Why Trump’s attacks on Colbert and late-night comedy matter for the US media landscape and the midterms @carolineleicht.bsky.social @manchester.ac.uk @lseusablog.bsky.social

*PSA EVENT* 🚨Tomorrow🚨 TLN Webinar: ‘50 States or Bust!’ 📆 21 January, 1:30pm, Online With Peter Finn @kingstonuniversity.bsky.social, Amy Tatum @bournemouthuni.bsky.social Caroline Leicht @carolineleicht.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social & Lauren C. Bell, Randolph-Macon College, USA.

Great way to end the week: My latest analysis for @lseusablog.bsky.social is now live ✨ I discuss how Trump's ongoing attacks on late-night comedy could create an information vacuum in the political media landscape of the United States, particularly in the context of the 2026 Midterms. Link 👇

Come join us for a discussion on GenAI in teaching and learning on 21 January! We'll be using our project on ChatGPT in US politics research to talk you through some examples 👀 It's free and online - more info below 👇

The 2026 Midterms: Peter Finn of @kingstonuniversity.bsky.social, @lmcbell.bsky.social, Amy Tatum of @bournemouthuni.bsky.social, and @carolineleicht.bsky.social write on why we should be wary of what GenAI tells us ahead of next year’s elections blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/20...

Working on American politics research? 📚 Good news: We've extended our CFP deadline to Dec 10! APG 52nd Annual Conference 📅 Jan 7-9, 2026 📍 UEA, Norwich 🎤 Keynote: Prof Angelia Wilson 🏆 De Gruyter is sponsoring a prize for the best PGR/ECR paper! Info: ukpsaapg.co.uk/annual-conference/

📣 Call for Papers: GenElect Annual Workshop on the Study of Gender and Elections University of Manchester, Jan 12th-13th 26 Deadline: 5th Dec 25 Send us your papers on gender and elections, public opinion, parties, representation! @psaepop.bsky.social Abstract submission here: lnkd.in/d2AQFYxN

1/3 Last week, I attended #APSA2025 in Vancouver 🇨🇦 and presented my work on feminist humor and media sexism in political comedy 'news' coverage (arguably couldn't be more timely right now). It was fantastic to get to catch up with brilliant friends and colleagues and meet so many new people.

✨Some personal news✨ This week, I joined @manchester.ac.uk as Lecturer in Digital Media. I look forward to continuing my research and teaching in gender, political comedy, and media here and getting to work with my fab new colleagues. A massive thanks to everyone who supported me along the way 🫶

*PSA Diverse Voices* Last week we hosted a fantastic Diverse Voices workshop at PSA HQ. Bringing together DV scholars & associates with inspiring invited speakers and Founding Fellows. A great end of term treat! ➡️ Learn more about the DV programme

It was fantastic to return to Southampton this week for the @psawomenpol.bsky.social @gain-centre.bsky.social conference. Always such a joy to be with this group of brilliant & supportive friends & colleagues ☀️ Thank you to the organizing team for a great conference & for bringing us all together!

Panellists receive questions from the audience closing out our first panel of the day! An excellent and interesting panel

Early start 🌅 for Day 2 of our conference with @psawomenpol.bsky.social with @sotonpolitics.bsky.social Alum 🎓 @carolineleicht.bsky.social at Uni of Glasgow on her research on the glass ceiling and glass cliff of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris in US election coverage.

Kicking off day 2 of our conference with @gain-centre.bsky.social. First up our panel on Participation, Representation and Inclusion beginning with @carolineleicht.bsky.social

Our annual conference co-hosted with @gain-centre.bsky.social at @sotonpolitics.bsky.social is well underway with a panel on Feminist Participation in State Building

Last week, I accompanied our Glasgow media and journalism students on a field trip to Mainz where I used to work as a journalist. We had fantastic conversations about current media issues, including with journalists at SWR. A massive thank you to everyone who was involved in this brilliant trip!

A fantastic few days in Jena for the 2025 GAAS PoliSci Conference where I presented my latest work on gender and political comedy framing of elections and got to catch up with brilliant colleagues ☀️ A massive thank you to the local organizers, the GAAS, and the @atlantakademie.bsky.social!

We are delighted to have Dr. @carolineleicht.bsky.social as our first speaker of the day! Dr. Leicht shares her research on "The Glass Ceiling and the Glass Cliff: Representations of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris in US Election Coverage"! #GaasJena25

Had a fantastic time presenting my work on feminist humor in SNL election coverage and my paper with @rosalynd.bsky.social on feminist memes at #PSA25 this week. Brilliant to present and chair on @psawomenpol.bsky.social and @psampg.bsky.social panels & catch up with friends, colleagues & new faces!

Our final panel of the conference kicking off now with @carolineleicht.bsky.social on feminist humour in political comedy

Fantastic keynote on what's next for the study of political representation from a longstanding Women and Politics SG member @profrosiecamp.bsky.social

Kicking off our first panel at #PSA25

📣 CALL FOR PAPERS 📣 🤩 Amazing opportunity with @officialuom.bsky.social and UKICE's @robfordmancs.bsky.social 👇

Obvi #SNL is a reflection of us and our views politics, but it also influences how we view elected officials! I’m obsessed with this work. #snl50 cc: @rebeccakkatz.bsky.social 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

It's #SNL50 weekend! In addition to its cultural impact over the last decades, Saturday Night Live has also had substantial political impact in the US. My research explores this political impact, particularly from a perspective of gender and representation. Want to know more? Short thread 👇🏻

📣 Share Your Voice: Participate in the IPSA Gender Inequalities in Political Science Survey! Complete the survey to help us promote gender equality in political science! Deadline: 27 February 2025⏳ go.ipsa.org/mshgOf

The other week, I got to give my latest work on media sexism and feminist approaches to media productions its first outing at the @psampg.bsky.social conference. A massive thank you to the organizers and colleagues for great comments! More about my initial findings in the thread below 👇🏻

*Attention PhD students and Early Career Researchers* - Call for papers! With support from @ukandeu.bsky.social I will be hosting a workshop event for PhDs and ECRs on April 23rd, just after Easter. A chance to present in a supportive environment & meet new colleagues. Details attached

My new piece in @pspolisci.bsky.social: % of gender & LGBTQIA+ articles in 6 polisci journals. Takeaway: gender articles abt ~6%; LGBTQIA+ articles, <1%. Nearly all use quant methods & men are greater % authors than their % membership in respective APSA sections. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

There was some feminist humour in SNL sketches too. This was often reflective - considering why Clinton and Harris were treated differently by the media and voters. Harris and 'Harris' discussed how isolating it was to be the only Black woman who had ever run for President. #PSAMPG2025

Kamala Harris was sometimes infantilised or sexualised in SNL sketches. Caroline did not observe this in any sketches of Hillary Clinton. #PSAMPG2025

The SNL impressionists own views and identity shape their portrayal of the candidates. Some commonalities in portrayals of Clinton and Harris - sketches often framed candidates in domestic roles. Kamala Harris often portrayed as the 'fun aunt' - 'Doug' almost always present #PSAMPG2025

She asks whether feminist humour can challenge, and potentially change, gender stereotypes and gender norms. Feminist humour draws attention to things like double standards, often using sarcasm #PSAMPG2025

We're now joined by Carolina Leicht @carolineleicht.bsky.social to tell us about representations of women candidates in political candidate coverage of the 2016 and 2024 US Presidential elections #PSAMPG2025

Excited that there are at least a few people out there reading our last paper- we hoped someone would find it useful. Open access and "trending" @journalpolitics.bsky.social at number 4! feat. Lydia Hiraide, @carolineleicht.bsky.social, @elsabmeuller.bsky.social, and @katiepruszynski.bsky.social

1. The article, "Differential and Resonant Solidarities: A Materialist Approach to the Early Career Experience" examines the challenges Early Career Academics face in neoliberal higher education. @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social @carolineleicht.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

💡🤔 How do gendered stereotypes in political comedy shape perceptions of women candidates? @carolineleicht.bsky.social explores, highlighting the impact of shows like Saturday Night Live on public attitudes. Discover more about the interplay of comedy and gender in politics: https://bit.ly/4fZ8Zff

📰🤖 Can we trust AI for political information? Study reveals ChatGPT is not a reliable source. Over 40% of generated profiles contained factual inaccuracies. As voters increasingly turn to AI for insights, implications are significant @carolineleicht.bsky.social et al: https://bit.ly/3V5xiQz

Thrilled to be featured in the US Election Analysis 2024 which brings together leading media and politics scholars for early analysis of the election and campaign. I contributed three pieces to the report, covering media sexism, AI, and non-traditional news - more below 🧵👇🏻

🎓✨Here’s your starter pack for experts on gender and its intersections in elections, public opinion, political parties, and the women in the EPOP discipline. 💡📚 Nominate yourself and others! 📣 📣 go.bsky.app/HC7Pvbd

📣U.S. Election Analysis 2024: Media, Voters and the Campaign🗳️ Free report featuring 88 articles from leading scholars with snap analysis and research insights on the 2024 U.S. General Election. 🔗https://www.electionanalysis.ws/us/ 📄https://bit.ly/USElectionAnalysis2024_Jackson-et_al_v1-COMPRESSED

A starter pack of academics (mostly political scientists and political historians) I found on here who (broadly) work in the British Politics subfield. Please (self) recommend others I’ve missed. go.bsky.app/EqXUQbt

For those folks who have joined recently, a few tips that may make your experience here more enjoyable.

Why the US cannot elect a woman president is because... it's actually generally still a hard thing to do! My clip yesterday from @velshi.bsky.social @msnbc.com.web.brid.gy. www.msnbc.com/ali-velshi/w...

I'm thrilled to have been invited to speak on a roundtable about the US presidential election at the PSA APG/BAAS Annual Colloquium at the British Library next week. Want to join us in London? More info and registration available at the link below: ukpsaapg.co.uk/annual-collo...

Trump won against Clinton and Harris but lost to Biden. Is candidate gender a contributing factor for these election results? I spoke to Nau News (Switzerland) about this and about how unequal media coverage can cultivate biases and affect voting behavior. Read here: www.nau.ch/news/amerika...

It's Election Morning - and I kicked off my media tour with an interview on RAI News (Italy). We talked about campaign strategies, celebrity endorsements and what Kamala Harris as the first female president would mean for US politics. Listen and read here (in German): www.rainews.it/tgr/tagessch...

The Heidelberg Center for American Studies Blog invited me to write about one of my favorite topics: gender & political comedy. I explore Kamala Harris' humor strategy and offer a preliminary analysis of bias & feminist humor in SNL coverage of the election. Read here: hcagrads.hypotheses.org/5432

This week, I spoke on a roundtable about digital aspects of the US election at the Oxford Internet Institute. It was fantastic to discuss issues related to digital politics with my fellow panelists Prathm Juneja and Dr Keegan McBride and moderator Licinia Güttel. 1/3

Michelle Obama's speech about double standards for women in US politics and media coverage made waves this week. I spoke to BuzzFeed News Germany about the underlying issues - and how it could impact Kamala Harris' electoral prospects. Available here (German): www.buzzfeed.de/politik/mich...