Prof. Austin C van Loon

Professor van Loon's primary stream of research investigates the dynamic relationship between culture and identity in the context of intergroup conflict. He explores critical questions such as: How do genuine differences in worldviews contribute to conflict between groups? How does conflict influence groups' perceptions of the world? And how can we structure intergroup interactions to foster cooperative behavior and shared understanding?

In his secondary research stream, Professor van Loon advances the application of artificial intelligence in the social sciences. He focuses on how scientists can leverage methods like machine learning and natural language processing to rigorously develop and test social theory.

Professor van Loon earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Stanford University. He also holds a B.S. in sociology and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Iowa.