Mohammad Khalilian

Mohammad Khalilian is a Ph.D. Candidate and Research Assistant in Sociology at the University of Kentucky, focusing on the interplay between state regulations and social actors' resistance through relational processes. He employs computational methods and archival datasets to address these questions.

• Education: Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology, University of Kentucky (2024); M.Sc. in Social Science Research, National University of Iran (2020); B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University (2017).

His research interests span Law and Society, Computational Sociology, and Political Sociology, with a focus on how state structures shape cultural production (e.g., Persian rap), corporate power dynamics in agrochemical and energy sectors, and network-based interventions for mental health. His work integrates Social Network Analysis, Collective Behavior, and State Violence frameworks.

The grant landscape includes collaborations with Dr. Loka Ashwood on NSF-funded projects like A Multidimensional Network Approach to Financial Organization of Life Outcomes (2025–2027, $379,804) and Food System 6-funded studies on agrochemical ownership networks. Additional funding comes from the University of Kentucky Energy Research Priority Area and Economic Security Project.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Howard Beers Research Fellowship (University of Kentucky Sociology Department)
• Honorable Mention for Thesis of the Year (ACECR, 2020) for work on Iranian music scenes

His publications and projects include:

• Analyzing Persian rap lyrics to study institutional logics and cultural production
• Network models of state-sponsored violence using fuzzy-set QCA
• Co-ownership structures in global agrochemical firms
• Coal mining permit networks in Eastern Kentucky
• Intergenerational mental health interventions with applications in network theory