Michael Callen

Michael Callen is an Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with expertise in Development Economics, Political Economy, and Behavioral Economics. He holds key roles as Co-Director of the IGC State Effectiveness Research Programme and Lead Academic of the IGC Fragile States Initiative. His research focuses on public sector performance, state capabilities, and institutional effectiveness, with a particular emphasis on conflict zones and fragile states. He speaks English and Mandarin and has collaborated extensively with global institutions like J-PAL, BREAD, and VoxDev.

Education: PhD in Economics from the University of California, San Diego.

Research Interests: Callen’s work examines the intersection of political institutions, public sector accountability, and behavioral interventions. He has conducted field experiments in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal, investigating topics such as public sector absenteeism, mobile money adoption, and vaccine incentive design. His projects often bridge theory and policy, aiming to inform governance reforms in developing economies.

Recent Research Trends: His studies highlight the role of personality traits in public service performance, the impact of digital tools (e.g., mobile payments) in fragile states, and the disconnect between formal institutions and de facto power structures. He also explores how behavioral insights can optimize public health campaigns and policy design.

Affiliations and Grants: Callen is affiliated with STICERD, VoxDev, and the International Growth Centre. His work has been supported by initiatives like the World Bank’s Building Capacity for the Use of Research Evidence (BCURE) project.

Labs/Teams: He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at LSE and global partners, contributing to policy dialogues through platforms like VoxDev and IGC. His research frequently integrates quantitative methods with qualitative fieldwork to address complex development challenges.