In my previous post, I have argued that American and Polish swimming systems are distinct (see here). One key difference, is that most of American swimming in the pre-college phase is underpinned by private swim clubs that foster inclusion and competition. The American model, although successful, has to contend with numerous challenges. Perhaps none is…
Conventional wisdom claims that swimming in America is organized differently than swimming in Poland. But what exactly makes these two systems distinct, and more importantly do these different institutional arrangements matter? The American model of swimming is based on a set of inclusive institutions that foster competition, organic development, and black swans. Conversely, Polish swimming…
The Fourth Annual Southwest Workshop on Mixed Methods Research (SWMMR) is now over. Four exceptional political scientists – Sara Niedzwiecki, Jennifer Cyr, Kendra Koivu, and Marissa Brookes – organize this fantastic annual event. Many thanks to them for making it happen once again! Methodological pluralism – Although some might associate multi-method research with a hybrid of…
Successful coaching encompasses two interconnected parts. First, there is the technical know-how. The importance of proper form and technique can hardly be overstated. It is not a coincidence that the best athletes tend to have the best technique. That is why coaches with solid technical knowledge of the sport are so valuable. By teaching their…
This semester I am once again teaching a course about democratic transitions. The class is about why some countries democratize while others do not. However, a new strand of research has underscored the importance of democratic breakdown as an important element of the democratization paradigm. Many scholars believe that to better understand democratization, we also…
You know what you want, but you are unsure how to get it? In Never Split the Difference, former FBI lead negotiator Chris Voss provides the necessary tools that will help you re-negotiate everything in your life. Voss explicitly rejects negotiation strategies based on cold mathematical models and sterile rational choice theory. While rationality is…
After finishing William Germano’s From Dissertation to Book, I decided to invest in my writing by reading On Writing Well and They Say, I Say. Several themes connect both books. First, writing is hard. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. These days we are flooded with books „written” by athletes, cooks, and politicians….
I admit, I am a skeptic when it comes to books promoting fixes, especially those quick and easy ones. Follow these ten steps, they promise, and you will lose weight, earn more money, and achieve whatever else you are after. My impression of such books is that they offer commonsensical advice, but present it in…
As I am working on revising my dissertation into a book manuscript, one of my former teachers recommended that I read William Germano’s From Dissertation To Book. Graduate students know that time is scarce and one has to be judicious about which books to read. There is never enough time to read everything that is…
Lessons in Hope is George Weigel’s most recent book about Saint John Paul II. The book completes the trilogy consisting of Witness to Hope and The End and the Beginning. Collectively, the three books offer an authoritative and definite account of Karol Wojtyła’s remarkable life, from his time in Wadowice to the end of his…