Perceived Immigration Vulnerability and Collective Action: How Stigmatizing and Destigmatizing Messages Influence Latino Political Participation

In recent years, immigration’s salience in political rhetoric, election coverage, and social media has intensified associations between Latinos, inferiority, and foreignness. These stigmatizing messages devalue Latinos. Prior research has shown that exposure to stigmatizing media content can undermine political trust and efficacy and discourage participation among marginalized groups. At the same time, perceived discrimination and negative group portrayals may heighten perceptions of shared injustice and motivate collective action. Communications scholars Alcides Velasquez and Rikki Roscoe will examine how exposure to stigmatizing and destigmatizing messages shape political participation among Latinos. They will conduct an experiment for their study.