Harish

Harish is an Associate Professor in the Government Department at William & Mary, with a strong research focus on the political economy of development, particularly political violence, governance, and energy access in developing countries. He was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow at McGill University and a Visiting Associate Research Scholar at Princeton University. He is currently on leave during the 2023-24 academic year, serving as an Academic Fellow at Singapore Management University.

His research interests include:

• Political Economy of Development
• Political Violence
• Energy Access and Rural Electrification
• Governance and Public Opinion
• Southeast Asian Politics
• Environmental Policy in Developing Countries

His recent publications span high-impact journals such as American Political Science Review, Journal of Political Economy, and Science Advances, with a recurring focus on field experiments and survey evidence from India and Southeast Asia. His work often examines the socioeconomic impacts of energy access, voter behavior regarding corruption, and the dynamics of political violence. He has also co-authored a book titled Escaping the Energy Poverty Trap published by MIT Press.

His scientific contributions have been featured in major media outlets including The Economist, Atlantic, Vox, and Chris Blattman's Blog, highlighting the policy relevance and public impact of his research.

Harish teaches courses such as Introduction to Comparative Politics, GIS for Social Science, Politics of Inequality, and Southeast Asian Autocracy & Democracy. He advises students and writes recommendation letters for graduate applications, fellowships, and scholarships, particularly for those with whom he has worked closely on research or independent studies.

He has led and participated in numerous field experiments and collaborative research projects, especially in India, focusing on solar technology adoption, electricity pricing reform, and slum electrification. His methodological expertise includes GIS applications, randomized controlled trials, and survey experiments.