Margaret Rex
Research Interests: Political Sociology, Social Movements, Sociology of Family, Social Stratification
Pronouns: she/her
Education:
MA: Sociology, 2017, University at Buffalo, SUNY
BSW: Social Work, 2012, SUNY Brockport, summa cum laude
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Sociology
Research Methodology
Criminology
Race, Class, and Gender
Sociology of Diversity
Redefining Social Movements in the Digital Age (Honors)
Bio: I am a political sociologist and qualitative researcher. I am broadly interested in the intersections of political extremism, state power, social movements and social ties. My dissertation research examines the ways that the state-abdicated responsibility to address rightwing extremism has left kinship networks to do the work of addressing radicalization in ways that are bound to fail. In particular, my research looks at the growing phenomenon of middle-aged and older extremists, and how family dynamics and historical and structural barriers, such as rightwing media and the Covid pandemic, impact the efforts of adult children, nieces, nephews and lifetime friends as they labor to combat the radicalization of their loved ones. I also have several law and society and criminology projects in development, examining rural vs urban juvenile delinquency trends over time, the legal consciousness of parents of children with preventable birth injuries, and prosecutors perspectives on the impact of body-worn cameras on the adjudication of domestic violence cases.
Presentations:
2024 Rex, Margaret. “Ties and Binds: How Friends and Family Define and Navigate Rightwing Extremism of Loved Ones.” American Sociological Association annual meeting. Montreal, QC.
2024 Trautner, Mary Nell and Margaret Rex. “The Social Foundations of Blame, Guilt, and Action.” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Montreal, QC.
2024 Rex, Margaret. “Ties and Binds: How Friends and Family Define and Navigate Rightwing Extremism of Loved Ones.” Sociologists for Women in Society winter meeting. Albuquerque, NM.
2019 Rex, Margaret. “The Participation Paradox: Anti Governmentality, Political Participation, and Differences by Race and Class at the Transition to Adulthood.” Eastern Sociological Society annual meeting, Boston, MA.
2017 Rex, Margaret and Joanne Tompkins. “Becoming and Being a Graduate Student.” New York State Sociological Association annual meeting. Rochester, NY.
Email: mrex@buffalo.edu