Have you ever wondered what US politics would be like if voting was mandatory? In this paper, we argue that one effect of higher turnout generated through compulsory voting would be a substantial reduction in political polarization.

I wrote about how Wang Hui's theory of depoliticization and debates about this idea help theorists of the political party understand the relationship between the charismatic leader, mass movements, and possibilities of party renewal. Open access at American Political Science Review.

Our new article that shows Locke was confident separation of church and state was feasible in all places and times due to his discovery of 'unease'. Of interest to students of toleration, political psychology, liberalism. Open access journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00…

📢Important resource for J.J. Rousseau aficionados and Enlightenment scholars! 📢 All 52 volumes of R.A. Leigh's magisterial edition of Rousseau's correspondence, published by Voltaire Foundation, are now online: liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/topic/collecti… Further info: voltairefoundation.wordpress.com/2024/02/08/the…

Was President Biden's passionate state of union manipulative? What about the emotional response from Katie Britt? If you're thinking about manipulation in politics and public policy (esp. nudges), check out this paper (with Keith Dowding ANU School of Politics & International Relations ): bit.ly/3v663Ma

Lee Hsien Loong retired, and Lawrence Wong replaced him to become the new PM of Singapore. todayonline.com/news/we-will-l…

At long last this Oxford Philosophical Concepts volume on "Love: A History," ed. Ryan Hanley (Oxford Philosophy Oxford University Press), is coming out. I contributed an essay on "Love in the Christian Tradition" (see first comment for pre-publication version). global.oup.com/academic/produ…

I'm enjoying making my way through the collection on 'Ideas of Poverty in the Age of Enlightenment' edited by Niall O'Flaherty and Robin Mills. It's also nice to see my own chapter in print, alongside the work of historians who I've long admired. #twitterstorians 📖🤓📚

Pleased with my new publication that draws on the works of Han Feizi, the greatest nemesis of Confucius, as well as on my past research on canonical early modern Western political thought to explore the nature of reputation, disobedience, and political authority. OPEN ACCESS.

Glad to see this paper by Antong Liu finally out at APSR! One of the most rigorous comparisons of ancient Chinese thought and early modern European PT I’ve ever read. Really an exemplar.

We've got some exciting new articles to post about. First off, John Chinn (Queensland) explores how fencing was reconceptualised in Renaissance Europe from a violent practice to something more elevated and refined: doi.org/10.1080/019165…

For political theorists in SG this Friday:

Just published on APSR First View: "The Global Network of Liberty: Toward a New Framework for Understanding the History of Political Concepts" by Shoufu Yin (YIN Shoufu 殷守甫). cambridge.org/core/journals/…

We are going to learn from Haig Patapan and discuss this very relevant topic on Tuesday.

This paper of mine, published online last year, now officially belongs to the latest Vol.119(3) of APSR. It is on Han Feizi’s discussion of why subjects’ pursuit of reputation forever haunts any attempt to centralize state power. doi.org/10.1017/S00030…