Dr. Valentina Gonzalez Rostani

Biography

Valentina Gonzalez-Rostani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California. Her research specializes in political economy, particularly focusing on the relationship between economic polarization, which has contributed to the decline of the middle class, and political polarization, seen in the diminished presence of moderate political parties and candidates. Her work provides novel insights into job automation as a primary driver of economic polarization, exploring how this phenomenon influences individuals' political attitudes through the interplay of economic, cultural, and institutional factors. Valentina is also involved in developing new methodological tools, such as hierarchical models and computational methods, to measure populism and facilitate rigorous empirical analysis.

Research Interests