My research is situated within the subfield of American Politics and Race with a focus on public opinion, political psychology and political behavior. The primary research methods that I use to answer my research questions are surveys, interviews and focus groups. I have three ongoing research agendas:
1.) sports and politics
2.) Latina/o/x political behavior in the South
3.) South Americans and transnationalism
Books
Partners or Rivals? Power and Latino, Black and White Relations in the 21st Century (2015)
My book, Partners or Rivals?, was published by University of Virginia Press. The book relies on national survey data and focus group data to examine interracial attitudes among Latinos, Whites and Blacks in the U.S. Partners or Rivals? won the 2015 American Political Science Association REP Section's Best Book Award on Inter-Race Relations in the United States.
*The book is available for purchase on the University of Virginia Press website here and on Amazon here.
**Check out my interview in which I discuss this book on the New Book Network podcast here.
Check out my Google Scholar profile for more information about my publications.
Edited Journal Symposia
2.) White, Ismail and Betina Cutaia Wilkinson, eds. 2020. "A Symposium on Power, Discrimination and Identity in the
U.S.." PS: Political Science and Politics..
1.) Wilkinson, Betina Cutaia, ed. 2018. "Stepping Back or Stepping Out? Latinos, Immigration and the 2016 Presidential
Election." PS: Political Science and Politics 52(1): 277-308.
Journal Articles
10.) "Racial Disenchantment? Understanding the Relationship between Race, Skin Tone, and Perceptions of Corruption
in the U.S." with Justin Esarey and Addison Collins (WFU undergraduate student) Forthcoming at National Review of
Black Politics
9.) "Sports Activism and the Racial Status Quo: Disentangling Individuals' Conceptualization and Perceptions" with Lisa
Kiang, Elizabeth Seagroves (WFU undergraduate student, UNC Chapel Hill graduate student). Politics, Groups and
Identities.. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2023.2297308. 2024.
*Study featured in this London School of Economics US Centre Blog Post
8.) "Sports Elites, Counter-Stereotypical Statements, and Immigration Attitudes" with Melissa R. Michelson and Alexis
Webster (undergraduate student). Social Science Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13065, 2021.
7.) “The Markings of Linked Fate among Asian Americans and Latinxs.” with Lisa Kiang and Linda Juang. Cultural
Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000482. 2021
6.) “Getting Pushed Back Further in Line? Southern African American Attitudes toward Immigration and Immigrants.”
(with Natasha Bingham) PS: Political Science and Politics 49(2): 221-227. 2016.
*Study featured in this London School of Economics US Centre Blog Post
5.) “Skin Tone and Individuals' Perceptions of Commonality and Competition with Other Racial and Ethnic Groups"
(with Jim Garand and Johanna Dunaway) Race and Social Problems 7(3): 181-197. 2015.
4.) “Perceptions of Commonality and Latino-White, Latino-Black Relations in a Multiethnic U.S.” Political Research
Quarterly 67(4): 905-916. 2014.
3.) "Taking a New Perspective to Latino Attitudes: Examining the Effects of Skin Tone on Latino Perceptions of
Commonality with Whites and Blacks." (with undergraduate student Emily Earle) American Politics Research 41(5):
783-818. 2013.
2.) “Rebuilding or Intruding? Media Coverage and Public Opinion on Latino Immigration in Post-Katrina Louisiana.”
(with Johanna Dunaway, Kirby Goidel, Ashley Kirzinger) Social Science Quarterly 92(4):917-937. 2011.
1.) “Divided Loyalties? Understanding Variation in Latinos’ Attitudes toward Immigration in the United States.” (with
Stella Rouse and Jim Garand) Social Science Quarterly 91(3):856-882. 2010.
Book Chapters
4.) “Putting a Band-Aid over a Bullet Wound? Black and Latinx Educational Experiences during a Pandemic.” with
Dani Parker Moore, Olivia Field (undergraduate student) and Alondra Ramirez (undergraduate student) in Sharon A.
Navarro and Samantha L. Hernandez, Eds. The Color of Covid -19: The Racial Inequality of Marginalized
Communities published by Routledge Press in June 2022. The book is available for purchase here.
3.) "The 2016 Latino Vote in North Carolina" in Gabriel R. Sanchez, Luis R. Fraga, and Ricardo Ramírez, Eds. Latinos and
the 2016 Election:
Latino Resistance and the Election of Donald Trump published by Michigan State University Press in May 2020. The
book is available for purchase here.
2.) “Broad Patterns" with Will Walldorf, Sara Dahill-Brown, and Sandeep Mazumder in To Shape Our World for Good:
Master Narratives and Regime Change in U.S. Foreign Policy, 1900-2011 published by Cornell University Press in
April 2019. The book is available for purchase here.
1.) “North Carolina Latinos: An Emerging, Influential Electorate in the South”, a book chapter in The Pivotal Role of the
Latino Electorate in the 2012 Election published by Michigan State University Press in June 2015. The book is
available for purchase here.
Other Publications
7.) “Best Practices in Diversifying in Political Science.” with Melissa Michelson, PS: Political Science and Politics. 1-4.
doi:10.1017/S1049096522000804. 2022.
6.) "The Shadow Bargainers" with Ronald Wright and Jennifer Roberts, law review article in Cardozo Law
Review. 2021.
5.) "Introduction and Commentary" for "A Symposium on Power, Discrimination and Identity." PS: Political Science and
Politics 53(4): 665-669. 2020.
4.) "White-Latino Relations" (with undergraduate student Liz Torres-Ramirez), bibliography published by Oxford
Bibliographies in Latino Studies. (Ed. Ilan Stavans) Oxford University Press, 2019.
3.) "Introduction and Commentary" for Symposium "Stepping Back or Stepping Out? Latinos, Immigration and the 2016
Presidential Election." PS: Political Science and Politics 52(1):277-281. 2018.
2.) Book Review of The New Americans? Immigration, Protest, and the Politics of Latino Identity (2017, University of
Kansas Press) by Heather Silber Mohamed, Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics
1.) "Hispanic Americans" The Oxford Companion to American Politics. Edited by David Coates and Kathy Smith. Oxford
University Press, pp.489-495. 2012.
Works in Progress:
4.) "From Majority to Minority: Uncovering Racial, Ethnic Identity and Immigration Perspectives of South Americans’
and Latinos with South American Ties "with Catarina Laufer Salazar and Natalia Adams (WFU undergraduate
students)
3.) "Sports elites and perspectives on Black Lives Matter topics with Lisa Kiang and Indy Cousin (WFU undergraduate
student)
2.) "Terrorizing Latinas? Examining Latinas' Perspectives toward and Engagement with Local Police, ICE and the
Criminal Justice System" with Tess Wise and Geraldine Guzman" (WFU undergraduate student)
1.) "Beyond Kneeling: Uncovering the Power of Sports Activism" book project with Lisa Kiang
1.) sports and politics
2.) Latina/o/x political behavior in the South
3.) South Americans and transnationalism
Books
Partners or Rivals? Power and Latino, Black and White Relations in the 21st Century (2015)
My book, Partners or Rivals?, was published by University of Virginia Press. The book relies on national survey data and focus group data to examine interracial attitudes among Latinos, Whites and Blacks in the U.S. Partners or Rivals? won the 2015 American Political Science Association REP Section's Best Book Award on Inter-Race Relations in the United States.
*The book is available for purchase on the University of Virginia Press website here and on Amazon here.
**Check out my interview in which I discuss this book on the New Book Network podcast here.
Check out my Google Scholar profile for more information about my publications.
Edited Journal Symposia
2.) White, Ismail and Betina Cutaia Wilkinson, eds. 2020. "A Symposium on Power, Discrimination and Identity in the
U.S.." PS: Political Science and Politics..
1.) Wilkinson, Betina Cutaia, ed. 2018. "Stepping Back or Stepping Out? Latinos, Immigration and the 2016 Presidential
Election." PS: Political Science and Politics 52(1): 277-308.
Journal Articles
10.) "Racial Disenchantment? Understanding the Relationship between Race, Skin Tone, and Perceptions of Corruption
in the U.S." with Justin Esarey and Addison Collins (WFU undergraduate student) Forthcoming at National Review of
Black Politics
9.) "Sports Activism and the Racial Status Quo: Disentangling Individuals' Conceptualization and Perceptions" with Lisa
Kiang, Elizabeth Seagroves (WFU undergraduate student, UNC Chapel Hill graduate student). Politics, Groups and
Identities.. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2023.2297308. 2024.
*Study featured in this London School of Economics US Centre Blog Post
8.) "Sports Elites, Counter-Stereotypical Statements, and Immigration Attitudes" with Melissa R. Michelson and Alexis
Webster (undergraduate student). Social Science Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13065, 2021.
7.) “The Markings of Linked Fate among Asian Americans and Latinxs.” with Lisa Kiang and Linda Juang. Cultural
Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000482. 2021
6.) “Getting Pushed Back Further in Line? Southern African American Attitudes toward Immigration and Immigrants.”
(with Natasha Bingham) PS: Political Science and Politics 49(2): 221-227. 2016.
*Study featured in this London School of Economics US Centre Blog Post
5.) “Skin Tone and Individuals' Perceptions of Commonality and Competition with Other Racial and Ethnic Groups"
(with Jim Garand and Johanna Dunaway) Race and Social Problems 7(3): 181-197. 2015.
4.) “Perceptions of Commonality and Latino-White, Latino-Black Relations in a Multiethnic U.S.” Political Research
Quarterly 67(4): 905-916. 2014.
3.) "Taking a New Perspective to Latino Attitudes: Examining the Effects of Skin Tone on Latino Perceptions of
Commonality with Whites and Blacks." (with undergraduate student Emily Earle) American Politics Research 41(5):
783-818. 2013.
2.) “Rebuilding or Intruding? Media Coverage and Public Opinion on Latino Immigration in Post-Katrina Louisiana.”
(with Johanna Dunaway, Kirby Goidel, Ashley Kirzinger) Social Science Quarterly 92(4):917-937. 2011.
1.) “Divided Loyalties? Understanding Variation in Latinos’ Attitudes toward Immigration in the United States.” (with
Stella Rouse and Jim Garand) Social Science Quarterly 91(3):856-882. 2010.
Book Chapters
4.) “Putting a Band-Aid over a Bullet Wound? Black and Latinx Educational Experiences during a Pandemic.” with
Dani Parker Moore, Olivia Field (undergraduate student) and Alondra Ramirez (undergraduate student) in Sharon A.
Navarro and Samantha L. Hernandez, Eds. The Color of Covid -19: The Racial Inequality of Marginalized
Communities published by Routledge Press in June 2022. The book is available for purchase here.
3.) "The 2016 Latino Vote in North Carolina" in Gabriel R. Sanchez, Luis R. Fraga, and Ricardo Ramírez, Eds. Latinos and
the 2016 Election:
Latino Resistance and the Election of Donald Trump published by Michigan State University Press in May 2020. The
book is available for purchase here.
2.) “Broad Patterns" with Will Walldorf, Sara Dahill-Brown, and Sandeep Mazumder in To Shape Our World for Good:
Master Narratives and Regime Change in U.S. Foreign Policy, 1900-2011 published by Cornell University Press in
April 2019. The book is available for purchase here.
1.) “North Carolina Latinos: An Emerging, Influential Electorate in the South”, a book chapter in The Pivotal Role of the
Latino Electorate in the 2012 Election published by Michigan State University Press in June 2015. The book is
available for purchase here.
Other Publications
7.) “Best Practices in Diversifying in Political Science.” with Melissa Michelson, PS: Political Science and Politics. 1-4.
doi:10.1017/S1049096522000804. 2022.
6.) "The Shadow Bargainers" with Ronald Wright and Jennifer Roberts, law review article in Cardozo Law
Review. 2021.
5.) "Introduction and Commentary" for "A Symposium on Power, Discrimination and Identity." PS: Political Science and
Politics 53(4): 665-669. 2020.
4.) "White-Latino Relations" (with undergraduate student Liz Torres-Ramirez), bibliography published by Oxford
Bibliographies in Latino Studies. (Ed. Ilan Stavans) Oxford University Press, 2019.
3.) "Introduction and Commentary" for Symposium "Stepping Back or Stepping Out? Latinos, Immigration and the 2016
Presidential Election." PS: Political Science and Politics 52(1):277-281. 2018.
2.) Book Review of The New Americans? Immigration, Protest, and the Politics of Latino Identity (2017, University of
Kansas Press) by Heather Silber Mohamed, Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics
1.) "Hispanic Americans" The Oxford Companion to American Politics. Edited by David Coates and Kathy Smith. Oxford
University Press, pp.489-495. 2012.
Works in Progress:
4.) "From Majority to Minority: Uncovering Racial, Ethnic Identity and Immigration Perspectives of South Americans’
and Latinos with South American Ties "with Catarina Laufer Salazar and Natalia Adams (WFU undergraduate
students)
3.) "Sports elites and perspectives on Black Lives Matter topics with Lisa Kiang and Indy Cousin (WFU undergraduate
student)
2.) "Terrorizing Latinas? Examining Latinas' Perspectives toward and Engagement with Local Police, ICE and the
Criminal Justice System" with Tess Wise and Geraldine Guzman" (WFU undergraduate student)
1.) "Beyond Kneeling: Uncovering the Power of Sports Activism" book project with Lisa Kiang