Kevin Munger

About:

Kevin Munger explores political communication and social science methodology, focusing on the internet's role.

Website:

kevinmunger.substack.com

Specializations:

Chair of Computational Social Science Social Scientist

Interests:

Political Communication Social Science Methodology Internet

Incoming Links:

Adam Aleksic Ben Goldhaber Lauren Leek Nathan Witkin

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2025-12-09 • social sciences methodology theory metascience ai

The post argues for a reevaluation of social science theory, emphasizing the limitations of traditional frameworks and the need for integration with technology and empirical methods.

2025-08-26 • philosophy cybernetics antimeme communication

The post discusses the concept of 'antimemes' in relation to communication mediums and how certain ideas, particularly cybernetics, struggle to be effectively communicated through traditional written text. The author explores why ...

2025-09-09 • art modernism antimeme performance art jean tinguely

The post explores the concept of antimemes in art, focusing on Jean Tinguely's self-immolating sculpture 'La Vittoria' and its implications for Western philosophy and art. It discusses the tension between traditional art forms, wh...

2025-07-17 • internet social sciences replication metascience political communication

The blog post celebrates the 5th anniversary and 100th post of the author's blog, reflecting on the evolution of themes such as social science methodology, political communication theory, and the practice of culture and politics i...

2026-01-26 • social sciences peer review ai in china and education journal reform multidisciplinary collaboration

A conference on adapting academic publishing to AI advancements highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and proposes reforms to the peer review process.

2026-01-22 • literacy fascism media studies vilem flusser technical diagrams

The post argues that media technologies have created a post-literate society, leading to isolation and a fascistic social structure, necessitating a new communicological approach to preserve human dignity.

2025-09-02 • social sciences machine learning research digital media ai

The author discusses the impact of AI, particularly LLMs, on their work as a computational social scientist. They critique the rapid decay of knowledge in AI research and emphasize the need for rigorous questioning in academic stu...

2025-08-01 • online communication cultural criticism media studies antimeme memetics

The post discusses the concept of 'antimemes,' which are ideas that resist being remembered or engaged with, despite their significance. It references Nadia Asparouhova's book 'Antimemetics' and a review essay by Gideon Lewis-Krau...

2025-07-21 • big tech technology digital governance democracy

The article discusses the challenges of tech regulation in the context of digital sovereignty, emphasizing the need for states to enforce laws on multinational corporations. It critiques the ineffective nature of current regulatio...

2025-07-07 • literacy cognitive function media studies digital culture communication

The post discusses the impact of media technology on reading and writing, arguing that the decline of traditional literacy is reshaping culture and communication. It references media theorists like McLuhan and Ong, emphasizing tha...

2026-03-13 • social media mental health polarization cultural criticism democracy

Social media amplifies societal misery and polarization, revealing the struggles of marginalized individuals while highlighting the disconnect between the privileged and the disenfranchised.

2025-09-15 • research integrity randomized controlled trials credibility democratization of science and technology performance art

The post discusses the credibility revolution in social science, emphasizing the limitations of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in terms of external validity. It critiques the notion of RCTs as the gold standard, arguing that ...

2025-10-22 • social media technology community political science digital culture

The author discusses the decline of the internet into a space dominated by bots and addiction, emphasizing the need for communities to reclaim the web for their own purposes. They reference the Mozilla Foundation's visual essay on...

2026-03-06 • social sciences ethics altruism rationality ai

The post critiques the Effective Altruism movement's rationality and moral commitments while exploring its dynamics at a recent conference amid the rising significance of AI.

2025-10-28 • literary criticism cybernetics computation theory media studies karl ove knausgaard

The blog post analyzes Karl Ove Knausgaard's essay in Harper's, exploring themes of technology, computation, and the evolution of thought in the context of media theory. The author reflects on Knausgaard's journey from a word-cent...

2026-01-15 • academia cultural criticism technological change literary fiction ai

AI poses a significant challenge to academia, necessitating institutional changes to preserve the value of human expertise amidst technological advancements.

2025-10-02 • interdisciplinary studies european union job market academic freedom political communication

The author reflects on their experiences in European academia after leaving a tenure-track position in the US. They discuss the differences in job markets, hiring practices, and academic culture between the US and Europe, emphasiz...

2025-08-11 • higher education populism liberalism academic freedom euicc

The post critiques The Economist's assessment of the European University Institute (EUI), arguing that it misrepresents the institution's relevance and academic freedom. The author defends EUI's role as a leading graduate school i...

2026-02-03 • data analysis political science methodology ai

Kevin Munger recounts using Claude Code to analyze ANES data, highlighting its ability to identify errors and the need for specific instructions in AI-assisted research.

2025-12-21 • social media newsletter and rss management academia political science communication

The 'No BS Political Science' newsletter aims to enhance communication in academia by summarizing key developments in political science, addressing the shortcomings of current social media platforms.

2025-11-25 • social media reddit tiktok gender and race studies pew research center

The Pew Research Center's 2025 Americans’ Social Media Use Report reveals that social media usage among adults has plateaued, with TikTok growing similarly to Instagram. Notably, Reddit's usage has doubled since 2019, while Twitte...

2026-03-02 • personal experience parenting parental leave gender equality

Kevin Munger discusses the transformative experience of new parenthood and advocates for normalizing paternity leave to promote gender equality.

2025-06-02 • politics open data academic freedom science

The text discusses an Executive Order signed by Donald Trump aimed at 'Restoring Gold Standard Science', which has sparked controversy. It delves into the 'Open Science' reform community's response, the history of scientific criti...

2025-05-23 • competition video games elon musk meritocracy violence

The text discusses the impact of video games on society and the belief that video games reify the logic of meritocracy. It explores the competitive nature of video games and their influence on individuals' perception of merit and ...