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About Sarah
James's research examines barriers to addressing racial and economic inequalities in the United States, with an eye to specifying how public officials and communities can overcome these obstacles. She focuses on state-level institutions and politics, given their increasing power over the design and funding of the American social safety net.
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Publications
Documents COVID-era policy decisions at the state level. Demonstrates that the extent to which state officials supported Trump's approach to the pandemic is correlated with the timing and type of COVID policies implemented.
Explores how state elected officials learn about policy failure. Shows that a state's historical investments in processes for collecting and analyzing data impact the likelihood of elected officials recognizing failure.
Uses descriptions from events organized by mega-donor backed organizations to show how conservatives tailor political outreach. Shows that organizers vary their style according to the demographic of the potential new supporters they target.