Today's book publication day! 🧵 on the book

* Rich ethnography of urban governance and popular participation in cities in Venezuela and Bolivia
* New theory of the relationship between democracy and the left and right
* Theory of leftist hegemony and how it shapes the Right 1/n The heart of the book is case studies of governance in a left- and right-run city in Venezuela and Bolivia. In vivid detail I show how citizens in some cities gained remarkable control over political decisions but in other cities political and civic elites controlled this. 2/n

Thread
There's a lot of pretty bad takes on #Bolivia happening now, and fortunately some goods ones (see comments). Quick thoughts: 1. Right now the most concerning aspect is the far-right racist even fascistic violence occurring, and total disrespect of constitutional order 1/ 2) Govt ministers are literally being forced to flee and resign due to threats to themselves and their families. 3) The military is what led Morales to resign, so pretending they aren't involved or that their involvement isn't incredibly problematic is shortsighted at best 2/

No War on Venezuela

Whatever your position on Maduro...if you don't want the US to wage war on Venezuela - because of how devastating it will be, because of the massive increase in suffering if will cause (across Latin America) - then say so now, and loudly!

No War on Venezuela Journalists: You have a particular responsibility to *not beat the war drum*

Don't just accept as fact what the US government says
Do real reporting
Question everything
Don't spread propaganda
Don't forget how we got into the Iraq war
And do not repeat those mistakes

Thread: whatever one thinks of Maduro the way mainstream media are treating the ‘humanitarian aid’ circus in Venezuela is deeply disturbing and illuminating /1 Nearly all the mainstream journalists are absolutely gushing about the #VenezuelaAidLive concert and similarly gushing about the positive idea of humanitarian aid entering Venezuela /2