Mattias Polborn

Mattias Polborn serves as Professor of Economics and Political Science and holds the E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Economics at Vanderbilt University. He is concurrently a member of the Global Faculty at the University of Cologne, with prior faculty appointments at the University of Western Ontario and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics, University of Munich, 1998
• Diplom-Volkswirt (Master's equivalent), University of Munich, 1995

His research centers on political economy through rigorous game-theoretic analysis of political institutions and elections, with deep focus on candidate competition dynamics and political polarization mechanisms. Current investigations extend to institutional design implications for populism and terrorism, examining how electoral frameworks shape ideological conflict and strategic behavior in democratic systems.

Recent publications reveal consistent application of dynamic game-theoretic modeling across diverse political contexts, from presidential primaries to legislative elections. This body of work demonstrates how institutional rules generate polarization patterns while exploring the interplay between voter learning, candidate positioning, and systemic stability in electoral competition.