The hottest Political Science Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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At least five interesting things: The new conservative era (#53)

Noahpinion • 16764 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. There's a big shift happening in American politics. Many people who once protested against issues like police brutality are now showing support for a conservative viewpoint.
  2. The Democratic Party seems to be influenced too much by special interest groups and might need to listen more to regular voters to regain support.
  3. Science and politics are mixing too much, causing trust issues. There's a push for science to stand apart from political debates to restore confidence in its findings.

Political Psychology Links, 1/12/2026

In My Tribe • 288 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🔬 Science Political Science
  1. Many psychological findings fail to replicate, which suggests the field needs stronger methods and that folk intuitions can make it hard to tell scientific results from guesswork.
  2. Because many genes affect many traits and behavior emerges from complex gene–environment interactions, predicting disorders or specific traits from genetics is very difficult, and turning continuous traits into binary diagnoses makes the statistics less reliable.
  3. Evolutionary ideas often explain common tendencies in politics and behavior, but they are not strict rules—social institutions, personality differences, and policy choices can amplify, reduce, or reverse those tendencies.

What Did We Expect Would Happen?

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2365 implied HN points • 18 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Over the years, science has become very political in the U.S., with both major parties using it to gain power. This shift means scientists and universities are often seen as part of the political fight instead of neutral sources of knowledge.
  2. Democrats have begun to support science more because it helps their wealthy, educated voters, while Republicans have moved away from it, positioning it as elitist. This division creates a big gap in how each side views scientific authority.
  3. Many scientists have chosen sides in these political battles, which hurts the public's trust in science. The original idea that science benefits everyone, regardless of their political views, has been largely forgotten.
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It’s Harder to Hate the Other Side When You Come Face to Face

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3561 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Stereotypes of extreme political views are tired, and real people mostly fall in the middle or are less extreme than caricatures suggest.
  2. Engaging in face-to-face conversations reveals that many individuals are not as hyper-partisan as media portrays, and they often seek kindness and unity over division.
  3. The majority of Americans may not fit neatly into extreme political categories, showing that there is a common desire for greater understanding and less polarization.

We Looked at 78 Election Deepfakes. Political Misinformation is not an AI Problem.

AI Snake Oil • 1171 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Many uses of AI in political contexts aren't trying to deceive. In fact, about half of the deepfakes created in elections were used for legitimate purposes like enhancing campaigns or providing satire.
  2. Creating deceptive misinformation doesn't need AI. It can be done cheaply and easily with regular editing tools or even just by hiring people, meaning AI isn't the sole cause of these issues.
  3. The bigger problem isn’t the technology itself but the demand for misinformation. People’s preferences and existing beliefs drive them to seek out and accept false information, making structural changes more critical than just focusing on AI.

Defining Interpersonal Trust

Heterodox STEM • 71 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🔬 Science Political Science
  1. Leading researchers treat the World Values Survey question “most people can be trusted” as a measure of interpersonal trust, not just trust in people you personally know.
  2. Factor analyses show that this question loads with trust in strangers rather than with trust in friends and family, so it captures a generalized form of interpersonal trust toward unfamiliar people.
  3. As a result, mainstream social-science studies use that survey item to measure interpersonal trust in research on social capital and economic growth, contradicting narrower definitions that limit interpersonal trust to known individuals.

Risers and Fallers

In My Tribe • 1032 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Political Science
  1. Some 20th-century thinkers, like John Kenneth Galbraith, have fallen in status, meaning fewer people today recognize their ideas or read their work.
  2. Others, like Rene Girard and John Maynard Keynes, have gained importance over time, with more people today acknowledging their contributions and theories.
  3. The relevance of intellectuals can vary by field; for example, figures in psychology like B.F. Skinner may be less noted now, while sociologists like Granovetter are gaining recognition.

New Models presents Kevin Munger on Vilem Flusser's Communicology

Do Not Research • 259 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Political Science
  1. Kevin Munger delves into Vilém Flusser's 'Communicology' thesis, published by Stanford University Press in 2022
  2. Flusser's work highlights a significant shift in communication methods seen in the 1970s, now accelerated by modern networked media
  3. The lecture on 'Communicology' was presented by Munger at Trauma Bar und Kino, Berlin, emphasizing the evolving landscape of human communication

The Political Preferences of DeepSeek AI Models

Rozado’s Visual Analytics • 283 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. DeepSeek AI models show political preferences similar to those of American models. This suggests that AI might reflect human biases in their programming.
  2. The findings indicate that AI can carry the same ideologies as the people who create and train them. It's important to be aware of this influence.
  3. For those curious about how political preferences impact large language models, there are more detailed analyses available to explore.

Political Science

Life in the 21st Century • 176 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🌍 World Politics Political Science
  1. Science and politics are intertwined, and there is a need to integrate scientific understanding into political decision-making.
  2. Democracy is about taking action and beginning something new, with every citizen playing a role in decision-making and implementation.
  3. The power to act in modern politics has shifted towards scientists and technologists, highlighting the importance of understanding the influence of science and technology in political systems.

The Unluckiness of Jimmy Carter

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 148 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Jimmy Carter faced a lot of challenges during his presidency, like high inflation and the Iran hostage crisis. These tough situations made his time in office very difficult.
  2. After leaving the presidency, Carter did many good things like building homes for people and helping to fight diseases. He even won a Nobel Prize for his work in promoting peace and democracy.
  3. Despite the struggles he faced, Carter also accomplished significant things, like making peace between Egypt and Israel and focusing on human rights. Many people believe he was just unlucky during his presidency.

Qian Chengdan on Area Studies in China

Pekingnology • 67 implied HN points • 21 May 25
🚌 Education Political Science
  1. China has a strict system for classifying academic disciplines which includes a recent addition of 'area studies.' This means universities can't create new fields without government approval, keeping academic studies organized but also rigid.
  2. Area studies is important because it combines different fields like politics, economics, and culture to understand specific countries or regions better. This helps in making informed government strategies and improving international relations.
  3. Despite the rise in area studies, there are challenges due to traditional academic boundaries. China is trying to support this field by officially recognizing interdisciplinary studies, which allows for more collaboration and talent development.

Dominic Cummings, An Underrated Precedent for DOGE

From the New World • 75 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. The UK government’s quick adaptations in tech and services during crises show a more centralized political system. This makes it easier to change things than in the US.
  2. Bureaucratic hiring processes in America often lead to unqualified candidates, which slows down progress. A more efficient system is needed for better talent acquisition.
  3. Fundamental reforms in government agencies are essential for improving efficiency and competence in services. It's not just about ideology; it's about making systems work better.

Is America Going Fascist?

Everything's Broken • 58 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. America is not going communist, but is facing challenges related to public welfare allocation.
  2. The capture of the Republican party by extreme elements is a concerning aspect in the context of potential fascism.
  3. While America is not fascist, there are worrisome trends including personality-driven politics and scapegoating.

The Median Voter Theorem

An Interpersonal Journal • 59 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. The Median Voter Theorem explains how politicians strategize to attract the median position of the voting base to secure a majority of votes.
  2. Understanding the Median Voter Theorem can help voters strategically choose candidates to align with their preferences, especially in elections with multiple candidates.
  3. The theorem's principles can be applied beyond politics, guiding strategic decision-making in various situations to steer outcomes towards preferred choices.

Academics Are Terrible at Politics

Unsafe Science • 42 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Academics often struggle with political issues due to a lack of practical experience. They can be great at research but may not know how to deal with the complexities of politics.
  2. Improving the relationship between academia and politics could benefit both sides. It's important for academics to engage more in public discussions and understand political contexts.
  3. A thriving academic environment could help tackle the failings seen today. Finding better ways for academics to connect with society can lead to improvements.

What Are Survey Experiments For?

Never Met a Science • 33 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Survey experiments help researchers understand how political choices are influenced by different factors. They combine theories from political science and public opinion to analyze voter behavior.
  2. The history of survey experiments shows a shift between theory and empirical data. Political science focused on testing theories with limited data, while public opinion research prioritized random sampling to gather accurate data about citizen views.
  3. Different academic traditions use survey experiments for different reasons. Understanding these differences can help avoid confusion and improve collaboration across fields.

Ten More Charts I Can’t Stop Thinking About - Fourth Edition

Perspectives • 3 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
🎭️ Culture Political Science
  1. Young American boys are showing less support for gender equality, even though girls are doing better in school. This makes you wonder about the influences affecting their views.
  2. Almost 60% of households in the U.S. don't have kids anymore. This is a big change in society and affects things like the housing market and community planning.
  3. Political divisions are growing deeper, making it hard for lawmakers to work together. This leads to more disagreements and less compromise in government.

Wanna run 50,000 election sims in 2 seconds?

Matt’s Five Points • 19 implied HN points • 04 Nov 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. You can run a quick election simulation by using an Excel sheet. Just change the win probabilities for each state and the sim does the math for you in about 2 seconds.
  2. Basic election modeling isn't as hard as it sounds. You can easily create your own model with some data and a few calculations to forecast election outcomes.
  3. Strong, accurate models take more work and understanding, but anyone can start trying their hand at it. It can be enjoyable to explore different scenarios with the data.

On candidates holding odd jobs

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 16 Aug 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. It's very rare for someone who's currently in the House of Representatives to run for president. Only a few have even won significant votes in the past.
  2. Being a sitting Representative often means lacking enough political experience and stature that voters expect from presidential candidates.
  3. Representatives can have a lot to lose if they run for president because they might have to give up their powerful roles in Congress, and their long voting history can be used against them.

Matt's Five Points, October 24: Not Your Father's Divided Government

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 24 Oct 18
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Divided government in the U.S. can look different depending on which party controls the House or Senate. Each setup affects how laws get passed and how conflicts play out between the branches of government.
  2. Donald Trump is considered a weak president because he struggles to maintain political power and often backs down from his public statements. This makes it harder for him to lead effectively.
  3. The size of the Democratic majority in the House doesn't matter as much as just winning control of it. Whether they win by a few seats or a lot, they will have the same power to set the agenda and conduct investigations.

Matt's Five Points, November 2: Elecshun Dae 2018

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 02 Nov 18
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political Science
  1. Don't watch TV until the evening on election day; the morning coverage is not helpful and just filled with noise.
  2. Focus on key Senate races and important House districts to understand the election better. Knowing where to look can make the night more entertaining.
  3. Engage in conversations about voting with colleagues and friends; it can lead to interesting discussions and personal stories that enrich the experience.