Alexander Schmid’s scholarly work investigates the intersection of medieval political philosophy, classical literature, and the history of ideas. In his dissertation, he focused on how Arabic and Jewish Aristotelian and Neoplatonic philosophies shaped the metaphysical and political foundations of Dante's Divine Comedy. He has presented his research at international conferences like the Aquinas and the Arabs International Summer Conferences at both Oxford University and Université de Paris (Sorbonne).

Alex also explores the historical and philosophical roots of capitalism and Dante’s connection to economics. During multiple fellowships with the American Institute for Economic Research and Mercatus Center, he researched how Dante's views on usury and commerce reflect the dawn of modern economic systems. He also has taken an interdisciplinary approach by connecting historical texts to modern culture by publishing research analyzing Dantean elements in video games like Final Fantasy VII and television series’ like Westworld.