Maria Abascal

Maria Abascal is an Associate Professor of Sociology at New York University, affiliated with the College of Arts & Science and the Department of Sociology. Her research focuses on race/ethnicity, migration, political sociology, and experimental methods. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology & Social Policy from Princeton University (2016), an M.A. in Sociology from Princeton (2012), and a B.A. in Sociology from Columbia University (2009).

Her work examines topics such as racial stratification, immigration, and political behavior. Recent studies include analyses of anti-immigrant sentiment interventions, partisan discrimination during the pandemic, and the socio-demographic dynamics of diversity perceptions. Experimental methods are central to her research, as seen in studies on partisanship bias reduction and skin color discrimination in labor markets.

Key themes in her publications include the intersection of race, politics, and public policy. She explores how demographic changes influence social perceptions and institutional responses, such as naming patterns among Mexican-Americans and the effects of racial threat on political attitudes. Her work bridges theoretical insights with empirical rigor, often employing field experiments to uncover mechanisms behind social phenomena.