Matthew Lange

Matthew Lange is a Professor of Sociology at McGill University since 2004. His research focuses on political sociology, comparative-historical sociology, ethnic violence, colonial legacies, and state formation, with emphasis on British and French colonial systems. He holds a PhD from Brown University (2004).

His work analyzes how colonial policies shape postcolonial ethnic conflicts, state development trajectories, and nationalist movements. Key contributions include studies on communalizing colonial policies, the effects of education on ethnic violence, and comparative analyses of British and Spanish colonies. Lange has authored influential books like Killing Others: A Natural History of Ethnic Violence (2017) and Lineages of Despotism and Development (2009).

Publications span over two decades, addressing topics such as state formation in Africa/Asia, the Oxford Handbook of State Transformations (2015), and methodological frameworks for comparative-historical research. Courses taught include political sociology, colonialism studies, and comparative-historical methods.