Stephon J. Boatwright

Political Scientist / Analyst

Political researcher working on authoritarian populism, violent extremism, and transatlantic relations.

/ Thoughts

Really Existing Nationalism: Ghostownification as a Far Right Future

Ghostownification examines how falling birth rates, restrictive immigration policies, pronatalism, and far-right nationalism could reshape aging societies across Japan, Europe, and the United States. From Japan’s disappearing villages to Hungary, Italy, and the politics of remigration and Great Replacement Theory, the essay explores demographic decline and “really existing nationalism”, what nationalist policies produce in practice rather than what they promise.

Book Review: The Owned Continent and Europe’s Search for Autonomy

As transatlantic tensions deepen, Europe faces a defining question: can it move beyond dependence on American power, or is autonomy still a political fiction? In The Owned Continent, Dave Keating argues that Europe’s cultural, economic, and military subordination is neither inevitable nor permanent, and that the continent may yet emerge as a decisive force in shaping the future of the liberal democratic order.

Murder is Still Not a Political Instrument

As I type on the eve of yet another grotesque act of political violence in America, I cannot help but reflect on the long history of murder masquerading as politics. When I learned from my students about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s shooting as I walked into my afternoon Criminal Justice course, my mind immediately returned to a phrase often attributed to the German social scientist Theodor Adorno: Murder is not a political instrument. Adorno’s influence peaked in th

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/ In Conversation

Selected interviews and media appearances

What would the world look like if 9/11 had never happened? Dr. Boatwright joined WCAX's You Can Quote Me to explore one of modern history's most consequential counterfactuals and consider how the attacks reshaped American politics and international affairs.

Dr. Boatwright joined Vermont Public Radio's Vermont Edition to discuss the legality of U.S. intervention in Venezuela, examining the international legal framework governing military intervention, national sovereignty, and the limits of American executive authority.

Dr. Boatwright joined Vermont Public Radio's Vermont Edition to examine the legality of the U.S. military buildup near Venezuela and its maritime drug interdiction operations. The discussion explored international law, national sovereignty, and the legal limits of using military force against accused drug traffickers.

Stephon J. Boatwright

Stephon Boatwright teaches political science at Saint Michael’s College and New York University. His research examines political communication and social psychological techniques in contemporary populist movements, with particular attention to how demagogic strategies travel across the Atlantic. In addition to his academic work, he regularly contributes to public discourse through media commentary and provides guidance to elected officials, drawing on his experience as a political strategist and campaign advisor.

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