Erin Metz McDonnell

Erin Metz McDonnell is the Notre Dame du Lac and Kellogg Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research bridges Organizational, Political, Cultural, and Economic Sociology, focusing on the interplay between culture and social organization, particularly in contexts of state administrative capacity and post-conflict institutional change. She specializes in sub-Saharan Africa and has conducted comparative historical analyses of state organizations across multiple nations.

Her research interests include Development Theory, Political Sociology, and Public Administration, with a focus on state capacity, institutional effectiveness, and cultural influences on organizational structures. Her award-winning work has been published in top journals such as the American Sociological Review and American Journal of Sociology. Her book project Patchwork Leviathan examines how pockets of bureaucratic excellence emerge within administratively weak states, using Ghana as a case study alongside comparative historical analyses of China, Brazil, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Her academic contributions span theoretical innovations in sociological analysis and applied studies of governance structures. She maintains an active research agenda centered on global development challenges and institutional resilience in diverse political contexts.