Research
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Overcoming the Legacies of Extractive Institutions: Evidence from the British Caribbean
Project · August 22, 2026
Slave Revolts and Emancipation: Evidence from the British Empire
Revise and Resubmit, American Political Science Review
Sage Best Paper Prize in Comparative Politics, APSA 2025.
David Brian Robertson Best Paper Prize in Politics and History (co-winner), APSA 2025.
Latest version (25 June 2026)
Abstract: Th...
Project · August 22, 2026
Bad Apples: Political Paralysis and the Quality of Politicians
Abstract: Why do elected officials often suffer from political paralysis and fail to implement the best policies available? This paper considers a new and intuitive explanation that focuses on the quality of the politicians competing for office. T...
Publication · August 21, 2026
Soldiers or Politicians? Institutions, Conflict, and the Military's Role in Politics
Abstract: One of the most striking institutional differences across countries is the extent to which their militaries intervene in politics. This article examines the role of war in generating these differences. It presents a model that shows that...
Publication · August 21, 2026
Strategic Redistribution: The Political Economy of Populism in Latin America
Abstract: Why do some countries in Latin America redistribute too much (“left-wing populism”), while others allow high levels of inequality to persist or even increase over time (“neo-liberalism”)? We argue that when a group's political influence ...
Publication · August 21, 2026
Loyalty for Sale? Military Spending and Coups d'Etat
Abstract: Coups d’etat continue to be common around the world, often leading to changes in leaders and institutions. We examine the relationship between military spending and coups and find that (i) successful coups increase military spending by m...
Publication · August 21, 2026
The Interaction of Structural Factors and Diffusion in Social Unrest: Evidence from the Swing Riots
Abstract: Studies of the causes of social unrest typically focus on structural factors or diffusion. This article demonstrates the importance of considering their interaction and reveals a complex interplay between the two. This interaction is exa...
Publication · August 21, 2026
How Urban Riots Influence Political Behavior: Vote Choices after the 2011 London Riots
Abstract: What are the electoral consequences of urban riots? We argue that riots highlight the economic and social problems suffered by those who participate, inducing potential electoral allies to mobilize. These allies can then punish local inc...
Publication · August 21, 2026
The Coup: Competition for Office in Authoritarian Regimes
Abstract: Coups, understood as attempts to overthrow the sitting executive government by a group inside the state apparatus that includes part of the military, shape competition for office in authoritarian regimes. They do that both directly throu...
Publication · August 21, 2026
The Democratic Window of Opportunity: Evidence from Riots in Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract: We show that drought-induced changes in the intensity of riots lead to moves toward democracy in sub-Saharan Africa and that these changes are often a result of concessions made as a result of the riots. This provides evidence that low-i...
Publication · August 21, 2026
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