In addition to my main research agenda, I have a wide range of interests within the American politics space.
My primary research agenda flows from my dissertation. My dissertation focuses on anti-elitism and populism in three main stages. First, theoretically, how might we distinguish anti-elitism from populism, generally understood? Second, following that distinction, in what ways can we observe anti-elitism in American politics, particularly during campaigns and elections? Third, how much do voters care about this anti-elitism, and does it motivate or change political behavior in any discernable way?
Following the completion of my dissertation, I plan to continue following the threads from the above-mentioned work, and there are several additional avenues of exploration. While my main focus is on campaigns and elections, I am also curious about how anti-elitism and populism manifest in legislative behavior. How do political candidates translate anti-elite rhetoric into measurable behavior as members of Congress? And, following the interplay of representation between elected officials and constituents, do voters notice this behavior and reward/punish accordingly?
My extant work focuses largely on rhetoric, but I am also interested in the veracity of anti-elite claims. For example, among candidates who would qualify as anti-elite given their rhetoric, how many of them retain “anti-elite bona fides” that would inspire confidence in an authentic anti-elite presentation of self?
Beyond my work on anti-elitism, there are other areas of inquiry I plan to explore. I am interested in how members of Congress discuss and communicate with their constituents about nascent issues that do not have clear party cues, such as UAPs (Unidentified Arial Phenomena). In my concern for democratic wellbeing, I am also interested in the links between mental health and political participation, particularly the impact that relatively common mental health disorders (like depression and anxiety) have on democratic outlook, voting, protesting, discussing politics, and other relevant political behaviors.