two-way fixed-effects estimation to compare changes in weekly, first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations among individuals <65 years old before and after POV mandate ban enactment between treatment and control counties. Results: Among executive order POV mandate ban counties, we saw an additional increase in weekly, first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations following POV mandate ban enactment when compared to controls. There was an additional 38.2% increase in Weeks 1–2, 40.6% in Weeks 3–4, 41.3% in Weeks 5–6, and 43.9% in Weeks 7–8. Conclusions: While seemingly counterintuitive, these findings follow Psychological Reactance Theory. Once the perceived threat to freedom was removed, reactance to COVID-19 vaccinations declined and constituents received the COVID-19 vaccine of their own volition. Future public health efforts should consider potential reactance to mandatory policies and tailor efforts to community values.

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Who Claims Fraud? Correlates of State Legislators' Voter Fraud Claims

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:54:25 +0000

Who Claims Fraud? Correlates of State Legislators' Voter Fraud Claims Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 14:54

Who Claims Fraud? Correlates of State Legislators' Voter Fraud Claims

By: Samantha Register, Srinivas Parinandi, Alexandra A Siegel

Abstract:

State legislators play a key role in election administration, but have increasingly challenged the legitimacy of elections. Using a dataset of tweets from over 4200 state legislators, we examine the institutional, individual, and state-level factors associated with legislators' propensity to make electoral fraud claims from 2019 to 2022, a period characterized by heightened criticism of status quo electoral procedure. We find that Republican partisanship, state polarization, serving in a state with a higher nonwhite population, and belonging to the state's upper chamber are correlated with more frequent election fraud tweets. Meanwhile, legislative professionalism, committee leadership, unified government, and being a female legislator are associated with making fewer fraud claims. By shifting attention from Congress to state legislatures—institutions that directly oversee election rules and administration—we identify correlates of public contestation of electoral procedure among subnational elites.

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What is the effect of political influencers on TikTok? Early results from a field experiment with young adults

Avery Lord — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:28:40 +0000

What is the effect of political influencers on TikTok? Early results from a field experiment with young adults Avery Lord Tue, 06/16/2026 - 14:28

What is the effect of political influencers on TikTok? Early results from a field experiment with young adults

By: Abdelaziz Alsharawy, Robert Anstett, Michelangelo Landgrave

Abstract:

Politicians from both major political parties in the United States have been raising concerns about the rise of TikTok, a popular social media platform founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, with some calling for stricter regulation or even banning the platform. One aspect of opposition to TikTok is its growth as a news source among young adults. This is concerning because TikTok relies on short videos that can spur strong emotional responses in young adults who are still undergoing substantial cognitive development. To test the effect of watching TikTok political influencers on young adults’ emotional response and political attitudes, we conducted a field experiment at a large American public university. Using survey data and video content analysis, we found that consuming political content on TikTok increased negative emotional affect but had seemingly no effect on political attitudes. We urge further studies to verify the negative effect of TikTok on emotional affect and to test potential mitigating interventions to reduce this adverse effect. While we strongly urge further study, we advise policymakers to place additional scrutiny on the effect of social media platforms like TikTok on emotional wellbeing.

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