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Austin S. Matthews

@austinsmatthews.bsky.social
565 followers 52 following 61 posts

Associate Professor. Clements Center for National Security, UT Austin. Dictatorships, security studies, and political violence.

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Reposted by Austin S. Matthews
The WhoGov Project @whogov.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
We are happy to release Version 4 of WhoGov, which expands WhoGov to 2025. It now contains data on cabinet members from 1966-2025. The update is supported by UiO:Democracy and can be downloaded through GETGOV's page or through Nuffield College: politicscentre.nuffield.ox.ac.uk/whogov-datas.... 1/2
sv.uio.no
Governing elites since the dawn of modern democracy (GETGOV) - Department of Political Science
Ever since humans settled into communities, there have been political classes. A small elite governs, while the majority are governed. Yet, who are the people in the governing elite? GETGOV will answe...
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Thrilled to share that this August I'll be joining the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin as an Associate Professor. Returning home to teach security studies, strategy, and statecraft has been a goal of mine since starting graduate school. Grateful to everyone who helped me get here.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Xi Jinping has issued suspended death sentences for two defense ministers purged in the last three years. Just to give you an idea how irregular this is, below are data I've constructed on defense minister fates for all dictatorships since 1946. apnews.com/article/chin...
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Sorry academia. Starfox 64 remake is coming out on Switch 2 so I'm gonna be occupied for the next half year
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
I've long wondered if military juntas (as they often claim) are better at winning ongoing civil wars? Probably not a good sign if ministers are getting killed on the frontlines. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/...
aljazeera.com
Mali’s Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed during coordinated attacks
Death of influential minister seen as a big blow for Mali's military government during fighting with armed groups.
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Reposted by Austin S. Matthews
PSA Autocracy & Regime Change Specialist Group @psaautocracy.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
🚨 We are now accepting submissions for two of our Specialist Group's Awards 🚨 - Best Paper Award - Best PhD Paper Award Rules: anyone can nominate – self-nominations are welcome! – a paper for these awards by emailing arc.psa.sg@gmail.com Deadline: 25 May 2026 Details on the rules👇
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Writing the qualitative chapters of my book has been so much fun. Dedicated a nice long paragraph to describing how one Caribbean prime minister was accused of practicing sex magic and believed in telekenesis.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Attending these workshops has honestly been one of the best parts of my career. So many friends met and opportunities created by participating. Please apply!
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Grenada joining CARICOM in sending humanitarian support to Cuba, continuing a long aid relationship between the two countries. Given ongoing US coercive pressures on Grenada to firmly realign its foreign and economic policies, I wonder whether these will intensify www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkY9...
youtube.com
Grenada sends Cuba Aid
YouTube video by Grenada Broadcasting Network
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Had the opportunity to use WhoGov's Paths to Power data visualization in teaching today. Student interaction in thinking about where ministers went to college, gender distribution, and more was so exciting. Outstanding and accessible learning tool for teaching "elites"! ptp.isv.sv.uio.no/ptp/
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Things are getting tense between Eritrea and Ethiopia once more over alleged border incursions. Interesting to consider force size differences. Nearly one-third of Eritrea is active military or reserve. Despite its population being 2% of Ethiopia's, its armed forces are 40% larger
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
If you use the CIA World Leaders publications, now would be a good time to download and/or archive all the PDFs apnews.com/article/cia-...
apnews.com
CIA ends publication of its popular World Factbook reference tool
The CIA is ending the publication of its popular World Factbook reference manual. The agency announced the decision Wednesday but gave no reason for it.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Across two separate FOIA requests... Request 1. State Dept FOIA office Jan 16: "You're associated with an educational institution, no search fees." Request 2. State Dept FOIA office Feb 5: "You're not associated with a waiver category, pay up." Same researcher. Same topic. Same agency.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
PM Mitchell frames accepting third-country deportees as addressing Grenada's "labor shortage." But when the offer comes after a fish export ban, visa freeze, and travel warning downgrade, it seems more like compliance under pressure dressed as opportunity www.thenewtodaygrenada.com/local-news/g...
thenewtodaygrenada.com
Grenada moves closer to accepting U.S deportees
“The reality is if there is an opportunity for us to get workers through this Third Country National programme from the United States I have no difficulty in taking those workers.”
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
A few dozen Cuban officers/construction workers also died during the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. They had been stationed mostly around the international airport, assisting with its development. This monument stands outside it and a marker inside thanks Fidel Castro for his contributions.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
FYI the National Defence Council that the Venezuelan VP announced isn't an irregular junta or anything. It's a constitutional body made up of various ministers, judicial entities, and security heads. Specifically convened for emergency periods.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
You ever be 80% done with the book you're writing but start obsessing over the one you haven't started writing yet? 😑
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
There are so many books and articles being released on the topic of revolutions. Insightful conversations being had about origins, processes, consolidation, and the durability of these regimes. Very rich quantitative and qualitative assessments that I've enjoyed.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
West Africa's coup wave raises a question for civil-military relations: if autonomy and professionalism are insufficient for prevention, should coup-proofing be reconsidered for unconsolidated democracies? Can coup-proofing even be done without it being inherently repressive or personalistic?
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
In the southern Caribbean, the nation of Grenada grapples with renewed geopolitical attention. Once again, the United States sees its wider interests run through the small island and ironically its international airport. Struggling with its revolutionary past. nowgrenada.com/2025/10/no-l...
nowgrenada.com
No longer anyone’s backyard | NOW Grenada
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
The recent coup wave continues: the military has seized power in Madagascar amidst protests. The president (on the run) interestingly was himself installed via a coup in the early 2010s. Latest episode of youth protests parlayed into a coup. www.bbc.com/news/live/cq...
bbc.com
Elite Madagascar military unit says it has seized power from President Andry Rajoelina
MPs have voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina, who has reportedly fled the country following anti-government protests.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Archival work yielding some irrelevant, yet incredible, findings.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
In case anyone was wondering how US regional universities are doing. We just had all graduate assistantships pulled. Funding cuts every year since I arrived. Dept is down three people and can't hire replacements. Yet, construction everywhere and big celebrations of our R1 status upgrade.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Thread of my findings from the released JFK files. Not making any deep judgements, just general observations based on what I know. Cuba in particular.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Seriously, what the hell is wrong with some journal editors? How can a paper be reasonably under review for over five months? This is malpractice.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
That whole press conference was a disgusting and shameful set-up. Bunch of absolute jackals.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
www.gao.gov/blog/foia-ba...
gao.gov
FOIA Backlogs Hinder Government Transparency and Accountability
Each year, media outlets, businesses, and members of the public file hundreds of thousands of requests for government records on a wide range of topics—from consumer safety to national security. Their...
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Reviewer said my historical narrative was written `bit too poetically.' Presented as a criticism, but I'm flattered they recognized my prose.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Just found a 1979 secret police memo assessing the `political loyalty' of the guy who drove me around in his taxi over the summer.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
#Dictatorsky Can anyone give me some solid recommendations for papers that are: 1) qual studies of an individual institution in a single regime; 2) in a dictatorship; 3) published in a political science (or adjacent) journal?
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Found a circular from the commander of the Grenada People's Revolutionary Army warning his soldiers in December 1980 not to fall into a "jingle bells mentality".
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Found a bunch of secret police memos from communist Grenada (1979-1983) that makes it sound like they were in a shadow war with the Rastafarians. Started after Bishop didn't give `King Nang Nang' a cabinet spot after the revolution, leading to a fall-out.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
I will be in DC this week for research at the National Archives. Digitizing portions of the Grenada seized documents, which were taken during the 1983 invasion by the US and CARICOM participants. My focus will be on civil-military and state security developments.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
al-Golani states the Assad security forces will be dissolved. Abolishing the old military is a major transformative project, intended to build a new loyal army from the rebel columns. However, transformation alone is not enough to develop military cohesion and loyalty. www.cbc.ca/news/world/s...
cbc.ca
Syrian rebel leader says he will dissolve regime forces, as Syrians return to work | CBC News
Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa - better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani - said in a written statement Wednesday that he would dissolve the security forces of the toppled regime of Bashar al-Assad...
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Syria's rebels are in a tenuous position based on origins. There are many factions in the coalition that ousted Assad, this creates extreme disharmony in the new elite. Possible violent purges to consolidate positions. Makes for a strong likelihood of rebellions or coups by those that get sidelined.
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
How did I get 400 followers without posting for half a year lol
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 06/10/2023
Bing AI could never top this masterpiece
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 04/10/2023
I was also quoted on Ukrainian state television Freedom News. Again, speaking about purges in dictatorships. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl-t...
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 04/10/2023
Looking forward to ending up on the persona-non-grata list! My interview with Meduza on Prigozhin and purges in general meduza.io/feature/2023... polisky dictatorsky civmilsky
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Austin S. Matthews @austinsmatthews.bsky.social · 29/09/2023
Any good leads on research grants focused on country scholarship in LATAM, specifically the Caribbean?
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