Noah Nathan

Noah Nathan is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with faculty affiliation at MIT’s Global Diversity Lab. He previously taught at the University of Michigan and earned his PhD in Government from Harvard University (2016).

Research Interests:

• Political economy of development
• Comparative political behavior
• Urban politics
• State-building
• Distributive politics and clientelism
• Political parties
• African political systems

Article Trends: His recent work integrates urban built environments into political behavior analysis, with empirical studies across African cities. Key themes include state-building legacies in inequality, clientelist electoral systems, and architectural impacts on political engagement. Earlier work (2013-2020) focused on ethnic politics, leadership dynamics, and institutional design.

Scientific Awards:

• 2024 William Riker Award for Best Book in Political Economy
• 2024 African Politics Conference Group Best Book Award
• 2023 Foreign Affairs Best Books recognition
• 2015 Heinz I. Eulau Award (APSR)
• 2024 Political Ties Best Paper Award (APSA)

Advising & Grants: He has advised multiple published studies in top journals and secured research funding for field experiments in Ghana. Current work explores vernacular architecture’s political impact and state capture mechanisms.

Labs & Teams: Affiliated with MIT’s Global Diversity Lab and collaborative networks across African politics research institutions.