ongoing projects

The Folklore of Capitalism: Ideological Barriers to Socialist Policy Reform in the United States
School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Jul. 2025 – Aug. 2026

• Advisor: Dr. Euel W. Elliott, UT Dallas

• On academic-year leave of absence as of Aug. 2026.

Recent debates over tariffs and inflation have highlighted a disconnect between expert economic discourse and the beliefs held by many Americans, particularly in electoral decision-making. Widespread misunderstandings of core economic principles have been shown to correlate with ideological rigidity and resistance to “reformist” policies. This gap directly influences electoral behavior and policy support, consumer spending and national discourse surrounding justice, equity, and sustainability. Particularly concerning is the disconnect between the American voting public’s negative perceptions of democratic socialism and socialist economic policies. These include policies under free-market capitalism that promote equity and collective welfare such as strong labor protections and robust social welfare, and the potential measurable benefits of policies typically associated with it, such as universal healthcare and public education. These attitudes have also strengthened support for policies framed as pro-capitalist, including reduced business regulation and environmental deregulation. We ultimately aim to investigate how American citizens perceive and interpret economic systems, particularly free-market capitalism and democratic socialism, and how these perceptions influence their attitudes toward policy, governance, and structural change. Although these ideologies dominate discourse, public understanding is often shaped by cultural narratives, misinformation, and assumptions rather than economic theory or historical evidence. This study contributes to a growing body of literature concerned with the psychological and cultural dimensions of economic ideology in attitudes of American voters.