Eleanor Power

Dr. Eleanor Power is an Associate Professor in the Department of Methodology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her research focuses on the interplay between belief, practice, identity, and social relationships, with a particular emphasis on how reputational dynamics shape social inequality and cooperation. She combines ethnographic methods with social network analysis to study these phenomena in South India and cross-culturally.

Education: Eleanor holds a PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University (2015). Prior to joining LSE in 2017, she was an Omidyar Postdoctoral Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute. She is fluent in English and Tamil.

Research Interests: Eleanor examines signaling theory, religious practice, and the micro-dynamics of social inequality, including the 'reputational poverty trap.' Her current projects include co-directing the ENDOW project on social and economic inequality and leading the Rep2SI project on reputational dynamics. Her work bridges anthropology, sociology, and computational social science.

Publications: Her recent work explores latent network models, cooperative behavior in South Indian communities, and the role of reputation in human social networks. She also collaborates on interdisciplinary projects, such as analyzing reproductive inequality across species and the impact of art workshops on prisoners' well-being.

Awards: While no specific awards are listed, her research has been highlighted in LSE's 30th Anniversary celebrations for its interdisciplinary innovation and collaborative nature.

Grants and Labs: Eleanor leads the Rep2SI project and co-directs the ENDOW project, indicating active grant-funded research. She is affiliated with LSE's Department of Methodology and has collaborated with institutions like the Santa Fe Institute.