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Sona Golder

@sonagolder.bsky.social
963 followers 880 following 167 posts

Political scientist, comparativist. Prof. at Penn State. Co-PI on INSTAPARTY: Party Instability in Parliaments (Norwegian Research Council) instapartyproject.com sonagolder.com

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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Far-right leaders view "the past as preferable to the present, downplaying [...] inconvenient facts, such as Mussolini in Italy, collaboration with the Nazis, Soviet occupation or the inequalities of Margaret Thatcher’s Britain." Mussolini, Nazis, USSR, &... Thatcher? www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/w...
nytimes.com
Challenges to Identity, Real and Imagined, Drive Europe’s Far Right (Gift Article)
The populist emphasis on national identity and pride, rather than the sins of the past, finds a deep response in voters adrift in a world they no longer understand.
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I love it when people post interesting things that I can use in my European politics course...
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British Journal of Political Science @bjpols.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In partnership with Cambridge and BJPolS, the British Academy awards an annual prize in honour of Brian Barry, a distinguished Fellow of the Academy and founding editor of the journal. Browse the winning essays here - cup.org/46Q9A0C #APSA2026
Green background with white text reading "British Journal of Political Science" at the top and "Brian Barry Prize" at the bottom.
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Michael Nelson @mjnelson.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Penn State is hiring an Assistant Professor with research and teaching interests in political science and artificial intelligence, broadly defined. Please share widely! psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Academic...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Assistant Professor, Political Science
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I've been searching for the pdf version of the APSA 2026 program which is supposed to be available mid-August and haven't found it yet. Am I looking in the wrong place on the conference website? If so let me know! (I'd love to think it's not mid-August yet but my semester begins tomorrow, so...)
Screenshot from APSA website: "Use the Online Program or or download the pdf program (available mid August) to obtain the most up-to-date information on the 2026 APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Boston, MA."
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Have you seen Derry Girls? (The first two seasons, especially.)
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Why is institutional neutrality so difficult?
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Department of Comparative Politics UiB @sampol.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
We are hiring! Please share 👉 💡 2 PhD positions 🇳🇴 Department of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen 🗓️ 4 years 💶 Fully funded 👩‍🏫 25 % teaching ⏳ 11 August 2026 🔗 www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
I appreciate the note saying that they know that pterodactyls aren't dinosaurs... (because that would have been my kid's first comment upon seeing that list).
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
An electoral pact might not be the answer but it would be very interesting to watch... Nice discussion drawing on work by @drjennings.bsky.social and @robfordmancs.bsky.social.
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
I am looking forward to the analyses that my American politics colleagues will be able to write about strategic candidate entry, incumbency advantage, candidate quality, etc. using this case... www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/u...
nytimes.com
A Sly Political Switcheroo Stuns Montana and Starts a New Senate Fight
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Department of Comparative Politics UiB @sampol.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
📣 New article 👥 @allansikk.bsky.social @sonagolder.bsky.social @ibenskasr.bsky.social @paulinasl.bsky.social 👉 Does switching pay off? The impact of parliamentary party instability on individual electoral performance 📗 Open access in Electoral Studies 🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.el...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
We find all types of party switchers less likely to run again vs non-switchers. If seeking reelection, switching is bad for all (newly independent, splits, etc.) except defectors to other parties who can benefit from high list positions w/ new party even if their personal popularity drops. See 👇
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
That's a good question. Komeito will want to emphasize a clear distinction, especially on corruption, and I'd expect leaving the coalition would prompt some voters to update their perceptions. But as you note, after 26 years, it's not clear how much of an immediate impact this will have on voters...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Diminishing electoral support + heightened policy conflict w/ the LDP over Komeito’s core issue – corruption – prompted the rupture. This illustrates general policy challenges faced by niche parties, as shown by @danbischof.bsky.social & @markuswagner.bsky.social (Bischof & Wagner BJPolS 2020) (3/3)
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
As a junior govt partner, Komeito had to navigate challenging policy differences with the LDP (Sukeui Sohn JEAS 2024), though @adampliff.bsky.social & Ko Maeda show that the parties had strong electoral incentives to cooperate (Liff & Maeda JJPS 2019) (2/3)
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
I have a piece in East Asia Forum w/ Charles Crabtree & Jinhyuk Jang on Komeito’s exit from Japan’s 26-year ruling coalition. We highlight polsci research by Sukeui Sohn; @adampliff.bsky.social & Ko Maeda; @danbischof.bsky.social & @markuswagner.bsky.social. (1/3) eastasiaforum.org/2025/12/30/j...
eastasiaforum.org
Japan’s Komeito exposes the logic of coalition survival
Japan’s long-standing coalition cracked when Komeito chose its identity over power, walking out rather than be tainted by the LDP’s corruption scandals
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
media.tenor.com
a young boy is making a funny face with his hands while wearing a hat .
ALT: a young boy is making a funny face with his hands while wearing a hat .
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Current Japanese politics highlight the importance of distinguishing ‘formal’ vs. ‘substantive’ minority cabinets. Our East Asia Forum article links to very useful work by @mariathurk.bsky.social and @svenjakrauss.bsky.social on this point. (Thürk LSQ 2022; Krauss & Thürk WEP 2022)
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
The minority LDP will only be able to muster a majority if Ishin continues to support from outside & every MP from both parties adheres to party discipline at all times… still a challenging situation for the PM over the long term. (3/3)
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Now – underscoring the perils of this kind of minority situation and the importance of party switching* – 3 independent MPs who’d been expelled from Ishin are joining the LDP! However… (2/3) (*See doi.org/10.1111/lsq.... w/ @ibenskasr.bsky.social, @allansikk.bsky.social, @paulinasl.bsky.social)
doi.org
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
I recently published a piece in East Asia Forum w/ Charles Crabtree about the challenges facing Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi as head of a minority govt (even with outside support from Ishin, the govt was just shy of a majority). eastasiaforum.org/2025/11/27/t... (1/3)
eastasiaforum.org
Takaichi’s Japan enters an era of fragile coalitions
Takaichi’s minority government must rely on constant bargaining and coalition-building to survive in a divided Diet.
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Marc Debus @marcdebus.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Interested in the theory and empirics of multi-party governments? Thomas Bräuninger and I edited a Handbook on Coalition Politics with Edward Elgar Publishing: lnkd.in/eis8Yc2y /1
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Michael Nelson @mjnelson.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
Penn State Political Science is launching a new Semester in Washington program and we’re hiring a full-time on-site coordinator for the program, based permanently in Washington, D.C.
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Going to be teaching about electoral rules in European democracies next week, so thanks to everyone reacting to @simonhix.bsky.social's proposal to change NL's electoral system... Very interesting discussion of important tradeoffs.
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Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 24/09/2025
The US Administration is moving to severely restrict lawful, high-skill immigration. First H-1B visas. Next comes barring int'l students from staying to offer their talents to the US after graduation. I wrote earlier on the economic harms Americans can expect—> www.piie.com/blogs/realti...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Just began teaching about the economic determinants of democracy & dictatorship. A student's thoughtful question after class has prompted me to re-read this smart article by @jeanhong.bsky.social which is on my list of recommended materials for the week: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
journals.uchicago.edu
How Natural Resources Affect Authoritarian Leaders’ Provision of Public Services: Evidence from China | The Journal of Politics: Vol 80, No 1
This article examines the effects of natural resource extraction on authoritarian governments’ provision of public services, using subnational data from China. Facing no electoral constraint that woul...
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Charlotte Cavaille @ccavaille.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
It is the time of the year when I tell you about my favorite post-doc ever 👇 Unless you are allergic to the French, this one sits up there with the Nuffield postdoc (life style, productivity, interdisciplinary stimulation). Share widely! Apply! #poliscky www.iast.fr/research-fel...
iast.fr
Research Fellowships
Each year, IAST invites applications for post-doctoral Research Fellowships, which offer candidates an opportunity to devote themselves full-time to their research at the start of their careers. Fello...
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MZES Uni Mannheim @mzesunimannheim.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
📣 Attention, postdoctoral researchers! ❗ Apply now for our MZES Visiting Fellowships 😊 💡 Spend 2-4 weeks at the MZES to share ideas 💰 Funding for accommodation, travel, daily allowance 📆 Deadline: 28 November Full information: 👉 www.mzes.uni-mannheim.de/en/news/deta...
Screenshot of the call for applications for MZES Visiting Fellowships, 22 September 2025. For the full text, please follow the link.
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 21/09/2025
It's official! Check out the new International Center for Decentralization and Governance, an interdisciplinary initiative for the study of decentralization, governance, and federalism. Wish I could attend the conference on Asymmetric Decentralization in Santiago de Compostela in early November...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
The other Prof. Golder has an electoral systems data paper - and a couple of updates (w/ Nils Bormann) - that were published in Electoral Studies (in 2005, 2013, 2022). mattgolder.com/elections
mattgolder.com
Elections
DES Version 5.0 (1919-2020) Nils-Christian Bormann and I are releasing version 5.0 of the Democratic Electoral Systems (DES) dataset. The new dataset is the same as DES 4.2 but expands the time per…
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Max Grömping @maxgroemping.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Please share widely! Great #PostDoc opportunity at one of Australia's top #PoliticalScience departments, on a #FutureFellowship on electoral resilience. 3yrs, great pay, and a workplace practically next to the Great Barrier Reef! Closing date is 1 Oct 2025 jobs.smartrecruiters.com/GriffithUniv...
jobs.smartrecruiters.com
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Grade 1
Company Description: Every institution values excellence. What matters most is why. Griffith was created to be a different type of university. You’ll find we’re about leading research, academic excel...
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Allan Sikk @allansikk.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
If you are in Vancouver this week, do come along to Instaparty presentations @apsa.bsky.social 2025! instapartyproject.com @ibenskasr.bsky.social @sonagolder.bsky.social @paulinasl.bsky.social
Instaparty logo
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Thanks to @elizabethbitmeehan.com for the solution so that we can easily scroll through ALL the #APSA2025 panels... [Note that panel locations might not be up to date] apsanet.org/wp-content/u...
apsanet.org
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for.
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
For folks heading to #APSA soon - is there a version of the program that one can scroll though and see all the information about panels (without clicking though & back each time)? Not saying I miss those thick printed programs but wanted to check that I'm not overlooking an online version of them.
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David Evans @daveevansphd.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
I'm putting together a talk on a new applied micro paper, and I'm reminded that (I believe) it's very hard to outperform the structure proposed in this piece by Jesse Shapiro. shapiro.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/file...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Looks fascinating - and a great example to use for my European politics class (which begins with 6 weeks on 20th century history) about why history matters for understanding politics today...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Me, sitting at my desk after teaching two classes, get my (sad desk) sandwich out for a quick lunch, open Bluesky for a few minutes and...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Stopped by the library to find the book that @dingdingpeng.the100.ci posted about even though classes start in a few days and I don’t really have time to read it. And then I saw this other book that looked really interesting (and which I also don’t have time to read). Left with 5 books in total.
Two book covers, The Collapse by M.E. Sarotte and Journey to a Revolution by M. Korda
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
Feeling nostalgic for the days when I could show students in my European politics class this classic Schabowski moment from my VHS (!) copy of the 1999 documentary "When the Wall Came Tumbling Down: 50 Hours That Changed the World"...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Have you been spying on me while I added a new reading because that one week seemed too empty?
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Had a long chat with my MIL yesterday, and she didn't mention it either! But then, I imagine the news blackout could extend to Northamptonshire from Oxfordshire...
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
Duo, why are you making me worry about automatic desk rejections?
Picture of screenshot from Duolingo app with a translation of the phrase "Don't reject my article before having read it."
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Ruth Dassonneville @rdassonneville.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
‼️ There are a few more days left to apply for the PhD positions in my group at KU Leuven. Make sure to send in applications by July 4! 👇
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
I tried to explain Howard Dean's "scream" to a 20-year old who has been following current political developments in the US. I failed.
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Ruth Dassonneville @rdassonneville.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
I'm recruiting 2 PhD researchers to work with me on a project studying how social groups influence vote choices! Info on the position and how to apply 👉 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... Please share with interested students who would like to move to beautiful Leuven!
kuleuven.be
2 PhD positions in Electoral behavior
2 PhD positions to research how social group memberships become connected to vote choices
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
The private sector will not fill the gaps. The size of the cuts is too big, and the incentives does not align to do basic research or train the next generation of PhD students. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/are-univer...
donmoynihan.substack.com
Are universities too dependent on federal support?
Destroying a decades-long scientific partnership will hurt more than higher ed
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Sona Golder @sonagolder.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
Félicitations, Damien!
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Emma Pearson @emmapearson.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Wonderful footage of Parisians celebrating 80 years ago today. Ending, of course, with a rousing chorus of La Marseillaise
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