My research interest is in Comparative & Historical Sociology, particularly nationalism, social movements, and globalization. My secondary field of interest is social stratification, with a focus on social capital, gender, and education.

My dissertation is titled "Latent Destinies: Incorporation and Nationalism in Hawai'i, Alaska, and Puerto Rico." I compare the role of the state in the emergence of separatist movements in the three territories. I employ a path-dependent framework to show how government policies impact local population dynamics, which in turn shapes the development of nationalist sentiments.