I am a Ph.D. Candidate and Presidential Fellow in Sociology at The Ohio State University, with affiliations at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies and the Translational Data Analytics Institute. Previously, I earned an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a B.Sc. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
My research sits at the intersection of politics, culture, and group dynamics, with a particular emphasis on social division and conflict. I also have expertise and interest in quantitative and computational methods. My research has appeared or is forthcoming in journals across the social sciences, including Social Forces, Social Problems, Criminology, Political Psychology, Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Legislative Studies, Politics, Groups & Identities, Social Currents, Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism & Political Aggression, Peace Review, and Contexts.
My teaching reflects this interdisciplinary range. I have independently taught classes on Sociology of Terrorism, at The Ohio State University, and Research Methods and Writing, at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy. My broader teaching interests include theory; collective behavior and social movements; conflict and violence; culture; political communication; political sociology; media and society; technology and society; law and society; social network analysis; research methods; and computational methods.
Much of my prior work has examined the most visible manifestations of division, including extremism, hate, and political violence. My dissertation shifts attention to the nature and foundations of division itself, focusing on what is arguably the most consequential distinction in social and political life: the symbolic boundary between “us” and “them.” Using computational and experimental methods, applied to newly collected survey and social media data, I study how these boundaries are constructed, reproduced, and activated over time.
For a full list of publications and ongoing projects, please see my CV. I also write for and speak to public audiences, including podcasts and news media. Outside of research, I write and perform music (some of which can be found here, along with a music video). I also enjoy playing chess, outdoor sports (of most kinds), and hiking with my dog.
My research sits at the intersection of politics, culture, and group dynamics, with a particular emphasis on social division and conflict. I also have expertise and interest in quantitative and computational methods. My research has appeared or is forthcoming in journals across the social sciences, including Social Forces, Social Problems, Criminology, Political Psychology, Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Legislative Studies, Politics, Groups & Identities, Social Currents, Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism & Political Aggression, Peace Review, and Contexts.
My teaching reflects this interdisciplinary range. I have independently taught classes on Sociology of Terrorism, at The Ohio State University, and Research Methods and Writing, at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy. My broader teaching interests include theory; collective behavior and social movements; conflict and violence; culture; political communication; political sociology; media and society; technology and society; law and society; social network analysis; research methods; and computational methods.
Much of my prior work has examined the most visible manifestations of division, including extremism, hate, and political violence. My dissertation shifts attention to the nature and foundations of division itself, focusing on what is arguably the most consequential distinction in social and political life: the symbolic boundary between “us” and “them.” Using computational and experimental methods, applied to newly collected survey and social media data, I study how these boundaries are constructed, reproduced, and activated over time.
For a full list of publications and ongoing projects, please see my CV. I also write for and speak to public audiences, including podcasts and news media. Outside of research, I write and perform music (some of which can be found here, along with a music video). I also enjoy playing chess, outdoor sports (of most kinds), and hiking with my dog.