Laura Acosta

Laura Acosta is a Research Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Northwestern University and previously taught at Trinity College Dublin. Her research focuses on the historical and comparative analysis of nation formation, social identities, and the symbolic mechanisms driving civil war and social conflict.

Education: PhD in Sociology (Northwestern University), prior teaching roles at Trinity College Dublin.

Research Interests: Combines historical, quantitative, and ethnographic methods to study how political deception and national narratives perpetuate civil wars. Current book project explores Colombia and Mexico's perpetual conflicts through the lens of fabricated enemies and self-fulfilling prophecies.

Awardees: Recipient of four American Sociological Association (ASA) section awards for work in Culture, Human Rights, Theory, and Peace/War/Social Conflict.

Grants/Advising: None explicitly listed; her Watson Postdoctoral Fellowship supports interdisciplinary research collaboration.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Watson Institute's research network, contributing to global conflict studies.