David L. Leal
Associate Professor — Ph.D., Harvard University
Associate Professor, Department of Government
Contact
- E-mail: dleal@austin.utexas.edu
- Phone: 512.471.1343
- Office: BAT 3.140
- Office Hours: By appointment
- Campus Mail Code: A1800
Biography
My primary academic interest is Latino politics. My goal is to understand how Latino individuals and communities shape, and are shaped by, politics in the United States. Because these are complex and multifaceted dynamics, my research spans the fields of public policy, political behavior, and public opinion.
In the public policy field, I am interested in issues with significant implications for Latino communities, particularly immigration and education. My political behavior research examines how factors beyond socio-economic status shape Latino electoral participation. My work on public opinion studies the opinions of Latinos themselves as well as how Latinos are viewed by others.
My recent papers examine how Mexican immigrants engage in both U.S. and transnational politics; the influence of ethnic identification (or the lack thereof) on Latino voter turnout; the political meaning of intra-Catholic identities; the testing of conventional wisdoms about Latinos and immigrants; and the distinctiveness of Latino political opinions and behaviors.
My interests often lead to interdisciplinary approaches. For instance, my work on how religion, military service, transnationalism, and ethnic identity shape Latino political engagement is influenced by sociological research. In addition, my early work examined the substantive implications of Latino descriptive representation on school boards and how political dynamics affect the adoption and implementation of education programs.
Several additional interests might be categorized as North American politics. I wrote a book about American gubernatorial elections, edited a journal symposium about Canadian politics, and have written about Mexican democratization and U.S.-Mexico border politics. Many political and policy dynamics are difficult to understand within the confines of a single nation, so an understanding of regional and border issues is increasingly important to academics and policymakers alike.
Recent Research
• “The Case of the Disappearing Latinos: The Consequences of (Non) Ethnic Identification for Understanding Latino Political Participation in the United States.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association. Chicago, IL, April 12-15, 2012.
• 2012. David L. Leal, Byung-Jae Lee, and James A. McCann. “Transnational Absentee Voting in the 2006 Mexican Presidential Election: The Roots of Participation.” Electoral Studies, v31: 540-549.
• 2012. Julie A. Dowling, Christopher G. Ellison, and David L. Leal. “Who Doesn’t Value English? Debunking Myths About Mexican Immigrants’ Attitudes Towards the English Language.” Social Science Quarterly, v93: 356-78.
• 2011. Christopher G. Ellison, Heeju Shin, and David L. Leal. “The Contact Hypothesis and Attitudes toward Latinos in the United States.” Social Science Quarterly, v92: 938-958.
• 2011. David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.). The Politics of Latino Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
• 2010. Corrine M. McConnaughy, Ismail K. White, David L. Leal, and Jason P. Casellas. “A Latino on the Ballot: Explaining Co-Ethnic Voting among Latinos and the Response of White Americans.” Journal of Politics, v72: 1199 -1211.
• 2010. “Religion in Latino Political and Civic Lives.” In Alan Wolfe and Ira Katznelson (Eds.), Religion and Democracy in the United States: Danger or Opportunity? Princeton and New York: Princeton University Press and Russell Sage Foundation.
Activities
• Director, Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute, University of Texas at Austin.
• Founding Director, Immigration Studies Initiative, University of Texas at Austin.
• Book Series Editor: “Immigrants and Minorities, Politics and Policy.” Springer.
• Member, Editorial Board, American Politics Research, Social Science Quarterly, and State Politics & Policy Quarterly
• In the media: New York Times (“Room for Debate: Why Congress Falters on Immigration”), CNN.com (“Latinos not flexing political muscle – yet”), and the Ottawa Citizen (“Canadians prefer Democrats, study says”).
• 2006-2008: Member, American Political Science Association (APSA) Task Force on Religion and Democracy in the United States
• 2004-2006: Co-Chair, APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession
• 2002-2004: National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow
• 1998-99: APSA Congressional Fellow
