2024 Graduate Student Publications

Immigration attitudes and positive messaging: Evidence from the United States

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:03:00 +0000

Immigration attitudes and positive messaging: Evidence from the United States Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 12:03

Immigration attitudes and positive messaging: Evidence from the United States

By: David H Bearce, Ken Stallman

Abstract:

This paper considers a messaging strategy to shift immigration preferences, arguing that if citizen attitudes in this issue-area build from several dimensions, then a positive message related to each dimension should move attitudes in a more favorable direction. It tests the first part using original survey data with directly comparable questions about whether immigration hurts/helps American culture/the economy/national security, providing evidence that all three dimensions currently support the preferences of voting-age citizens. It tests the second part by randomly presenting another sample with different messages about how labor immigration strengthens national security, creates new jobs, or enhances culture, finding that all three reduce anti-immigration attitudes with significant effects even within groups that are more opposed to immigration (namely, white Americans, those with less education, and partisan Republicans).

Off

Traditional

White

The Shape and Color of Politics: How Citizens Process Political Information and Its Consequences

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:00:05 +0000

The Shape and Color of Politics: How Citizens Process Political Information and Its Consequences Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 12:00

The Shape and Color of Politics: How Citizens Process Political Information and Its Consequences

By: Damon C Roberts

Abstract:

Do colors shape the political attitudes and behaviors of citizens in the United States? In this project, I argue that they do. Existing research in political psychology has considered how substantive information about policy stances and partisanship activates motivated reasoning to shape political attitudes and behaviors. Developing the color cognition model, I argue that colors act as pre-conscious information conveying partisan attachments and occurs before the processing of this substantive political information. I apply this model to a number of common experiences for Americans: how we learn about candidates with their yard signs, how we decide whether to talk about politics with a stranger, and how we might even decide where to live. Across these applications, I find that the colors red and blue convey partisan attachments across context. The degree to which this information influences one political attitudes and behavior is more mixed, however. These colors appear to be important in low-information settings and have the potential to shape how we process subsequent information about others’ politics.

Off

Traditional

White

Bad Sex: Hookups, Harms, and the Politics of Sex in the 21st Century

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:58:06 +0000

Bad Sex: Hookups, Harms, and the Politics of Sex in the 21st Century Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 11:58

Bad Sex: Hookups, Harms, and the Politics of Sex in the 21st Century

By: Zoe Moss

Abstract:

This dissertation works to politicize sex that lies somewhere between liberating and assault. In this project, I offer a comprehensive theorization of the concept of what I call “Bad Sex”. I offer the original definition of Bad Sex as sex that is legally permissible, yet morally harmful. This definition serves as a way to begin to create a cohesive language around this experience so that the harms that result from it can be made both legible and articulable. Empirical research in sociology and psychology, in addition to depictions of sex in literature, music, podcasts, movies and television shows demonstrate that this type of sex is extremely common, yet I argue that without a comprehensive political theory of it, the harms that come with bad sex – demoralization, degradation of agency, and demobilization – remain illegible.

I frame the entire phenomenon of Bad Sex as an urgent issue of what feminist philosopher Miranda Fricker terms hermeneutical injustice, or the lack of justice that results from not being able to understand one own experiences, and/or having one experiences be misunderstood by others. By taking what is perceived as an ordinary sexual experience and offering a novel and pointedly political theoretical analysis that questions why and how these clear harms have been rendered banal, I begin to make experiences of Bad Sex legible to readers.

After clearly defining Bad Sex, I work to answer the question of how it has come to be understood as ordinary through an investigation of both feminist legal theory and interpersonal and social norms in chapters two and three respectively. In chapter four, I offer an analysis of the popular television shows Girls, Euphoria, and Tuca and Bertie. I use these television shows as a means to argue that portrayals of Bad Sex on television are an important starting point for making it legible to viewers while also serving as the jumping-off point for politically oriented consciousness-raising. I conclude by arguing that potential of consciousness raising can help people to reconsider their own experiences of Bad Sex while also collectively re-theorizing what sex is and ought to be.

Off

Traditional

White

Towards Inclusive Political Representation

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:56:33 +0000

Towards Inclusive Political Representation Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 11:56

Towards Inclusive Political Representation

By: Komal Preet Kaur

Abstract:

My research asks the following questions: What are the ramifications of male dominance in
positions of power? Do they adequately address the concerns of women constituents? How do
electoral quotas influence the trajectory of political careers for underrepresented groups? Which
subgroups derive the greatest benefits from quota implementation? How do voters respond to
the introduction of quotas, and what factors shape their reactions? I theorize and offer causal
evidence on the consequences of inequitable political representation and the role of quotas in reme
dying disparities in political inequality. Through a combination of observational and experimental
data spanning various levels ranging from legislatures to voters, my research examines quotas (or
lack thereof) from multiple perspectives using a range of methodological approaches. My research
demonstrates that while there is a risk of neglecting policy issues faced by underrepresented groups
in legislative spaces, indicating the need for institutionalizing quotas, quotas can have asymmetric
effects on citizens’ political behavior. Quotas can bridge gaps in political participation by demobi
lizing dominant groups while simultaneously mobilizing underrepresented groups. However, their
repercussions extend beyond the realm of politics and have implications for intergroup relations.
Thus, my research highlights the nuances of political representation and examines the effects of
quotas on governance structures and political behavior. My dissertation comprises three distinct
yet interconnected empirical chapters, all situated within the context of India. Overall, this disser
tation offers lessons not only for those interested in Indian politics but also for everyone seeking to
understand the role of quotas in addressing political inequality.

Off

Traditional

White

Toxic Masculinity and the Public Square

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:53:49 +0000

Toxic Masculinity and the Public Square Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 11:53

Toxic Masculinity and the Public Square

By: Alexander L. Jensen

Abstract:

What is “toxic masculinity”? And how does it shape Americans’ interactions in the social and political realm? In the years since the rise of Trump and the peak of the #MeToo movement, media narratives and public discussions of gender frequently address the issue of “toxic masculinity.” In the halls of the academy, however, “toxic masculinity” is considered an underdeveloped concept (Harrington 2021). Yet, scholarship on “toxic masculinity” fails to account for public opinion in a systematic manner, skirting a straightforward definition of the concept and instead defining it by example or in relation to other concepts. In this dissertation, I employ a series of original nationwide surveys – and survey experiments – of Americans to understand how the mass public conceptualizes “toxic masculinity,” and how it shapes citizens engagement with the public square. Across the project, I define the concept more clearly and show how “toxic masculinity” has deep political roots and strong partisan connections. In Chapters 1 and 2, I demonstrate that the public uses “toxic masculinity” as an accessible critique of men harmful attitudes and behaviors, often located at political sites of power. I show in Chapter 3 how the concept can be employed as a successful rhetorical device to attack male officeholders who are under fire for their misbehavior. In Chapter 4, I take this line of research a step further, demonstrating how individual-level endorsement of “toxic masculinity” operates as a gendered ideology - a system of beliefs about how individuals should manifest and perform gender - that informs their support for, or opposition to, political officials. My findings in the project speak to fundamental questions about concept formation and validation in the social sciences, but they also suggest new inroads for research at the nexus of gender and politics. By incorporating measures of individuals’ endorsement of gender ideologies into studies of political attitudes and behavior, scholars can gain a more complete understanding of gender roots as a social identity that shapes individuals’ opinions and beliefs.

Off

Traditional

White

Fairweather cosmopolitans: Immigration attitudes in latin america during the migrant crisis

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:05:00 +0000

Fairweather cosmopolitans: Immigration attitudes in latin america during the migrant crisis Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 11:05

Fairweather cosmopolitans: Immigration attitudes in latin america during the migrant crisis

By: Brett R Bessen, Brendan J Connell, Ken Stallman

Abstract:

What explains voter attitudes toward immigration in Latin America? This article argues that increased refugee arrivals moderate the impact of social identities on immigration attitudes. We propose that informational cues associated with increased immigration make cosmopolitan identities less important—and exclusionary national identities more important—determinants of immigration preferences. Analyzing 12 Latin American countries from the 2017–2022 wave of the World Values Survey, we demonstrate that cosmopolitanism is positively associated with pro-immigration attitudes, but only in countries experiencing low-to-moderate refugee inflows. Conversely, nationalism is negatively associated with pro-immigrant attitudes, and increasingly so as refugee inflows increase. The uneven distribution of refugee migration has therefore reshaped public opinion in Latin America by moderating the effects of competing social identities (i.e., cosmopolitanism and nationalism). These findings contribute to broader debates on the behavioral impacts of immigration by highlighting an indirect mechanism by which increased immigration may generate anti-immigrant hostility.

Off

Traditional

White

Populist discourse and public support for executive aggrandizement in Latin America

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:59:09 +0000

Populist discourse and public support for executive aggrandizement in Latin America Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 10:59

Populist discourse and public support for executive aggrandizement in Latin America

By: Brett R Bessen

Abstract:

What explains citizen support for executive aggrandizement? Previous work points to support for the president, showing that individuals who support the incumbent are more accepting of executive aggrandizement. Yet, the role of the president in shaping support for (and the meaning of) executive aggrandizement is unexplored. I argue that populist discourse increases support for executive aggrandizement by framing the president as the genuine representative of the people and by portraying institutional opposition as corrupt. Two studies support this argument: First, a multilevel analysis shows that a text-based measure of populist discourse is associated with increasing support for the president closing congress or the supreme court. The estimated effect of populist discourse is largest among presidential supporters. Second, a survey experiment conducted in Ecuador shows that populist and anti-elitist discourse increase support for a hypothetical executive closing the legislature. The findings indicate that populist discourse undermines public opinion as an executive accountability mechanism.

Off

Traditional

White

Follow the court: examining judicial homestyle through extrajudicial communications on state court Twitter

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:40:29 +0000

Follow the court: examining judicial homestyle through extrajudicial communications on state court Twitter Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 10:40

Follow the court: examining judicial homestyle through extrajudicial communications on state court Twitter

By: Cayleb B Stives, Todd A Curry

Abstract:

Because the connection between the public and judges on state courts is significantly more nuanced, and in many instances, direct, social networking sites like X.com (formerly Twitter) have become a favored communication platform for fostering personal connections between political elites and their intended audiences. It is within these parasocial relationships we argue that favorable perceptions can be reinforced, bolstering the legitimacy of political actors and the institutions they represent. This work articulates a novel theory that compares the extrajudicial communication strategies used by judges on Twitter to those of career influencers. Using two prominent judges on Twitter, we provide examples of how this behavior is utilized in a non-political fashion to increase their network reach and engagement. By identifying and documenting what we coin “judicial influencer” behaviors, our work provides a framework for future research in political figures leveraging parasocial relationships to increase their personal notoriety and institutional legitimacy.

Off

Traditional

White

Culturally justified hate: Prevalence and mental health impact of dark participation in games

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:48:42 +0000

Culturally justified hate: Prevalence and mental health impact of dark participation in games Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 09:48

Culturally justified hate: Prevalence and mental health impact of dark participation in games

By: Rachel Kowert, Elizabeth Kilmer, Alex Newhouse

Abstract:

Hate, harassment, and other forms of so-called “toxicity” are colloquially discussed as normalized activities in gaming spaces. However, there are several challenges that have limited researchers’ ability to assess this normalization in terms of the prevalence, nature, and embeddedness of these deviant practices. This work addresses those challenges directly and assesses the rates of dark participation, their mental health impact, player mitigation strategies, and player perceptions around the cultural normalization of these actions within gaming communities. The results provide empirical support for high rates of dark participation in games, a range of mental health consequences to these actions, as well as the endorsement of the culturally justified acceptance of these behaviors within gaming spaces.

Off

Traditional

White

Radicalisation through Gaming: The Role of Gendered Social Identity

Avery Lord — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:45:14 +0000

Radicalisation through Gaming: The Role of Gendered Social Identity Avery Lord Thu, 06/18/2026 - 09:45

Radicalisation through Gaming: The Role of Gendered Social Identity

By: Jessica White, Claudia Wallner, Galen Lamphere-Englund, Rachel Kowert, Linda Schlegel, Ashton Kingdon, Alexandra Phelan, Alex Newhouse, Gonzalo Saiz Erausquin, Petra Regeni

Abstract:

As the popularity and social significance of online gaming have surged, with more than three billion gamers encompassing a broad spectrum of the global population, the urgency to understand how gaming spaces constitute formative identity- and community-building environments is more essential than ever. While acknowledging that many gamers have positive experiences, this project aims to understand, through a gender and intersectional lens, how socialisation processes coupled with exposure to harassment, hate-based discrimination and extreme content can potentially lower resilience to radicalisation in gaming and gaming-adjacent spaces. Governments are increasingly paying attention to this issue, considering regulatory requirements and effective intervention designs. This heightened awareness necessitates a deeper analysis of the nuances and complexities of the threats and risks. Therefore, this report aims to provide much-needed analysis of these issues, guiding the reader through the key research findings of the project ‘Examining Socialization with a Nexus to Radicalization Across Gaming (-Adjacent) Platforms Through a Gender Lens’, which was funded by Public Safety Canada, led by RUSI and implemented by a consortium of members of the Extremism and Gaming Research Network. Taking a cross-cultural global approach and drawing on primary survey data and data collected from and on multiple gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms, this project aims to provide accessible gender-sensitive research analysis, along with pragmatic recommendations for practitioners and policymakers engaged in these spaces. Following a conceptual framing section and a chapter outlining project scope and methodology, project analysis highlights the following four key analytical focuses: 1. An assessment of the prevalence of harmful, toxic and extremist content in gaming spaces. 2. Identification of the importance of (offline) identity and culture in the formation of gamer identity and communities. 3. Analysis of gender norms and dynamics in gaming communities and their potential exploitation for radicalisation and recruitment. 4. Exploration of where gendered socialisation processes combined with normalised exposure to extreme ideas and content can reduce resilience to radicalisation. Overall, this project adds new insights to the growing body of research on the topic of extremism and gaming through the gender and intersectional lens it applies to understanding the complex relationships between gaming, identity, community and radicalization. Additionally, it breaks ground with the focus on cross-cultural data collection. However, it also highlights the need for further research to fully grasp how these dynamics play out across different contexts and identities, contributing to more nuanced and effective approaches to countering radicalisation in gaming spaces.

Off

Traditional

White