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Adam Scharpf

@ascharpf.bsky.social
1.6K followers 289 following 142 posts

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen Researching dictatorships and the dark side of politics | www.adamscharpf.net Author of "Making a Career in Dictatorship", OUP | tinyurl.com/ystwm3tf

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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A federal prosecutor draws a striking parallel between the career-pressure logic we document in Making a Career in Dictatorship and what's unfolding in the U.S. Department of Justice under the Trump administration - he even mentions our book! As reported by @epress.bsky.social in @newyorker.com 👇
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Alex Dukalskis @alexdukalskis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
My department - @ucdpolitics.bsky.social - is hiring two PERMANENT posts in any area of politics, international relations, theory, or development studies. Please apply if you are on the academic job market, and if you're not, please do us a solid & spread the word! Deadline NOV 9.
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Anita Gohdes @argohdes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The call for proposals for the @epssnet.bsky.social Pre-Conference Workshops 2027 is now open: epssnet.org/2027-copenha... If you're interested in hosting a pre-conference workshop please take a look!
epssnet.org
Pre-Conference Workshop EPSS 2027
Submit your proposal for a pre-conference workshop at the EPSS 2027 Conference in Copenhagen to lead focused discussions and skill-building sessions for political science scholars.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Pointierte und sehr lesenswerte Rezension von David Kühn @giga-hamburg.de zu unserem Buch Making a Career in Dictatorship.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Opportunismus ist der Kitt von Diktaturen! Darüber habe ich mit dem Spiegel gesprochen – und über unser Buch Making a Career in Dictatorship. 👇
spiegel.de
(S+) Opportunismus im »Dritten Reich«: Als die Nazis keine neuen Parteigenossen mehr haben wollten
Nach Hitlers Machtantritt 1933 traten in wenigen Monaten etwa 1,6 Millionen Frauen und Männer in die NSDAP ein. Auf den Ansturm folgte ein Aufnahmestopp. Was versprachen sich die Neumitglieder?
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EPSS @epssnet.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
📢 The Call for Papers for EPSS 2027 is open! After a fantastic first conference in Belfast, we’re heading to Copenhagen 🇩🇰, 24–26 June 2027. ⏰ Deadline: 13 Nov 2026 👉 Call for papers: epssnet.org/2027-copenha... 1/2
epssnet.org
Call for Papers | EPSS Belfast 2026 Conference
Submit your abstract or full paper for EPSS Belfast 2026. Share cutting‑edge political science research, network with peers & contribute to academic impact.
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Stefanie Walter @stefwalter.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Remember to nominate your favorite EPSS paper for this award – nomination deadline coming up on August 31.
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Department of Political Science, University of Oslo @statsvitenskap.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
📣 We are hiring - please share! 👉 1-2 Postdoctoral Fellows with specialization in political data science or comparative politics as part of the ERC project “Authoritarian Threats to Scientific Knowledge” (AutoKnow)- PI Tore Wig. 📅3-4 years ⏳September 10, 2026. 🔗 www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
jobbnorge.no
Postdoctoral Fellow  (303060) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Fellow  (303060), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Thursday, September 10, 2026
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Omar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
“‘Making a Career in Dictatorship,’ a new book by two German political scientists, Adam Scharpf and Christian Glassel, reads like what you might get if you crossed Hannah Arendt’s ideas about the ‘banality of evil’ with a business school guide on how to get the most out of low performers.”
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EPSS @epssnet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
The next #EPSS conference will be in Copenhagen from 24-26 June 2027. The call for papers will be out in early fall and you can find all information here: epssnet.org/2027-copenha...
epssnet.org
EPSS 2026 Conference | June 18–20 | ICC Belfast, UK
Join top political scientists for the EPSS 2026 Annual Conference in Belfast. Submit papers, attend panels, and network with fellow researchers.
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Rahel Freiburghaus @rfrbrghs.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
There are many images today of the far right mobilizing and marching, from Erfurt to DC. But today also marks the start of the Tour de France! Being a municipality located on the Tour de France route *reduces* the far-right vote share 🚴🏿🚴🏿🚴🏿 #tdf2026 #ef0407
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Great slides—definitely worth checking out if you're interested in understanding armed conflict! @aaronclauset.bsky.social never disappoints.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Super grateful for a wonderful review of Making a Career in Dictatorship by the very sharp @kkrakows.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social One of my favorite lines: "Few books sustain this level of analytical momentum across chapters."
doi.org
Making a career in dictatorship: the secret logic behind repression and coups
Published in Democratization (Ahead of Print, 2026)
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Sabine Carey @sabinecarey.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Looking for an absolutely riveting read to better understand security organizations? Check this out 👇🏻by Christian Gläßel & @ascharpf.bsky.social , just awarded first ever @epssnet.bsky.social book award 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Super thrilled and deeply grateful that Making a Career in Dictatorship has received the 2026 Best Book Award of @epssnet.bsky.social! #EPSS2026 😮🤩🎉 Many thanks to the award committee. Christian was in Belfast to receive it; I sadly couldn’t attend but would have loved to be there.
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Mathias Hong @hongmathias.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Dominik Vogel @dominikvogel.bsky.social zur Wehrhaftigkeit des Berufsbeamtentums: "Wenn eine autoritäre Bewegung mit demokratischen Mitteln an die Macht gelangt, können Staatsdiener*innen den Abbau der Demokratie und des Rechtsstaats nur sehr schwer allein aufhalten." 1/5
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Steffen Hurka @steffenhurka.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
📢 PhD position in Political Science Join the ERC-funded #DEMOLAW project, studying the design, creation and survival of democratic laws across the US, UK and EU using computational methods. 📍 Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen 📅 Apply by 12 July 2026 #PhD #PoliticalScience #AcademicJobs
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eric gonzalez juenke @egojunk.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Think about this research nearly every day now reading the news.
A Data Set of Mediocrity When he was a young Ph.D. student, Mr. Scharpf was conducting dissertation research in Buenos Aires when a government official
dropped a fateful offhand comment during a conversation in a cafe. During the military dictatorship, the official said, the intelligence officers who did the regime's worst dirty work were "essentially
idiots."
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Carnegie Endowment @carnegieendowment.org · 29/05/2026
China’s Ministry of Public Security is frequently portrayed as a domestic law enforcement agency. But it’s also a global security actor – and it allows China to advance its vision of security abroad. More from @sheenagreitens.bsky.social, @cameronwaltz.bsky.social, & Sophie Zhuang:
buff.ly
China’s Police and Security Cooperation Agreements
China’s Ministry of Public Security is often portrayed as a domestic law enforcement agency, but it is also a global security actor. This paper explores how MPS has used international law enforcement…
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Fußball ist Sport – und Politik. ⚽ Mehr dazu morgen beim Online-Roundtable des @giga-hamburg.de: „Fußball, Macht und Protest: Die globale Politik der Weltmeisterschaft 2026“ Anmeldung 👇: www.giga-hamburg.de/en/events/gi...
giga-hamburg.de
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
The FIFA World Cup kicks off in less than three weeks ⚽🏆 Had the pleasure of discussing my research on sportswashing and its effects on German television @zdfde.bsky.social 👇 (Interview is in German)
youtu.be
WM 2026: Fanfest oder Trump- und FIFA-Show? | Länderspiegel
YouTube video by ZDFheute Nachrichten
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Thrilled to see Making a Career in Dictatorship featured in The New York Times @nytimes.com My favorite line: “[The book] reads like what you might get if you crossed Hannah Arendt’s ideas about the ‘banality of evil’ with a business school guide on how to get the most out of low performers.”
nytimes.com
Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
„Wählen wir die Demokratie ab?“ Liberale Demokratien sind weltweit unter Druck — und autokratische Kräfte gewinnen an Einfluss Wie ernst ist die Lage? Was können wir tun? Darüber diskutiere ich nächste Woche am @ipz.bsky.social 📍Mo, 18.05., 18:15, Aula Uni Zürich Anmeldung 👇 ema.uzh.ch/RTKL3
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Really enjoyed presenting my new book Making a Career in Dictatorship at the @uni-konstanz.de today. Great discussion and thoughtful questions. Big thanks to @geraldschneider.bsky.social @nilsweidmann.bsky.social @leuffen.bsky.social for organizing the event!
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Lukas Haffert @lhaffert.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
I am looking for a postdoc to join my team at the University of Bremen. 5-year-contract, top-up to 100% possible for most of the contract period. Apply by 04 May 2026. If you have questions about the position, send me an email! www.uni-bremen.de/en/universit...
uni-bremen.de
Job Vacancies - Universität Bremen
Offene Stellen
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World Politics @worldpolitics.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Got Theory? @ascharpf.bsky.social uses Henry #Kissinger’s International Seminar to test a #theory of #SoftPower targeting in educational #exchange programs. Read his full article here: doi.org/10.1353/wp.2...
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
📚 Book Talk am Bodensee 🗓 Do, 23.04.2026 🕖 19:15–20:45 📍 Zeppelin Universität Für alle, die sich für Politik, Geschichte & Autokratien interessieren. Ich freue mich auf den Austausch! Vielen Dank an @debremaria.bsky.social & @steffenhurka.bsky.social für die Einladung. Mehr Infos & Anmeldung: 👇
zu.de
Book Talk | Making a Career in Dictatorship | Zeppelin Universität
The Secret Logic Behind Repression And Coups: Book Talk with Prof Dr Adam Scharpf, University of Copenhagen
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Wiebke Marie Junk @wmjunk.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
📣We are hiring! The LOBBYMETRY project invites applications for a 2-3 year PostDoc / Assistant Professor. Focus: understanding informational lobbying and evidence selection in policymaking through participant observation. Deadline: 26 May candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
candidate.hr-manager.net
Postdoctoral Researcher/Assistant Professor Position in Political Science as part of the ERC-funded Lobbying (A)symmetry Project
The research project “Lobbying (A)symmetry: The Dynamics Behind Informed Policy” (LOBBYMETRY) led by Associate Professor Wiebke Marie Junk (Department of P
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Felix Haass @felixhaass.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
@au.dk is hiring 3 postdocs (2 yrs) on personality cults & strategic communication in autocracies, led by Jakob Tolstrup & Alexander Baturo. They're looking for profiles with text-as-data, survey experiments and/or Chinese politics experience. Start fall 2026. Looks like a great opportunity!
international.au.dk
Three 2-year Postdoctoral positions at Aarhus University: Projects on personality cults and strategic communication in autocracies - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Putins Regime rekrutiert jetzt sogar an Eliteuniversitäten! Was dahinter steckt – und warum Karrieredruck eine wichtige Rolle spielt – erklären wir in unserem neuen Op-Ed im Tagesspiegel. 👇
tagesspiegel.de
Karrieredruck als Kriegsressource: Deshalb lässt Putin jetzt an Eliteuniversitäten Soldaten rekrutieren
Wenn Studierenden die akademische Laufbahn verwehrt bleibt, wird ihnen die Armee als Ausweg verkauft und damit Gewalt belohnt. Doch das birgt Gefahren – auch für Russlands Führung.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
🎧 Audiobook Giveaway Lottery! Dive into the secret logic behind repression & coups with our new audiobook: "MAKING A CAREER IN DICTATORSHIP" I’m giving away 3 FREE copies! 1️⃣ Repost this 2️⃣ Do it by Monday 12 PM (noon) After that, I’ll randomly select 3 winners and send the audiobook links!
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Ian Carrillo @iansociologo.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Today is the 50 year anniversary of the onset of the 1976-1983 military dictatorship in Argentina. elpais.com/argentina/20...
elpais.com
Argentina 1976–1983: mapa del terror y la memoria
Recorrido desde la Casa Rosada, donde se anunció el inicio del autodenominado Proceso de Reorganización Nacional el 24 de marzo, hasta los tribunales en los que, ya en democracia, la Justicia argentin...
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Matthias Döring @matdoering.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
📢 We're hiring! | PostDoc Position (3 years) in CALi-project (Citizens' Administrative Literacy) I'm looking for a PostDoc researcher to join my DFF-funded project on Administrative Literacy at the @pa-sdu.bsky.social fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
fa-eosd-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com
3-year Postdoctoral Researcher in Public Administration, particularly citizen-state interactions
The Department of Political Science and Public Management invites applications for one 3-year postdoctoral researcher in relation to the CALi project (funded by DFF, titled “Navigating the System – Ci...
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Our new book, MAKING A CAREER IN DICTATORSHIP (Oxford University Press), is available in hardcover. Oxford offers 30% off with the code at checkout for the hardcover 👇 Code: AUFLY30 (or simply get the much cheaper softcover) Unlock the secrets of navigating authoritarian regimes!
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
How does an authoritarian leader build — and maintain — a fiercely loyal security force? And how much of that playbook shows up in developments around the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? We followed @donmoyn.bsky.social’s invitation and wrote a guest post - based on our new book 👇
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Toni Rodon @tonirodon.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Foreign influencers help authoritarian regimes: while they may not sway domestic audiences already saturated with propaganda, they can reshape the perceptions of more credulous foreign publics journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com
Authoritarian Persuasion at Home and Abroad: The Partial Effectiveness of Foreign Influencers in Propaganda Work - Siyu Liang, Lachlan McNamee, 2026
How do authoritarian regimes make propaganda persuasive? This study evaluates the impact of foreign influencers in propaganda. Social media videos and state bro...
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Just arrived: MAKING A CAREER IN DICTATORSHIP. Featuring original visualizations throughout, the book reconstructs an entire military organization using career data from 15k officers. A deep dive into how the security apparatus in autocracies really works. Excited to finally hold it in my hands.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
🤩👇🥳
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
👇😉
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Russia, Venezuela, Iran, China, the Sahel region, the United States ... Want to know why state agents carry out brutal repression — or participate in illegal coups? Our new book "Making a Career in Dictatorship" provides answers — it just got published by @academic.oup.com: tinyurl.com/ystwm3tf
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Reißerischer Titel, aber lesenswerter Artikel: Interview mit meinem Ko-Autor Christian Gläßel über unser neues Buch „Making a Career in Dictatorship“ auf @krautreporter.bsky.social. 👇
krautreporter.de
Autokratien brauchen karrieregeile Menschen, keine Sadisten
Warum beteiligen sich Menschen in Autokratien an Repressionen? Der Politikwissenschaftler Christian Gläßel sagt: weil sie unter Karrieredruck stehen.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Donald Trump just officially launched his "Board of Peace" (BoP) at the World Economic Forum. Some fear that the goal is to undermine the United Nations. But which countries participate, which don't, and which haven't yet decided? Let's quickly look at this! [Caution: Data-based hot take]
en.wikipedia.org
Board of Peace - Wikipedia
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Largely unnoticed outside of Argentina, President Milei is planning a massive expansion of the intelligence service's powers – SIDE. Among other things, agents would be allowed to arrest citizens. I spoke with the Buenos Aires Herald about possible consequences and parallels to the country's past.
buenosairesherald.com
Rights groups warn SIDE arrest powers risk 'persecution and intimidation' - Buenos Aires Herald
More than 20 NGOs said that the decree granting broad discretion to intelligence services could become ‘a tool for massive surveillance’
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
Our book, "Making a Career in Dictatorship: The Secret Logic Behind Repression and Coups," will be shipping in less than a month. For all those curious, here is the updated information kit with summaries, pointers, and more: tinyurl.com/4n5da6p6
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Thanks a lot, @andrew.heiss.phd, for the shout-out.
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𝙅𝙖𝙘🍩𝙗 𝙉𝙮𝙧𝙪𝙥 @jacobnyrup.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
We are happy to release the Paths to Power Dashboard. It is the perfect tool for politics nerds! You can find it here: ptp.isv.sv.uio.no/ptp/ It allows you to explore governments from 1966-2021 using the PtP and WhoGov datasets. See examples below. The app has been programmed by Stuart Bramwell.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Thanks for referring to our research, @donmoyn.bsky.social! For those who want to understand the actions of authoritarian security organizations, here is the info kit of our forthcoming book “Making a Career in Dictatorship”. It includes short chapter summaries and more: tinyurl.com/599d6uc5
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
I spoke with the authors of the study, Christian Gläßel and @ascharpf.bsky.social, who drew direct parallels between the creation of secret police in authoritarian regimes and what is happening under the Trump administration. Right now, the signals of impunity for loyalists stands out.
Gläßel and Scharpf pointed to three mechanisms that reshape career incentives: purges, the erosion of legitimate accountability mechanisms, and signals of impunity for loyalists. These patterns that are clearly emerging in agencies like the FBI, and mirror other authoritarian settings they have studied. Once an agency is corrupted:

officers hope that the regime will reward them for shouldering the burden of the regime’s dirty work. The rationale is simple: extreme loyalty and repressive commitment offer a path to advancement otherwise unavailable to them.
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Adam Scharpf @ascharpf.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
The @bostonglobe.com features our new book "Making a Career in Dictatorship," which comes out next month. Thank you, @svobodster.bsky.social, for the article!
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