Lauren Prather

Lauren Prather is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego, affiliated with the School of Global Policy and Strategy. She is a Research Affiliate at the Policy Design and Evaluation Lab and a member of Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP). Her work bridges international relations, comparative politics, and experimental methods.

Lauren Prather received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University (2015) and a B.A. in Political Science and French from the University of Kansas (2006). Her research examines domestic determinants of foreign policy, democracy promotion, Middle East politics, and public attitudes toward foreign aid and migration.

• Key Research Areas: Foreign electoral interventions, election monitoring, democratic legitimacy, refugee inclusion, and international security.
• Grant Funders: National Science Foundation, Smith Richardson Foundation, UCSD Hellman Fellowship, MIT Election Lab, Princeton University Center for Human Values, and Stanford University's Laboratory for the Study of American Values.

Her book Monitors and Meddlers (Cambridge University Press) analyzes how foreign actors influence local trust in elections. Current projects explore ideology in foreign aid support, trust-building in electoral systems, and refugee inclusion dynamics.

Scientific Awards

• National Science Foundation funding
• Smith Richardson Foundation grant
• UCSD Hellman Fellowship
• MIT Election Lab support
• Princeton University Center for Human Values grant
• Stanford University's Laboratory for the Study of American Values funding

Research Networks

Active in the Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) network, she collaborates with global institutions while contributing to public discourse via outlets like The Monkey Cage and World Bank Development Impact blog.