Gina Aniano

I am Gina Aniano, a PhD in Political Science at the University of Barcelona and a Predoctoral Researcher for the COMPROMISE Project (PI: Macarena Ares). I am affiliated with the Institutions and Political Economy Research Center and the Q-Dem Research Group.

My research lies at the intersection of political behavior and comparative politics, with a focus on how political attitudes influence challenges to democracy, and how democratic erosion, in turn, shapes those attitudes. My current projects explore the socialization of democratic support during periods of democratic backsliding, as well as how mainstream parties can legitimize voter attitudes toward far-right parties.

I have also worked as a research assistant on the ERC project DEMOTRADEOFF led by Enrique Hernández, which investigates the conditions under which citizens are willing to trade off democratic principles. My role involved programming and preparing surveys for several European countries, which provided me with valuable experience in cross-national quantitative research.

I hold a Master of Science in Institutions and Political Economy from the University of Barcelona (2023), a research-focused program with a strong emphasis on causal inference. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Arizona (2019), with a minor in Women’s Studies.

In October 2025, I will conduct a two-month research stay at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin as part of the Research Training Group "The Dynamics of Demography, Democratic Processes and Public Policy" (DYNAMICS) under the supervision of Heike Klüver. Additionally, in November 2025, I will conduct a two week research visit at the University of Glasgow with supervision from Anja Neundorf.

For more information about my research, please visit my CV [here] or contact me at ginaaniano@ub.edu.