Research

Papers

Publications

• Wright, K., Tezcür, G. M., Mainx, M., & Tafoya, J. (2025). They are Hiding the Truth and Plotting: Conspiracy Beliefs Among Latinos. Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics, 1-32.

Accepted, Forthcoming

• J. Tafoya & G. Sanchez. Systemic Disparities in Healthcare Access and Insurance Among Latinos (Book Chapter in "Salud Latina: An Examination of Contemporary Health Concerns" by Yoshira D. Macías Mejía), with Gabriel Sanchez

• J. Strickland & J. Tafoya. Revolving Door Lobbying (Book Chapter in "The Oxford Handbook of Lobbying and Its Regulation")

• B. Gonzalez O'Brien, L. Collingwood, M. Paarlberg, and J. Tafoya. The Sanctuary Scale: Assessing Immigrant Protection and Incorporation Policies in Local Government. International Migration.

Under Review

• A. Bautista-Chavez, J. Tafoya & R. Romero. The Organizational Terrain of U.S. Latino Politics. 

• J. Tafoya. Race, Partisanship, and Loyalty: Exploring the Individual Effects of Redistricting on Representation Attitudes.

Drafting/Manuscript

• J. Tafoya, D. Saldana, K. Navarrette, A. Bautista-Chavez. Revisiting Representation and the Role of Latino Intermediaries: Intersectional Constituencies and Placed-Based Politics.

• K. Wright & J. Tafoya. Beyond the Suffix: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Latina/o Label Preferences and Political Behavior.

Public-Facing Reports and Publications

2024

• Ending The Affordable Care Act Would be Devastating to the Latino Community. BSP Research. Link

• Latino Voting Behavior: Bad Polling Leads to Bad Assumptions. Brookings Institute. Link

• Southeastern New Mexico Oil and Gas Workforce Study. UNM Center for Social Policy. Link (Technical Role)

• The Latino Civic Ecosystem at Work in Arizona: Past, Present, and Future Trajectories. UCLA Latino Politics and Policy Institute & ASU Center for Latinas/os and American Politics Research. Link

2023

• New Mexico Gender Report. University of New Mexico. Link

• New Mexican’s Experiences with Telehealth: Highlights from a Recent Statewide Survey. UNM Center for Social Policy. Link

2022

• New Mexico Redistricting Evaluation Report. Redistricting Partners. Link

Research Experience

2021 - 2025 Survey Research Analyst 

BSP Research

Supervisors: Gabriel Sanchez (UNM), Matt Barreto (UCLA), Gary Segura (UCLA)

2021 - 2025 Research Assistant 

University of New Mexico, Department of Political Science

                                  Supervisor: Gabriel Sanchez        

             2024         Research Assistant

Arizona State University

Supervisors: Francisco Pedraza

             2024         LPPI Action Lab Researcher

University of California-Los Angeles, Arizona State University

Supervisors: Angie Bautista-Chavez, Juana Hernandez-Sanchez, Belen Flores

        2024         Indigenous Research Fellowship Graduate Mentor

Arizona State University

Supervisors: Tara Lennon

2023 - 2024 Research Assistant 

Arizona State University, School of Politics and Global Studies

Supervisor: Angie Bautista-Chavez

2022 - 2024 SPGS Experimental Lab Assistant 

Arizona State University, School of Politics and Global Studies

Supervisor: Kim Fridkin

2022 - 2023 Research Assistant 

Arizona State University, School of Politics and Global Studies

Supervisor: Kenicia Wright

        2021         Research Assistant 

University of New Mexico, Department of Political Science

Supervisor: Loren Collingwood

        2021         ASSURE Research Fellow 

University of New Mexico

Topic: “The Effects of Media Framing on Protests and Activism”

        2021         NSSP/CTSP Research Fellow 

University of New Mexico

Topic: “Sanctuary cities: Analysis of City Resolutions”

        2017         “E.U. in Focus,” Coordinator 

New York University

Topic: The Paris Climate Accord

Presentations

2024

• Southwest Workshop on Mixed Methods Research, October 2024. Beyond the Suffix: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Latina/o Label Preferences and Political Behavior. Riverside, CA.

• Latino Studies Association Panelist, April 2024. Revisiting Representation and the Role of Latino Intermediaries: Intersectional Constituencies and Placed-Based Politics. Tempe, AZ.

• SPGS Identity Lab, April 2024. Perceptions of Fairness in Redistricting. Tempe, AZ. 

• Western Political Science Association, March 2024. Revisiting Representation and the Role of Latino Intermediaries: Intersectional Constituencies and Placed-Based Politics. Vancouver, Canada.

• Politics of Race, Immigration, and Ethnicity Consortium, Jan. 2024. Perceptions of Redistricting: Exploring Preferences, Representation, Efficacy, and Behavior. Tempe, AZ. 

• Politics of Race, Immigration, and Ethnicity Consortium, Jan. 2024. Beyond The Suffix: A Qualitative Exploration of Latina/o Identity. Tempe, AZ. 

2023

• Emory University, Dec. 2023. The U.S. Latino Organizational Terrain. 

• ASU Institute for Social Science Research, Apr. 2023. Poster: Race, Partisanship, and Loyalty: What Factors Shape Redistricting Perceptions? Tempe, AZ. 

• Midwestern Political Science Association, Apr. 2023. The Government is Hiding the Truth and Plotting: Explaining Latino Belief in Conspiracy Theories. Chicago, IL. 

• Midwestern Political Science Association, Apr. 2023. The Curious Case of Mass Mobilization: The Relationship between 2020 U.S. Protests and Voting Behavior. San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL.

• Western Political Science Association, Apr. 2023. The Curious Case of Mass Mobilization: The Relationship between 2020 U.S. Protests and Voting Behavior. San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL.

• American Indian Studies Association, Feb. 2023. Raising Native Voices Missing from College Courses. Tempe, AZ.

• Politics of Race, Immigration, and Ethnicity Consortium, Jan. 2023. Poster: Sanctuary Cities & Interregional Latino Migration. Tempe, AZ. 

2022 & Prior

• NSSP/CTSP Research Consortium, Feb. 2021. Poster: Sanctuary Cities: An Analysis of Resolutions. Albuquerque, NM.

• Women in Literature, Culture, and Art Conference, NYU Florence, Dec. 2017. Gender confrontations in various works of literature: The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld, Bhagavad Gita, and Lysistrata. Florence, Italy.