Coco Xu Bio Pic

Coco Xu

Research Manager

New York, NY

At More in Common, Coco works on qualitative and quantitative research on polarization and division in the US, with a particular interest in studying what shapes people’s perceptions of one another, identities and collective memory. She received a MA in History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics, with her research focusing on the history of Chinese immigrants in New York City. She holds a BA in History and Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Coco currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Favorite MiC Finding:

Around half of Americans who attend religious services at least a few times a year want their religious leaders to provide guidance on navigating political division and cultural changes.

Source: Promising Revelations

Why: The Promising Revelations study, launched this September after 18 months of hard work, has been one of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on. As a non-religious person, leading this research has given me first-hand experience with, and a profound appreciation for, the kindness and grace from so many people across faith communities. It has been deeply moving to witness how faith leaders respond to the call to serve their communities in these divided times and draw from their traditions to encourage self-reflection, humility, and bridge-building. The finding above shows that there is a demand for spiritual guidance on navigating societal change, and that faith communities can and should play a more active role in mitigating polarization by building healthy social norms and fostering belonging and social cohesion.