Research Experiences

Meaning-Making at the Margins: American Understandings of Socialism and Communism in a Politically Polarized Landscape Perspectives on Emerging Technology

In this mixed-methods project, I am examining how Americans across the political spectrum perceive socialism and communism in the context of heightened polarization. Drawing on qualitative interviews and Political Compass data, I analyze the symbolic, emotional, and historical frameworks individuals use to articulate their ideological positions. This research contributes to ongoing debates around ideological meaning-making, political identity, and the persistence of Cold War narratives in contemporary U.S. political discourse.

Students and Admissions Essays: Analyzing how Students Learn to Write their College Admissions Essays

This summer, I conducted an ethnographic study of a college preparation program for low-income students at an elite high school in Ross, California. Using participant observation, I examined how race, class, and institutional norms shape student-teacher dynamics and the storytelling students are encouraged to produce. This project engages broader questions of educational inequality, cultural capital, and the politics of narrative in elite academic spaces.

AI and the Ju’hoansi San: Indigenous Perspectives on Emerging Technology

During this project, I led a community session with members of the Ju’hoansi San in Tsumkwe, NA, to explore their perspectives on artificial intelligence through participant observation. I argue that AI can serve as a liberatory technology when developed with Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural context at the forefront. My analysis emphasizes the importance of centering marginalized voices in the creation and governance of emerging technologies.

Endometriosis: The Crossroads of Healthcare and Internalized Ableism

During this project, I conducted qualitative analysis of interview data to investigate the lived experiences of individuals diagnosed with endometriosis. I co-authored the theory and results sections, drawing on critical sociological frameworks to examine how participants navigate healthcare systems shaped by internalized ableism, which I further theorized in relation to internalized racism. This project demonstrates how internalized forms of oppression manifest at the intersection of chronic illness and systemic healthcare inequities.