My research lies at the intersection between electoral studies and public opinion analysis, and explores how voters’ characteristics and parties’ programmatic outlooks influence preferences and behaviours.
I have a PhD in Political Science. My doctoral research examined the widening age gap in British partisanship, from its origins to its implications. My thesis was awarded the McDougall Trust Prize 2024 for the best dissertation in the field of elections, electoral systems, and representation by the Political Studies Association. You can read it here.
My research interests further include the impact of party targeted group appeals on political behaviour, the political effects of the increasingly delayed transition into adulthood, as well as intergenerational political hostility and value change.
Publications
Serra, L., & Grasso, M. T. (2025). Political Socialisation in the UK: Explaining Generational Changes of Values. International Journal of Culture, Politics, and Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-025-09549-x
Serra, L. (2025). The Impact of Party Appeals on Age Differences in Voting. Electoral Studies, 96, 102942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2025.102942
Serra, L., & Smets, K., (2022). Age and Generation. in M. Grasso & M. Giugni (eds), Oxford Handbook of Political Participation. Oxford University Press.
Serra, L., Sloam, J., & Smets, K. (Accepted/In press). Youth Political Participation in the UK. In F. Vassallo (Ed.), Youth Political Activism in Democracies: National Models of Political Behavior Edward Elgar.
Under review:
Serra, L. & Simon, E. Maturation and the Right: A Comparative Study of Delayed Transitions to Adulthood and Conservatism.
Serra, L., Bruter, M., Harrison, S., Obradovic, S. Intergenerational Gender Differences in Electoral Psychology: How Attitudes Towards Elections and Voting Motivate Behaviour.
Serra, L., Bruter, M., Harrison, S., Obradovic, S. Making the First Vote Count: Testing Initiatives to Boost Youth Electoral Engagement.
Obradovic, S., Bruter, M., Harrison, S. Serra, L. First-time vote as a rite of passage: adulthood, excitement and the anti-climax of democratic participation.
Sleiman, Y., Grasso, M., Pattie, C., Serra, L., Hofer, C. Polarizing punchlines: The influence of inter-group humor on affective political polarization.
Dr Laura Serra 