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My research addresses the relationship between social inequalities, state structures and political conflicts viewed in comparative perspective. Of specific interest are the socio-political foundations of formal state institutions (public policies, laws and the political consequences they generate) that lie at the heart of my scholarship. These constitute well-known norms, teeming with symbolic meaning and distributive consequences that generate intense group struggles throughout societies, worldwide. The comparative analyses of public policies shed light on the sources of social stability and change, allowing us better understanding of how sociopolitical-economic inequalities are created and recreated in modern societies.

 

My research is conducted from a quantitative and comparative perspective and covers four main areas: social policy, political behavior, gender & politics and European integration. On social policy, several of my studies address the causes of social policy change – particularly pension policy change – as well as attitudes towards potential social policy reforms and redistribution. My participation in an ongoing project, entitled “Democratic Governance of Funded Pension Schemes” (funded by NORFACE), examines attitudes towards private, retirement income provision and the regulation of private pension funds. In another set of studies, I consider the causes and consequences of demographic and pension policy literacy. 

My political behavior research examines class voting – the classic topic in political sociology. My involvement in the ongoing project CLASSPOL (funded by the Spanish State Research Agency) analyzes the mechanisms of class voting in six affluent democracies. My research in gender & politics also forms an important part of my academic program. In co-authored studies, for example, I have analyzed the scope conditions of gender gaps in political interest and public support for redistribution policies. In the policy field of reproductive rights, my research has generated several studies that examine the causes of policy reform and public policy attitudes regarding these rights. On European integration, I have conducted work on supranational integration processes in particular. In an ongoing, multi-year project, I use data from a survey panel of Spanish undergraduate students to examine the causes of attitude shifts towards European integration. 

In my free time, I like to practice sports and go to the movies.

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