Research
Dissertation Project
My dissertation project aims to study the role of anxiety in the face of threat has on shaping political behavior. Using the case of Latine in the United States, I create a theoretical framework for how group-based emotions can have distinct behavioral impacts for members of marginalized groups. That is, while anxiety can have demobilizing effects at the individual level, when people feel anxious on behalf of their group, they are more likely to mobilize. My project investigates who in particular mobilizes when anxious and how exactly anxiety impacts behavior.
Emotions, Threat, and Politics
Expanding from my dissertation work, another area of research I hope to explore is expanding our understanding, as a discipline, of the role of emotions in the political behavior of marginalized communities. A large majority of the literature looks primarily at the negative impacts of threat. The ways in which threat mobilizes or demobilizes or negatively impacts intraminority coalition building. Beyond my dissertation work, my broader research agenda aims to investigate the positive emotions at play. That is, how do hope, optimism, pride, or even group-based love impact how members of marginalized groups respond to threat? I believe part of what drives responses to discriminatory contexts and/or rhetoric is not just negative emotions (i.e anger or anxiety) but a sense of love we feel for our group.
Published Work
1. Alegre, Claudia. Cobian, Jessica. Pérez, Efrén. 2023. “Xenophobia”. Encyclopedia of Political Sociology.
2. Barreto, Matt. Alegre, Claudia. Bailey, Isaiah. Davis, Alexandria. Ferrer, Joshua. Nguy, Joyce. Palmisano, Christopher and Robertson, Crystal. 2023. "Black Lives Matter and the Racialized Support for the January 6th Insurrection." The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
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3. Robertson, Crystal. Davis, Alexandria. Nguy, Joyce. Alegre, Claudia. Comandur, Samyu. Frasure, Lorrie. 2024. “Views on Men Behaving Badly: Male Public Opinion and the 2021 Capitol Insurrection”. Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics.
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4. Laurison, Daniel. Broun, Rachel. Diaz, Kelly. Alegre, Claudia. Orr, Lydia. Rastogi, Ankit. 2025. ‘'It's Like a Disconnection’ – Declining Support for Democrats Among Poor and Working-Class Black and Latine People”. Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Manuscripts in Progress
1. Alegre, Claudia, Pérez, Efrén, Reny, Tyler. “The Political Implications of Individual and Group Based Anxiety”. In Development.
2. Mendez, Geidy and Alegre, Claudia. “For First Generation Latine Hope is the Answer: Hope as a generational tool for political activism varying by skin-color”. In Development.