Hi! I’ve moved all of my previous blog posts over to substack. Find a subscribe link and a few of the posts below.
This blog includes some historical posts, but it also sets out on a new path. A bit more of an open-ended outlet for general thoughts on a range of topics.
A changing State of the Union
February 8, 2024
The State of the Union is an important public moment for every president since Woodrow Wilson set the precedent in 1913. These speeches generate millions of views and are often laundry lists of policy preferences and achievements. Presidents are well aware of the public nature of these speeches and …
Coups: REIGN
February 8, 2024
Download
A number of data sets exist that record the political phenomenon of coup d'etat. I will review how to attain and process each of these data sets in turn before comparing them with respect to data analysis.
In this post I review the Rulers, Elections, and Irregular Governance (REIGN) data set. …
Election Violence: Latin America
February 8, 2024
Electoral Contention and Violence (EVAC)
A key pillar of democratic governance is elections. This represents the time when leadership can change hands. When it does so peacefully this is a sign of a strong and stable government. The need to understand when, where and why acts of violence occur …
Conflict and Control in Donbass
February 8, 2024
Conflict
I was recently asked by a colleague for some help making an updated map on territorial control in Ukraine. This led me down a rabbit hole.
The conflict itself is almost entirely concentrated in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2018 until November 9th, 2019, ACLED …
Mapping the Bayou
February 8, 2024
Cajun Waterways
Southern Louisiana is known for great cooking and a festive lifestyle. A key part of both is the hydrological landscape that shapes the state. Following some inspiration from Näytä Data, I mapped out these systems using the National Hydrogrophy Dataset NHD.
The *Blue* …