Charles McClean
@cmcclean.bsky.social
📤 2052
📥 2215
📝 74
📚 Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yale 👦🏻👨🏻👴🏻 Politics of Age 🇯🇵 Japanese Politics
pinned post!
📢Now published open access at Political Behavior📢 Using age manipulation software,
@yoshiono.bsky.social
and I find voters (even older ones) like younger candidates but strongly dislike elderly candidates. Why is this the case? Read our article to find out more:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
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almost 2 years ago
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Anna Yorozuya and I are delighted to share that we're hosting the Japan Conference for Social Scientists on May 29-30
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
CEAS. 🗓️ Apply by Feb. 13:
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
5 days ago
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At 34, Zohran Mamdani is New York's youngest mayor in over a century. Over 2 million people voted—the most since 1969—fueled in part by strong youth turnout.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/n...
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New York City Has Not Elected a Mayor This Young in More Than a Century
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/nyregion/youngest-nyc-mayor.html
3 months ago
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As Japan's first female prime minister, Takaichi has appointed Katayama as the first female finance minister. Yet only two cabinet members are women—unchanged from Ishiba's outgoing cabinet. Not quite the "Nordic levels" of women's representation that Takaichi campaigned on...
3 months ago
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I spoke with
@thedispatchmedia.bsky.social
for this story on Takaichi, which also features great insights from Christina Davis
@harvardusjapan.bsky.social
,
@mireyasolis.bsky.social
,
@kristigovella.bsky.social
, and
@sheilasmithcfr.bsky.social
thedispatch.com/newsletter/m...
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Japan’s Iron Lady
Sanae Takaichi is set to inherit a Japan reshaped by inflation, weak growth, and political turnover.
https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/morning/japans-iron-lady/?utm_source=E1F2g-3H4i5-J6k7L-8m9N0&utm_campaign=2b5070e0-604b-4694-9690-7b5da271a2b7&utm_medium=copy_link
3 months ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Program on US-Japan Relations, Harvard University
3 months ago
Director Christina Davis, Charles McClean
@cmcclean.bsky.social
(2020-21), Kristi Govella
@kristigovella.bsky.social
(2017-18), and Sheila Smith
@sheilasmithcfr.bsky.social
(Distinguished Visitor, 2013-14) are quoted in The Dispatch article, "Japan's Iron Lady."
tinyurl.com/yf3vmjpt
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Japan’s Iron Lady
Sanae Takaichi is set to inherit a Japan reshaped by inflation, weak growth, and political turnover.
https://tinyurl.com/yf3vmjpt
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Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome James Raymo (Princeton) to
@yale.edu
to kick off two series: - Population Studies Workshop
@ispsyale.bsky.social
- Japan as Future
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
His talk focused on divorce, remarriage, and fertility in
#Japan
isps.yale.edu/events/2025/...
4 months ago
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With Ishiba resigning, Japan is set to have its 4th new PM in 5 years. Notably, his minority coalition hasn't been unusually short by comparative standards—at 343 days so far, it's longer than the 327-day average in Europe (per our study).
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
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Minority Governments Revisited
Despite decades of scholarship on coalition bargaining in parliamentary democracies, minority governments remain a puzzle. From the 1970s on, cross-national empirical scholarship has shown minority go...
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-69347-2_7
4 months ago
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Excited to be co-organizing the new
@ispsyale.bsky.social
Population Studies Workshop with
@dremmazang.bsky.social
. We've got a fantastic lineup for the year—take a look!
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5 months ago
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Japan elected a record 42 women to the Upper House—a step forward for gender representation. But our article shows how visible progress in some areas can coexist with deeper patterns of inequality.
@takadanobaba.bsky.social
,
@clsturtz.bsky.social
, Charles Crabtree
academic.oup.com/ssjj/article...
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Selective development goals: examining Japan’s SDG implementation gaps
Abstract. In this article, we consider how efforts by the Japanese government and private sector to make the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
https://academic.oup.com/ssjj/article/28/2/jyaf021/8202164
6 months ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Social Science Japan Journal
6 months ago
Newly published, this paper by Paul Christensen, Cindi SturtzSreetharan, Charles Crabtree and Charles McClean looks at the implementation of the SDGs in Japan:
academic.oup.com/ssjj/article...
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Selective development goals: examining Japan’s SDG implementation gaps
Abstract. In this article, we consider how efforts by the Japanese government and private sector to make the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
https://academic.oup.com/ssjj/article-abstract/28/2/jyaf021/8202164?redirectedFrom=fulltext
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Paul Christensen
6 months ago
I wrote an article on the absurdity of Japan's use of the SDGs with
@clsturtz.bsky.social
,
@cmcclean.bsky.social
, and Charles Crabtree. We think it's pretty good... Selective development goals: examining Japan’s SDG implementation gaps url:
academic.oup.com/ssjj/article...
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Validate User
https://academic.oup.com/ssjj/article-abstract/28/2/jyaf021/8202164
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Excited to join Yale Young Global Scholars again this year (
@yale.edu
)! I’ll be giving three talks on youth representation to 450 high school students from over 60 countries. Looking forward to hearing whether they’d ever consider running for office.
7 months ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Yusaku Horiuchi
8 months ago
The Experimental Research section of the American Political Science Association (
@experimentsapsa.bsky.social
) invites research proposals from post-prospectus PhD students for its Experimental Research Early-Career Fellowship program. Share this post!
@apsa.bsky.social
,
@poscresearch.bsky.social
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Stanford APARC
9 months ago
Looking forward to hosting
@cmcclean.bsky.social
next week. Join us and hear why younger politicians are so rare in countries like Japan and how this shortage shapes democracy and social policy 👇
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Excited to visit
@fsi.stanford.edu
@aparc.stanford.edu
on Monday to discuss my book project on youth representation and its implications for policymaking and democracy.
aparc.fsi.stanford.edu/events/silve...
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Silver Democracy: Youth Representation in an Aging Japan
https://aparc.fsi.stanford.edu/events/silver-democracy-youth-representation-aging-japan
9 months ago
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And thank you,
@alexmathieu.bsky.social
, for all your help organizing this series—looking forward to working with you on next year's as well! 🙏
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9 months ago
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Thank you to our 5 speakers for joining this year's
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
CEAS Japan as Future series! 🙏
@tomphuongle.bsky.social
Henry Laurence (Bowdoin) Junko Kato
@utokyoofficial.bsky.social
Erin Chung (Johns Hopkins)
@kmcelwain.bsky.social
Grateful to Japan Foundation for their support!
9 months ago
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📌 Japan Lecture Series
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
Join us for a talk by
@kmcelwain.bsky.social
on public attitudes toward constitutional revision and their implications for democratic governance. 🗓️ Thu, April 10 🕛 12–1:30pm 📍 ISPS A002 🍣 Lunch provided! 🔗
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
10 months ago
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📌 Japan Lecture Series
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
Excited to host Erin Aeran Chung (Johns Hopkins) for a talk on how Japan's model of immigration control is increasingly becoming the norm globally. 🗓️ Wed, April 2 🕛 12–1:30pm 📍 Luce 202 🍣 Lunch provided! 🔗
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
10 months ago
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📌 Japan Lecture Series
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
Delighted to host Junko Kato
@utokyoofficial.bsky.social
this Monday for a talk on taxation, redistribution, and the politics of Japan’s welfare state. 🗓️ Mon, March 24 🕒 12:00–1:30pm 📍 Luce 202 🍣 Lunch provided! 🔗
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
10 months ago
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Great discussions last week at Wesleyan on deepening US-Japan ties beyond security! I discussed my book's focus on gerontocracy and the struggle to get young people involved in politics—key challenges for both countries. Thanks to everyone who joined!
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10 months ago
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Appreciate the shoutout,
@polbehavior.bsky.social
—thanks for sharing!
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11 months ago
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Excited to visit Wesleyan tomorrow for this symposium on deepening the non-military aspects of US-Japan relations! 🇺🇸🇯🇵 I'll be discussing how cooperation on population aging and youth political engagement can strengthen the alliance. Join us in person or via Zoom:
wesleyan.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
11 months ago
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I had a great time discussing my book project at Georgetown! Grateful to everyone who came for their questions and feedback, and special thanks to Trevor Incerti for the invitation!
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11 months ago
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📅 For the next event in our
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
#Japan
lecture series, I'm excited to host Henry Laurence (Bowdoin College) on Monday, March 3 Prof. Laurence will discuss the politics of public broadcasting in Japan and Britain, comparing NHK with the BBC
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
11 months ago
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I'm looking forward to visiting Georgetown's Asian Studies Program in the School of Foreign Service this Thursday (2/27) to discuss my book project on youth representation and its impact on policymaking and democracy. If you're in DC, hope you can join us!
www.eventbrite.com/e/silver-dem...
11 months ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Alexandra Mathieu
11 months ago
Come hear me talk about international status, perception, and the Olympics!
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📅 This Wednesday (2/26), I'm delighted to chair a talk featuring our Japan Foundation
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
postdoc
@alexmathieu.bsky.social
! She'll share her fascinating work on how personal biases and international status concerns shape public preferences.
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
11 months ago
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Great to kick off our Japan lecture series
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
with
@tomphuongle.bsky.social
He gave a fantastic talk on Japan's "antimilitarism ecosystem" and how it constrains efforts to strengthen the Self-Defense Forces 📖 His book explores this further:
cup.columbia.edu/book/japans-...
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12 months ago
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📅 This Monday (1/27), I’m excited to launch a new Japan lecture series
@yalemacmillan.bsky.social
! Our first speaker,
@tomphuongle.bsky.social
, will discuss Japan's remilitarization debate, drawing on research on security policy, war memory, and demographic change
macmillan.yale.edu/eastasia/eve...
12 months ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Daniel Mattingly
about 1 year ago
Interested in a social science Ph.D.? Apply to be a full time Predoctoral Fellow at Yale doing research on China's domestic and foreign politics! Starts on July 1. Link:
tobin.yale.edu/opportunitie...
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CSAP Predoc: Domestic and Foreign Politics of China
https://tobin.yale.edu/opportunities/csap-predoc-domestic-and-foreign-politics-china
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Nick Kapur
about 1 year ago
Japan's famous "Cat Island" is on the verge of extinction due to a collapse in both the human and cat populations
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/d...
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Japan’s ‘cat island’ falls victim to demographic crisis
Famous for felines that outnumber its humans, Aoshima is also emblematic of a deeper trend afflicting the country’s rural and island communities
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/27/japans-cat-island-falls-victim-to-demographic-crisis
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reposted by
Charles McClean
In our latest article for Pacific Forum,
@sheilasmithcfr.bsky.social
and I discuss: 🇯🇵 Japan’s snap election and Ishiba’s minority government 🇺🇸 Trump’s return and its impact on US Indo-Pacific policy 🌏 The expanding US-Japan regional and global agenda
cc.pacforum.org/2024/12/once...
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Once Again, Leadership Transitions Challenge US-Japan Alliance - Comparative Connections
https://cc.pacforum.org/2024/12/once-again-leadership-transitions-challenges-us-japan-alliance/
about 1 year ago
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In our latest article for Pacific Forum,
@sheilasmithcfr.bsky.social
and I discuss: 🇯🇵 Japan’s snap election and Ishiba’s minority government 🇺🇸 Trump’s return and its impact on US Indo-Pacific policy 🌏 The expanding US-Japan regional and global agenda
cc.pacforum.org/2024/12/once...
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Once Again, Leadership Transitions Challenge US-Japan Alliance - Comparative Connections
https://cc.pacforum.org/2024/12/once-again-leadership-transitions-challenges-us-japan-alliance/
about 1 year ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Yale ISPS
about 1 year ago
Look behind the numbers and maps from last month's election, with Alan Gerber, Stephen Ansolabehere, Beverly Gage, and
@shirokuriwaki.bsky.social
.
bit.ly/4fetYtF
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reposted by
Charles McClean
📢 Can job search sites revitalize democracy? Shuhei Azuma (36), mayor of Shijonawate, Osaka, launched a campaign to recruit his successor via the employment website en Japan. An unusual approach to tackling a major challenge in Japanese politics. 🧵
www.enjapan.com/project/next...
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市の新しいリーダー、求む。日本中から「市長」候補を公募。現職市長が選挙をサポート。│ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクト by エン・ジャパン
「新しい市長」発掘プロジェクト × エン・ジャパン ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクトの特設ページ。募集背景や、募集ポジションの社会的意義、求められる人材像などをお伝えします。求人ページや、特別インタビュー記事へのリンクあり。
https://www.enjapan.com/project/nextmayor_2409/
about 1 year ago
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📢 Can job search sites revitalize democracy? Shuhei Azuma (36), mayor of Shijonawate, Osaka, launched a campaign to recruit his successor via the employment website en Japan. An unusual approach to tackling a major challenge in Japanese politics. 🧵
www.enjapan.com/project/next...
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市の新しいリーダー、求む。日本中から「市長」候補を公募。現職市長が選挙をサポート。│ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクト by エン・ジャパン
「新しい市長」発掘プロジェクト × エン・ジャパン ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクトの特設ページ。募集背景や、募集ポジションの社会的意義、求められる人材像などをお伝えします。求人ページや、特別インタビュー記事へのリンクあり。
https://www.enjapan.com/project/nextmayor_2409/
about 1 year ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Jean Hong 洪知延 홍지연
about 1 year ago
I appeared in wbur radio show (also part of npr podcast) called “On Point” to discuss what happened in South Korea. The show describes the event, background, and the past quite well if you are curious about the bigger picture.
@johnskuk.bsky.social
was there too!
www.npr.org/podcasts/510...
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On Point
Let's make sense of the world – together. From the economy and health care to politics and the environment – and so much more – On Point host Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with newsmakers and real people about the issues that matter most.
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510053/on-point
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🚨 New book chapter with Kaare Strøm! We review the incidence, duration, and performance of minority governments—those seemingly rare cabinets that govern without a majority. Turns out, they're surprisingly common and remarkably successful at the polls!
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
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Minority Governments Revisited
Despite decades of scholarship on coalition bargaining in parliamentary democracies, minority governments remain a puzzle. From the 1970s on, cross-national empirical scholarship has shown minority go...
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-69347-2_7
about 1 year ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
about 1 year ago
It took only ~2.5 hrs for the National Assembly to gather a majority of members (190 of 300) and generate a unanimous vote (190 of 190) to vote down the emergency martial law. The law says the president "shall comply" with parliament's vote, but doesn't specify a time frame.
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Michelle Ye Hee Lee
about 1 year ago
BREAKING: The South Korean National Assembly could vote to revoke the martial law with a majority vote of its 300 lawmakers, and 190 lawmakers just voted to lift the martial law. Now the question is whether Yoon will actually lift it, as required by law.
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"This is the first time in 44 years that a South Korean leader has declared martial law. It was declared in 1980 during a pro-democracy uprising against the military."
www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12...
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South Korea President Yoon Declares Martial Law: Live Updates
President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the emergency measures amid a bitter fight with the political opposition. It was South Korea’s first declaration of martial law in more than four decades.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/03/world/south-korea-martial-law
about 1 year ago
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A fun read! Seems like
@dieworkwear.bsky.social
is also a fan of the social sciences…
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about 1 year ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Christina Wolbrecht
about 1 year ago
My good friend Kim at
@goodauth.bsky.social
made such a great short video about our work on women politicians, including VP Harris, as political role models. In 20+ years of research we have never found that women only matter to young people when they win, their presence and visibility is enough.
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Laura Bronner
about 1 year ago
A thread about being wrong: 5 years ago, we wrote a paper about how how newly enfranchised 16-year-olds vote in Austria. But we were wrong. This year,
@elisabethgraf.bsky.social
,
@schnizzl.bsky.social
, Sylvia Kritzinger and I are setting the record straight:
authors.elsevier.com/c/1juT5xRaZk...
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Tobias Harris
about 1 year ago
Okay, I pulled together a Japanese politics and foreign policy starter pack. Let me know if there's anyone I missed or anyone I should add!
go.bsky.app/AfC148e
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Tomorrow (11/20), I'll join Aram Hur at The Fletcher School at Tufts University to discuss what's next for US-Asia relations after recent elections in the US and Japan. We'll share research insights and explore new policy directions. If you'll be near Tufts, join us!
cglink.me/2dk/r2136591
about 1 year ago
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I had a great time joining the Inside Asia podcast, hosted by the University of Louisville's Center for Asian Democracy, to discuss the LDP's recent election performance—and what the results reveal about youth participation and representation in Japan's rapidly aging society
rss.com/podcasts/cad...
about 1 year ago
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Happy to share today is my first day as an assistant professor at Yale 🎉 This month also marks the 20-year anniversary since I first visited Japan and started studying the country. Here's a photo from that first trip vs. today. Grateful and excited for what comes next!
over 1 year ago
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reposted by
Charles McClean
Brendan Nyhan
over 1 year ago
Not long ago, one of the men on the stage tried to overthrow American democracy. And we're having a normal debate like it's 2012 about the economy, budget deficit, etc.
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