Profile
Career
I joined the Department of Sociology in 2025 after completing my PhD in the Department of Politics here at York.
I’ve taught at the Universities of York and Manchester, and been a visiting researcher at the Canada Research Chair for Electoral Democracy at Universite de Montreal.
My research has been published in the British Journal of Political Science and Political Behavior.
Research
Overview
My research investigates some of the most pressing problems facing mature democracies today: polarization and political disagreement; the rise of far-right parties and candidates and the accompanying growth in public hostility toward minorities; and economic inequalities and their political consequences.
I am particularly interested in psychological explanations of why people support the parties and policies that they do - emotions, personality traits, upbringing and socialization - and in understanding how the intersection of individual-level characteristics and wider social or political context shapes political behaviour.
Methodologically, I utilise statistical analyses, predominantly with observational data. My research relies upon a range of advanced statistical approaches, including longitudinal analysis with panel data, structural equation modelling, and multilevel modelling.
Teaching
Postgraduate
I’m greatly interested in teaching related to quantitative methods and using statistics to help us understand the social world.
I currently teach two modules at MA level:
- Advanced Methods in Social Research (semester two)
- Introduction to Quantitative Methods and Data Analysis (semester one)
Publications
Selected publications
Robinson, J., Vasilopoulos, P. & S. Vasilopoulou. 2024. Does the accumulation of assets shape voting preferences? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study in Britain. British Journal of Political Science, accepted September 2024.
Vasilopoulos, P., Robinson, J. Authoritarianism, Political Attitudes, and Vote Choice: A Longitudinal Analysis of the British Electorate. Political Behavior (2024).
