Helen V. Milner

Helen V. Milner is the B.C. Forbes Professor of Public Affairs and Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs. She directs the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance. Previously, she chaired Princeton's Department of Politics (2005–2011) and served as President of the International Political Science Association (IPSA, 2012–2014) and the International Political Economy Society (IPES, 2013–2017).

Her research focuses on globalization's impacts, including trade policy, foreign aid, environmental governance, and the political economy of democracy. Key projects explore how non-tax revenues (e.g., aid, oil) affect political accountability in Africa, Tunisia’s political transitions, and the interplay between technology and global inequality. She co-authored Sailing the Water’s Edge (2015), which won APSA’s Gladys M. Kammerer Award.

• Research Highlights:
  • FDI and trade policy linkages in developing economies
  • Globalization’s role in populism and democracy
  • Experimental studies on taxation and citizen behavior
• Awards:
  • Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2000)
  • National Academy of Sciences member (2019)
  • Recognized for mentoring women in IPE (2019)

Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis, addressing topics like the resource curse, digital divides, and global value chains. She advises on US foreign policy and has shaped curricula in international political economy.