Sara M. Thomas is a PhD Candidate in Social Work at Rutgers–New Brunswick. Thomas's research focuses on technology-facilitated sexual violence, gender-based harm, and digital media and democratic discourse. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Research on Ending Violence, where she has co-authored peer-reviewed publications, developed research products on sexual harassment, disability, and campus climate, and presented her work at national conferences. Her dissertation examines how state legal protections, public-facing implementation infrastructure, and major platform governance shape the practical availability of protection and accountability for technology-facilitated sexual violence in the United States.

The Mic and the Masculine: Sexism and Gender Politics on the Joe Rogan Experience

This project examines how the Joe Rogan Experience framed masculinity, women's political leadership, and manosphere ideas during the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Focusing on episodes released between July 21 and November 5, 2024, the study uses qualitative content analysis to identify how gendered political discourse circulated in a major digital media venue outside conventional journalistic oversight. The project connects directly to the RDL's Deliberative Dialogue priority area by identifying how exclusionary gendered discourse can undermine civic trust and democratic participation. Findings will inform media literacy efforts, platform accountability advocacy, and prevention work addressing the intersection of digital media and democratic inclusion.

This project is co-authored with Julia O'Connor, Assistant Professor, University of Utah College of Social Work.