Book Project
Embedded Files
High-Risk Activism in Criminal Wars: The Collective Action of Victims' Relatives in Mexico
One of the most surprising yet overlooked facts about the responses of victims’ relatives in violent conflicts: it is predominantly relatives of the disappeared who engage in collective action to demand justice. Additionally, many relatives of disappeared persons stay mobilized even after locating their family members, even under high-risk conditions with extremely low expectations of obtaining truth and justice. These patterns contradict conventional wisdom and findings in the social movements literature, which suggest that individuals tend to demobilize if they do not obtain victories or after fulfilling their claims. My dissertation addresses the questions that derive from this puzzle: Why do relatives of the disappeared mobilize for justice much more than relatives of homicide victims? Why do some continue to mobilize even after locating their relatives?
I build and test a novel theory of victims’ relatives’ mobilization in high-risk contexts, specifically in criminal wars. I argue that two key variables explain the sustained mobilization of disappeared people’s relatives: uncertainty and affective solidarity. I tested my argument in Mexico, where a two-decade-long armed confrontation between state security forces and criminal organizations has caused the homicide, disappearance, torture, and displacement of hundreds of thousands. This book project will contribute to the interdisciplinary literature on social movements, high-risk collective action, and transitional justice by advancing our understanding of how victims’ relatives, despite immense risks, mobilize to reclaim dignity, demand accountability, and expand access to justice in violent democracies.
Publications
López-Pérez, Laura and Mayra Ortiz Ocaña. Using Focus Groups for Process Tracing: Leveraging Group Discussions for Causal Inference. Sociological Research and Methods, 2025.
In the social sciences, most process tracing evidence is gathered through individual or atomized sources. However, there are some cases in which individualized data collection methods are not enough to capture collective social processes. We propose using focus groups for process tracing (FGFPT) to gather and analyze qualitative evidence about causal processes and mechanisms by leveraging interaction and discussions. We present three key benefits of using FGFPT: instant fact-checking, obtaining mechanistic evidence through the interactive process, and enhancing participants’ collective agency. Additionally, we propose general guidelines for designing and implementing focus groups with the aim of process tracing: specifying observable implications, forming the focus group, question design, and training the moderator. Focus groups can be the most adequate data collection method to support and enhance process tracing exercises for collective phenomena.
López-Pérez, Laura and Mayra Ortiz Ocaña. Focus Groups. Reference Collection in Social Science, 2025.
This article examines how and when focus groups can be used for measurement in the social sciences. Focus groups generate rich data through group interaction, allowing researchers to move beyond aggregated individual accounts. We identify three stages at which focus groups contribute to measurement: prior to data collection, to identify relevant concepts and develop culturally appropriate instruments; during data collection, to assess causal effects and validate causal mechanisms; and after data collection, to interpret findings and refine future measures. The article also offers practical guidelines for designing and conducting focus groups for measurement and discusses common challenges and strategies to address them.
The Plasticity of the Civil Sphere: the Religious Performances of the Relatives of Disappeared persons in Coahuila, Mexico. Intersticios Sociales, 2023, 25, 309-336.
In response to the Mexican state’s failure to search for the disappeared, many families have organized to lead their own efforts. A key activity among these groups is the collective performance of religious ceremonies. This study analyzes how, in Coahuila, Mexico, relatives of the disappeared and members of the Catholic Church use these ceremonies as a public demand for justice. They adapt religious rituals by incorporating symbols, meanings, and actions tied to disappearance, public denunciation, and search efforts. These performances blend civic demands—such as holding the state accountable—with religious themes like mercy, penitence, and moral duty. As such, religious ceremonies become a powerful space for shaping meaning around disappearance and generating diverse narratives that fuel social action.
Work in progress
Gendered Expectations: Why Women Mobilize for Justice in Patriarchal Conflict Settings.
With Abby Córdova, Mayra Ortiz-Ocaña and Natán Skigin.
Manuscript available upon request.
Mobilizing Networks in High-Risk Contexts: The Collective Action of Relatives of the Disappeared in Mexico's Criminal Wars. R&R in Journal of Peace Research.
Manuscript available upon request.
Illicit Economies and Civilian Victimization in Criminal Wars: The Case of Illegal Fuel Tapping in Mexico.
With Jorge Ruiz Reyes.
Manuscript available upon request.
Disruption and Diplomacy: Why Victims' Relatives Adopt Different Mobilization Strategies in Prolonged Violent Conflicts. Under review.
With Mayra Ortiz Ocaña.
Manuscript available upon request.
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