Patrick Rhamey

Heading to California later this month to participate in the Alpha Persuade Summit at UC Irvine. Very different environment, but should be exciting!

More interviews tonight: WRIC/ABC in Richmond and 13 News Now in Norfolk.

I’ll be on this evenings WFXR Roanoke and WSET Lynchburg news broadcasts discussing the conflict with Iran.

For those in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, just finished an interview on Iran that should feature on the NBC/WAVY morning news tomorrow.

Really.

I’ll allow the occasional Halloween outfit, but never on a professional website landing page.

In some circles, notably those where you like to cosplay as Machiavelli, it was never cool! Makes for difficult armchair grand strategy, that state level stuff.

^

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Accounting for the Domestic alongside the International Abstract. An old debate on the value of systemic explanations of international relations (IR) reemerged in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukra

I'm very excited to share this new article with an all-star cast of coauthors on the dangers of ignoring domestic causes in public-facing IR! @lanoszka.bsky.social @seva.bsky.social @profpaulpoast.bsky.social @joannaszostek.bsky.social @bohdanakurylo.bsky.social

2025 State of World Liberty Index — J. Patrick Rhamey Jr. Disclaimer: data sources used rank freedoms at a 1-2 year lag, so recent political developments are not captured. I also missed 2024 - got busy with other projects. The State of World Liberty Index ...

2025 State of World Liberty Rankings:

1. Switzerland
2. New Zealand & Ireland
4. Denmark, Luxembourg, Finland, & Norway

Essay | The Tragedy in Texas Broke the Implicit Promise of Summer Camp American sleep-away camps began as a way to protect children from the threats of the world. Parents continue to see them that way.

Dropping my daughter off at camp today was difficult in a way it never has been before.

www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...

The Texas Flood — J. Patrick Rhamey Jr. I've gotten questions from people about how this terrible flooding was even possible, and I've seen some despicable finger-pointing and misinformation on social media by those who have no familiarity ...

Some longer form thoughts about the tragedy happening in a place so dear to my childhood - and people trying to point fingers. I want to thank @texasinafrica.bsky.social and some of her posts/responses for inspiring/motivating me to sit down and get these thoughts on digital paper.

‘Goodnight, Camp Mystic. We Love You.’: A 100-Year-Old Community Honors Its Missing & Dead Girls Fifteen children are dead and 27 girls are still missing amid devastating floods in Texas. “I’m holding onto the love and light that Mystic gave us, even in the darkest night,” one former camper said....

When you live somewhere and disaster strikes, it makes no sense to pretend it isn’t personal. For me, there’s no other way to process terrible things than to make journalism. To my friends from home who went to Camp Mystic and Heart O' the Hills — this is for you.

thebarbedwire.com/2025/07/05/c...

I spent a lot of time growing up on the Guadalupe. I was married on its shores just half a mile from Camp Mystic. It’s a wonderful place, with wonderful people, who have suffered an unimaginable tragedy. Please do what you can.

Joseph Nye, R.I.P. Nye developed the concept of "soft power" -- but he did so much more.

It’s a cruel irony that I wrote about the death of American soft power just before the passing of Joe Nye. danieldrezner.substack.com/p/joseph-nye...

Tonight my kids decided to play congress.

To avoid bedtime, my five year old spoke for 58 minutes. Thanks, @corybooker.com, thanks.

Passed away unexpectedly early yesterday - that’s all I know at the moment.

Farewell to Brandon Valeriano. Just taught his work on cyber today. Going to conferences just won’t be the same.

UN General Assembly vote on A/79/L.54: Declaring July 12 the International Day of Hope to "enhance peace, tolerance and social stability, respect for diversity and mutual respect, and create...an environment conducive to well-being, peace and mutual understanding."

One of the more perplexing things I find about neorealists is that despite their complete reliance on power as a causal variable, they are often rendered totally incapacitated if you ask them how to measure it.

💬Macron's address to the French [Transcript] Macron announced stronger defence, ongoing support for Ukraine, and action against Russian threats. He urged European unity, military investment, and economic independence to secure lasting peace.

substack.com/home/post/p-...

Hegemonic suicide strategy

Farewell ISA - so great to see old friends, particularly given all the current things, and experience well-deserved distinguished scholar panels for Birol Yesilada, Jacek Kugler, and Pat James!

And I am paying very close attention! No one judge me!

Leave tomorrow afternoon. Sitting in ssip business meeting atm.

Was just asked the same this afternoon.

Western allies rally around Zelensky after Trump spat deepens rift with Europe | CNN Western leaders came out to back Ukraine after Friday’s acrimonious meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky deepened the already yawning fault lines between Washington and many of its key ...

As I said, he played it beautifully.

To the neorealists criticizing Zelenskyy: I know Mearsheimer made neorealism synonymous with Putinism in the popular consciousness, but that doesn't mean the rest of you neorealist think tankers have to become tankies.

Some of the “analysis” on this platform and others betrays a desire for influence with the current administration more than any serious discussion of unfolding events.

Watching the neorealists attack Zelenskyy for yesterday is shocking.

Z handled it beautifully. It was an obvious ambush, and Trump has no intention of helping Ukr. Standing up to the pathetic attempt at bullying gained him enormous cred with those who will actually continue to come to his aid.

Rather than increase American power and security, these ideas have isolated and weakened the United States. That's because many of today's "neorealists" aren't neorealists at all - they're constructivists advocating neorealist norms.