Wali Reheman

Hey, thanks for stopping by! 👋🏼

I’m an Adjunct Instructor and PhD Candidate in Political Science at American University.

My research focuses on ethnic and religious identity politics, political socialization, and public opinion.

My dissertation, ‘State vs. Faith: Three Papers on State-led Secularization Campaign and Religious Backlash,’ explores ways in which coercive state policies aimed at secularization can inadvertently strengthen religious identity, foster collective action, and lead to religious backlash in the long run. Across three distinct papers, the research explores how varying forms of state intervention—from institutional restrictions to direct suppression of religious expression—can galvanize religious resurgence and the formation of resilient religious movements over extended periods. This work sheds light on the long-term consequences of state attempts to control religious life and offers insights into the enduring power of faith in the face of state pressure.

I am currently working with Dr. David Lublin to study in-group support for ethnic parties using the ecological Bayesian inference method, and with Dr. Elizabeth Suhay to examine how meritocratic values evolve across four generations of American immigrants and how they affect American immigrants’ policy preferences. I also work with Dr. Sharan Grewal to explore radical right parties’ impact on public opinion among Muslim minority in Europe.