معرفی
Mai Hassan is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she serves as faculty co-director of MIT-Africa. Her research focuses on comparative politics, with particular emphasis on bureaucracy, public administration, the state, contentious politics, state repression, and the politics of Africa and the Middle East and North Africa region.
Her academic journey includes:
- PhD in Government from Harvard University
- Previous position as Associate Professor at the University of Michigan
Professor Hassan's research examines topics that span across authoritarian regimes, bureaucracy and public administration, and contentious politics. Her first book, "Regime Threats and State Solutions: Bureaucratic Loyalty and Embeddedness in Kenya," was selected as a Best Book of 2020 by Foreign Affairs, won the American Political Science Association's 2021 Robert A Dahl Award, and received the African Studies Association 2021 Bethwell A. Ogot Award. Her work has been published in prestigious journals including the American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, and the Journal of Politics.
Professor Hassan has been particularly active in providing expert commentary on Sudanese politics, drawing on her personal connection to the country (her family immigrated from Sudan to the United States when she was young). She has written op-eds for Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, and has been featured in media outlets including The New Yorker, NPR, and Vox.
Her scientific awards include:
- American Political Science Association's 2021 Robert A Dahl Award
- African Studies Association 2021 Bethwell A. Ogot Award
- Foreign Affairs' Best Book of 2020 designation for "Regime Threats and State Solutions"
Professor Hassan is actively involved in mentoring graduate students and has recently become a mother to her daughter Nadeen. She serves as faculty co-director of MIT-Africa, where she helps facilitate opportunities for MIT students to engage with African institutions through internships and research projects. Her current work includes a new book on mobilization under autocracy, as well as ongoing research on bureaucracy and state-society relations in Africa.
