Q&A: Walter Wilson, UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography

(Jan. 25, 2018) -- Walter Wilson, associate professor of political science in the UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography, specializes in American politics, legislatures and Latino politics and representation.

Over the last year, Wilson has expanded his research on Latino politics to include how political media influences Latino constituents’ values. In addition, Wilson is collaborating with other UTSA faculty on research related to digital political discourse on social media in the UTSA Digital Politics Studio.

We asked Wilson about his current research in an age where digital media is constantly changing and what he tells students at UTSA pursuing a career in political science.

Describe your current research with the UTSA Digital Politics Studio.

One of the projects I’m working on examines the representation of Latinos in congressional Twitter feeds. Working with colleague Bryan Gervais, who heads the Digital Politics Studio, we found that Latino representatives were far more likely than their colleagues to reach out to Latinos in Spanish or by referencing Latino-oriented hashtags. An article based on this research is forthcoming in the journal Politics, Groups, and Identities.

Another project I’m working on examines the impact of Spanish and English language media environments on democratic values among Latinos.

In the English language media, we observe an increasing ideological separation, and a rightwing ecosystem that seeks to discredit mainstream journalism. This biased propaganda stream has the potential to confuse citizens and diminish important democratic values associated with support for political institutions, political trust and political efficacy.

Because the Spanish language media environment is not ideologically bifurcated, it stands to reason that its users are less exposed to allegations of “fake news” and the effort by outlets like Fox News, Breitbart and Infowars to misinform the public. One result may be that Latinos who receive their information in Spanish remain more supportive of democratic values than their counterparts who use primarily English media. I explore this possibility in an upcoming paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association.

What impact do you hope your research has?

I hope my research contributions raise awareness and understanding about the qualities and fragility of democracy and representation. The piece on Latino representation via congressional Twitter feeds contributes to a growing literature on how diversity in our political institutions expands the responsiveness of those institutions. That’s important to incorporating the interests of an increasingly diverse society.

The latter piece should help to underscore already well recognized relationships between good journalism (i.e. a free and responsible press) and democracy. It is often tempting to take our political system, flawed though it may be, for granted. That would be a mistake. The current English media environment, and the failure of the public to reject misleading agenda setting by right wing outlets, is undermining our very system of government. Our country is unique in this world in that our nation is one founded on ideas—democratic ideas. If we don’t defend those ideas, and the norms and institutions that are essential to supporting them, we risk losing the very thing that justifies pride in being American.

With all that is going on in your field, is there anything important underway that journalists aren’t talking about?

There is not nearly enough analysis of what works in terms of broad economic and public policy. Politicians freely make claims supporting discredited ideas like “trickle down” economics without substantial push back. Researchers need to take solving problems with policy more seriously, and prioritize research that tells us what works.

There is also not nearly enough attention given to the political consequences of changes to our education system. We are in the process of a wide scale privatization of public education. States, including Texas, have disinvested in education at every level. This will result in increasing inequality, economic inefficiency, and a shrinking American dream. It’s difficult to say what the partisan consequences will be, but it is certainly a shortsighted public policy that is being driven by entrepreneurs who want to profit off education rather than use education to build a stronger nation and better world. Research that empirically illustrates the consequences of divesting from public education are important to pushing back against this looming catastrophe.

What do you think is the biggest challenge researchers in your field are facing?

Funding. The privatization movement means that researchers must seek grant funding for their research. Put simply, there is not much funding out there for research that can’t be easily monetized. Unfortunately, that means that the social sciences and arts are particularly hard hit.

What advice would you give students considering graduate school or doctoral studies?

Be serious and clear eyed. If political science is something you are passionate about, go for it—but also recognize that it is an increasingly competitive field, and that you will have to turn in your best performance to succeed in an academic career.

— Kara Soria

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Learn more about Walter Wilson.

Learn more about the UTSA Department of Political Science & Geography.

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