Major Field: International Relations
Minor Field: Comparative Politics
Research Interests: International Political Economy; Public Opinion / Individual Level Attitudes; Globalization; International Labor Mobility / Migration
Research Experience:
Teaching Interests: International Relations; International/Comparative Political Economy; International Cooperation; American Foreign Policy; Globalization
Teaching Experience:
Dissertation Title: An Unprejudiced Backlash Against Foreign Labor Policy: Why the Working Class Supports Immigrant Rights Over Immigration Openness
Dissertation Committee: David Bearce (chair), Jennifer Fitzgerald, Andy Baker
Disseration Discription: Individuals’ attitudes toward immigrant rights are more positive than their attitudes toward immigration openness (i.e., allowing more entrants). The attitudes gap cannot be explained by random error, as rights attitudes are almost always more positive than openness attitudes. Social desirability bias may explain when these attitudes converge (when individuals express universally positive attitudes to avoid social stigma) but cannot explain this attitudes divergence. I therefore ask the following research question: what kinds of individuals possess an attitudes gap? Using two sets of survey data, I demonstrate the prevalence of an attitudes gap among the self-identified working class. Working class identity has been linked to numerous attitudes, but the literature has neglected its impact on rights and openness attitudes. I speculate worker solidarity dulls opposition to immigrant rights, while job competition fears among the working class heightens hostility to immigration openness. Understanding the attitudes gap is important because democracies host a majority of the world’s immigrants. Attitudes will determine how these immigrants are treated (“rights”) and how many entrants are even permitted (“openness”).
Expected Defense Date: April 2023
Publications:
Papers Under Review:
- Stallman, Ken, David Bearce, Andrew McLeer. "Globalization and Collective Identity Formation at the Individual Level: Understanding the Anti-Global Backlash". International Studies Quarterly.
- Stallman, Ken, David Bearce. "Immigration Attitudes and Positive Messaging: Evidence From the United States". International Journal of Public Opinion Research. Forthcoming in American Politics Research.
- Stallman, Ken, Srinivas Parinandi, Matthew Hitt. Does Electoral Accountability Lower the Cost of Green Energy Regulation? The Case of Renewables Portfolio Standards. Energy Policy
Awards:
- Department of Political Science Graduate Research Grant Award, Spring 2021
- United Government of Graduate Students Travel Grant Spring 2020
- Department of Political Science Graduate Research Grant Award, Spring 2019
- Department of Political Science Graduate Research Grant Award, Spring 2018