My research has been published in journals such as Nature Human Behavior, American Political Science Review, the Journal of Elections Public Opinion and Parties, European Union Politics, among others. It is the result of an agenda that consists of the following projects:
My primary objective in this research domain is to understand the intricacies of modern-day democracies grappling with identity-based polarization and liberal democratic backsliding. I contend that in spite of marked advancements in civil rights, subtle forms of prejudice against marginalized communities persist. This often materializes as instrumental acceptance, serving as a mask to conceal underlying biases. To comprehensively address this intricate issue, I have innovated cutting-edge AI-driven experimental methodologies, creating controlled environments that mimic real-world scenarios.
I causally pinpoint the ways in which social and political identities can sway citizens either towards or against (il)liberal policies. I perceive my research as addressing dual challenges – both methodological and substantive. By offering a unique lens through which we can detect and understand the fragility of liberal values, I aim to contribute significantly towards fortifying democratic resilience. This is particularly crucial in a world where concealed, yet deeply rooted, identitarian prejudices are prevalent.
In my deep dives into the conditionality of attitudes, I’ve explored how individuals might strategically support LGBTQ+ causes as a tactic to differentiate themselves from Muslim ethnic outgroups.
This is the central topic of my dissertation in which I (re)examine how voters’ preferences shape diverse candidate representation. I argue that an encompassing perspective of diversity has been neglected in the literature explaining the underrepresentation of traditionally excluded social groups. Hence, I examine the preferences of voters for political candidates with intertwined memberships in excluded social groups. Furthermore, I investigate how co-leadership, a form of leadership that is booming in parties and governments, can change alleviate voters’ discriminatory preferences. Lastly, I argue that preferences on the candidates’ personality, as a central element of diversity, play a determining role in voting and, consequently, in social representation. This framework helps us shift focus away from asking if voters discriminate against diverse candidates. Instead, it allows us to focus on analyzing which elements influence this discrimination. To answer these questions, I employ conjoint experimental innovations by exploiting the multi-level, mediating and visual possibilities of these tools.
Prof. D. Oliver Strijbis and I study the effect of expectations and campaign events on the election results. For that purpose we program electoral prediction markets that serve as a tool to predict elections similarly to polls.
Our most recent paper, for example, studies the bandwagoning effect (psychological phenomenon by which citizens support those who simply have the appearance of winning) and the so-called ‘strategic coalition voting’ (which involves voting for the party that ensures the preferred post-electoral coalition) in the last Catalan elections.
If you want to participate or to know more about our prediction markets, access to the projects’ websites: Predi Spain, Predi Latam.