Michael Sanchez

Michael Sanchez (he/they) is a teaching assistant and a Ph.D. student in Sociology within the School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University. As a researcher, their primary focus of study centers on the history of Filipina/o colonialism, contemporary Filipina/o politics, and authoritarianism in the Philippines. 

Michael's master's thesis focused on explaining the rise of Filipina/o president Rodrigo Duterte. This project utilized a comparative historical analysis by looking at both the history of colonialism in the Philippines and the governance of Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III. Their analysis suggests that Duterte's predecessor perpetuated American neocolonialism in the Philippines, helping explain the appeal of Duterte and his anti-American, anti-corruption rhetoric. Thus, authoritarianism in the Philippines can be viewed as a response to the history and continuation of colonial relations.

Michael has also done research on topics such as policy, race, emerging adulthood, and identity. His research typically uses methodologies such as archival methods and content analyses. He also has experience in survey construction and qualitative coding of survey responses. His research has been presented at several conferences and also at the NAU Undergraduate Research Symposium.