Angela Perez
Hi! I’m Angela Perez, a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. I am an interdisciplinary scholar in Chicanx/Latinx Studies and Education Policy Implementation and Evaluation. Broadly, my research interests center around the intersection of infrastructure disparities and their influence on education and policy through the lenses of race, ethnicity, class, and gender.
My dissertation, “Power, Money, and People: Navigating the Dynamics of Politized Places in South Texas,” examines how colonias, substandard housing developments along the U.S.-Mexico border, and their residents in South Texas navigate the complexities of state and local policy as they are shaped by power and economic forces. I utilize a mixed-methods approach to analyze municipal annexation, school finance, and public opinion to identify inequities between colonias and non-colonias geographically and by socioeconomic status.
During my time at MSU, I have collaborated with other scholars on projects examining collective goals as identified through school mission statements, as well as analyzing the prevalence of other forms of informal housing such as manufactured home parks across Texas.
I am very passionate about teaching and mentoring students and aim to foster a safe and welcoming environment for students of all background. Both my research and teaching philosophies are inspired by my lived experience as a first-generation student from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
I earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University-San Antonio in 2021 and a master’s degree from Michigan State University in 2023 both in Political Science. I was also a MITTENSS Fellow from 2022-2025, where I took part in a program which fostered interdisciplinary work in the social sciences focusing on education policy.
Research and Teaching Interest:
Public Policy, Urban Politics, Minority Politics, Education Policy, American Politics, Chicanx/Latinx Studies, School Finance.
CV: Angela Perez
Website: angela-perez.com
