Research

My research focus has shifted as I have moved across positions in industry, but it has always been rooted in political research (political behavior and comparative politics) with an emphasis on methods, from quantitative techniques to game theory. My work has appeared in journals including the Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Science Research and Methods, and the European Journal of Political Economy. I am also the co-author of two books published by Cambridge University Press and the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas. My research has been mentioned by outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, The New Yorker, Fox News, and The Washington Post.

I have also worked to bridge research and practice beyond peer-reviewed publication. Examples include co-developing the electoral estimation model for the public opinion agency of the Catalan government; writing a discussion piece on innovation labs to inform the design of Barcelona’s metropolitan plan; and reorienting Pew Research Center’s Decoded blog towards research practices and infrastructure.

Find my full research profile on Google Scholar →

Books

Retooling Politics: How Digital Media Are Shaping Democracy

Cambridge University Press, 2020
with Andreas Jungherr and Daniel Gayo-Avello

Donald Trump, the Arab Spring, Brexit: digital media have provided political actors and citizens with new tools to engage in politics. But what are the effects of this retooling of politics? Do digital media empower the powerless or are they breaking democracy? Have these new tools and practices fundamentally changed politics or is their impact just a matter of degree? This clear-eyed guide steps back from hyperbolic hopes and fears to offer a balanced account of what aspects of politics are being shaped by digital media and what remains unchanged.

"Retooling Politics is simply the best book I have read on politics in the digital age. [...] This book updates the entire field with a timely focus on contemporary problems of democracy. It is destined to become a classic."

"This book will help combat the catchy but simplistic narratives advanced by digital cheerleaders and doom-mongers and contribute to more realistic and evidence-based alternatives."

"Jungherr, Rivero and Gayo-Avello's Retooling Politics is simply exquisite. [...] With a comprehensive, meticulous, and sharp use of the most current and influential literature in the social sciences, the authors build a brilliant and multi-disciplinary argument that will guide readers to better grasp how digital media has transformed our political realm."

"Retooling Politics is an essential resource for anyone trying to make sense of the connection between digital media and politics -- and to understand what we actually know about it."

Análisis de datos incompletos en Ciencias Sociales

Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS), 2011
Cuadernos Metodológicos, No. 46

A methodological guide, in Spanish, on handling incomplete survey responses in political science and sociology. It reviews the simple methods most commonly used to handle missing data before introducing multiple imputation, worked through real data examples in Stata and R.