Michael Herb

Michael Herb serves as a Professor in the Department of Political Science within Georgia State University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research specializes in the political dynamics of Arab Gulf monarchies, with particular expertise in Kuwaiti electoral systems through his authoritative Kuwait Politics Database.

Dr. Herb's scholarly work explores the intersection of oil wealth and political development, examining how resource abundance shapes parliamentary evolution and democratization challenges in monarchies. His research identifies critical patterns in taxation-democracy relationships and monarchic adaptation strategies within authoritarian contexts.

His publication record features two seminal monographs spanning 15 years of scholarship: the foundational All in the Family (1999) analyzing absolutism in Middle Eastern monarchies, and The Wages of Oil (2014) investigating economic development in Kuwait and UAE. These works establish him as a leading authority on Gulf political economy.

Through the Kuwait Politics Database, Dr. Herb provides essential infrastructure for Gulf politics researchers worldwide. His ongoing maintenance of this comprehensive electoral resource demonstrates sustained commitment to data-driven Middle Eastern scholarship despite the absence of formal laboratory structures.